We are SUSTAINABILITERS

This is a presentation of our team, the Sustainabiliters. We formed on a project to solve a global issue, and had thought TOXIC WASTE problems should be.
You wanna know more about this challenge? visit [https://joinlaunchpad.com/challenges/sustainable-consumption].

Transcript

1. S U S T A I N A B L E C O N S U M P T I O N N I C O L E N E L S O N , A N A M A R Í A A . , A DA R S H S . , G A G A N D. , K A M I K . , R E M I H . , S A M A R A V.
2. PROBLEM • Toxic Waste Landfills with Lead (Pb) content has aggravate the current state of ecosystems, in which devices with toxic chemicals receive little or no recycling process.
3. BACKGROUND • The contamination of soil, sediments, and water is a result of an industrialized world (P.S. Kidd, C. Becerra Castro, M. García Lestón, C. Monterroso). The United Nations Environment Programme has identified 11 major toxic wastes, including Lead (Pb). Lead may be found in almost everything that surrounds us: Paint, gasoline, insecticides, car batteries, cosmetics (United States Environmental Protection Agency) and mobile phones (Kyle Wiens in collaboration with HealthyStuff.org). It is mainly used in the Chemical, Electrical, and Electronic Industry (metals.comparenature.com) because of its malleability and resistance to corrosion (LennTech.com). Despite Lead has some benefits for humanity, such as for manufacturing of medical instruments (metals.comparenature.com), it is often not recycled properly, affecting the environment as a whole.
4. BACKGROUND • As for human beings, Lead can cause several effects that harm the body without even noticing it. Individuals who maintain contact with lead, via water, soil or air, are more susceptible to suffer from cardiovascular diseases, increased blood pressure and incidence of hypertension, decreased kidney function, and reproductive problems for both sexes (United States Environmental Protection Agency). Per contra this circumstance, Hyperaccumulator plants, which are able to grow in heavy metal-filled landfills, extract metals through their roots and keep them in their leaves without any potential harm, are able to come up with a viable solution. Following the process of Phytoremediation, low-cost and effective in treating toxicity, a solution to clean up Lead in toxic waste-filled landfills of both developed and undeveloped countries, may be found.
5. HYPOTHESIS • Toxic waste landfills will reduce their Lead (Pb) toxicity drastically with the usage of Hyperacummulator plants, especially with Lannea Coromandelica and Bougainvillea Spectabillis.
6. METHODS • Following an intense investigative research, Sustainabiliters found out about recent research done by the ENVIS Centre on Plants and Pollution about Anthropogenic sources of specific heavy metals in the environment. ENVIS also based their research on an article about the applications of phytoremediation for heavy metals, including lead. This research shows useful data for Sustainabiliters to get to a possible solution.
7. RESULTS • Analyzing data, Sustainabiliters were able to detect which hyperaccumulator plants had the ability to accumulate the highest quantity of Lead. Among them we could include Euphorbia cheiradenia, with 1138 mg/kg−1 (According to Hazrat Ali, Ezzat Khan, and Muhammad Anwar Sajad. Phytoremediation of heavy metals—Concepts and applications.), Bougainvillea spectabilus, with 127.5 mg/kg (ENVIS Centre on Plants and Pollution, Anthropogenic sources of specific heavy metals in the environment, Status of heavy and trace metals in plants available at polluted soil, Garg et al, 2013) and Lannea Coromondelica, with 131.7 mg/kg (ENVIS Centre on Plants and Pollution, Anthropogenic sources of specific heavy metals in the environment, Status of heavy and trace metals in plants available at polluted soil, Garg et al, 2013).
8. RESULTS • These results clearly exhibit benefits if any of these hyperaccumulators are planted in landfills, for they will extract great quantity of Pb without any harm to the environment. Despite of requiring a long-term commitment, Hyperaccumulators are known for their affordability in monetary terms and visible results of detoxification of polluted soil.
9. SOLUTION • Both developed and undeveloped countries share a common factor: Landfills, where heavy metals, such as Lead, ends up in. Over the years, it has been occurring, but in present time, metal contamination show clear effects not only on Fauna and Flora, but also to Homo sapiens, constituting disadvantages to society as a whole. Sustainabiliters propose a viable solution for communities all around the world to sow Hyperaccumulators, plants that have ability to absorb heavy metals without any potential harm to the environment, in landfills and near the contaminated area. Governments can also implant this idea in undeveloped countries, where communities usually live in the same area as landfills. By investing in a low-cost, yet viable solution, results will be soon seen, and, because of its long-term commitment, and the demand will be high, governments could employ others in order to maintain the process and improve economy for the country.
11. SOURCES • United Nations Environmental Programme. What is Phytoremediation. Retrieved November 3, 2017, from http://www.unep.or.jp/Ietc/Publications/Freshwater/FMS2/1.asp • United Nations Environmental Programme. Does Phytoremediation Work at Every Site? Retrieved November 3, 2017, from http://www.unep.or.jp/Ietc/Publications/Freshwater/FMS2/3.asp • P.S. Kidd, C. Becerra Castro, M. García Lestón , C. Monterroso. (2007) Aplicación de plantas hiperacumuladoras de níquel en la fitoextracción natural: el género Alyssum L. Revista Ecosistemas. 30-31. Retrieved November 3, 2017, from https://rua.ua.es/dspace/bitstream/10045/7666/1/ECO_16%282%29_04.pdf • United States Environmental Protection Agency. A Citizen’s Guide to Phytoremediation. Retrieved November 3, 2017, from http://rydberg.biology.colostate.edu/phytoremediation/2008%20websites/PCB%20Hoelzle/Documen tPhytoremediationGuide.pdf
12. SOURCES • Hazrat Ali, Ezzat Khan, and Muhammad Anwar Sajad. Phytoremediation of heavy metals—Concepts and applications. Last retrieved December 16, 2017. • ENVIS Centre on Plants and Pollution, Anthropogenic sources of specific heavy metals in the environment, Status of heavy and trace metals in plants available at polluted soil, Garg et al, 2013. Retrieved November 14, 2017.