Additional Human Practices

March 31st - Discussion with Professor Zhang Weiwen of the School of Chemical Engineering at Tianjin University

Date: March 31, 2023

Participants: Chen Jiulin, Yu Le, Wang Yidong

Details:

Professor Zhang Weiwen is a Chair Professor at Tianjin University, a specially-appointed professor at the School of Chemical Engineering at Tianjin University, and the only Chinese member of the United Nations "Convention on Biological Diversity" International Synthetic Biology Technical Expert Group and the only Chinese member of the iGEM "Biosafety Committee." Due to the project concept being indoors, from a biosafety perspective, we had a discussion with Professor Zhang Weiwen and received the following suggestions from him:

• Safety must be ensured, i.e., genetically edited organisms cannot be released into the environment, so consideration should be given to the clearance process after application.
• The initial idea of modifying algae is very difficult, and there is no successful precedent in the world. Consider switching to simpler prokaryotic algae.
• The idea of using Shewanella bacteria for energy supply is innovative, but Shewanella has low energy supply efficiency, and considering the indoor environment, electricity is a convenient energy source.
• Simply removing indoor air pollutants is too monotonous; adding fluorescent proteins to indicate pollutants can enhance aesthetics.

Our responses:

• Conceptualize a biological suicide switch.
• Switch to blue-green algae to establish an algae-bacteria co-cultivation system.
• Abandon the idea of Shewanella energy supply and add fluorescent proteins to indicate pollutant concentrations.

April 22nd - Joint Stall with Teams from Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) at the Deep Blue Charity Sale

Date: April 22, 2023

Participants: Yang Jiayi, Yu Le, Chen Jiulin

Details:

The Deep Blue Charity Sale is a large-scale charity sale and amusement park event jointly organized by the Zixun College of Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), SUSTech Public Welfare, and Shenzhen University Xili Campus. It aims to raise funds for charity by allowing students to set up special stalls. The theme of this charity sale is "Building Dreams with Books, Selling Feelings with Charity," and the funds raised from the event will be donated to the "Sunshine Little Library - Children's Growth" project. In this event, the Shenzhen University iGEM team collaborated with the SUSTech Oceanography Department iGEM team and the China-Baszs iGEM team to set up a joint stall. They carefully planned and designed various activities and peripherals, distributed synthetic biology and iGEM-related merchandise to the public, sold flowers and DIY flower vases, and encouraged people to learn about the iGEM competition and explore the mysteries of synthetic biology. They also raised awareness about the value and potential of synthetic biology in everyday life.

What we got:

1. Understand how familiar people are with synthetic biology

2. Synthetic biology and iGEM were promoted

3. Communicate progress with other teams, increase weekly meetings, and improve task allocation system

May 10th - Discussion with Associate Professor Wang Chen of the Environmental Science and Engineering School at Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech)

May 10, 2023

Participants: Chen Jiulin

Details:

Associate Professor Wang Chen holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Chemistry from the University of Toronto, Canada. In June 2021, he joined the School of Environmental Science and Engineering at Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) and currently serves as an associate professor (researcher and Ph.D. supervisor). His research areas include atmospheric chemistry, indoor air pollution, the indoor-outdoor relationship of air pollutants, and their impacts. He conducts research on the behavior of pollutants, multiphase distribution processes, chemical transformations, and indoor-outdoor differences through laboratory experiments and field observations. He has published more than 40 SCI papers, including those in top international journals such as Science Advances (cover), PNAS, and Environmental Science & Technology, and co-authored an English monograph.

One of the indoor pollutants we are concerned about is also one of Professor Wang Chen's research areas. After the discussion, we summarized the following recommendations:

• Identify the sources of indoor air pollutants, which are mainly wall paints and household items. Formaldehyde and ammonia are commonly present in indoor residential and office spaces, while hydrogen sulfide is mainly found in bathrooms. However, a field investigation is needed to determine the actual sources.
• Develop models for the concentration changes of pollutant gases and conduct experiments based on these models.
• The relationship between pollutant gas concentrations in the air and in aqueous solutions under the same air conditions can be calculated using Henry's law, allowing the calculation of formaldehyde and hydrogen sulfide concentrations in aqueous solutions.
• Use portable electronic measuring instruments with national standard certification for the general determination of formaldehyde in the air, ensuring high accuracy and portability.
• Pay attention to the detection limits of different measurement methods to ensure reliable detection and use multiple methods if necessary.

