The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 global goals adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They serve as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all. Covering areas such as health, education, gender equality, clean energy, climate action, and sustainable economic growth, the SDGs provide a shared blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future by 2030. We, members of GreatBay-SCIE, are contributing to several SDGs, particularly, SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 11 (Sustaninable Cities and Comunities), by addressing indoor mold and mildew issues via the production of an enzyme-based mold remover. To further evaluate the impact of our project on the SDGs and broaden its reach, we engaged in discussions and collaborations with various stakeholders, including doctors, hotel manager, and relic protection experts. Through these interactions, we received valuable feedback and insights into the potential challenges and areas for improvement in real-world applications. These exchanges have not only helped us optimize our project but also laid the groundwork for sustainable scaling in the future.

Biotechnology-driven mold management is an emerging sector that can support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of key SDGs, particularly those related to health, education, decent work, sustainable cities, industry, and environmental protection. As a representative innovation in this field, ArMOLDgeddon—an enzyme- and terpene-based antifungal solution—offers a sustainable alternative to chemical fungicides. By reducing indoor mold growth, it contributes to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), as mold exposure is associated with respiratory issues and other health risks [1] [2].

The sector also supports SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by helping preserve building integrity, paper artifacts, and wooden cultural relics, while improving indoor environmental quality [3]. Through its reliance on synthetic biology and biotechnology, ArMOLDgeddon exemplifies progress toward SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). By substituting traditional chemical treatments with biodegradable enzymes and plant-derived terpenes, it advances SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and contributes to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by providing safer working conditions for laborers and creating new industrial and employment opportunities. At the same time, the project promotes scientific literacy and community education on safe biotechnology practices, supporting SDG 4 (Quality Education). Additionally, its chemical-free, environmentally safe applications in hotels and coastal areas help achieve SDG 14 (Life Below Water) by preventing marine pollution.





The ArMOLDgeddon project is primarily driven by the need to protect human health (SDG 3) and to advance biotechnology and resilient infrastructure (SDG 9). These core motivations trigger the development of a safe, enzyme- and terpene-based antifungal solution that not only mitigates mold-related health risks but also delivers positive social and economic outcomes, including safer workplaces, new skilled employment opportunities (SDG 8), preserved cultural and public infrastructure (SDG 11), and environmentally responsible production and consumption practices (SDG 12). Alongside these outcomes, the project fosters scientific literacy and community education by engaging stakeholders and the public in the responsible application of biotechnology (SDG 4). Throughout its development and deployment, ArMOLDgeddon adheres to strict ecosystem safeguards, minimizing chemical pollution and protecting aquatic environments in alignment with SDG 14, ensuring that human, social, educational, and environmental benefits advance together.

According to the World Health Organization [4], over 4.2 million deaths annually are linked to air-pollution exposure, while the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention [5] reports that indoor mold contamination significantly increases respiratory and allergic diseases. In hospitals, persistent mold growth in hidden corners and ventilation systems can worsen asthma, allergic rhinitis, and infection risks—posing a serious but often neglected public-health concern.

Through interviews with doctors, CDC experts, nurses, and patients, our team confirmed that mold causes concrete health risks such as respiratory illnesses and allergies, defining our project as a direct response to a clear public-health issue. Ms. V, a patient with allergic rhinitis, noticed mold patches on her ward ceiling and voiced concern about both inefficient cleaning methods and the irritation caused by harsh chemical disinfectants. Ms. Shi Xiaolu from the Shenzhen CDC reaffirmed that mold functions as a “disease-triggering pathogen,” particularly harmful to immunocompromised individuals. Mr. Li Yang, Supervising Nurse in Operating Room Infection Control and Teaching Secretary at Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, pointed out that while operating rooms maintain strict ventilation, adjacent areas such as vents and storage spaces often harbor hidden mold growth. Ms. L (alias), Head of the Infection Control Department at a Tertiary Grade-A Hospital, emphasized the need for safer, more effective, and sustainable disinfection strategies across healthcare settings.

In response, our team developed ArMOLDgeddon, an enzyme-based, non-toxic, and non-irritating mold-removal spray that effectively eliminates spores at room temperature without releasing harmful chemicals. This product directly answers patient concerns about irritating disinfectants, improves indoor air quality, and protects public health in both hospitals and homes.

Through this initiative, we advance SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, contributing to Target 3.9—reducing illness from hazardous chemicals and air pollution—and Target 3.D, strengthening capacities for health risk prevention and management.

