Hi, I am the Hydro Guardian! I am a cell that has been genetically modified to detect very small quantities of antibiotics and heavy metals in water solutions.
Clean water is very important for our environment, animals, and plants. However, every year, lots of heavy metals and antibiotics accumulate in wastewater and cannot be filtered out completely by wastewater treatment plants, getting distributed into rivers and our environment. This is where I come into play. My task is to find the heavy metals and antibiotics! Whenever I detect something, I glow green or red. I’m also responsible for educating people of all ages about how to use and dispose of antibiotics in the right way.
My goal is to prevent the development of antibiotic resistances and to contribute to the fight against environmental pollution. Therefore, I get lots of support from the iGEM-Team Hannover.
The Challenge
Our water systems are facing an increasing number of pollutants, including antibiotics and heavy metals, creating serious threats to human health and ecosystems. These contaminants disrupt natural processes and build up over time, endangering both the environment and communities reliant on clean water. But we can beat them! By monitoring our water, we can identify contaminants early and take action to protect our water systems and communities.
Antibiotic Sources
There are so many ways that antibiotics end up in our waterways! They often make their way into water bodies through improper household disposal and personal care products, agricultural practices, pharmaceutical industry and medical usage and waste. Their persistence in the environment is a major contributor to the growing global crisis of antibiotic resistance, which is affecting both wildlife and human health.
Sources of Heavy Metals
Heavy metal residues are released into water systems from industrial discharges, mining operations, agricultural runoff and atmospheric deposition. These toxic substances accumulate in water sources, poisoning aquatic life and potentially leading to long-term damage to human health through the food chain.
Our Solution:
Tackling the Problem at the Root
To combat these threats, we’ve designed the Hydro Guardian. Our innovative bioengineered system is the answer to all your water contamination worries. It can detect both antibiotics and heavy metals in liquids, keeping your water safe and clean. Our Hydro Guardian uses genetically modified cells that respond to specific contaminants with a fluorescent glow, enabling early detection and proactive intervention to protect your water sources before damage becomes irreversible.
Hello, I'm the Hydroguardian! I help to recognise heavy metals and antibiotic residues in water at an early stage so that we can identify their sources and prevent their further spread. How do I do that? Come on, I'll show you.
Wetlab
Here you can see how I was designed and assembled to guard the water.
Click here to check out our biological experiments!
Modelling
I may not be a computer specialist, but my team will show you here why I'm so important.
Click here to check out our model!
Human Practices
Here you can find out how my team and I ensure that society is made aware of the importance of our project.
Click here to check out our human practices!
Physics & Engineering
Lasers are not only cool in movies, they also helped me in the beginning. Wondering how? We'll show you!
Click here to check out our engineering cycle!