Our responses:

• Procure precise and portable measurement instruments.
• Plan to conduct on-site measurements at offline furniture stores.
• Refer to literature on indoor air pollutants to understand the detection standards for indoor pollutants in different countries.

May 20th - Joint Lecture at SUSTech and the Medical School

May 20, 2023

Participants: Yang Jiayi, Yu Le

Speakers: Chen Jiulin, Wang Yidong

In order to popularize synthetic biology and the iGEM competition to the entire university community, and to promote communication and collaboration among participating teams, on the afternoon of May 20, 2023, the SUSTech-OCE iGEM team from the School of Oceanography at Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) and the SUSTech-MED team from the Medical School jointly organized a lecture.

The SUSTech-OCE team pointed out that indoor air pollution is a global issue that continuously threatens people's health. They emphasized that in a microbiome co-culture system, one microbe can serve as an autotrophic microbe to provide energy and carbon sources for other heterotrophic microbes. They hoped to build a blue-green algae-E. coli microbiome co-culture system to achieve sustainable treatment of pollutant gases. The experiment aims to detect, remove, and indicate the major indoor air pollutants through the co-culture system of blue-green algae and E. coli, while also measuring temperature and humidity in the indoor environment through the co-culture system of blue-green algae and Shewanella bacteria.

The SUSTech-MED team proposed that the formation of biofilms by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the reasons for its antibiotic resistance. In recent years, phage therapy has gained attention for its specificity in targeting pathogens, avoiding cross-resistance issues caused by antibiotic treatment. Therefore, the project aims to use mild bacteriophages to modify Pseudomonas aeruginosa to inhibit biofilm formation, facilitating the host's elimination of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Finally, both teams actively exchanged experiences and insights related to their preparations.

Figure 4.SUSTech_OCE and SUSTech_MED joint presentation site.

Figure 5.Photo of the two teams!

May 21st - South China Exchange Meeting

May 21, 2023

Participants: Yang Jiayi, Yu Le, Chen Jiulin

Presenter: Wang Yidong

The South China Exchange Meeting aims to gather iGEM teams from the South China region, providing a platform for team interaction, collaboration, mutual learning, and the exchange of ideas. It aims to foster a positive atmosphere for exploring synthetic biology. The 7th South China Exchange Meeting for 2023 was successfully held on May 21st at the Xili Campus of Shenzhen University. The theme of this meeting was "Villagarnival" (villages-carnival), and 16 teams from South China showcased their respective projects. During this exchange meeting, SUSTech-OCE introduced the team's project objectives, rationale, and project design to other teams and actively engaged in interactive discussions and knowledge sharing.

During the team presentation session, the main speaker, Wang Yidong, first briefly introduced the team's composition. He then explained that the project aims to achieve air purification through an algae-bacteria co-culture model. Indoor air pollutants such as formaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia persistently threaten people's health, and existing products for indoor air purification on the market often lack environmental friendliness. The experiment will utilize a co-culture system of blue-green algae and E. coli, introducing inducible promoters and fluorescent protein genes to detect and indicate major indoor air pollutants—formaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia. Additionally, various catalytic enzymes' genes will be introduced to absorb and treat these three types of gases. Furthermore, the experiment will involve a co-culture system of blue-green algae and Shewanella bacteria. By combining a series of sensors, including microbial fuel cells for power generation and temperature-humidity sensors, the project will monitor various parameters in the indoor environment.

During the open discussion session, we actively engaged with other teams, shared experiences, and exchanged insights.

June 5th - CGN Environmental Day

Date: June 5, 2023

Organizer: Yu Le

Details:

Harmony and Coexistence between Humans and Nature - From Synthetic Biology to Clean and Green Microbial Indoor Air Purification Systems.