Globally, industrial pollution and inefficient processes contribute to environmental degradation [6], and traditional mold-control methods often rely on energy-intensive, chemical-heavy approaches.

Through consultations with Mr. Fu Minghe, Prof. Ke Desen, Prof. Thierry Fontaine, and Mr. H (alias), our team gathered detailed stakeholder insights. Prof. Ke highlighted that enzyme stability and adaptability are critical for scalable industrial use, suggesting CBM addition, PEGylation, and diverse application methods. Prof. Fontaine emphasized α-glucanase to improve fungal targeting, ensuring industrial efficacy. Mr. H offered technical input on integration with AC filters, advising on airflow, enzyme retention, and practical deployment. Mr. Fu stressed the importance of environmentally responsible and scalable solutions to meet industry standards.

These inputs directly shaped our actions: we optimized enzyme formulations for stability and activity, developed immobilization methodologies for deployment on walls and AC filters, and implemented flexible application methods that reduce chemical use and energy consumption. This stakeholder-driven approach not only enhances industrial scalability but also strengthens innovation capacity and infrastructure health.

Through these efforts, we advance SDG 9, particularly Target 9.4, by upgrading technologies to be environmentally sound, and Target 9.5, by enhancing innovation capacity for sustainable industrial solutions.

Marine ecosystems are under stress from coastal pollution, chemical runoff, and tourism-related waste, threatening coral reefs and marine biodiversity [7].

Ms. R (alias), Front Office Manager of a beachfront hotel in the Maldives, provided practical stakeholder feedback, highlighting that traditional cleaning chemicals often enter wastewater and surrounding waters, impacting coral reefs and marine life. She emphasized the need for effective cleaning while reducing environmental impact, balancing guest safety and ecological responsibility.

Our stakeholder-driven actions included deploying ArMOLDgeddon in hotel maintenance without including harmful chemicals, ensuring the solution is biodegradable and safe for marine ecosystems, and carefully controlling application to prevent runoff into surrounding waters. This approach directly responds to Ms. R’s concerns while protecting local biodiversity and sustaining tourism operations.

Urban environments face challenges from mold contamination in buildings, cultural sites, and public facilities, affecting structural integrity, artifact preservation, and indoor air quality [8].

Stakeholder feedback was highly contextualized. Mr. Cao Wei highlighted the vulnerability of ancient buildings in humid regions, stressing that remediation must avoid structural damage, while Mr. Xu Xiaowei emphasized the need for precise, non-invasive antifungal treatments for paper artifacts in exhibitions. Li Yang noted that public hospital areas are prone to mold accumulation, affecting patient and staff health, and underscored the importance of safe, non-irritating cleaning methods. Collectively, stakeholders emphasized that effective mold control must balance efficacy, safety, and preservation.

Guided by these insights, our team adapted ArMOLDgeddon to the challenges of South China’s humid environment, improving residential safety and public health. Field visits and interviews with the Ancient Monument Conservation Association informed the expansion of our solution to cultural heritage protection, preventing mold damage to wooden historical buildings. For delicate artifacts, a titration device ensures accurate dosage, avoiding over-application or harm. In hospitals and other public areas, controlled application enhances safety while eliminating the need for harsh chemicals. These measures reflect a stakeholder-driven approach that simultaneously protects heritage, improves community health, and enhances urban resilience.

This supports SDG 11, particularly Target 11.4, by safeguarding cultural and natural heritage, and Target 11.7, by ensuring safe, inclusive, and accessible public spaces

Unsustainable production practices contribute significantly to environmental pollution and resource depletion, with chemical-intensive industrial processes often leaving harmful residues in ecosystems [9]. In the indoor environmental hygiene industry, many conventional mold-control methods rely on energy-intensive, chemical-heavy treatments, creating both occupational hazards and environmental impacts.

Through consultation with Mr. Fu Minghe, Vice President of the Guangdong Indoor Environmental Hygiene Industry Association and Executive Director of the Environmental Infection Control Technology Committee at Gongke Ecotech, our team confirmed the urgent need for production methods that minimize environmental footprints. Mr. Fu emphasized that any scalable industrial solution must avoid releasing harmful chemicals or pollutants during both manufacturing and application, ensuring safety for workers, end-users, and surrounding ecosystems.

