haberlandt2008

In this case we are using the lens of a digital compact camera, Pentax Optio s60, to get a higher magnification (=higher instability).

Not enough yet.

DIY Spectophotometer

Measurement of light absorption by a spectrophotometer is used to detect and identify molecules and to measure their concentration in solution. The fraction of the incident light absorbed by a solution at a given wavelenght is related to the thickness of the absorbing species.

Instructions at:

RSC

Parts list

·Photometer

Printed circuit board, plug-board, or photoresist board
Voltmeter or digital multimeter
Plastic or glass cuvettes
Total cost for photometer consumables is under £4.00

·Spectrophotometer

White light source
Diffraction grating, prisms or coloured filters. (Note: gratings are available at modest cost and work better than prisms.)
Lenses
Optical bench or stands and clamps; black cloth
Resistors: 4.7 k; 2.2 k; 1.0 k
LED: orange, 5 mm
LDR
Op amp: 3140
Socket: eight-pin
Battery clips
Soldering iron, solder,
Blu-Tack, tape and card

Pros
Way to go. Did arduino 101. Quantitatively precise. Totally DIYBio. The rest of the blablabLAB members are doing electronics. Fun. Must definitely Do.

Cons
Electronics are hard

pHmeter

When cultivated in aqueous culture the cell growth can be determined by following the optical density.
On the other hand, when produced by solid cultivation the growth can be determined only indirectly, such as, through determination of the protein content of the fermenting solids. In this work the possibility of estimating cell growth by pH determination was verified. From the results it was concluded that pH and protein production (solid or surface culture) or cell content (liquid culture) correlate well, therefore pH determination seems to be a good method to determine cell growth.

Pros
Cheap, easy, fast. Useful as a state of the batch measure.

Cons
We are not able to adjust pH continuously for optimum spirulina performance.

Pressure measurement, or how to use balloons in science
Estimate growth of A. platensis by measuring the oxygen produced by connecting the bioreactor to a balloon.

Pros
Very easy, very cheap, qualitatively accurate. Must Do

Cons
Quantitatively innacurate.

T.S.

References

Cogne G et al. (2001). Growth monitoring of a photosynthetic micro-organism (Spirulina platensis) by pressure measurement. Biotechnology Letters 23(16):1309-1314

Helena L et al. (2002). Spirulina platensis growth estimation by pH determination at different cultivations conditions. Journal of Biotechnology 5(3):251-257

Tavener SJ, Thomas-Oates JE (2007). Build Your Own Spectrophotometer. Education In Chemistry 44(5)

Nelson DL, Cox MM. (2000). Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry. 3^rded. Worth Publishers, New York.

In order to have a microscope to check the cultivated cells we’ve been experimenting inverting camera lenses to get some magnifications, here are the first results.

In this case we are using a Minolta reflex zoom lens at 28mm and infinite focus placed upside down in front of a Sony H20 compact camera with the optical zoom at x10. A support is essential to have a stable image.

A higher magnification and a built-in microscope is required though.

Seeing the results from the guys of Hackteria we got motivated to build something really similar. So once we get our webcam we’ll try out.

Coming soon new images!

This post covers the eight major environmental factors that influence the productivity of Arthrospira platensis: Luminosity, temperature, salinity, pH, inoculation size, stirring speed,  water quality, and macro and micronutrient presence (water and nutrients will be reviewed in the next post of the Arthrospira series).

A.platensis is found in soil, marshes, freshwater, brackish water, seawater and thermal springs. Alkaline, saline water (>30 g/l) with high pH (8.5– 11.0) favour good production of Spirulina, especially where there is a high level of solar radiation at altitude in the tropics. A. platensis thrives in highly alkaline lakes where the cyanobacteria population is practically monospecific. The higher the pH and the conductivity of the water, the greater is the likely predominance of Arthrospira spp.

Optimum Growth Ranges

· Iluminosity or illuminace is a measure of the intensity, as perceived by the human eye, of light that hits or passes through a surface. It is measured in lux (lx). A. platensis optimal illuminance ranges from 2,500 – 10,000 lx.