In the exhibition hall of the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, which is operated by China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), students Liang Shuang, Yang Xin, and Yu Le stood before display boards, presenting the fundamental principles of synthetic biology: Synthetic biology, originating in 1978, has been around for 45 years now. It encompasses multiple disciplines, including molecular biology, nanomaterials, and information technology. It involves the large-scale design, writing, or modification of microorganisms' genomes, making them behave like machines, exhibiting different functions to address various problems.

In the fields of bio-synthetic materials, artificial food, bioremediation, biofuel cells, and diagnostics, synthetic biology plays a significant role. In the future, about 60% of products globally can be achieved through synthetic biology, bringing at least $1.7 trillion in direct economic benefits.

After briefly introducing synthetic biology, we presented the situation of the SUSTech-OCE team. SUSTech-OCE is the first team from the Department of Oceanography at Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) to participate in the iGEM competition. It was established in March 2023 and includes two PIs, two lab instructors, one team advisor, and 19 undergraduate students from six different academic disciplines.

To make everyone aware of the current state of indoor air pollution, we discussed the hazards of pollutants like formaldehyde. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) data, every year, formaldehyde pollution leads to 22,000 deaths, with 60 people dying from formaldehyde poisoning daily, and 2.5 people dying per hour. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a relatively common toxic gas, ranking 4th in the number of poisoning cases in China (following CO and organophosphates), with the 2nd highest number of deaths. According to WHO data, global deaths due to hydrogen sulfide poisoning range from 10,000 to 20,000 annually, which is approximately 41 deaths per day. Ammonia, compared to the previous two, has a weaker impact. According to WHO data, global deaths due to ammonia poisoning are approximately 4,500 annually, with about 12 deaths per day.

In the 2023 iGEM competition, SUSTech-OCE performed genetic editing on Escherichia coli (E. coli) to enable it to detect, indicate, and absorb indoor air pollutants such as formaldehyde and hydrogen sulfide. Simultaneously, they co-cultivated blue-green algae with genetically modified E. coli in the same container, creating a clean and green microbial indoor air purifier. This achievement aims to achieve a harmonious symbiosis between humans and microorganisms, promoting a peaceful coexistence between people and nature.

June 20th - Qianlinshan Primary School Outreach

Date: June 20, 2023

Speakers: Pan Jiayi, Jin Yuxuan, Zhou Zhiyue

Details:

Considering that our outreach efforts were challenging to reach teenagers who are actively engaged in daily school life, on June 20th, the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) iGEM team, SUSTech-OCE, visited Qianlinshan Primary School in Longgang District, Shenzhen, to conduct a science outreach lecture. The lecture focused on introducing microbiology, allowing the children from Qianlinshan Primary School's extracurricular clubs to gain a comprehensive understanding of SUSTech-OCE's work.

Student Pan Jiayi introduced indoor air pollutants to the children and used this as a starting point to introduce SUSTech-OCE's work, which involves using microorganisms to purify harmful substances in indoor air, including system construction, energy supply, gas detection, and gas absorption. The core of the team's work is to use a combined survival system of blue-green algae and Escherichia coli to absorb indoor pollutants. Zhou Zhiyue introduced the children to the seven-step handwashing technique and microbiology knowledge.

In the final segment, the SUSTech-OCE team chose to use modeling clay to help the children intuitively experience the charm of synthetic biology. After reviewing the concepts and structure of DNA, the children began creating their own DNA models. Questions like "How should we represent the DNA structure?" and "What colors should we use for DNA?" arose during the creative process. After completing their models, we selected the best model and organized a discussion and experience sharing session among the children.

Through this science outreach journey, the SUSTech-OCE team opened a window for the students at Qianlinshan Primary School to explore the natural world. It sparked their interest in biodiversity and ecosystems and encouraged them to actively apply the concept of harmonious coexistence with biology to improve the human environment in their own lives. The SUSTech-OCE team will continue to make efforts to nurture the next generation of young people who are concerned about environmental protection and promote sustainable development.

