LixiLab
Daniela Barón
Ma. Valentina Forero
María Alejandra Parra
Valentina Pérez
Lina Sánchez Laura Velasco
Estudio 7: Biodesign Challenge
Dirección: Carolina Obregón, Giovanna Danies
2021-1
About:
LixiLab is an accessible bioremediation technology that uses dead bacteria Lysinibacillus sphaericus CBAM5 which extracts heavy metals generated by leachate filtration in agricultural soils. It was born to empower, and co-designed, with Colombian farmers that have been affected by soil contamination. The team went on a field research to Mochuelo Alto, a village in the outskirts of Bogotá in order to understand the situation first-handed.
LixiSoil - for soil bioremediation
LixiAqua - for water bioremediation
LixiLab was chosen to represent Universidad de Los Andes at the 2021 Biodesign Challenge Summit. The project was awarded the Outstanding Field Research prize and made it to the top 6 among 53 participating projects from different universities around the world.
Farmer community at Mochuelo Alto
How it works
LixiLab's technology applies the bacteria in a dehydrated hydrogel matrix, made of a chitosan and alginate blend, that works in water and soil. We chose chitosan and alginate since these biopolymers are non-toxic, biocompatible, biodegradable and are obtained in large quantities all over the world at a low cost. The spheres are poured into a plastic mesh that then is burried in the soil or leaved in the water source, after the bacterium is saturated the farmers can remove the spheres and take them to a local collection point.
Lixilab relies on the farming community to incorporate a circular economy system in which recovered metals can be safely disposed in local colletion points and processed to be re-introduced in other industries.
for more info: LixiLab