Light is an important factor but full sunlight may not the be the best rate of illumination, 30% of full sun light is actually better, except that more may be required to quickly heat up the culture in the morning (it cannot stand a strong light when cold -below 15°C-).

Individual A.platensis filaments are destroyed by prolonged strong illumination (“photolysis”), therefore it is necessary to agitate the culture in order to minimize the time they are exposed to full sunlight.

Artificial light and heating may be used to grow A. platensis, although they are not economical. Fluorescent tubes and halogen lamps are both convenient. Lamps can illuminate and heat the culture simultaneously.

· The best photo-period or light-hours is 16/12 (Day/Night). Growth only takes place in light (photosynthesis), but illumination 24 hours a day is not recommended. During dark periods, chemical reactions take place within A.platensis, like synthesis of proteins and respiration.

Respiration decreases A.platensis’s biomass; and its rate is much greater at high temperature so cool nights are better on that account, but in the morning beware of cold temperatures and sensitivity to light.

· In many regions of the world, temperature may represent the main limitation for high biomass production rates in outdoor open ponds of A. platensis cultures. An outdoor algal culture undergoes a diurnal cycle which in areas out of the tropics may show a difference of 20 ºC. In the morning, the pond temperature may only be in the range of 15 – 20 ºC, an optimal temperature, in the range of 29 – 38 ºC is reached only in the early afternoon. Even in the tropics where the culture reaches the optimal temperature, during a significant part of the day the temperature will still be much below the optimum.

· Salinity is the dissolved salt content of a body of water. It is a general term used to describe the levels of different salts such as sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium sulfates, and bicarbonates. A. platensis’s optimal salinity is 20 to 70 g/L but it can withstand much higher concentrations.

· The potentiometric hydrogen ion concentration ([H⁺]) or pH measures the acidity (or basicity) of a solution. Optimal values for A. platensis fall inside a 8.5 to 10.5 range with 9.5 giving a peak value of growth whenever the rest of conditions are optimal.

·Inoculation size

·Stirring speed

T.S.

Arthorspira platensis, commonly know as spirulina is the main organism of our self-sustaining vending machine, the Haberlandt 2008. In this series of posts we will describe the biological characteristics that make it interesting as a whole food and also the materials and methods used during the process of the bioreactor development.

Cyanobacteria comprise a group of oxygenic autophototrophic bacteria, that is, they use energy obtained from light to transform CO₂ into biomass while producing O₂. Arthrospira is one of those filamentous cells (Oscillatoria group) that divide by binary fission in a single plane. They form large colonies in tropical and sub-tropical surface waters with high carbonate and bicarbonate levels.

Why A. platensis?

The cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis can be cultivated autotrophically for the production of biomass with high protein content. Technologically it exhibits advantages in the methods of cultivation. Among these, the capability to grow under alkaline and highly salty conditions is an important factor in the prevention of external contamination, while the easy separation of biomass from the cultivation medium, because of its spiral form and large size, reduces the costs of its recovery.

Spirulina requires less energy input per kilo than soy, corn or beef, including solar and generated energy. Its energy efficiency is 5 times higher than soy, 2 times higher than corn, and over 100 times higher than grain-fed beef.

Composition of Spirulina

Spirulina is very high in protein, very low in calories and cholesterol, and high in minerals (iron, calcium, sodium and magnesium), and phenolic acids, which have antioxidant properties (see Table).

In that sense it is a complete protein source since it contains almost all the essential amino acids (the ones we cannot synthesize by ourselves), though with reduced amounts of methionine, cysteine, and lysine when compared to the proteins of meat, eggs, and milk. It is, however, superior to typical plant protein, such as that from legumes. It offers good digestibility and a low nucleic acid concentration (smaller that 5%).

Besides, it contains vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, polyunsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, and other antioxidants.