July 7-10th - CCiC Conference

Date: July 7-10, 2023

Organizers: Yang Jiayi, Chen Jiulin

Details:

From July 7th to 10th, the 10th Conference of China iGEMer Community (CCiC) was successfully held at Hainan University. CCiC is a national exchange conference initiated by iGEM participating teams in China. It aims to provide a platform for resource sharing, mutual learning, and exchange among iGEM teams and young enthusiasts of synthetic biology in China. During the conference, iGEM teams from all over China gathered to exchange project designs and progress, engage in intellectual discussions, and receive questions and advice from guests and the judging panel. Additionally, the conference featured exciting lectures by experts and scholars in the field of synthetic biology.

The CCiC conference included academic lectures, team presentation displays, poster displays, workshops, team discussions, and more. The conference invited heavyweight guests from academia and industry, as well as some iGEM Committee members.

Representatives from the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, SUSTech-OCE team members Chen Jiulin, Wang Yidong, Yang Jiayi, Li Lingfei, and Dong Gengshang attended the conference.

On the morning of July 9th, we presented our project to the audience. Our project starts with a microbial co-culture system, where we genetically edit Escherichia coli to absorb and remove indoor pollutants, namely formaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia, while emitting different fluorescence signals to indicate their concentrations. Simultaneously, the blue-green algae in this system use photosynthesis to absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, regulating indoor carbon dioxide levels and providing carbon and energy sources to Escherichia coli, enabling sustainable development. Through this project, we hope to provide a green and sustainable solution for indoor air pollution control. After presenting our project, other teams engaged in brief discussions with us through questions. On the same day, we had an in-depth discussion with the iGEM team from ShanghaiTech University, learning about the progress and techniques related to blue-green algae genetic editing in co-culture systems, which will contribute to the development of our co-culture system in the project.

September 4th - 2023 iGEM Intercollegiate Synthetic Biology Science Popularization Conference

Date: September 4, 2023

Organizers: Chen Jiulin, Yu Le

Details:

On the evening of September 4, 2023, the 2023 iGEM Intercollegiate Synthetic Biology Science Popularization Conference was held at Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai Campus. Ten iGEM teams from six universities shared synthetic biology-related content and their respective projects through a combination of online and offline methods. While introducing the basic concepts of synthetic biology, they also provided vivid application examples.

The SUSTech-OCE team from the Southern University of Science and Technology's Department of Ocean Science and Engineering presented their project, which starts with a microbial co-culture system. In this system, they genetically edited Escherichia coli to absorb and remove indoor pollutants, namely formaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia, while emitting different fluorescent signals to indicate their concentrations. Simultaneously, the blue-green algae in this system use photosynthesis to absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, regulating indoor carbon dioxide levels and providing carbon and energy sources to Escherichia coli, enabling sustainable development.

Current gas purification products on the market cannot simultaneously meet the three characteristics of continuous and thorough pollutant removal, environmental friendliness, and low energy consumption. Genetically edited Escherichia coli is used to absorb and process these pollutant gases, ultimately releasing non-toxic gases, primarily carbon dioxide. The system emits fluorescence to provide a visual indication of the pollution level. The introduction of blue-green algae, a photosynthetic autotroph, allows for the absorption of carbon dioxide and the release of oxygen while providing the necessary energy and resources to Escherichia coli.

They also showcased hardware and HP-related work and received suggestions and feedback from the audience!

Guangdong Science Center SynBio & SDG Science Popularization Exhibition

Date: September 30th, 2023

Responsibles: Yang Xin, Pan Jiayi, Jin Yuxuan, Yu Le, Yang Jiayi

Details:

Introduction:

The SynBio & SDG Science Popularization Exhibition is jointly organized by the SCUT-China team from South China University of Technology and the SCAU-China team from South China Agricultural University. The exhibition was held at the Guangdong Science Center on September 30, 2023, and was open to the public free of charge. Its aim was to convey the concept of "Synthetic Biology and Sustainable Development" to the general public and promote a better understanding of synthetic biology and its applications in sustainable development. During the exhibition, the SUSTech-OCE team presented the purpose and design of their projects to many visitors and actively engaged in interactive exchanges with other participating teams.

