A 'living material,' made of a natural polymer combined with genetically engineered bacteria, could offer a sustainable and eco-friendly solution to clean pollutants from water. Researchers developed their living material using a seaweed-based polymer and bacteria that have been programmed to produce an enzyme that transforms various organic pollutants into harmless compounds. In tests, heir material decontaminated water solutions tainted with a pollutant from textile manufacturing: indigo carmine, a blue dye that is used to color denim.
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a new type of material that could offer a sustainable and eco-friendly solution to clean pollutants from water.
The work was a collaboration among engineers, materials scientists and biologists at the UC San Diego Materials Research Science and Engineering Center . Co-principal investigators of the multidisciplinary team include molecular biology professors Susan Golden and James Golden and nanoengineering professor Shaochen Chen.
To create the living material in this study, the researchers used alginate, a natural polymer derived from seaweed, hydrated it to make a gel and mixed it with a type of water-dwelling, photosynthetic bacteria known as cyanobacteria.The mixture was fed into a 3D printer. After testing various 3D-printed geometries for their material, the researchers found that a grid-like structure was optimal for keeping the bacteria alive.
"The living material can act on the pollutant of interest, then a small molecule can be added afterwards to kill the bacteria," said Pokorski."This way, we can alleviate any concerns about having genetically modified bacteria lingering in the environment."
México Últimas Noticias, México Titulares
Similar News:También puedes leer noticias similares a ésta que hemos recopilado de otras fuentes de noticias.
AI’s Dirty Little Secret: Stanford Researchers Expose Flaws in Text DetectorsIn a study recently published in the journal Patterns, researchers demonstrate that computer algorithms often used to identify AI-generated text frequently falsely label articles written by non-native language speakers as being created by artificial intelligence. The researchers warn that the unreli
Leer más »
Cancer-killing T cells are getting help from San Diego researchersPapers from La Jolla Institution for Immunology and UCSD show innovative ways that key immune system fighters can be made stronger, more effective
Leer más »
Researchers develop a new reagent and method to create DNA and RNA polymer biohybridsResearchers in Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Chemistry have developed a reagent that opens new possibilities for creating DNA and RNA-based materials that could be used in ultra-stable and smart sensors for biomedical applications. The work was published on Aug. 22 in the journal Chem.
Leer más »
Researchers develop novel tumor-targeting nanospheres to improve light-based cancer diagnosis and treatmentIn a breakthrough in cancer therapeutics, a team of researchers at the Magzoub Biophysics Lab at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) has made a significant advance in light-based therapies—biocompatible and biodegradable tumor-targeting nanospheres that combine tumor detection and monitoring with potent, light-triggered cancer therapy to dramatically increase the efficacy of existing light-based approaches.
Leer más »
Researchers discover key functions of plasma membrane–cell wall adhesion in rice and critical genes involvedIn a study published in Nature Plants, a research team led by Prof. Chao Daiyin from the Center of Excellence for Molecular Plant Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences identified a novel protein family in plants named as GAPLESS, and revealed that members of this family mediate the adhesion between the cell wall and the plasma membrane at the Casparian strip (CS), a barrier in the root endodermis. This adhesion plays a critical role in controlling nutrient transport and the growth development of rice.
Leer más »
Researchers: Health evidence against gas and oil is piling up, as governments turn a blind eyeWe are seeing deadly heat and fires circle the world. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns we are fast running out of time to secure a liveable and sustainable future. Without emergency action to stop mining and burning fossil fuels, the world faces an unthinkable 2.8℃ temperature rise.
Leer más »