Segunda Entrada febrero 19, 2009

Utilizando la escala de las metas que ya he cumplido que fueron trazadas al principio del semestre puedo decir que estoy entre el  4. De los tres experimentos que me propuse realizar, he completado exitosamente 1, mientras que estoy en el proceso de realizar una replica de uno, que se obtuvo buenos resultados, pero aun asi se busca una mayor exactitud y precision. Gracias a Dios, pude encontrar la raiz de mi problema a la hora de poner a Juana la Blanca in vitro. El problema resulto ser que Juana crece mucho mejor y sin hongos en un medio solido que no contenga sacarosa, ya que es la causa de que no se logre esterilizar y mantener libre de hongos los cultivos. Por lo cual todos los experimentos relacionados a esta planta, que se creo su propio medio de cultivo, sin azucar. Ya habiendo encontrado esto se realizara denuevo el experimento con TNT,que previamente se habia contaminado debido a sacarosa, para probar que Juana sirve como agente fitorremediador en suelos contaminados. Ya este experimento lo habia realizado pero con azucar por lo cual en el medio del experimento todo el stock cojio hongos. Aun asi Juana demostro absorber cantidades de 35 ppm en medio liquido. Aun falta mucho por realizar pero los resultados positivos se acercan cada dia mas… 

Mi abstract: Spermacoce assurgens as effective phytoremediator of soils contaminated with polynitroaromatic compounds febrero 19, 2009

Trinitrotoluene (TNT) and its derivatives are common pollutants left on sites where explosives are used, stored or manufactured. This is a family of toxic compounds that damage the environment and induce severe diseases in human beings. Typical effects of nitroaromatic exposure include skin irritation and discoloration, anemia, and cancer. Phytoremediation is an alternative to remove such contaminants from soil. In this research project, Spermacoce assurgens, known as “Juana la Blanca”, has been selected as a target plant to remediate nitroaromatics contamination. Juana is a medicinal plant native to Puerto Rico used mostly to disintegrate kidney stones. Its decoctions are capable of complexing metals ions such as cadmium and calcium. The phytochemistry of this plant suggests strongly that Juana can be a potent phytoremediatior. The first objective of this research was to obtain enough plant clones for experimentation. After several trials using proper aseptic techniques and controlled environmental conditions, clones of the available mother plant were successfully grown in vitro free of bacteria and fungi. Plantlets were grown in standard Murashige and Skoog semisolid media with no sucrose added. The second objective was to expose plants to the principal nitroaromatic compound: trinitrotoluene (TNT). Plant clones were transferred to liquid growth media doped with 0 and 35 ppm TNT. Aliquots were collected periodically to quantify the amount of TNT remaining in the growing media.  Quantization was done by reversed phase HPLC (C-18, Inertsil, acetonitrile-water 60:40). After one weak no TNT was detected in the media. This result shows that Juana 1) survives in media contaminated with TNT and 2) may be a potential phytoremediator for TNT.