Exhibition Date: September 30, 2023

Exhibition Venue: Guangdong Science Center

Activities:

1. Survey Questionnaire and Creative Products

We have carefully designed a survey questionnaire to understand the public's awareness of indoor air pollution gases. By completing the questionnaire, participants can receive a beautifully designed postcard featuring our team mascot and a small stamp. The stamp can be used to redeem exquisite creative products such as cardholders and phone stands prepared by our team. Our creative products have been well-received by many visitors and were exchanged quickly within a few hours.

2. Project Introduction

We have prepared a large number of pamphlets that are freely available for all interested visitors to read. For any visitors willing to learn about our projects, we enthusiastically introduce them to our project background, objectives, designs, and more. Most visitors attentively listen to our presentations, and some of them show great concern regarding indoor air pollution issues.

3.Fun Experiment

We have prepared a fun little experiment for everyone, using a small formaldehyde detector to measure the formaldehyde levels in some commonly encountered sources in daily life. The sources of formaldehyde used in the experiment include wood-based panels, melamine tableware, perfume, nail polish, and nail polish remover. This experiment helps deepen visitors' understanding of indoor formaldehyde pollution.

Daily Public Account Posts

Date: July 15, 2023 - September 16, 2023

Responsible Person: Yang Jiayi

Details:

SUSTech-OCE is the first iGEM team from the Department of Ocean Science and Engineering at Southern University of Science and Technology. Our project focuses on a green and sustainable microbial co-culture system for indoor air pollution control. Starting from July 14, 2023, we launched the SUSTech-OCE Daily Plog column. Through this column, we published a "Daily Picture" to document the team's progress in experiments, daily activities, popular science content, innovative ideas, and more. This allowed everyone to gain insight into the team's daily work, as well as relevant popular science knowledge, and witness the team's growth!

As of September 16, 2023, a total of 57 educational and popular science posts have been published. This has increased the visibility, number of followers, and viewership of the public account, forming a comprehensive section that provides educational value to the public!

September 12th - Literature Review 1

Date: September 12, 2023

Responsible Person: Jin Yuxuan, Yang Jiayi

Details:

SUSTech-OCE conducted literature research on formaldehyde pollution. Statistical data in 2006 pointed out that China was one of the largest producers and consumers of formaldehyde, with production reaching 34% of the world's total at one point. In the statistics of indoor gases around the world, we also found that the indoor formaldehyde concentration in some cities in China was significantly higher than the indoor formaldehyde concentration limit given by the World Health Organization [2]. Indoor temperature, relative humidity, air circulation, and loading of decoration materials can all affect the release of formaldehyde to a certain extent. However, regardless of whether the house is newly renovated or not, it may face the problem of excessive formaldehyde concentration. This is because the release of formaldehyde has a long-term nature. A study has pointed out that it took at least 16 years for formaldehyde to be released in moderately decorated rooms with an area of around 15 ㎡. Therefore, controlling indoor formaldehyde concentration through sustainable development is of great significance.

[1] Tang, Xiaojiang, et al. "Formaldehyde in China: Production, consumption, exposure levels, and health effects." Environment international 35.8 (2009): 1210-1224.

[2] Zhang, Luoping, et al. "Formaldehyde exposure and leukemia: a new meta-analysis and potential mechanisms." Mutation Research/Reviews in Mutation Research 681.2 (2009): 150-168.

[3] https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/58347664

[4] 庄晓虹. 室内空气污染分析及典型污染物的释放规律研究[D]. 东北大学, 2012.

