Safety and Security
Risk Assessment Summary
Safety considerations underpin every stage of POSEIDON. Risks are assessed for environmental exposure, laboratory operations, and downstream users.
Environmental risk is minimized by ensuring that synthetic biology modules never leave the laboratory. No living engineered organisms are present in the final device. Only purified peptides immobilized on alginate beads are deployed. This prevents the release of genetic material or functional modules into aquatic systems.
Laboratory risks focus on peptide synthesis, immobilization chemistry, and handling of heavy metals during benchmarking. Standard operating procedures require gloves, fume hoods, and, when necessary, gloveboxes for coupling reactions. Waste metal solutions are treated with chelating agents and sent for authorized disposal to avoid secondary contamination.
Mitigation strategies include routine safety audits, chemical segregation, and strict waste management protocols.
Environmental release of synthetic parts; lab exposure during peptide work; handling of toxic metals.
Use of immobilized peptides only; gloveboxes, fume hoods, and chelation disposal; strict SOPs and waste segregation.
Biosafety Levels
All genetic work is performed under BSL-2 conditions using non-pathogenic E. coli strains (K12 and BL21(DE3)). These chassis are widely accepted as safe laboratory organisms and pose negligible risk to researchers or the environment.
No toxic gene products are produced; metallothioneins and phytochelatin synthases are naturally occurring peptides with no pathogenic activity. Antibiotic resistance markers used during cloning (kanamycin, ampicillin) are under strict containment and do not pose a risk of horizontal gene transfer in field applications, since no engineered organisms leave the lab.
Containment and Kill Switches
Physical containment is inherent in the design. The deployable system relies on purified peptides immobilized onto alginate beads. This ensures that no viable organisms or replicating genetic material are introduced into the environment.
Biological containment is optional and remains as a backup consideration- kill switches or auxotrophy systems could be implemented if live systems were ever tested, though these are not part of the final device.
Safety Forms and Approvals
The project follows all institutional and iGEM safety requirements. The official iGEM Safety and Security Form has been completed and submitted. Institutional biosafety clearance for BSL-2operations is in place.
No human samples are involved; for human interaction components such as surveys or interviews, ethical approval through institutional review boards is secured. Documentation of approvals is archived for transparency.
| Safety Area | Measures in Place | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Biosafety level | All work under BSL-2 conditions | Using safe lab strains E. coli K12 and E. coli BL21(DE3) |
| Chassis risk | Non-pathogenic chassis only | No virulence or pathogenic genes introduced |
| Toxicity of gene products | No harmful products | Phytochelatin synthase and metallothionein are non-toxic peptides |
| Antibiotic resistance | Markers under containment | Kan/Amp used only in lab; no release to field |
| Physical containment | Beads with immobilized peptides | No living GMOs deployed outside the lab |
| Biological containment | Optional kill-switch considered | Not required in final device since only peptides are used |
| Lab chemical safety | Fume hoods and gloveboxes used | For peptide coupling and handling of toxic reagents |
| Metal handling | Strict segregation and chelation disposal | Heavy metals neutralized and sent to authorized facilities |
| Waste management | Chemical and biological waste logged | Separate streams for solid, liquid, and sharps |
| Environmental release risk | None in deployed device | Final unit contains only immobilized peptides |
| Human interaction safety | Ethical review for surveys | No clinical or human sample work conducted |
| Dual-use concerns | Reviewed for misuse potential | No foreseeable harmful applications |
| Do-No-Harm principle | Explicit commitment | Project framed to reduce risks and empower communities |
| Safety training | All members trained in BSL-2practices | Regular refreshers and compliance monitoring |
| Approvals | Institutional clearance in place | Aligned with iGEM safety reporting requirements |
Dual-Use and Do-No-Harm
The project undergoes a dual-use review to ensure that benefits outweigh any potential risks. Synthetic biology outputs remain confined to peptides, which cannot replicate or spread.
The primary benefits are safer drinking water, reduced heavy metal exposure, and improved public health. These outcomes align directly with Do-No-Harm principles by reducing environmental and human health risks.
Responsible communication guides how findings are shared with communities in affected regions. Messaging is sensitive to local contexts, avoiding stigmatization while highlighting actionable solutions. Reports emphasize opportunities for safe adoption rather than amplifying fear of contamination.
Aligns with Do-No-Harm principles; benefits include safer water, reduced exposure, and community empowerment.
Transparent reporting, culturally sensitive messaging, and careful handling of data in heavy metal–affected regions.
Looking Ahead
Safety in POSEIDON is layered: environmental protection through immobilization, laboratory safeguards during peptide and metal handling, biosafety clearance for all constructs, and ethical checks for any human interaction. These measures keep risks proportionate and benefits tangible.
For details on regeneration waste management, see sustainability. For insights on inclusive community engagement, refer to humanpractices. Together, these sections show how safety is integrated into the broader social and technical fabric of the project.