Guided by these insights, ArMOLDgeddon was designed using natural enzymes and terpenes, providing an eco-friendly and safe alternative to traditional chemical disinfectants. Incorporating expertise from Mr. H, the AC filter specialist, we optimized retrofit and filter replacement methods that extend the service life of existing air-conditioning systems, reducing material waste and resource consumption. In line with Chinese cultural values of “thrift and resourcefulness”, this approach enables upgrades of existing surfaces and filters rather than requiring full product replacement, promoting sustainable consumption. Production processes were also optimized to be energy-efficient and environmentally responsible, ensuring large-scale deployment would not compromise air, water, or local habitats.

This stakeholder-driven approach aligns with Target 12.1, by implementing national sustainable consumption and production policies, and contributes to Target 12.4, by achieving environmentally sound management of chemicals and waste, as well as Target 12.5, by substantially reducing waste generation through sustainable practices.

Domestic service workers face significant occupational hazards due to direct exposure to strong chemical disinfectants, which can compromise their health and workplace safety [10]. This is a widespread occupational health issue in the cleaning and domestic service sector, highlighting the urgent need for safer work environments.

Stakeholders provided crucial insights to address this problem. HuaMulan Domestic Services, representing domestic workers, emphasized that traditional cleaning practices pose serious health risks and expressed a need for solutions that protect laborers while maintaining cleaning efficacy, ensuring dignified and safe working conditions. In parallel, consultations with Gree Air Conditioning and other manufacturing stakeholders revealed opportunities to inject high-value innovation into traditional industries, and to design cost-effective solutions such as replaceable functional filters, enabling small hotels, warehouses, and households to upgrade environmental health without heavy investment.

In response to these stakeholder insights, ArMOLDgeddon was developed as a safe, non-irritating antifungal solution, providing protective, humane working conditions for domestic service workers and supporting industrial innovation and inclusive growth. By creating a new product category in synthetic biology-based antifungal agents, the project also has the potential to establish a new market segment, spanning enzyme-scale production, formulation, and application to AC filters and wall materials, forming a new value chain and generating employment opportunities.

Through these stakeholder-driven actions, we advance SDG 8, particularly Target 8.8, by protecting labor rights and promoting safe work environments, and Target 8.2, by fostering economic growth through innovation and inclusive industrial development.

Limited access to practical science education remains a challenge in many public schools, where students rarely have opportunities to engage with synthetic biology or conduct real laboratory experiments. According to UNESCO (2021) [11], insufficient exposure to hands-on STEM learning limits students’ ability to develop the innovation and technical skills essential for future sustainability. Teachers and education advisors we consulted stressed that traditional lecture-based instruction often struggles to inspire interest or convey the real-world relevance of biotechnology.

In response, the ArMOLDgeddon team organized interactive lectures and synthetic biology experiments at Shenzhen Futian Liyuan Foreign Language Primary School, Nanshan Experimental Education Group OCT Senior High School, Nanshan Foreign Language School OCT Campus, and Nankai Liangjiang High School. These activities provided students—many of whom had never entered a lab before—with a chance to explore biotechnology safely and creatively. To complement these sessions, we also designed a synthetic-biology-themed board game, turning complex molecular processes into an engaging, visual learning experience that fosters curiosity and comprehension.

By empowering students through hands-on learning, ArMOLDgeddon advances SDG Target 4.4 by equipping youth with practical and technical competencies, while SDG Target 4.7 is reflected in our commitment to cultivating sustainability awareness and responsible innovation. Together, these initiatives illustrate how accessible, stakeholder-driven education can inspire the next generation to apply science toward a healthier and more sustainable future.

While ArMOLDgeddon presents clear benefits for health, environmental safety, and industrial innovation, its deployment may entail certain limitations that could affect SDG outcomes. For instance, large-scale production of enzymes and terpenes still requires energy and resource inputs, which, if not carefully managed, could contribute to environmental footprints and partially offset gains in SDG 12. Additionally, while designed to be safe, unintended ecological effects—such as interactions with non-target microorganisms in indoor or outdoor environments—cannot be fully ruled out, potentially affecting SDG 14 if the product enters water systems. From a social perspective, the technology may require specialized knowledge for proper application, which could limit accessibility for smaller communities or households, posing challenges to SDG 8 and SDG 11 in terms of inclusive economic growth and equitable urban health improvements. Continuous monitoring, proper education, and careful scale-up are therefore essential to ensure that the benefits of ArMOLDgeddon fully align with sustainable development goals.

Looking ahead, ArMOLDgeddon aims to improve human health by reducing indoor mold exposure, which is linked to respiratory issues, allergies, and other chronic conditions, supporting SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, hospital patients, and domestic service workers, particularly benefit from its safe, non-irritating antifungal formulation, which helps create healthier living and working environments.