Table. For every 10 g of dry Spirulina:

Disclaimer: The bioavailability of vitamin B12 in Spirulina is in dispute. Several biological assays have been used to test for the presence of vitamin B12 and have shown Spirulina to be a minimal source of bioavailable vitamin B12. However, this assay does not differentiate between true B12 (cobalamin) and similar compounds (corrinoids) that cannot be used in human metabolism and interfere with the true form absorption. The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada in their position paper on vegetarian diets state that Spirulina can not be counted on as a reliable source of active vitamin B12. Long term Vitamin B12 deficiency can potentially cause severe and irreversible damage

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

The RDA is the daily dietary intake level of a nutrient considered sufficient by the Food and Nutrition Board to meet the requirements of nearly all healthy individuals in each life-stage and gender group. 100 g of dry Spirulina satisfy 100% of the protein and 15 % of the carbohydrate RDA recommendations for an adult male, fat and fiber are far from being met by consumption of Spirulina alone.

Human consumption

The benefits of Spirulina as a low-calorie, high-protein, mineral and vitamin food supplement are now well established and recognized worldwide. Studies have shown that Spirulina can lower cholesterol levels, stimulate the immune system and be effective in the treatment of obesity, heart disease, premenstrual stress, arthritis, anaemia and osteoporosis. Spirulina is also a rich source of betacarotene, a natural antioxidant, which the body converts to vitamin A and which plays a protective role in the human organism. Recent studies have concluded that a diet rich in vitamin A and provitamin A can lower the risk of cancer. Betacarotene is considered a more effective antioxidant than synthetic trans betacarotene. Positive results have also been seen in performance and stamina levels when Spirulina is taken as a sports supplement; the blue-green alga has a high level of biotin, which is an inhibitor of lactic acid in muscles.

References

FAO

USDA Food & Nutrition Information Center

Dante L, et al. (2006) Influence of pH, Temperature, and Urea Molar Flowrate on Arthrospira platensis Fed-Batch Cultivation: A Kinetic and Thermodynamic Approach. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 96(4): 702-711 DOI 10.1002/bit.21097

T.S

Experiments were conducted in Barcelona, Spain (41º 23′ N 2º 11′ E)

Adjust to your local conditions: http://www.wmo.int/

The Source: Or how we got our Arthrospira platensis

On March 2010 we contacted Dr. Jaume Cambra of the Plant Biology Department at the Faculty of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona. He informed us about the presence of A. platensis in a channel at the Natural Park of Llobregat. The 7^th of March of 2010 blablabLAB went on a scientific expedition to extract the cyanobacterium, obtaining, with permission of the park authorities, almost a total of 4 L of water from different points of the channel.

The water was checked under a microscope from the library of the Faculty of Biology and presence of A. platensis was confirmed. No cell count was done on the sample, but it would have been a good idea to assess the initial population of A. platensis.

The water was left at room temperature and office light conditions for almost a week, it would be appropriate to move A. platensis as soon as possible to a selective medium (a medium that allows for preferential growth of a desired organism).

The selective medium was prepared based on the nutritional requirements estimated and artificial light was used to illuminate.

A lab notebook is a primary record of research. Researchers use a lab notebook to document their hypotheses, experiments and initial analysis or interpretation of these experiments. The notebook serves as an organizational tool, a memory aid, and can also have a role in protecting any intellectual property that comes from the research. The openness of the notebook, then, specifically refers to the set of the following points, or elements thereof:

1. Sharing of the researcher’s laboratory notebook online in real time without password protection or limitations on the use of the data.

2. The raw data used by the researcher to derive observations and conclusions are made available online to anyone.

3. All experimental data are shared, including failed or ambiguous attempts.

4. Feedback and other contributions to the research effort can be integrated easily with the understanding that everything is donated to the public domain.

Welcome to our openlab notebook

HABERLANDT 2008.vending.machine

“No ha habido, que yo sepa, hasta ahora, ningún intento planeado de cultivar las células vegetativas de las plantas superiores en los nutrientes adecuados. Sin embargo los resultados de dichos intentos deberían suscitar datos interesantes sobre las particularidades y capacidades que la célula, como organismo elemental, posee: harían posible conclusiones sobre las interrelaciones e influencias recíprocas a las que está sometida la célula en el organismo multicelular.

Haberlandt, 1902

Gottlieb Haberlandt (1854, Magyaróvár -1945, Berlin) fue un botánico Austríaco.

