Sustainable Development Goal
While doing our Human Practices, we realised the amount of media, buffers and resources that our utilized for labs to obtain their proteins. There was one lab that had to use 18 litres of LB media and an intensive 3 day purification process just to get probably a gram of their pure protein concentrated in 2 ml. Our thought process of enhancing gene expression could probably save the media used or further optimize the resources used in purification procedures. Not only this, but we could also potentially be saving on time, efforts and monetary resources. This is just at a lab level. Almost every lab having any biochemistry operation does a small scale protein expression and purification by itself. We are surely going to create a green impact here if our ideation gets translated. Even on the industrial scale the resources could be more responsibly consumed if our technology is implemented. With our conversation with Mr. Manish Mishra we further understood that we could potentially be making processes greener. We were given to understand that even if it is not 100% green but just 1% greener, it means that we have taken a step towards a better tomorrow and the efforts in the right direction are being made. Professor Vito and Professor Wade suggested that it could be a better process in terms of sustainability but for detailed comments we need to establish the process and make comparisons with the old process.
Inspired by iGEM to add a holistic nature to Sustainable Development in our project, we also recycled the plastics that had been used in the wet lab-eppendorfs, tips, and falcon tubes. We collected the plastic waste used by us and our co workers in the lab for 6 months. We intended to depolymerise these plastics by sterilizing them and making them into pellets. These pellets could then be used to make recycled plastics such as sheets, maybe shoe soles as well. We are specifically looking at shoe soles because Shree Nilkanth Plastics on Mahakali Caves Road in Andheri East manufactures upcycled shoe soles and would not mind trying using our crushed tips, eppendorfs and falcon tubes in their process if the necessary tests to be performed by them give positive results.
All these materials are made up of polypropylene. Polypropylene has excellent insulating properties, as well as recyclability and versatility to create the required shapes. It can withstand the heat and pressure of the extrusion moulding process and offer strong resistance to chemicals, corrosion and general wear and tear.
Although the concept of depolymerizing and pelletizing plastics is a commonly practiced industrial process, integrating it at a lab scale and that too in the undergraduate level brings about a new perception in sustainable lab practices. We are extremely proud that we, independently as undergraduates could do this. We wish to inspire other undergraduates as well to take an effort to go beyond the limits for a greener and a sustainable tomorrow. Many labs directly dispose of the plastics they use without considering simple, cost-effective methods with which they can be recycled and brought back into the circular economy without affecting the environment. This reduces raw material costs for plastic manufacturers. Thereby, it is both an economical process and an environmentally friendly process.
The procedure that we followed for the same is as follows:-
- Collection:
Initially, we collected eppendorfs, falcon tubes and tips from the wet lab over a period of 4-5 weeks. We segregated each and noted down the quantity collected. Amounts are as follows:-- Eppendorfs - 4.8 kg
- Tips - 1.7 kg
- Falcon tubes - 0.456 kg
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Autoclaving:
Collected plastics were then autoclaved at 121°C for 20 minutes. This was done to sterilize the equipment and kill microorganisms that may pose as a biohazard. - Ethanol treatment:
After autoclaving, the plastics were immersed in 70% ethanol for 20 minutes to kill any remnant microorganisms and to wash the plastic. - Drying:
On an industrial level, film dryers are used for this purpose but for our need we can just dry them at atmospheric conditions. - Crushing:
Plastic is then crushed into smaller flakes to convert it into feed for the extrusion machine. This was done using a typical crusher. - Extrusion:
Crushed plastic was then sent into an extrusion mold in which plastic was converted into pellets by first melting plastic at 400- 570°F and then solidifying them in water after which they are broken into pellets.
SDG 12 : Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 12 is meant to ensure good use of resources, improving energy efficiency, and sustainable infrastructure This involves achieving the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle; reducing waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse; encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices; promote public procurement practices that are sustainable; and ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development. The three "means of achievement" targets are: support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity; develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts. The growing global population combined with unsustainable uses of natural resources is causing devastating impacts on the planet — propelling climate change, destroying ecosystems, and rising pollution levels. As a result of these growing challenges, sustainable consumption and production aims to inspire governments, businesses, and citizens to do more and better with less, as it promotes economic growth without environmental degradation. Also, increases resource efficiency promotes sustainable lifestyles. Therefore, the United Nations invites all initiatives that address any of the targets and its indicators, including the use of eco-friendly production methods and reducing the amount of waste.
Target 12.2: Sustainable management and use of natural resources
Our project is an attempt towards reducing material footprint. Be it agar, media, buffers and other reagents involved. Also, by recycling the plastic waste generated by us, we have followed this target.
Target 12.4: Responsible management of chemicals and waste
Target 12.5: Substantially reduce waste generation
Our project allows the reduction of plastic waste and reagents disposed of into the environment and minimizes the adverse impact it may have on the environment or human health.
Target 12.6: Encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices and sustainability reporting
The plastic process is very simple and can be done by every labs easily. Other labs can perform the same process at low costs and be sustainable. We have already approached Shree Nilkanth Plastics to give further direction to our work. Next, industries would surely be ready to include our 5’ UTR library in their production process. We have already spoken to multiple industries and academicians.
Target 12.8: Promote universal understanding of sustainable lifestyles
We have ensured that we educate students in our college by conducting sessions about the importance of recycling plastic waste in labs and how it contributes to sustainability and the circular economy. We have also conducted an analysis in conjugation with IISER Thiruvananthapuram. We have made our 5’UTR Library and Plastic recycling protocol available for everyone.
Target 12.a: Support developing countries' scientific and technological capacity for sustainable consumption and production This process is very simple and can be done by developing countries, it also reduces manufacturing costs thereby aiding developing countries economically too.
We conducted a survey on sustainable practices in collaboration with IISER Thiruvananthapuram, following questions were included in the survey:
Bio Lab Waste Management Survey Responses:
