The Problem
Plastic pollution is suffocating our planet. Every year, millions of tons choke oceans, landfills, and ecosystems—I’ve seen it firsthand in my hometown, where discarded bottles pile up in empty lots and rivers.
The Solution
For my Intel ISEF project, I channeled that frustration into building an automated bioreactor system that turbocharges nature’s cleanup crew: bacteria that devour plastic waste. Picture a “smart greenhouse” where microbes thrive under perfect conditions, turning stubborn polymers into harmless byproducts.
Technical Implementation
The heart of the system is a DIY bioreactor we built from scratch. Think recycled acrylic, salvaged sensors, and late-night soldering sessions. I rigged it with:
- DHT22 - Temperature and humidity monitors
- MQ-135 - Gas sensor to track CO2 spikes
- Arduino brain that auto-adjusts conditions like a meticulous gardener
When temperatures wobbled, it fired up a tiny heater.
Real-World Impact
But here’s what lights me up: This isn’t just a lab toy. We designed it for the real world. The bioreactor runs on solar-compatible parts and could fit in a shipping container for landfills or beach cleanups.
Imagine villages using it to turn trash into soil additives, or factories pairing it with AI to predict bacterial appetites for mixed plastics. This project isn’t just about science—it’s about giving communities tools to fight back.
Skills Developed
- Bioreactor Design & Automation
- Arduino & Sensor Integration
- Sustainable Material Engineering
- Technical Data Analysis
- Plastic Waste Bio-Remediation
- Cross-functional Collaboration