Research Findings
List two limitations of industry-scale plastic decomposition methods
Harmful byproducts
Microplastics
Costly
Not environmentally friendly
Specific conditions
High energy demand
Name two of the four environments I tested in my project.
Full spectrum light, no direct/indirect light, room temperature, heat lamp
How many jars in total were there in my experiment?
Nine
What are biodegradable plastics?
Biodegradable plastics are plastics that can break down naturally into harmless substances like water, carbon dioxide, and compost by the action of bacteria, fungi, or other living organisms.
List all three types of plastics I used in my project.
Algae plastic, bioplastic, and polyurethane foam
Name 10 materials I used in my experiment
9 mason jars (preferably a medium size jar)
Pestalotiopsis microspora (liquid form) 60 cc
Polyurethane foam
Kitchen scale
Heat lamp
Grow light
Tape
Sharpie
Pressure cooker
18 rubber bands
36 sheets of aluminum foil
Gloves
Ruler
Dish soap
Flow hood (air ventilation system)
Paper towels
Scissors
Lighter
1310 ml water
6 grams potato starch
6 grams gelatin
6 grams glycerin
56g Bladderwrack powder
Pot
Tray
Stove
Blender
100 grams of cornstarch
How long does a plastic bag and bottle take to decompose?
About 20 and 450 years
Name the number of one of the three jars that did the best in terms of fungi colonization on the plastic.
Jars 2, 3, and 5
Which takes longer to decompose, plastic or metal (excluding steel)?
They take about the same amount of time to decompose, around 200-500 years.
About how many monomers make up a polymer when inside a plastic?
Four or more monomers make up a polymer
What did I use to sterilize my jars, and for how long?
Pressure cooker for 3 hours per jar.
Name two ways of plastic decomposition
Biodegradable plastics
Engineering of microorganisms
Enzyme Degradation
Industrial-scale chemical recycling
List 3 out of the 5 natural factors that affect plastic decomposition
Sunlight/UV radiation
Moisture
Temperature
Oxygen availability
Soil pH
How many cubic centimeters of mycelium liquid culture did I inoculate into each jar?
5 cubic centimeters (cc)
Correct the order of procedures:
Mycelium inoculation
Jar and environment prep
Plastic creation
Jar sterilization
Plastic creation
Jar and environment prep
Jar sterilization
Mycelium inoculation