Haberlandt fue el primero en señalar la posibilidad del cultivo tejidos aislados (Bonner, 1936). Desde las afirmaciones iniciales de Haberlandt los métodos de cultivo de células y tejidos se han podido desarrollar, dando lugar a importantes descubrimientos en Biología y Medicina.

Haberlandt 2008

La Haberlandt 2008 es una expendedora automática que proporcionará al visitante una experiencia biotecnológica, proponiéndole meditar, de manera crítica, sobre las implicaciones que ésta tiene en la vida cotidiana. Funciona mediante el uso de la luz solar como fuente de energía, produciendo tejido celular potencialmente apto para el consumo.

ANTECEDENTES

Biotecnología

Desde que Haberlandt propusiese por primera vez la posibilidad de cultivar células en 1902, la capacidad de producir tejido celular fuera de la estructura organísmica ha pasado de ser un reto tecnológico a cristalizarse en una realidad industrial (Calva & Pérez, 2005).

Éste tipo de sistema de producción se enmarca dentro de la profunda transformación de la Nueva Revolución Industrial que nos acerca a la singularidad tecnológica (Vinge, 1993). En éste proceso de maduración nuestras tecnologías más potentes -robótica, ingeniería genética y nanotecnología- adquieren un papel prominente y son determinantes para el futuro de la especie humana (Joy, 2000).

La Vending Machine

La expendedora automática permite a la persona acceder a un recurso fugaz de forma inmediata. La compra se da de camino al trabajo, de vuelta a casa o mientras se pasea y los productos vendidos se pueden consumir en todo el mundo, representando una expresión de la globalización.

Estos aparatos se convierten en puntos de encuentro, de intercambio económico y de almacenaje de información sobre el consumidor. La máquina es capaz de responder a las cambiantes necesidades del mercado y satisfacer la demanda por un producto.

En la actualidad la expendedora representa un centro de almacenaje, a la vez que de distribución, pero la producción es exterior, lo que da lugar a una ineficiencia energética. La Haberlandt 2008 actúa como centro de producción in situ, anulando el transporte del producto y reduciendo el espacio de almacenaje.

La ciudad extrópica como centro de producción agrícola: Vertical Farming

El año 2008 representó un punto de inflexión en el desarrollo humano, puesto que por primera vez la población urbana superó a la rural, culminando la tendencia al cambio de un medio natural a uno artificial y creando un punto de inflexión en nuestro modo de asentamiento territorial.

Cada día unas 160.000 personas huyen de las áreas rurales a las ciudades, la ONU calcula que para el 2050 el 80% de la población serán habitantes de una ciudad. Éste acercamiento humano permite que se produzcan importantes vertidos de conocimiento: las diferentes oportunidades sociales que se producen cuando gente con backgrounds diferentes son acercados ofrecen una sinergia que da lugar a una mayor variedad de intereses y actividades sociales urbanos, permitiendo a todos los habitantes encontrar lugares de reunión donde involucrarse.

La formación de ciudades tendrá una influencia positiva en el ambiente. Esto es debido a que las ciudades concentran la actividad humana en un lugar, haciendo que el daño ambiental en otros espacios sea menor. Las grandes urbes pueden representar, por lo tanto, una estructura ecológica al liberar espacios naturales y permitir recuperar espacios degradados por la actividad humana. Pero conseguir que la influencia de la ciudad sea positiva solo será posible si se mejoran los planes urbanísticos y se mantienen de manera eficiente los servicios (Martine, 2007).

Se comienzan ya a plantear formas de producción agrícola en las ciudades estado. La creación de estructuras verticales que aunan la vida urbana y la agronomía (vertical farming) ésta pasando de la fase conceptual a proyectos reales, que a pesar de su reducido tamaño, resultan prometedores para la proyección de la independencia en el suministro de alimentos en las urbes. Imaginemos una granja en medio de la ciudad. La producción de comida se aprovecharía de las tecnologías hidropónicas y aeropónicas. Ninguno de éstos métodos necesita tierra: el sistema hidropónico nos permite cultivar plantas en una solución nutritiva, mientras que el aeropónico lo hace vaporizando la solución, ambas tecnologías utilizan un 90% menos de agua que las técnicas convencionales, y el agua es reutilizable (Despommier, 2009).

