Estro

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are compounds known to cause disruption in the development and fertility of living organisms. These hormonally active agents enter the environment through various mechanisms of air, water, and soil contamination. Natural and synthetic estrogens are some of the most potent endocrine disrupting chemicals found in municipal wastewater and enter aquatic ecosystems. The synthetic estrogen, commonly known as EE2, is a compound found mainly in contraceptives such as birth control pills and it is the most ecotoxic and difficult to degrade. 

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are the primary barrier in preventing toxin secretion into the environment. The reduction of estrogenic compounds is often incomplete and this results in the final wastewater effluent containing trace amounts of EE2 that are released into aquatic environments. Detecting lower levels of EE2 is not equivalent to decreased ecotoxicity, therefore synthetic estrogen pollution remains a problem. Research revolving around biotechnological applications in bioremediation, such as the usage of microbes and enzymes, is ongoing.

 Laccases are a prominent class of multi-copper oxidases (MCOs) found in species of fungi and bacteria. They are versatile enzymes that are proven to be capable of degrading phenolic compounds and this makes their implementation in industrial and municipal wastewater treatment attractive. 

This project aims to use Esherichia coli as a vector for expression and production of a bacterial laccase that will degrade EE2 at an optimal pH while maintaining high activity and increased efficiency.