This STTR Phase II research project is focusing on the development and commercialization of a new, environmentally safe biopesticide for the control of zebra and quagga mussels. These freshwater, invasive bivalves foul water pipes and cause severe economic and ecological harm throughout North America and Europe. Marrone Organic Innovations, a leader in biopesticide commercialization, is partnering with biological control experts at the New York State Museum who have discovered a bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens, that produces a natural compound that is selectively lethal to these pest mussels. The microbial biopesticide developed in this project will be an environmentally safe alternative to the polluting, non-selective chemicals that infested facilities, due a lack of alternatives, are currently forced to rely on to control mussel infestations.
The broader impacts of this research include both economic and ecological benefits to society. Mussel infestations cause hundreds of millions of dollars in additional expenses every year, and the chemical methods currently used to control them are known to be harmful to other aquatic organisms. The proposed research will advance a project of national significance and reach across numerous scientific disciplines, including biochemistry, microbiology, and invertebrate zoology, serving as a model in the effort to reduce the use of polluting pesticides. Training and learning will be fostered by involving postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students. Because of its extraordinary safety, this bacterial biopesticide will serve as an example of a green technology that will benefit the environment as well as industrial and recreational users of freshwater.
Marrone Bio Innovations (MBI) began working on the commercialization of the Pseudomonas fluorescens strain, CL 145A (Pf CL 145A), a bacterial species commonly found in the environment that was previously demonstrated to specifically kill adult zebra and quagga mussels under the Phase II grant jointly awarded to MBI and Dr. Dan Molloy from the Cambridge Field Lab of New York State Museum (NYSM) in 2009. The bacterial strain was initially discovered and developed at the lab scale by NYSM. In January 2010, MBI became the commercial license holder of the Pf CL 145A strain and its commercial name is Zequanox®. After initial successful commercial development of Zequanox and securing additional venture backed funds for the further commercialization, MBI was awarded a Phase IIb grant. With the aid of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Phase II, IIB, Research Experience for Undergraduates, and TECP Supplemental funding, MBI is well positioned to achieve our projected revenues in 2012 and 2013. Some of the key accomplishments achieved by MBI with the assistance of this NSF funding include that we; - Became the commercial license holder of Pf CL 145A January 2010. - Filed three additional patents for chemistry and product use. - Received product registration approval under the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) from the United States Environmental Protection Agency for the Technical Active Grade Ingredient (TGAI) and our initial formulation in July 2012. - Received approval from USEPA on March 9, 2012 for spray dried powder formulation, an improved commercial formulation. - Conducted multiple commercial scale demonstration treatments at hydropower facilities in the United States and Canada; including the completion of a series of treatments of a cooling water subsystem at the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) Davis Dam demonstrating efficacy of adult mussels ranging from 50 to 78 percent. - Developed two treatment programs: adult and juvenile periodic treatment programs (work supported through TECP supplemental funding), that match both the technology and identified market need. - Completed additional eco-toxicology studies to both demonstrate product safety as well as evaluate the use of the product for environmental restoration initiatives. - Completed market research and pricing assessments to position product in initial key markets. - Developed cost proposal template, identified costs for four facilities in North America. - At the time of this final report, MBI has submitted four cost proposals with anticipated sales and facility treatments in the second and third quarter of 2012. MBI has also moved forward on sales activities with Reclamation. In the Phase I research completed by NYSM, a prototype formulation of the bacterium was achieved for control of adult mussels. The main goal of the Phase II project was to continue the development of the metabolite-producing organism, Pf CL 145A, into a marketable biocontrol product with good efficacy towards invasive mussels and with extended shelf-life. The Phase II grant also served as an initial working partnership with MBI and NYSM for technology transfer. In addition, under the Phase II grant MBI developed a quick and simple analytical assay to measure active metabolites, increased the metabolite production and stability, conducted toxicology studies required for regulatory approval, and submitted the regulatory dossier to the USEPA. The Phase IIb research accomplishments included conducting commercially relevant pilot and full-scale demonstration trials and further product optimization. Third party funds, from independent investors, were leveraged to support extensive commercially relevant demonstration trials in both the power and industrial market sector. As wells as additional product commercialization support, such as regulatory dossier submission and submittals, manufacturing development, pricing analysis and additional market research. The included image is a representation of demonstration studies completed, with the support of NSF funding, at power and industrial facilities throughout North America. Greater than 90 percent efficacy was observed for both zebra and quagga mussels when mussels were treated for six hours with 25 to 50 mg/L of the active substance in Zequanox. Mussel mortality was observed for a two to four week time period. The slow dying off of mussels provides an advantage to power and industrial facilities because it limits the influx of shell debris at any one time.
