Our Crowdfunding Groups
In many areas across the globe, Arsenic concentration in water exceeds the EPA’s guidelines, which can cause serious adverse health effects. Locally, mine tailings in and around the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona have contaminated the water supply with Uranium and Arsenic. Access to clean water quality is vitally important for everyone, especially in an arid climate like Arizona. At Arizona State University (ASU) we have assembled a cross-disciplinary team of undergraduate students to pursue the bioremediation of heavy metals like Arsenic. Our team is exploring the concept of genetically engineered microalgae, specifically Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, to filter out these toxic and radioactive heavy metals from groundwater.
We need your help to fund this project! This project is part of the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. Your tax-deductible monetary contribution will be used to secure our entry into the competition, reagents to conduct our studies, summer support for students, and travel to the competition. Students stay on campus and work the entire summer to participate in this competition, so funding will allow at-need students to participate.
This is the inaugural year in this competition for ASU after a three year hiatus. Help us maintain ASU’s reputation as an academic leader in important fields like genetics through participation in high visibility competitions like iGEM. Your support will provide a very powerful opportunity for us to develop research skills and address an issue close to home. We thank you for your time and consideration. Any donations would be greatly appreciated!
10 ppb is the EPA's standard for the maximum acceptable concentration of Arsenic in drinking water. In many areas of the world, including parts of Northern Arizona, the concentration of Arsenic in water supplies greatly exceeds that.
The atomic weight of Arsenic is nearly 75 amu. It, and other heavy metals like Mercury, Cadmium, and Lead, have been found as water supply contaminants that can cause serious health concerns.
Last year, 249 teams from over 40 different countries participated in the iGEM competition. International collaboration and teamwork is a key aspect of iGEM and a concept that we plan to integrate into our own project.
