Warwick i GEM 2019 Valdemar Aksionov Megha Bawa

Warwick i. GEM 2019 Valdemar Aksionov Megha Bawa 1

The UK is infatuated with fatbergs A fatberg is a congealed mass of fat, oil and non biodegradable wetwipes that has collected in sewage systems They provide a niche to dangerous pathogenic & antibiotic resistant bacteria such as Listeria and E. coli Removal of fatbergs can cost the UK up to £ 50 million a year! 2

This is the problem 3

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The Team PI Christophe Corre Emzo De Los Santos Ph. D Advisors Patrick Capel Mallory Diggens Biomedical Science Biochemistry Chemistry Mathematics & Physics Electronic Engineering English Literature Elfreda Kenneison Megha Bawa Valdemar Aksionov Yeshurun Tanna Maxim Makerov Alessandro Colosio Frances Plumley Sadie Hallett Marion Dugue Megan Benham 5

The Problem in London 2013: Bus-sized ‘fatberg’ removed from a sewer in Kingston-upon-Thames 2015: ‘Fatberg’ enters the Oxford English Dictionary , as 10 tonne mass breaks sewer in Chelsea 2017: Fed by restaurants, four large masses block sewers in London’s Theatreland 2017: The Whitechapel Monster which is larger than Tower Bridge discovered 6

The East London Fatberg Whitechapel’s fatberg is 250 m Tower Bridge is 240 m The fatberg weights 130 tonnes which is the weight of two Airbus A 318 aircrafts Or 19 African elephants. . . 7

The Timeline 2014: Fatberg found in Melbourne , Australia 2013: Fatbergs found in London 2015: Fatberg removed in Chelsea costing £ 400, 000 2017: Fatberg found in Whitechapel , London 2017: Valencia fatberg cost € 2 million to remove 2017: Fatberg found in Maryland, 2018: New Baltimore, York begins USA anti-fatberg campaign 8

The Project Sample Analysis Metagenomics, chemical analysis Future Prevention Educating schools, leaflets, info sessions Degradation of fatberg Lipases, cellulase, synthetic fatberg model 9

Human Practices 10

Fatbergs and the Public Interview from Dr Tom Curran, University College Dublin (UCD) ● Chairman of Environmental Sciences Association of Ireland 2014 -16 Dr Tom Curran ● Reduced occurrence of Fatbergs in Dublin by 90% through public education and awareness. 11

Human Practices ● School sessions ● Freshers week initiatives ● Working with University Student Unions ● Cafe information sessions ● Art displays ● ‘Fatberg’ horror movie nights 12

Fatberg Analysis 13

Fatberg Sample A comparison of fatbergs across the UK after interviewing experts ● Liverpool sample o Dr Sam Fox, United Utilities in Liverpool ● Whitechapel fatberg sample o Dr Justin Pachebat, Aberystwyth, Institute of Biological, Environmental & Rural Science Dr Justin Pachebat 14

Plans For Analysis • Metagenomic community analysis Analyse bacterial community • inhabiting fatbergs Chemical composition analysis Analyse chemical composition of fatberg 15

Fighting the Fatberg 16

Fatberg Formation p. H + H 2 O 17

Fatberg Formation Ca 2+ 18

Fatberg Formation Ca(OH)2 19

Fighting the Fatberg Lipases • Use bacteria secreted lipases as an approach for fatberg degradation Cellulase • Further plan is to introduce additional enzymes like cellulase 20

Lipase Triglyceride fat molecule Fat molecules Alcohol esters Lipase R-OH Glycerol Fatty acid molecules 21

Circuit Design Ca 2+ R P O RBS Lipase AB resistance Lipase Ori 23

So Far… 0. 5% Lipid LBA 1% Lipid LBA 10% Lipid LBA 24

So Far… 25

Potential Applications Fatberg Biodegradation & Blockage Prevention Efficient Filtration & Fatberg Prevention 26

Overview Fatberg Prevention Outreach Education Fatberg sample Metagenomics Chemical Analysis Lipase E. coli Ca 2+ switch Fatberg Characterisation Enzyme secretion Fatberg Degradation 27

Contact Us Address Teaching Lab 4, Warwick School of Life Sciences, Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick PI Dr Christophe Corre http: //2019. igem. org/Team: Warwick @igem_warwick @warwick_igem Email igem@warwick. ac. uk https: //www. facebook. com/Warwick. IGEM/ 28

Sponsors & Contributors Dr Sam Fox Dr Tom Curran Dr Justin Pachebat 29