STUDENT RESEARCH SHOWCASE 2019 PRESENTATIONS

Environmental Sciences

The Effects of Betalians from Beets on Anti-Inflammation in Caenorhabditis Elegans
Amaia Arrese-Igor, American Heritage School Boca/Delray

Testing effectiveness of betalains from beet plant for anti-inflammation use. Compared with popular drug, ibuprofen.

Shoreline Armoring: Characterizing the Silent Threat to US Coasts
Riordan Correll-Brown, River Hill High School

This presentation details a study that utilized NOAA data to determine how many kilometers of shoreline in the "lower 48" US states have been modified by humans, and how.

Effects of various concentrations of soluble phosphorus on various types of Cyanobacteria native to Lake Okeechobee
Christian Custodio, American Heritage School Plantation

Finding the effects of various concentrations of phosphorus (0,10,20,30 mg/L) on cyanobacteria native to Lake Okeechobee because of the negative effects it presents to the ecosystem.

An Improved Method for Trace Level Quantification of Arsenic in Water
Ankush Dhawan, Signature School

In this project, I have developed and optimized a test method to quantify arsenic at trace levels that is 10 times faster and 10 times cheaper than current test kits and overall represents a 10 fold improvement over previous work in spectrophotometry. I took 3 different approaches to detect arsenic where my first 2 attempts were unsuccessful, however, my third, based on spectrophotometry, was successful. After over nine months of work spanning over 900 spectroscopy experiments, I optimized a test method for trace levels and obtained a 3.5 parts per billion detection limit based on the calibration data. This is significantly lower than the 10 parts per billion regulation mark set by the EPA all while costing only 13 cents per test. I have also developed a point-of-use portable test kit for use in developing countries where there is limited access to analytical equipment. With the help of my research, we can help save the lives of over 140 million people who are at risk of arsenic contamination.

Testing the Effects of Caribbean Sea Grass T. testudinum on pH Levels in Simulated Oceanic Environment
Brooke Gilbert, Pine Crest School

This experiment tests if seagrasses and marine vegetation can have a positive impact on decreasing ocean acidity levels and increasing the oceanic pH. Preventing ocean acidification, or minimizing its severity, would benefit marine organisms and restore coral reefs as well as other oceanic ecosystems.

Using Beta-Sitosterol Enriched Lipids to Induce Anti-Proliferation in Aspergillus niger
Shane Knopp, American Heritage School Boca/Delray

The objective of this study was to find the effect of beta-sitosterol supplements and enriched lipids on the anti-proliferation of Aspergillus Niger. This would provide results about a potentially effective, noninvasive, and natural way to control A. Niger, unlike current methods.

Identification of a Novel Biomarker for Pollutant Induced Acute Kidney Injury and Evaluation of Multifaceted Therapies to Ameliorate Post Injury Fibrosis from Progressing to Coronary Artery Disease
Emilin Mathew, American Heritage School Plantation

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. Despite this prevalence, there have been few clinical advancements and mortality is rising. Cohort studies have shown that 81% of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) patients later develop CAD. This investigation exploited this link to create a cost-effective prevention strategy against CAD development by exposing the kidney to environmental stresses. A two-pronged study was conducted to create a comprehensive treatment in a model of Danio rerio. The first phase was identifying an early intervention biomarker for AKI. Literature shows the unreliability of Serum Creatinine as a biomarker due to dietary fluctuations. A reliable alternate, nitrotyrosine, was tested with a Reactive Oxygen Species assay. Nitrotyrosine levels increased 3.5 times its baseline after induction of AKI using the environmental toxins Arsenic, Aristolochic Acid, and Cadmium. The second phase was treating renal fibrosis, the last stage of AKI, because it is a gateway connecting AKI and CAD. Four treatments were examined to characterize an effective approach by supplementing the lack of therapies on the market. After conducting a Picro Mallory Trichrome Stain, SB431542 was most efficient in reducing fibrosis levels by 99.97%. This stain was also able to associate the global phenomenon of CAD to pollution because the pollutants induce fibrosis buildup, widening the etiology of CAD. Overall, the multifaceted prevention of CAD with an early intervention biomarker and effective treatments is economically feasible for translation into clinical applications for patients in both developing and developed countries.