Además de la incorporación de la agricultura a los edificios para la producción en masa, éstas tecnologías son fácilmente escalables al tamaño de un hogar. Imaginemos una familia que cultiva parte de los alimentos que consume e intercambia sus excedentes con los vecinos. La producción autárquica puede dar lugar a un refuerzo de la identidad local y a profundos cambios en nuestra sociedad al valorar la funcionalidad del trabajo, el mercado y el gobierno una vez nuestras necesidades básicas han sido satisfechas.

La Haberlandt 2008 invita al visitante a la reflexión sobre la manera en que entendemos el sistema ecológico en el que habitamos, la ciudad, y del potencial de cambio de la biotecnología sobre ésta.

Ciudad autárquica · Son necesarios cambios en nuestros hábitos de consumo, para mantenernos en un equilibrio sostenible ya que nos acercamos a la capacidad de carga de la Tierra. Aún siendo posible alimentar a toda la población debe haber cambios por parte de la sociedad para que los alimentos sean accesibles por todos por igual. Existe actualmente, además, una asimetría entre la geolocalización de la producción de materias primas y alimentos y su consumo. La ciudad autárquica permite localizar producción y consumo, aumentado la garantía de acceso y distribución de los alimentos.

Ciudad extrópica · A la vez, como ciudadanos, debemos ser críticos con los discursos polarizados sobre la ciencia aplicada. Es necesaria un potente formación a nivel científico en la ciudadanía para poder entender las implicaciones que tienen las tecnologías de la Nueva Revolución Industrial en nuestras vidas. La adecuada comprensión del potencial tecnológico permitirá una toma de decisiones adecuada en función de los valores personales y dará lugar a una democratización de los servicios tecnológicos y a la desaparición de lobbies legislativos.

El acercamiento a la ciencia por parte de personas ajenas a la jerarquía científica permitirá también un trasvase de conocimientos más sinérgico y una transferencia tecnológica más fluida, esto ayudará a integrar mejor los avances científicos a la vida cotidiana.

AUTORES

blablabLAB se enfrasca individualmente en proyectos relacionados (esencialmente) con la dirección de cine, el post-punk, la arquitectura, el surf, la ingeniería informática, el diseño interactivo, las artes plásticas, la biotecnología, los sistemas emergentes (a-jerarquizados), el control numérico, la fotografía, y la computación física · Colectivamente a imaginar estrategias e inventar herramientas que emplea de forma crítica para intervenir en un entorno de complejización exponencial.

Gerard Rubio es cineasta. Su área de interés gira entorno a la producción audiovisual.

Raul Nieves es arquitecto e informático. Sus intereses se centran en el diseño y manipulación del entorno físico mediante la tecnología.

Triambak Saxena es biólogo molecular. Investiga factores bioquímicos y genéticos que afectan al desarrollo vegetal y a la resistencia al estrés medioambiental.

REFERENCIAS

Despommier, D.D. A Farm on Every Flor. The New York Times, 2009. 16 Octubre 2009 [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/opinion/24Despommier.html?_r=1]

Haberlandt, G. Culturversuche mit isolierten Pflanzenzellen. 1902

SEV. Solar Energy Vending Ltd. 2002. [http://www.solarvending.com] 16 Octube 2009

BIBLIOGRAFÍA COMPLEMENTARIA

Calva, G. Pérez, J. Cultivo de células y tejidos vegetales: Fuente de alimentos para el futuro. Revista UNAM, 2005.

Joy, B. Why the future doesn’t need us. Wired, 2000. 15 Octubre 2009 [http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.04/joy_pr.html]

Lindsey, K. Plant Tissue Culture Manual. Springer, 2007

Martine, G et al. The State of World Population. UNFPA, 2007

Smidsrod O, Skjakbraek G. Alginate as immobilization matrix for cells. Trends in biotechnology 8 (1990), 71-78.

Vinge, V. The Coming Technological Singularity: How to Survive in the Post-Human Era. San Diego State University, ROHAN Academic Computing, 1993. 15 Octubre 2009 [http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/vinge/misc/singularity.html]