Paper Status Tracking
Contact us
[email protected]
Click here to send a message to me 3275638434
Paper Publishing WeChat

Article
Affiliation(s)

Nord Anglia Chinese International School Shanghai, China

ABSTRACT

As global demand for sustainable agriculture rises, biopesticides represented by Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have become a core alternative to chemical pesticides. However, UV-induced photodegradation severely limits the field efficacy of conventional Bt products. Melanin-enhanced Bt, a genetically modified microbial (GMM) formulation with improved photostability, offers a technical solution, yet it faces divergent regulatory barriers across major economies that hinder its global adoption. Taking the United States, the European Union, China, and Brazil as research subjects, this paper systematically compares their regulatory frameworks for melanin-enhanced Bt, analyzes the structural drivers of regulatory divergence from four dimensions—political philosophy, economic interests, historical memory, and international trade regimes—and proposes targeted policy recommendations at global, national, and industrial levels.

KEYWORDS

Bt biopesticide, melanin, genetically modified microorganism, regulatory divergence, global governance

Cite this paper

CHEN, Meizhen. Regulatory Barriers and Global Adoption of Melanin-Enhanced Bt Biopesticides: An Environmental Sociology Perspective. Sociology Study, July-Aug. 2026, Vol. 16, No. 4, 261-271.

References


AgroLatam. (2025). Brazil approves 912 pesticide registrations in 2025: Record driven by generics and biologics. Retrieved from https://www.agrolatam.com/crops/brazil-approves-912-pesticides-2025/

Avetisyan, S., Hovsepyan, A., Hovsepyan, L., Koloyan, H., Chizhik, O., Hovhannisyan, S., & Paronyan M. (2024). Obtaining melanin-synthesizing strains of Bacillus thuringiensis and their use for biological preparations. Frontiers in Bioscience-Elite, 16(3), 27.

Bernauer, T., & Bernauer, T. (2003). Technological revolution meets policy and the market: Explaining cross-national differences in agricultural biotechnology regulation. European Journal of Political Research, 42(5), 643-683.

Cropper, M. L., Evans, W. N., & Portney, P. R. (1991). An analysis of EPA pesticide regulation. Retrieved from https://www.resources.org/archives/an-analysis-of-epa-pesticide-regulation/

Demarest Law. (2024). Bioinputs regulatory framework enters into force in Brazil. Retrieved from https://www.demarest.com.br/en/bioinputs-regulatory-frameworks-enters-into-force-in-brazil/

Euractiv. (2024). The EU’s biocontrol bottleneck: A call for urgent regulatory reform. Retrieved from https://www.euractiv.com/opinion/the-eus-biocontrol-bottleneck-a-call-for-urgent-regulatory-reform/

EUR-Lex. (2001). Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 March 2001 on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms and repealing Council Directive 90/220/EEC - Commission Declaration. Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32001L0018&qid=1784274857922

EUR-Lex. (2009). Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and repealing Council Directives 79/117/EEC and 91/414/EEC. Retrieved from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32009R1107

European Food Safety Authority. (n.d.). Environmental risk assessment of pesticides. Retrieved from https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/environmental-risk-assessment-pesticides

Food and Agriculture Organization. (2023). Pesticide use and trade. 1990-2022. Retrieved from https://www.fao.org/statistics/highlights-archive/highlights-detail/pesticides-use-and-trade-1990-2022/en

Ganai, M., Khan, Z., & Tabasum, B. (2018). Challenges and constraints in chemical pesticide usage and their solution: A review. International Journal of Fauna and Biological Studies, 5(3), 31-37.

Gruszczynski, L., & Scott, J. (2023). The WTO agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary measures: A commentary (2nd ed.). Oxford : Oxford University Press.

Markets and Markets. (2026). Biopesticides market report. Retrieved from https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/biopesticides-267.html

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China. (2026). The European Commission has issued a revised proposal to simplify the marketing process for genetically modified microorganisms. Retrieved from https://www.moa.gov.cn/ztzl/zjyqwgz/ckzl/202601/t20260104_6480352.htm

Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology. (2005). U.S. vs. EU: An examination of the trade issues surrounding genetically modified food. Retrieved from https://www.pew.org/-/media/legacy/uploadedfiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/reports/food_and_biotechnology/biotechuseu1205pdf.pdf

Pusztai, M., Fast, P., Gringorten, L., Kaplan, H., Lessard, T., & Carey, P. R. (1991). The mechanism of sunlight-mediated inactivation of Bacillus thuringiensis crystals. Biochemical Journal, 273, 43-47.

Schlessinger, D. I., Rahimi, N., & Schlessinger, J. (2025). Biochemistry, melanin. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2023). The coordinated framework for the regulation of biotechnology: Plain language information on the biotechnology regulatory system. Retrieved from https://usbiotechnologyregulation.mrp.usda.gov/sites/default/files/coordinated-framework-plain-language.pdf

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2021). How to register a pesticide—A guide for applicants new to the process. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/how-register-pesticide-guide-applicants-new-process


About | Terms & Conditions | Issue | Privacy | Contact us
Copyright © 2001 - David Publishing Company All rights reserved, www.davidpublisher.com
3 Germay Dr., Unit 4 #4651, Wilmington DE 19804; Tel: 001-302-3943358 Email: [email protected]