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Team:Monash Australia/Project
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== '''Overall project''' == | == '''Overall project''' == | ||
| - | + | Monash University having a heavy movement to reduce the impact humans have on the planet has inspired our first iGEM project. After some initial research, we pondered on the concept of degrading plastics or cellulose into useable components. After discovering this has been a heavy focus by a number of different groups, we then looked into producing some sort of useful product. After some investigation, we found that ethylene is a heavily used organic compound that is also naturally produced by plants. With our heavy reliance on this compound for plastics and in the food industry, we believe that it may be possible to develop a system that one day could be capable of replacing current production methods. | |
| - | + | So what is ethylene used for? | |
| + | Just about anywhere you go in the world you can find an ethylene based product. Ethylene can be polymerised to create products such as; detergents, plasticisers, synthetic lubricants and additives, but also as co-monomers in the production of polyethylenes; Oxidised to create surfactants and detergents, and ethylene glycol; Halogenation and hydrohalogenation to produce products PVC, Polyvinylidene chloride and ethyl bromide; Alkylation to produce styrene; and itself used as a fuel source and to ripen fruit. | ||
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| + | So what are the more common items we can relate to? | ||
== Experimental plan == | == Experimental plan == | ||
Revision as of 02:14, 6 September 2010
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Overall project
Monash University having a heavy movement to reduce the impact humans have on the planet has inspired our first iGEM project. After some initial research, we pondered on the concept of degrading plastics or cellulose into useable components. After discovering this has been a heavy focus by a number of different groups, we then looked into producing some sort of useful product. After some investigation, we found that ethylene is a heavily used organic compound that is also naturally produced by plants. With our heavy reliance on this compound for plastics and in the food industry, we believe that it may be possible to develop a system that one day could be capable of replacing current production methods.
So what is ethylene used for? Just about anywhere you go in the world you can find an ethylene based product. Ethylene can be polymerised to create products such as; detergents, plasticisers, synthetic lubricants and additives, but also as co-monomers in the production of polyethylenes; Oxidised to create surfactants and detergents, and ethylene glycol; Halogenation and hydrohalogenation to produce products PVC, Polyvinylidene chloride and ethyl bromide; Alkylation to produce styrene; and itself used as a fuel source and to ripen fruit.
So what are the more common items we can relate to?
