Kindergarten -- Observing the “Invisible”

Our iGEM team hosted over 120 kindergarten students to teach them the power of observation and the basics of science. For example, we taught them how to use microscopes to look at anti-counterfeiting measures on paper money and how to use refraction lenses to see that white light is made up of various colors. (Whole Team activity)

7th Grade Introduction to Synthetic Biology

We introduced iGEM and the basics of synthetic biology to all 200+ students in the seventh grade. They learned how to use micropipettes, as well as how to load and run dyes through an agarose gel. We also gave students different real world problems. Using paper biobrick parts, students put together constructs that would solve the given problems. (Whole Team activity)

Spring Fair -- Spreading Public Awareness of Nanoparticles

At our school’s annual spring fair, we manned a booth where people could create their own glitter slime by mixing polyvinyl alcohol and sodium borate solutions. The slime was meant to simulate the biofilm we use to trap NPs (in this demo, glitter) in WWTPs. We also showed a few SEM images of bacteria, as well as everyday products that contain NPs such as toothpaste and sunscreen. Everyone who came by our booth was encouraged to take our survey so we could record opinions on bioethics and concerns about NPs. (Whole team activity)

Public Outreach -- A Tour of Taipei

Some members of the iGEM team went to various popular sites in Taipei to pass out flyers and conduct surveys. We visited National Taiwan University, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, and Taipei 101. This helped us collect feedback from different age groups and backgrounds. This was a great and fun way to spread awareness of NP pollution! (Team members: Ashley L., Emily C., Florence L., Candice L., Yvonne W., Justin Y., Avery W., Christine C., Jesse K., and Laurent H.)

Here's a video we made for this event.

Bioethics Panel

We hosted a Bioethics Panel, where we invited students and teachers to discuss the moral, social and environmental concerns of our project. To encourage participants to consider the problems from multiple perspectives, we created a role-playing game and assigned different roles to participants. We then asked for their opinions on NP usage and disposal from the perspective of their assigned role. (Whole team activity)

For instance, one of our questions was:

“Dihua WWTP has no nanoparticle removal plan. Should this be the job of the wastewater plant? Or the nanoparticle manufacturer?”

The following roles were assigned:

• Wastewater plant manager
• Nanoparticle manufacturer
• Citizen
• Fisherman
• Fish

Research Symposium -- Poster and Oral Presentations

At TAS we conduct research symposiums twice a year to showcase the research of students who take a variety of research courses. Before we decided our project topic, we developed 4 different project ideas to present at our first research symposium (poster session). We received feedback from both students and teachers, then decided on our current project. At our second research symposium, we presented on our current project, Nanotrap! (Presenters: Candice L., William C., Chansie Y., Christine C., Yvonne, W., Justin Y., Dylan L., and Catherine Y.)

5th Annual Asia-Pacific iGEM Conference -- NCTU

In preparation for the Giant Jamboree, we attended the 5th annual Asia-Pacific iGEM conference at NCTU to share and receive valuable feedback from other college and high school teams in Asia. This event allowed us to consider different aspects of our project using feedback from other teams. (Presenters: William C., Yvonne W., and Justin Y.)

Policy Brief -- Nanoparticle Regulation Issues and Case Studies

Our team has conducted extensive research on existing regulatory laws and policies regarding NPs and nanomaterials. We have investigated chemical regulations, including the Restriction, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), A Toxic Substances Control Act (TCSA), CLP, and the Clean Air Act (CAA). There are significant obstacles to successfully regulating NPs, such as conflicting definitions on NPs that lead to an inability to successfully regulate manufacturers. Research has also been conducted on the hazardous effects of NPs on the human body and environment. We decided to compose a policy brief highlighting the existing challenges in NP regulation and the lessons learned from previous failure to regulate new chemical substances. The brief was sent out to regulatory agencies, government agencies, and news outlets to raise awareness about the issue. We feel responsible to let others know about the damage NP waste can do to the environment. (Policy Brief created by Ashley L.)

We sent this policy brief to the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) minister in Taiwan, and they responded! They read our policy brief and said that they will take it into consideration when they make policy regulations on the use of NPs in the future. They understand that nanotechnology is still developing and definitely needs more attention and regulation. (Correspondence: Christine C.)

Our nanoparticle regulation policy brief was published by two media outlets, News Lens International and The China Post. Combined, the two newspapers have over 600,000 daily readers. We emphasized that the lack of regulatory legislation prevents agencies from acquiring regulatory power. We also talked about the lack of nanoparticle filtration in wastewater treatment plants. (Interview by Ashley L.)

References

Ahamed, M., Alsalhi, M. S., & Siddiqui, M. (2010). Silver nanoparticle applications and human health. Clinica Chimica Acta,411(23-24), 1841-1848. doi:10.1016/j.cca.2010.08.016

Marr, L. C., & Holder, A. L. (2013). Nanomaterial disposal by incineration. Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, 15(9), 1652-1664. https://doi.org/10.1039/C3EM00224A