Homework

Week 1 HW: Principles and Practices
GOVERNANCE MODELING For this course, I’m planning a small-scale experiment around phytomining – a technique growing in popularity to extract metals from abandoned mine sites and petrochemical byproducts. Phytomining employs a special type of plant called a ‘hyperaccumulator’ to grow in a soil substrate rich in a particular metal. Scientists have identified hundreds of species of hyperaccumulators that can extract metals ranging from copper, nickel, cobalt, and even rare earth metals. However, this process is not widely used as an alternative to mining, due to the relatively long grow times required by plants, and the small amounts of metal that are eventually extracted. Additionally, research is being done to determine what/how microbial activity in the soil speeds along this process. **The project I’m interested in undertaking this semester is the development of a microbial species that can grow, “digest,” and extract metals at a faster pace, designed with the goal of it being used alongside phytomining for large scale bioremediation projects.