Team:SIS Korea/Description-Design
Since 2017, over 400 million tonnes of plastic have been produced every year. Mostly produced from packaging sectors, the world has produced more than 7 billion tonnes cumulatively, leading to a mass accumulation of plastic in the natural environments. Out of that plastic waste, more than 6.3 billion tons turned into littered trash, while only 9% were recycled. Furthermore, 79% were buried in landfills, and the rest into the ocean. Some of the problems that arise as a consequence to these irresponsible actions are more noticeable than others, such as those regarding macroplastic and the trash mountains. However, that doesn’t mean that microplastic is a minor issue that can be ignored. Once plastic falls into the ocean, it is broken down into smaller plastic debris through processes of erosion and mechanical breakdown, and furthermore into microplastic particles that are impossible to identify with the naked eye. When these particles are intaken by animals such as lugworms, entire food webs are shattered into pieces. The plastic accumulates exponentially as it moves up the food chain, eventually ending up in the fish we, humans, eat. The most chilling part of this epidemic is that despite the massive amount of intake, scientists know little to no information about the possible harm microplastics may have on human bodies. From tracking the path of microplastics in the human body, scientists have predicted that due to the relatively large surface area to volume ratio of the particles, microplastics may result in unwanted chemical reactions, inflammatory responses, disruption in the gut microbiome, etc.
As one of the biggest consumers of disposable products, South Korea has supported sustainable development with various implementations. For example, Korea Ministry of Environment established Korean Sustainable Development Goals(K-SDGs) to further prevent environmental pollution, which include reducing plastic use. Additionally, it developed improvement measures to limit all processes involving plastic such as production, discharge, and consumption. Despite these efforts, South Korea is still struggling to reduce the overwhelming amount of plastic it produces. Moreover, the public is mostly unaware about microplastic and its devastating impact on the world. In the beginning, we were unfamiliar with this plastic issue. Therefore, we saw this iGem project as a good opportunity to learn more about this emerging issue and possibly find an effective way to decompose the particles. Through research, we have discovered that other various species involved in the ecosystem other than marine organisms are also exposed to microplastics. Studies have revealed that these contaminants are everywhere and that we are consuming them daily through tap water and seafood. Their effects on humans as wells as the ecosystem were beyond imagination and with the ongoing production of plastic and release of industrial effluents, developing a solution for this global environmental problem seemed urgent.
The solution our team proposes to this detrimental issue is utilizing genetically modified E-coli to produce the enzyme that can break down plastic. More specifically, the E-coli will contain PETase producing genes, which brings about the initial breakdown of plastic materials; MHETase is then utilized to further break down the plastic particles. In past experiments, in order to release the PETase from the E-coli, the E-coli was made to burst and die; our team believes that such methods may be viewed as inefficient as the enzymes are going to constantly remain limited as all the E-coli will die. Thus, our team attempted to utilize the secretion method to release the enzymes naturally, without killing the E-coli containing it. Additionally, we made the bacteria to be light-inducible, meaning that in sunlight the bacteria will become active to create the enzymes. However, this solution, by no means, is the perfect antidote to our world’s plastic addiction and infection. However, we hope that we are providing a viable start — a boost at the starting line that would allow us to be a step closer to achieving the perfect solution to freeing ourselves and the world from the wrying hands of plastic.
Description and Inspiration
Background Information
Inspiration
