Plastic-Consuming Microbial Bacteria

by Jennifer Viola

Submitted : Spring 2010

After 16 year-old Daniel Burd discovered that enhancing the process of bacterial microbial evolution could reveal a new level of bacteria capable of degrading and consuming plastic (Rawawada), one must wonder if this discovery would be enough to control or possibly diminish the level of plastic pollution on Earth. This project depicts a model experiment of these enhanced bacteria on plastic products, using a Lotka-Volterra predator-prey model. Using the pre-observed parameters, two differential equations determine the populations of the predator and prey at a given time. Based on the results of the Lotka-Volterra model, we can then determine if this new method of using enhanced bacteria to break down plastic waste will reduce pollution issues and be safe for the environment as well.

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