September 13th - Literature Review 2

Date: September 13, 2023

Responsible Person: Zhou Zhiyue

Details:

In addition, the SUSTech-OCE team also investigated the relationship between formaldehyde and disease. We found that the United States National Toxicology Project team listed formaldehyde as a "known human carcinogen", and the World Health Organization published in 2010 "Indoor Air Quality Guidelines" also pointed out that the safe standard of formaldehyde content in indoor air is 0.1 mg/m3, excessive will damage lung function, and may cause nasopharyngeal cancer and leukemia. As for the relationship between formaldehyde and diseases in China, studies have pointed out that the average formaldehyde concentration after indoor decoration in 2020 is 146.89 µg/m3, and the average carcinogenic risk of formaldehyde exposure is 9.07×10-4, showing a spatial distribution of "high in the north and low in the south" [1]. In addition, in 2020, formaldehyde pollution in indoor decoration in China directly caused disability adjusted life years to reach 21,656 person-years and economic losses to reach 25.888 billion yuan, accounting for 0.026% of the national GDP [2]. In summary, excessive indoor formaldehyde not only causes damage to health, but also causes serious economic losses.

September 14th - Literature Review 3

Date: September 14, 2023

Responsible Person: Pan Jiayi

Details:

Currently, indoor air purification strategies primarily encompass the following approaches. Firstly, the most commonly employed method is natural ventilation through window opening. Research indicates that even in developed urban areas, outdoor formaldehyde concentrations are close to zero. However, in heavily polluted cities, window opening for ventilation may introduce additional pollutants, thereby adversely impacting indoor air quality. Secondly, activated carbon filters are widely utilized for air purification; however, several studies have indicated that their purification efficacy is almost negligible. This is primarily due to the restricted airflow velocity through the activated carbon filters in environments with poor indoor ventilation, which limits their purification capabilities. To address this issue, some individuals opt for activated carbon filters equipped with fans, which enhance indoor air quality. These filters effectively eliminate certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and odors, thereby improving the indoor air environment. Additionally, many people believe that indoor plants possess air purification capabilities. While experimental findings demonstrate that plants can effectively remove formaldehyde from the air in small enclosed spaces, their purification potential may be significantly limited in practical residential and occupational settings where continuous sources of formaldehyde and other VOCs exist, making it challenging to detect noticeable reductions in pollutant gas concentrations.

July 31st - Furniture City Survey

Date: July 31, 2023

Responsible Persons: Yang Jiayi, Yu Le

Details:

In recent years, cases of indoor formaldehyde exceeding safety limits and causing diseases or even threatening life have been frequently reported. More and more people have added an additional criterion when purchasing furniture: environmental friendliness. There are many factors that affect the environmental performance of furniture, and formaldehyde is one of them.

Considering the advice given by teachers such as Wang Chen in previous activities to measure the source of formaldehyde on-site and understand its real proportion within households, our team members Yang Jiayi and Yu Le went to the furniture city for on-site research. We purchased precision instruments to measure formaldehyde concentration and conducted field investigations on various types of furniture.

During this on-site research, we surveyed dozens of furniture items, representing around a dozen categories, and recorded specific formaldehyde data, ensuring the authenticity of the results. The investigation revealed that the board materials used in panel furniture or custom furniture mainly include particle board, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and plywood. The manufacturing process of these types of boards involves processing wood into wood chips, adding adhesives, and processing the wood chips into boards through high-temperature compression. Formaldehyde is present in the adhesives. Due to formaldehyde's strong adhesion, it can enhance the hardness of the boards, provide insect and decay resistance, and is also inexpensive. Therefore, urea-formaldehyde resin, which contains formaldehyde as its main component, is used as a raw material for various types of engineered wood boards. In fact, almost all panel furniture or custom furniture on the market currently contains formaldehyde, which is unavoidable. The difference lies in the amount of formaldehyde content, which is subject to mandatory national standards. Regarding the on-site research data, our team has consolidated and presented a concise and clear data chart. The maximum allowable concentration of formaldehyde in indoor air is known to be 0.08 milligrams per cubic meter (Reference: GBT 16127-1995 Hygienic Standard for Formaldehyde in Indoor Air). It can be seen that most furniture items produce formaldehyde levels close to the maximum concentration, still posing certain risks. Additionally, it can be observed that the release of formaldehyde is more prominent in rest areas, which is closely related to people's daily sleep and other aspects of their lifestyle and health.

