Overview
The United Nations Foundation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were formed in 2015 as a means to promote global efforts to reduce poverty and inequality, protect the planet, and foster peace, health, and justice. These goals are intended to be achieved by 2030, and each year the UN Secretary General releases a progress report towards fulfilling these targets. Innovation in science and technology has the potential to provide global progress in each of the 17 SDG areas. As an iGEM team, we aim to employ synthetic biology to aid in global realization of the SDGs.
More specifically, while developing our BioXane technology, we directed our efforts to fulfill three SDGs: Goal 3: Good Health and Well Being, Goal 4: Quality Education, and Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. Throughout our design process, stakeholder interactions, and outreach events, we strived to further these goals through our work in the field of synthetic biology.
Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being
Description
SDG 3 focuses on fostering well-being and healthy living for all, which are crucial components of building prosperous societies. However, recent increases in industrial pollution, disease, and lack of sufficient healthcare resources present hazards to global health and well-being. We focused on target 3.9 of SDG 3 in particular, which calls for a reduction in death and illness due to hazardous chemical pollution in air, water and soil by 20301.
Threat to Goal
Industrial water pollution poses a great threat to global health and well-being. Ann Arbor’s 1,4-dioxane plume is a clear example of a danger to human health: 1,4-dioxane is a hazardous chemical labeled as a class 2B carcinogen, and ingestion through drinking water can lead to adverse health effects2. Drinking water with high concentrations of 1,4-dioxane, such as water sourced from the Ann Arbor plume, may lead to adverse nervous systems effects and cancer. Little is known about additional long-term effects of 1,4-dioxane exposure in humans, but in animals, long-term exposure causes kidney and liver damage, cancer, and even increases the cancerous effects of other carcinogens. Ultimately, one’s exposure to 1,4-dioxane increases their vulnerability to chronic health issues and creates a significant risk of death. Through a wider lens, 1,4-dioxane contamination in Ann Arbor imminently endangers the good health and well-being of many surrounding communities3.
Potential Long Term Impacts
The technology of BioXane has the potential to greatly reduce the effects of the 1,4-dioxane plume on the health of the surrounding communities. Such reduction would be accomplished by means of eliminating this dangerous contaminant from drinking water sources. Incorporating this technology into existing water treatment infrastructure would provide a method of decontamination for the community at large, keeping local residents safe and reducing the risk of illness and death due to 1,4-dioxane exposure.
SDG 3 Social Impacts
In our community survey, we learned that a significant number of community members surrounding the plume are concerned about not having access to safe drinking water. Removing 1,4-dioxane from drinking water using BioXane will reduce stress over water safety held by local residents, therefore promoting mental well-being for the community as a whole.
SDG 3 Environmental Impacts
In addition to directly improving human health, remediating industrial pollutants such as 1,4-dioxane has a positive effect on the condition of the environment. Studies have shown that communities with more polluted environments have higher rates of sickness and disease4, meaning this technology may have a positive impact on health and well-being. BioXane can play a large role in improving the environment and thus improving health and well-being for surrounding communities.
SDG 3 Economic Impacts
Additionally, the potential of BioXane to remove 1,4-dioxane from drinking water will have a positive economic impact. A reduction in exposure to the pollutant will likely reduce potential healthcare costs for treating conditions associated with 1,4-dioxane. Moreover, while conducting community surveys, we found that many locals were concerned about real estate value going down due to the industrial pollution in the area. Remediating 1,4-dioxane pollution will ensure that homeowners looking to sell their property will not face trouble due to pollution.
SDG 3 Stakeholder Feedback
We worked with Dr. Rita Loch-Caruso, a scientist at the University of Michigan, to better understand how our project impacted SDG 3. Dr. Loch-Caruso is a toxicologist who studies how pollutants impact the human reproductive system. She is also very involved in advocacy and research surrounding the 1,4-dioxane plume, and has published papers focused on the plume in Ann Arbor. Dr. Loch-Caruso helped us understand how little is known about the risks of 1,4-dioxane exposure. While 1,4-dioxane exposure is associated with cancer, there may be additional adverse health impacts. However, because the plume formed within the past century, no data exists on the long-term effects in humans. This underscores the importance of remediation efforts to prevent 1,4-dioxane exposure and protect human health. Our conversations with Dr. Loch-Caruso helped us understand the gravity of the health hazards that 1,4-dioxane poses, and reaffirmed our resolve on SDG 3.