The Utilization of a Modified Wastewater-Based Medium as a Feedstock for Engineered Saccharomyces Cerevisiae for the Novel Biological Production of Fatty-Acid Derived Alcohols and Carboxylic Acids
Rajat Ramesh, American Heritage School Plantation

My project centered around our need for alternatives to petrochemicals, which are used in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical formulations, food additives, plastics, and personal care items. By genetically engineering baker's yeast to produce biochemical replacements to petroleum while using a cost-effective wastewater-based media to grow the yeast, I developed an economically feasible process that could be used to both treat wastewater and mitigate global warming.

The Effects of Strains of Pseudomonas Bacteria on the Production of Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
Bhaveshsai Reddy, American Heritage School Plantation

My presentation overviews the process in which a synthetic Polymer, PET, was converted to a biodegradable bioplastic, PHA, through a fermentation process in the Pseudomonas bacteria.

Cleaning Florida’s Algae Laden Waterways Using Novel UV Light Focusing
Frank Sacco, American Heritage School Boca/Delray

With the rise of fertilizer runoff, algae overgrowth is becoming a larger problem everyday. This has many negative effects on the environment, like drowning out other wildlife inside waterways. A cost-efficient device for eliminating algae would be useful for countering red tides and the effects. The purpose of this experiment is to test the possibility of using a floating lens design to remove excess algae from waterways without harming wildlife. The test sample was made by growing algae in a clear container outside, while gradually adding water. The test device was made by placing a concave lens inside of a pool floater. When placing the device in algae laden water, it should theoretically eliminate a large amount of algae.

A Novel Method to Biodegrade Marine Polyethylene Terephthalate
VijayaSai Somasundaram, American Heritage School Plantation

Plastic and Oil are extremely difficult to biodegrade in almost any environment. By reducing the amount of plastic and oil in the ocean many marine habitats can be preserved. This is important as many species are being endangered and people who depend on them around the world are losing their livelihood. A recent study found marin pollution plays a major role in poverty. One way to reduce the amount of plastic is to break down the plastic into non-toxic waste through biodegradation. This can be accomplished by extracting a gene from a plastic eating bacteria, Ideonella Sakaiensis, and inserting it into a marine bacteria that already breaks down oil, Alcanivorax Borkumensis. To accomplish this goal the following was done. First, the PET gene was inserted into the pet21a vector. Then ecoli was transformed with this plasmid. Afterwards the ecoli was selected for using LB ampicillin plates and then grown in a LB liquid culture containing ampicillin. Then using the monarch plasmid miniprep the plasmid was extracted from the gel. Afterwards the plasmid extraction was run on an agarose gel in order to purify it. Once the band was identified around 6000 bp it was extracted using the ch DNA Gel Extraction kit. Then alcanivorax was transformed using the plasmid. Ampicillin ONR7A plates were used to select for the transformed colonies. Afterwards an sds was run to look for the correct protein. The results from the sds showed that the protein that breaks down plastic was produced.

A Green, Low-Cost Solution for the Removal and Recovery of Dye from Industrial Wastewater
Pujita Tangirala, Saint Francis High School

My project is about finding a low-cost solution for the removal and recovery of dye from industrial wastewater. The purpose of my project was to test factors affecting adsorption and desorption of dye by spent tea leaves (STL) and to find the maximum adsorption capacity and maximum percent desorbed from STL using a column adsorption filter system.

Water Filtration Using Natural Colombian Products
Valentina Velasco, American Heritage School Boca/Delray

This experiment focuses on finding a cheap, efficient, and accessible method of water purification using only natural Colombian household projects. I aimed to find a way to remove levels of residual chlorine in water that pose a health threat through possibly carcinogenic byproducts, especially in rural populations.

The Effect of Various Materials on a Car’s Air Quality
Tanishk Vijaywargiya, American Heritage School Boca/Delray

This presentation is about testing the effect of various materials that are normally prevalent in a car on the car's air quality.

STUDENT RESEARCH SHOWCASE 2019 PRESENTATIONS

Environmental Sciences

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