It is evident that our SUSTech-OCE iGEM team's research on indoor formaldehyde has a certain necessity and is closely related to the development of human health!

August 8th - Picture Book Creation and Communication

Date: August 8, 2023

Responsible Persons: Niu Wenke, Yu Le, Yang Jiayi, Chen Jiulin

Details:

Considering that relying solely on text and presentations can be monotonous, the SUSTech-OCE team collaborated with the OUC-Haide team to create picture books. Both teams' projects focus on addressing air pollution. After several meetings, we decided to use the mascots of each team as the main characters and created cute and understandable comic picture books. The picture books serve as a reminder for people to pay attention to air pollution and promote the use of new synthetic biology methods to improve the quality of life and protect physical health.

September 9th - Hospital Investigation

Date: September 9, 2023

Responsible Persons: Feng Shuran

Details:

We also interviewed hospitals for polluting gases. According to data from Shandong Provincial Hospital, air pollution kills about 7 million people every year, of which 4 million die from indoor air pollution. Indoor polluted air is mainly divided into formaldehyde, aromatic substances, some rare gases, etc. Formaldehyde has been identified by WHO as a class 1 carcinogen, and the data show that the risk of leukemia in formaldehyde exposed patients is increased by 1.53-2.47 times; benzene substances can cause a series of oxidative stress damage to the body, causing adverse effects such as blood diseases, chromosomal aberrations, and damage to the nervous system; noble gases represented by Radon are an important factor in inducing lung cancer.

Figure. The Logo of Shandong Provincial Hospital.

Figure. Partial Communication Records with Dr. Li Li.

September 11th - Hardware Design and Production

Date: September 11, 2023

Responsible Persons: Wang Yidong, Chen Haotian

Details:

While making continuous progress in the experimental part, in order to bring the project closer to our initial vision, we boldly began the design of the hardware component. The main body is designed for cultivating cyanobacteria and housing Escherichia coli responsible for metabolic functions.

The four side walls of our glass tank have four grooves, and each groove is equipped with a different color filter. Inside the grooves, we will place Escherichia coli that can detect and emit fluorescence in response to pollutant gases. By observing whether the Escherichia coli emits fluorescence under excitation light, we can visually determine the concentration of pollutants.

The main part of the tank will contain cyanobacteria and other strains of Escherichia coli. The cyanobacteria will absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen while secreting sucrose. Another strain of Escherichia coli will secrete sucrase to break down sucrose into glucose and fructose, which will be utilized by other Escherichia coli, thus achieving a sustainable system.

Additionally, we will incorporate an air pump at the bottom of the glass tank to continuously pump indoor air into the tank, improving the efficiency of pollutant removal.

Questionnaire Survey

Date: July 31, 2023 - October 10, 2023

Responsible Persons: Yu Le, Yang Jiayi

Details:

To support the feasibility of our project, we conducted a survey to understand the public's awareness of indoor air pollutants and their understanding of using synthetic biology to address real-world problems. We conducted two rounds of questionnaires targeting different demographics, and the results varied accordingly:

First Round: The first round of questionnaires primarily targeted teenagers and university students to gauge their understanding of the severity of indoor air pollution and their knowledge of methods to mitigate indoor air pollution.

Based on the data collected in the first round, we found that most teenagers were well aware of the hazards of formaldehyde but had limited knowledge about the dangers of hydrogen sulfide gas. Additionally, they showed great imagination and interest in synthetic biology methods, such as genetically modified plants used to absorb indoor pollutants.

Second Round: The second round of questionnaires primarily targeted adults to understand the level of understanding of the severity of indoor air pollution and the knowledge of methods to mitigate indoor air pollution among the previous generation. Based on the data collected in the second round, we found that most adults were well aware of the hazards of formaldehyde but had even lower awareness of the dangers of hydrogen sulfide gas. Additionally, their understanding of synthetic biology methods was limited, with the majority having no knowledge of the definition and concept of synthetic biology.

Fig. 6: Geographic Distribution of the Survey Respondents

https://static.igem.wiki/teams/4809/wiki/1.jpg