SDG 3 Completed Efforts
Although our BioXane system is not yet being used in the community, we have already taken steps to further SDG 3. Our initiatives to spread awareness of the 1,4-dioxane plume and our work with the Coalition for Action on Remediation of Dioxane (CARD) have aimed to fulfill SDG 3. We created a poster series to educate people about the plume, placing them in areas of high-traffic in the communities surrounding the plume. Spreading awareness of pollution helps address target 3.9 of SDG 3, specifically because if people are unaware of the plume, they will be unlikely to test their own water and take steps to avoid drinking contaminated water. In a similar manner, we attended monthly CARD meetings over the course of 9 months, at which we helped review well monitoring data to ensure that residential wells at risk for 1,4-dioxane contamination had been properly tested each month. This examination is crucial to health and well-being, as testing data is occasionally missing for certain wells, which poses a risk to the residents.
Goal 4: Quality Education
Description
SDG 4 focuses on providing high quality education and lifelong learning for all. This goal is important because education is a factor in overcoming poverty and reducing inequalities5. We focused our work on target 4.4 and target 4.7 of this SDG specifically. Target 4.4 focuses on increasing the proportion of youth and adults with technical and vocational skills for employment, jobs, and entrepreneurship. Target 4.7 aims to equip everyone with knowledge and skills necessary for promotion of sustainable development.
Threat to Goal
Although the 1,4-dioxane plume in Ann Arbor compromises clean water access in the area, many citizens are not aware of the existence of the plume. Lack of education about industrial pollution poses a great threat to the health and safety of the local community. Even those who are aware of the plume may not be informed of the options available for remediation. Spreading awareness and equipping children and adults alike with the background knowledge necessary for innovation and involvement is crucial for the remediation of the 1,4-dioxane pollution in Ann Arbor.
Potential Long Term Impacts
Incorporating synthetic biology technology such as BioXane’s bioremediation system can help to educate affected communities about the potential of synthetic biology and genetic engineering. As an iGEM team working on cutting edge technology, it is important to use our platform not only to advance the wellbeing of our community, but also to keep our projects accessible and reproducible.
SDG 4 Social Impacts
Making education about innovation and research accessible to all is important to enable socioeconomic mobility. Teaching others about BioXane and synthetic biology as a whole can help equip children and adults with the knowledge necessary to pursue careers in science and technology.
SDG 4 Environmental Impacts
Educating the community about environmental issues such as the 1,4-dioxane plume is crucial to making a positive change to the environment. Our community survey results showed that 38.7% of local residents surveyed did not know about the 1,4-dioxane plume. Increasing the number of people informed about the plume should, in turn, increase advocacy efforts for remediation. The larger the force behind environmental change, the faster and more efficiently the change will occur.
SDG 4 Economic Impacts
Increasing the education of a community is associated with an increase in socioeconomic status6. By educating children and adults about synthetic biology, we hope to generate interest in the field and expand scientific research as a whole.
SDG 4 Stakeholder Feedback
Our work with community stakeholders has demonstrated that there is a need for more education on the plume. We conducted interviews and a survey of the community local to the plume. Many of the responses indicated that community members are not familiar with the 1,4-dioxane pollution in their city, and are unaware about approaches to remedy it. In our interview sessions, some interviewees pointed out specifically that they wished there was more information provided to the public about 1,4-dioxane.
These responses highlight the need for community education about 1,4-dioxane and possible solutions. We have aimed to address these concerns by hosting a number of educational initiatives, detailed below.
SDG 4 Completed Efforts
We have organized and led a number of educational events to spread knowledge about 1,4-dioxane and synthetic biology in the local community.
We presented at the 2024 Michigan Science Olympiad competition, a competitive science event attended by thousands of middle and high school students. We were able to teach students from all over the country about synthetic biology and its capacity to solve real-world problems.
We also gave lectures about 1,4-dioxane at schools in the area. We visited a local elementary and middle school called A2 STEAM. At this school, we spent a day teaching eighth graders about synthetic biology, the 1,4-dioxane plume, and bioremediation. We also held a lecture for undergraduate students at the University of Michigan to learn about synthetic biology and BioXane. Through both of these experiences, we were able to give students skills and knowledge in the field of synthetic biology to better equip them for future careers and endeavors.
In addition to students, we strived to provide lifelong learning opportunities to community members of all ages by holding a booth at the local Ann Arbor Green Fair event and posting informational posters in high traffic areas. Our booth and posters helped teach Ann Arbor residents about 1,4-dioxane pollution, synthetic biology and sustainable development in an approachable format.
Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Description
SDG 6 focuses on sustainable management and availability of clean water for all. Access to water is a human right, and it is essential that clean drinking water is available to all communities. We focused on target 6.1 which calls for universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water, target 6.3: reducing water pollution, target 6.5: implementing integrated water resource management, and target 6.b: strengthening local community participation in improving water management.