Education is a key component of the project. By collaborating with universities, research institutions, and community organizations, ArMOLDgeddon will deliver workshops, demonstrations, and citizen-science initiatives that teach communities about biotech-based mold management, safe indoor practices, and responsible production and consumption, contributing to SDG 4 (Quality Education). These programs promote scientific literacy and empower individuals to take proactive measures for health protection.

On a social and economic level, the project seeks to support vulnerable groups and small enterprises by providing accessible, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible solutions. Domestic service workers gain safer working conditions, and small hotels, warehouses, and households can maintain healthier environments without heavy investment, promoting inclusive economic growth in line with SDG 8. By combining health protection with education and community engagement, ArMOLDgeddon maximizes its social impact and contribution to sustainable development.

ArMOLDgeddon aims to reduce economic burdens associated with mold-related damage by providing an affordable, scalable, and effective enzyme-based mold remediation solution, contributing to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). By lowering costs for property repair, healthcare, and productivity loss, the project helps households, businesses, and institutions manage mold risk more efficiently, promoting sustainable economic practices.

Through collaboration with industry partners, property managers, healthcare institutions, and research organizations, ArMOLDgeddon will demonstrate cost-effective mold management strategies, encouraging widespread adoption of preventive solutions. Pilot testing, regional launches, and eventual national and international rollout will provide evidence of economic savings and generate employment opportunities in biotechnology, logistics, and service sectors, linking practical innovation with financial impact and sustainable development, in line with SDG 8.

The project also targets efficiency in production and distribution, including optimized enzyme formulation, scalable manufacturing, and strategic partnerships, reducing operational costs and maximizing return on investment. By integrating economic sustainability, innovation, and stakeholder engagement, ArMOLDgeddon fosters long-term financial resilience for communities and businesses, ensuring that the benefits of improved health, property preservation, and environmental safety are economically sustainable.

Detailed product development roadmap is available on Entrepreneurship Page

ArMOLDgeddon aims to reduce environmental pollution and promote sustainable practices by replacing traditional chemical fungicides with biodegradable enzymes and plant-derived terpenes, contributing to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). By minimizing the use of harsh chemicals, the project helps protect indoor and outdoor ecosystems, including water systems and sensitive coastal areas, supporting SDG 14 (Life Below Water).

Through collaboration with industry partners, research institutions, and environmental organizations, ArMOLDgeddon will demonstrate eco-friendly mold management practices, encouraging communities, businesses, and institutions to adopt safe, low-impact solutions. Educational initiatives will promote understanding of sustainable production and consumption and the role of synthetic biology in reducing environmental risks, linking practical action with awareness and responsibility, in line with SDG 4 (Quality Education).

The project also targets resource-efficient applications, such as retrofitting AC filters and treating building surfaces, reducing waste and energy consumption while enhancing the sustainability of infrastructure, contributing to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). By integrating environmental safety, innovation, and community engagement, ArMOLDgeddon fosters long-term ecological resilience and encourages socially responsible adoption of biotechnology, ensuring that the benefits to human health and the environment are mutually reinforcing.

While ArMOLDgeddon shows promise for improving health, environmental safety, and social outcomes, several potential barriers could affect its long-term impact. Economically, the cost of scaling up enzyme and terpene production, as well as the development of retrofitting solutions for buildings and AC systems, may limit accessibility for smaller enterprises or low-income households. Socially, the successful adoption of the technology depends on public awareness and understanding of synthetic biology; communities with limited scientific literacy or distrust of new biotech solutions may be slower to adopt the product. Environmentally, although the solution is designed to be safe, large-scale deployment could still have unintended ecological effects, such as altering indoor microbial communities or accidental release into sensitive ecosystems, which could partially offset benefits to SDG 12 and SDG 14.

Addressing these barriers will require careful monitoring, community engagement, education, and responsible production strategies to ensure that the health, social, and environmental benefits of ArMOLDgeddon are fully realized.

ArMOLDgeddon demonstrates how synthetic biology can deliver measurable, scalable, and responsible solutions to global challenges. By reducing mold-related health risks, promoting safer working and living environments, protecting buildings and cultural heritage, and minimizing environmental impact, the project contributes directly to SDGs 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12, and 14. Through its integration of biotechnology, education, and stakeholder engagement, ArMOLDgeddon provides a model for innovative, sustainable, and socially responsible interventions that advance human well-being and environmental resilience on a global scale.