Last call for abstracts

Author: Frank LaBanca, Ed.D.

I hope your February break is treating you well. Please be sure to post a final abstract for our symposium program book. Use the following format:

Title <>
Your Name <> <>
Abstract (200-300 typed PROOFED words)

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11 Responses to “Last call for abstracts”

  1. maricate c Says:

    Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are man-made compounds characterized by two phenyl groups and 1-10 chlorine atoms. PCBs are non-flammable, chemically stable, have low water solubility and high boiling points. PCBs function in electrical equipment and were released for decades into aquatic environments by companies such as General Electric Plant (GE), which contaminated the Housatonic River in Western Massachusetts and Connecticut. There are 209 chlorinated compounds of PCBs, production of the compound was halted in 1977 due to the harmful environmental and health effects. PCBs can be readily degraded with thermal, chemical, biochemical, and in this experiment, with bacterial processes. Pseudomona, a gram negative, aerobic, and rod shaped bacterium, is proven to be highly effective in the bacterial PCB degrading process. Samples of contaminated soil were taken from sites along the Housatonic River, from upstream and downstream Derby Dam, in Derby Connecticut, from Unkamet Brook in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and from wastewater next to the GE Plant in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The samples were cultured on 72 plates of Pseudomona Agar, Basal Mineral Agar (BMA) and Plate Count Agar (PCA). Half the plates had biphenyl crystals placed on the cover and were sealed to ensure growth of phenyl degrading bacteria. Surviving colonies were dotted and streaked onto BMA with biphenyl crystals and then challenged with PCB liquid. A novel delivery strategy for Pseudomonas was designed using BioSep Beads, highly porous 3-4 mm diameter spheres. PCB concentrations (liquid) were tested before and after treatments using the HACH H2O PCB assay. Treatments include the BioSep Beads alone, the BioSep Beads and isolate Pseudomona, and the beads, isolate Pseudomona and nutrient broth media.

  2. Wesley H. Says:

    Design and efficient application of an electrochemically assisted microbial fuel cell.

    Wesley Hood

    Hydrogen gas (H2) is a promising new fuel because it stores just as much energy as gasoline and it burns cleanly, however the current sources for hydrogen gas aren’t efficient enough to make H2 reasonable. An electrochemically assisted microbial fuel cell or EAMCF can efficiently produce hydrogen gas at a fraction of the energy cost of Hydrolysis. The fuel cell consists of two anaerobic chambers that are separated by a proton exchange membrane (PEM). The membrane’s function is to allow hydrogen ions to pass through but not water, gas or even electrons. In each side of the fuel cell there is an electrode, the cathode (negative), and the anode (positive). The microbe, Geobacter sulfurreducens, is located in the chamber with the anode where it reduces organic materials and deposits the produced electrons onto the anode. The electrons then flow through a circuit to the cathode. The reduction of the organic material also produces Carbon dioxide, which floats to the top of the fuel cell, and more importantly the hydrogen ions, which pass through the proton exchange membrane to the cathode where they accept electrons and form with each other into Hydrogen gas. Unassisted the microbes can only break down the organic matter in the substrate until its acetate (C2H4O2) which still has four hydrogen atoms. However by running an additional voltage of 250 mV or greater through the fuel cell you can augment the electrochemical potential achieved by the microbes, allowing them to break the acetate down into more hydrogen ions and Carbon dioxide. This process effectively strips all of the hydrogen atoms from the organic matter in the substrate producing more hydrogen then fermentation alone and at a cheaper energy cost then that of hydrolysis.

  3. crystal y Says:

    This experiment has been designed to attempt to prove that using a camera for underwater search and rescue efforts will decrease the amount of time used and increase the efficiency of the undertaking. Currently, rescue divers spend hours at a time underwater doing sweeps looking for an object or a person. By doing this, the diver puts himself or herself at risk for many things. The most recent professional literature concerning risks for divers are the microbes in the water causing the diver ear infections, gastrointestinal problems and even sinus infections. This also includes the normal risks of physical injury and drowning.
    Two 10ft PVC pipes will be used as water columns in an effort to show that using the camera will be a faster, more efficient way for search and rescue efforts, the pipes will be filled with 52,420ml of distilled water for a control. Three different items: a frozen chicken bone with skin on it, metal, and a frozen chicken bone without meat on it will be placed in different parts of the pipes. Once in place, a picture will be taken by the camera to see how far down the splash cam can work. Once the data is recorded, the distilled water will be replaced by water with different amounts of salt, and the water with different amounts of hexamine to show that the camera can work in many different water conditions.
    These results will hopefully show that not only can the camera work in different depths of water, but also in any different kind of water whether it be distilled water or even water with a turbidity of 96.5ntu. This was the highest turbidity of the examples under consideration for this experiment. Using the splash cam is a healthier and faster way of search and rescue techniques.

  4. allison c Says:

    Analyzing the Genetic Traits of Invasive Species Through Biological Diversity of Phragmites australis

    Allison Conley

    Invasive organisms are economically expensive and environmentally devastating. One of the most fragile and essential environments to the Northeast is the wetlands/marshes, particularly on Long Island Sound. Phragmites australis is a recently invasive wetland reed that has overwhelmed ecosystems and greatly reduced the bio-diversity and productivity of the environment. This weed can also be found flourishing in polluted and derogated areas where other plants struggle to thrive. Prior research has investigated patterns in phenotypes of invasive organisms to distinguish them from lesser aggressive species. P. australis will be used to study possible genetic links attributing to its invasive tendencies. Two strains of this plant, one native (normal) and the other non-native (invasive), allow this variable to be tested against a control.
    Several samples from wetlands were obtained, particularly in areas of extreme or complete invasion. DNA from rhizomes were used, as these roots can lie dormant and avoid frost or weather damage. The DNA is then amplified using PCR technique and gel electrophoresis tests determine the presents of chloroplast DNA. If the DNA was successfully amplified it is digested using restriction enzymes which cut the DNA into segments at particular nucleotide sequences. This sample is run again through a gel test to compare and contrast the genotypes of the various invasive plant samples. Results will conclude either invasion has no pattern and certain organisms have an advantage in non-native environments, or there is a gene coding for the more obvious phenotypes which make this plant problematic. Positive results for a pattern can help concentrate on the specific gene that encourages invasion and possibly be identified on other plants or organisms as well.

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  11. Kaan Says:

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