Week 5

This week we did the PCR for our experiment and double checked the dates for all of our media additions and quantities. I'm going to think about if it is possible to UV degrade the plastics for part of the experiment. This should have the effect on oxidizing the plastic and increasing carbonyl groups that will make the plastics more biodegradable. I'm not sure about the availability of an appropriate UV light source. That includes the amount of time that I am able to use it. We've started SEM of samples from this semester. We have been attempting to use alcohol treatment for the removal of biofilms on the plastics post coincubation in order to better visualize plastic biodegradation. Preliminary SEM indicated that this is ineffective. We also have a specific detergent that we are thinking of adding to the protocols but probably just for SEM as we worry about its effects on FTIR. We'll see.

Can you see the bacteria and biofilm? This is one of the best pictures that I've gotten of it on our samples which is exciting. Unfortunately, it's not really what we were hoping to see. 

Week 4

This week I continued monitoring the growth of our new bacteria. It hasn't grown on any of the first agar plates that we used. It's really disconcerting. It does seem to be growing in the broth media, so it could be that we just made the plates before giving the bacteria long enough to grow in the broth. We made some more plates including a blood agar plate this time.
We did the DNA purification for PCR. It was fascinating to see the DNA strands when re-suspending them in alcohol. They looked exactly how I had imagined, like a little ball of tangled string. I'm excited for the qPCR.
I applied for some scholarships for the spring. I got good feedback at a scholarship workshop that was held in the college library, but we'll see. I wish the people who decide would give you some feedback after you submit.

Week 3

This week we moved our 7 day plastics from co-incubation to agar media to test for contamination before storage for instrumentation. We got the new bacteria, plastics, and hole punches. We re-hydrated the new bacteria in a variety of broth media so we can see how it grows. The scholarship workshop for PTK was extremely helpful. One of the things that I really struggled with was writing about myself for the personal statements and what not. Shout out to Amy McPherson who is next level awesome and gave us some very useful feedback about potential answers and how to best frame answers. Also in STEAM Club, Nicole Spenser told us about RaiseMe. It's a website that allows you to use your accomplishments and participation in community college to accrue scholarship money towards transfer to university. It looks amazing.

Week 2

This week I took our filters from waste water to Dr Beth Polidoro's lab to be analyzed. We also got our new bacteria, plastic, and hole punches ordered. We started the co incubation of plastic and bacteria as well. The Field of Interest meet and greet on Wednesday was great. I wish that I had taken some pictures of that! STEAM Club is collaborating with the art department to work on a musical bench! It seems like it's going to be the coolest thing ever. We're thinking of displaying it long term on the first floor of the Dalby building which I love because the building is beautiful but the decorations down there not so much (aside from the interior design display section-I see you guys). Next Tuesday, we are planning a scholarship workshop in PTK! It's just on time.

 

 
 

Week 1

I'm working on purchasing a new bacteria and plastic to add to the experiment. I'm going to use the bacteria for sure (but probably won't collect data from using it until next semester). I'm really interested in expanding the kinds of plastic that we're using.

We filtered plastics from our wastewater samples, and I'm going tomorrow to drop them off at ASU West. We're collaborating with members of Dr Beth Polidoro's lab. That's really exciting for me since the projects in their lab are definitely the main ones that I'm really hoping to have the opportunity to participate in once I transfer there. They're going to do Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry on the samples.

This week we are setting up to begin the long time study. Soon, we hope to begin instrumentation on some existing samples to further refine our protocols before we begin analyzing the new time points. I'm really excited about exploring and working with the new protocols that we already have. Our team is a great mix, and we've had a lot of experience to really get good at the protocols that we already have. I'm really anticipating the results of the new time study. Our existing protocols are going to be better than ever, and I'm so excited to find out about microplastics in our local wastewater treatment plants. I've read tons of papers about microplastics in wastewater treatment plants, but now I get to check my own area.

It was so nice to see everyone again! and get to work with some new people as well. I'm so glad to be back at PC.