Threat to Goal
1,4-Dioxane contamination directly threatens clean water availability in and around Ann Arbor. The plume is primarily concentrated in groundwater beneath Ann Arbor and is moving towards the Huron River, the main source of municipal drinking water for the surrounding communities. Due to the contamination of groundwater, it is no longer safe for residential well owners living within the plume to drink their own well water7. Additionally, the 1,4-dioxane plume is spreading towards the Huron river, and if it is reached, the entire Ann Arbor community would no longer have access to safe drinking water.
Potential Long Term Impacts
The implementation of BioXane could help eliminate the harmful plume and ensure the local community’s access to clean and safe drinking water.
SDG 6 Social Impacts
Advocating for remediation through innovation and outreach has the potential to encourage better water management overall. Through efforts to raise awareness of the 1,4-dioxane plume, attitudes towards pollution may shift, which may prevent similar industrial pollution events from occurring.
SDG 6 Environmental Impacts
While there are some remediation efforts already underway in Ann Arbor, only a fraction of the 1,4-dioxane from the original plume has been removed after 40 years8. BioXane’s bioremediation system has the potential to accelerate bioremediation of Ann Arbor’s water, having immense positive impacts on water quality and environmental health.
SDG 6 Economic Impacts
Implementing technologies like BioXane before the 1,4-dioxane plume spreads into municipal water sources may prevent the need to spend a great deal of money on finding alternative sources of water for the city, or cleaning a larger body of water such as the Huron River.
SDG 6 Stakeholder Feedback
We partnered with the CARD group at the inception of BioXane, and have continued to work with them as we realize SDG 6. Through CARD, we learned a great deal about the history of 1,4-dioxane pollution in Ann Arbor, and were able to keep up to date with monthly testing levels and current legislative initiatives. We have worked with CARD to advocate for better water management and to strengthen community involvement in upholding water quality and access to safe water.
SDG 6 Completed Efforts
We have completed a number of initiatives focused on furthering SDG 6.
In order to support and strengthen community participation in water management efforts, we hosted a booth at the Ann Arbor Green Fair, a community event where residents can interact with sustainability groups. At the booth, we discussed the 1,4-dioxane contamination issue and our proposed solution, BioXane.
We also have raised awareness about the 1,4-dioxane plume through our poster series. We displayed our posters in high-traffic public areas including the District Library, the Farmer’s Market, the Natural History Museum, and various university buildings in order to inspire poster viewers to contribute to local efforts focused on clean water research and policy.
Throughout our project, we also worked with the CARD group on local water management initiatives. During a monthly CARD meeting, we were involved in discussion about the EPA superfund proposal to direct government attention and funding to the Ann Arbor plume issue.
Finally, we visited the Ann Arbor Water Treatment plant to learn more about integrated water resource management, and how to best integrate our technology into existing infrastructure. We identified key steps in the water treatment process where BioXane could be successfully applied.
Impact on Other SDGs
The Sustainable Development Goals are designed to work together to promote peace and prosperity. While we primarily focused on goals 3, 4 and 6, our project also has an influence on many other goals.
Positive Impacts
BioXane impacts many SDGs outside of our main focus. Goal 9 calls for resilient infrastructure, inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and promotion of innovation. Target 9.4 focuses specifically on sustainable infrastructure and greater adoption of clean technologies in industrial processes, and target 9.5 aims to promote scientific research. BioXane is a sustainable method of 1,4-dioxane remediation and can be easily integrated into existing infrastructure. In addition, BioXane technology is very innovative and promotes the growing field of bioremediation as a whole. Technologies like BioXane can help promote synthetic biology innovation and thus address target 9.
Negative Impacts
While we have aimed to have an overall positive impact on the Sustainable Development Goals, no technology is perfect and BioXane may conflict with certain SDGs.
Since BioXane uses live organisms, implementation of such a system may require a great deal of resources and regular maintenance. This may conflict with Goal 9—Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure—as this type of infrastructure is not self-sustaining and will require considerable maintenance. In addition, the Ann Arbor Water Treatment facility is lucky to have a “Pilot Plant” where new technology can be tested before implementation into the entire plant as a whole. This resource is extremely invaluable for innovation in water treatment, and can accelerate the adoption of technologies like BioXane. However, most communities do not have similar testing facilities, and thus it may be difficult for some groups to adopt similar technologies for water treatment. This may increase the disparities between groups that have these facilities and those that do not, conflicting with Goal 11, which focuses on reducing inequality.
How can other iGEM teams build on our work?
We have compiled a bioremediation database that contains information about common pollutants and enzymes which can degrade them. We hope that this database can provide other iGEM teams and researchers with the tools to progress in the UN Sustainable Development Goals by following our bioremediation framework for other types of pollutants threatening the safety of different communities.
