Green Engineering

Overview

To address UN SDG Goals 8, 9 and 12, we have created an affordable and easy to assemble bioreactor composed of commonly available or 3D printable parts, and which can be assembled with basic technical knowledge.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Our bioreactor takes on work that is commonly accomplished by volunteer or entry-level lab workers. These individuals are often highly educated and capable of contributing to more meaningful tasks but are instead relegated to performing the “grunt work” of the lab—preparing media, performing cloning, etc.—due to a lack of perceived experience. By using a bioreactor, we free our members from mundane tasks, allowing them to apply their expertise to other areas of the project. This not only increases our efficiency and member satisfaction but also has implications for the broader industry. With an affordable and easy-to-manufacture solution for automated cloning, lab personnel who were previously occupied with repetitive tasks can now engage in more complex work, driving economic growth and providing more meaningful employment opportunities.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Our project advances industry and innovation by providing a bioreactor that is both accessible and scalable. By utilizing commonly available or 3D-printable parts, we make advanced biotechnological equipment attainable for labs with limited resources. This accessibility fosters innovation across the scientific community, enabling more researchers to participate in cutting-edge work without the barrier of high costs. Additionally, our bioreactor enhances laboratory infrastructure by automating bacterial culturing processes that traditionally require significant manual labor. Streamlining these processes not only improves efficiency but also encourages the adoption of open-source and sustainable technologies in scientific research. We believe this approach can inspire similar innovations in the industry, promoting sustainable industrialization and supporting resilient infrastructure development.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Our bioreactor addresses the need for responsible consumption and production by significantly reducing plastic waste and optimizing resource use. Traditional cloning methods often rely heavily on single-use plastics—such as disposable pipette tips, culture plates, and tubes—which contribute to substantial environmental impact. By automating processes and incorporating reusable components, our bioreactor minimizes reliance on these disposable materials. This reduction in plastic waste not only decreases environmental pollution but also lessens the demand for resources needed to produce single-use items. Additionally, the precision of automation ensures that reagents and other resources are used efficiently, further reducing overall waste. By making our design affordable and easy to implement, we encourage widespread adoption of sustainable practices in laboratories worldwide. This shift not only benefits the environment but also promotes a culture of sustainability within the scientific community, setting a precedent for responsible consumption and production in research and industry.

Performance Comparison

Our bioreactor outperforms traditional cloning methods in several aspects, most notably in culturing density, culturing efficiency, cost effectiveness and electricity consumption. These improvements directly contribute to sustainability by optimizing resource use and reducing waste.

Culturing Density

Culturing density refers to the maximum amount of bacteria that a culturing method can support. The maximum amount of bacteria a cloning experiment can produce is determined by many factors, namely, the amount of broth, concentration of the broth, amount of available oxygen, heat, etc 1. We compared OD600 measurements for both our bioreactor and traditional methods and found that the density of bacteria within the medium (extrapolated from OD600 measurements) after 6 hours was around 3 times higher than that of traditional methods.

Higher culturing density is beneficial because it allows for a greater yield of bacteria from a single cloning experiment, making the process more efficient and resource-effective. When the bacterial density is increased, more cells can be harvested from the same volume of medium, enabling multiple experiments or applications to be conducted without the need for additional culturing cycles. This not only reduces the time and resources required for subsequent experiments but also maximizes the use of nutrients and materials already present in the culture. By achieving a culturing density that is three times higher than traditional methods, our bioreactor significantly enhances productivity, ensuring that more biological material is available for downstream processes such as DNA extraction, cloning, or protein expression. This improved efficiency contributes to faster experimental workflows and reduces overall operational costs, making the bioreactor a more effective solution for laboratory work.

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Figure 1 - Mark 3 Bioreactor vs Traditional Cloning Methods

Culturing Efficiency

Culturing efficiency refers to the ability to grow bacterial cultures effectively, achieving desired cell densities and maintaining optimal growth conditions over time. It encompasses factors such as growth rate, yield, and consistency of culture conditions. Efficient culturing is crucial for any microbiological process, especially in DNA storage and cloning applications. Higher culturing efficiency means faster growth rates and greater yields of bacterial cells, enhancing productivity and reducing the time required for downstream processes. Consistent and efficient cultures ensure reliability and reproducibility in experimental results, which is vital for scientific research and industrial applications. We assessed the initial growth rate by regularly measuring optical density at 600 nm (OD600) to monitor cell density over time and generate growth curves for both methods. We took the initial rate of the growth, defined as the average rate of OD600 increase for the third of the experiment (2 hours) as a comparison. We found a 2.5x difference in the rate of OD600 increase, favouring the bioreactor (0.430 per hr) in comparison to traditional methods (0.169 per hr). Our bioreactor maintains optimal growth conditions through automation, ensuring that energy and materials are used as efficiently as possible. This minimizes the need for manual adjustments, reducing the potential for errors and wasted resources. Additionally, the precise control offered by the bioreactor decreases the overall environmental footprint of laboratory work by improving outcomes while using fewer inputs.

Cost

Our bioreactor offers similar results to traditional incubators at a fraction of the cost. A similar tool, the Incu-Shaker™ Mini, retails for CA$5,100 at MilliporeSigma 2. In comparison, our bioreactor costs approximately CA$60 for the materials, and can be easily assembled in less than a day. This drastic reduction in cost makes our bioreactor a highly accessible and scalable solution, particularly for laboratories with limited budgets. Despite its affordability, it maintains a high level of performance, enabling labs to achieve similar outcomes while significantly cutting down on equipment expenses. This cost-effectiveness encourages broader adoption of the bioreactor, making advanced biotechnological tools available to a wider range of research and educational institutions, and supporting innovation in resource-limited settings.

Electrical Usage

In addition to its lower upfront cost, our bioreactor is significantly more energy-efficient compared to similar solutions on the market. For instance, the Incu-Shaker™ Mini consumes 200W of electrical power 3, while our bioreactor operates at just 8W — nearly 20 times less power. This substantial reduction in electricity usage not only lowers operational costs but also aligns with sustainability goals by reducing the environmental impact of energy consumption. Over time, the energy savings from using our bioreactor can make a meaningful difference, particularly for labs that rely heavily on culturing equipment. By minimizing energy consumption, our solution provides both financial and environmental benefits, reinforcing its role as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional incubators.

References

  1. Qiu, Y., Zhou, Y., Chang, Y., Liang, X., Zhang, H., Lin, X., Qing, K., Zhou, X., & Luo, Z. (2022). The effects of ventilation, humidity, and temperature on bacterial growth and bacterial genera distribution. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(22), 15345. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215345 ↩

  2. MilliporeSigma. (n.d.). Incu-ShakerTM Mini with non-slip rubber mat. Accessed October 2, 2024, from https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/CA/en/product/sigma/z763543 ↩

  3. Benchmark Scientific. (n.d.). Operations Manual - IncuShaker Mini. Accessed October 2, 2024, from https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/deepweb/assets/sigmaaldrich/product/documents/378/204/z763543bul.pdf ↩