Team:Dundee/HumanPractice/CaseStudy

From 2013.igem.org

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           <p><div style="font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px"><strong>ToxiMop tackles a local problem.</strong></div> Many open waters located in and around Dundee are affected by Blue-Green Algae. This was one motivation that made selecting our project appropriate because of this local issue that also has worldwide implications.</p><br>
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           <p><div style="font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px"><strong>ToxiMop tackles a local problem.</strong></div>  
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Many of the water bodies located in and around Dundee have been affected by outbreaks of Blue-Green Algae. This was a motivation which drove the team to choose this project and to attempt to find a solution which would have a local impact with worldwide applications.</p><br>
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         <p><div style="font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px"><strong>Blue-Green Algae has affected Clatto Country Park.</strong> This is one of many locations in Dundee where Blue-Green Algae has had a dramatic affect. In the past the park has had up to 95,000 visitors per year, with recreational activities such as watersports, children’s play areas and picnic sites being the main attractions. All these attractions are focussed around the parks freshwater reservoir and surrounding woods.</p><br>
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         <p><div style="font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px"><strong>Blue-Green Algae has affected Clatto Country Park.</strong></div>
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This is one of many locations in Dundee where Blue-Green Algae has had a dramatic effect. In the past, the park has had peaks of 95,000 visitors per year with recreational activities (including watersports), children’s play areas and picnic sites providing entertainment for all ages. All of these attractions were focussed around the park’s freshwater reservoir and the surrounding woods.</p><br>
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           <p><div style="font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px"><strong>ToxiMop is a prototype device to help restore water bodies.</strong> Moving forward in time, with the Blue-Green Algae problems faced by Clatto each year, recreational swimming is no longer permitted in the reservoir. This has shutdown the watersports programme and the signage to warn people of the danger, faced by the water, has had such a dramatic effect that it has reduced the number of visitors per year to less than 30,000. This reduction in visitors has led to the closure of staffing facilities, which in turn has had social and economic implications for the immediate community. Clatto Country Park is now a shadow of its former glory.</p><br>
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           <p><div style="font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px"><strong>ToxiMop is a prototype device to help restore water bodies.</strong></div>
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Moving forward in time, with Blue-Green Algae problems faced by Clatto each year, recreational swimming is no longer permitted. This has led to a closure of the watersport programmes and the display of signage to warn the public of the danger associated with entering the water. These actions have had such a dramatic effect upon the use of Clatto that the number of visitors per year has reduced to less than 30,000. This reduction in visitors has led to the closure of the staffing facilities in the park and has social and economic implications for the immediate community. Clatto Country Park is now a shadow of its former glory.</p><br>
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           <p><div style="font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px"><strong>M.O.P campaign raised awareness that testing and regulations may be inappropriate.</strong> We have been working with George Potts, Senior Countryside Ranger, who has been involved at Clatto for over 40 years. We believed that the testing procedures at Clatto were insufficient to demand the closure of recreational activities on the reservoir and so started a Political Campaign based on this grounding.</p><br>
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           <p><div style="font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px"><strong>MOP campaign raised awareness that testing and regulations may be inappropriate.</strong></div>
 +
In order to best understand the problems faced by Clatto Country Park, we have been working with Senior Countryside Ranger George Potts who has been involved in the operations of the park for over 40 years. Having discussed the issues surrounding park closures due to algal bloom outbreaks, the team felt that the current testing and safety procedures implemented at the park were in need of questioning. To investigate the suitability of these procedures, the team started the Mop Campaign with the intention of bringing together law legislators and scientists.</p><br>
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          <p><div style="font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px"><strong>Moptopus shows the feasibility of a daily monitoring system</strong></div>
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Currently, sampling is carried out once a month. When a high number of cyanobacterial cells are detected, the park is said to have failed the sample test. Three clean tests are subsequently required to clear the reservoir for recreational use. Therefore, should high levels of cyanobacterial cells be detected during the summer, the reservoir is closed for a minimum of 3 months. Using synthetic biology, our ToxiMop project has the potential to allow the rapid re-opening of locations like Clatto Country Park. With time and effort, the park could be restored and once more become an invaluable part of the community. </p><br>
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          <p><div style="font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px"><strong>The Moptopus can allow daily samples to be taken.</strong> Currently sampling is carried out once a month. When a high number of cyanobacteria cells is detected this is regarded as a failed test. Three clean tests are then required to give the all clear to the reservoir. Therefore during the summer, once high levels of cyanobacteria cells are detected, the reservoir is closed for 3 months minimum. Using synthetic biology our ToxiMop project has the potential to return locations like Clatto back to popular venues for future generations.</p><br>
 
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Latest revision as of 15:32, 1 October 2013

iGEM Dundee 2013 · ToxiMop

ToxiMop tackles a local problem.
Many of the water bodies located in and around Dundee have been affected by outbreaks of Blue-Green Algae. This was a motivation which drove the team to choose this project and to attempt to find a solution which would have a local impact with worldwide applications.


Blue-Green Algae has affected Clatto Country Park.
This is one of many locations in Dundee where Blue-Green Algae has had a dramatic effect. In the past, the park has had peaks of 95,000 visitors per year with recreational activities (including watersports), children’s play areas and picnic sites providing entertainment for all ages. All of these attractions were focussed around the park’s freshwater reservoir and the surrounding woods.


ToxiMop is a prototype device to help restore water bodies.
Moving forward in time, with Blue-Green Algae problems faced by Clatto each year, recreational swimming is no longer permitted. This has led to a closure of the watersport programmes and the display of signage to warn the public of the danger associated with entering the water. These actions have had such a dramatic effect upon the use of Clatto that the number of visitors per year has reduced to less than 30,000. This reduction in visitors has led to the closure of the staffing facilities in the park and has social and economic implications for the immediate community. Clatto Country Park is now a shadow of its former glory.


MOP campaign raised awareness that testing and regulations may be inappropriate.
In order to best understand the problems faced by Clatto Country Park, we have been working with Senior Countryside Ranger George Potts who has been involved in the operations of the park for over 40 years. Having discussed the issues surrounding park closures due to algal bloom outbreaks, the team felt that the current testing and safety procedures implemented at the park were in need of questioning. To investigate the suitability of these procedures, the team started the Mop Campaign with the intention of bringing together law legislators and scientists.


Moptopus shows the feasibility of a daily monitoring system
Currently, sampling is carried out once a month. When a high number of cyanobacterial cells are detected, the park is said to have failed the sample test. Three clean tests are subsequently required to clear the reservoir for recreational use. Therefore, should high levels of cyanobacterial cells be detected during the summer, the reservoir is closed for a minimum of 3 months. Using synthetic biology, our ToxiMop project has the potential to allow the rapid re-opening of locations like Clatto Country Park. With time and effort, the park could be restored and once more become an invaluable part of the community.