Transcript Lyon_history_radioactivity

iGEM 2011
Cobalto project
2011
Our Cobalto Project
We want to built an Escherichia coli strain
Able to accumulate Cobalt, even if it is in low
concentration
Able to form a biofilm in the presence of this element
in order to propose an efficient biofilter to
decontaminate liquid effluents containing
radioactive isotope of cobalt, one of the major
element responsive for radioactive water emission
in the environment.
Our Cobalto Project
But first, a very brief story of radioactivity
Brief history
Discovery of radioactivity at the beginning of the
20th Century:
Henri BECQUEREL
Maria SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE
Pierre CURIE
1903
Nobel
Prize in
Physics
Brief history
Discovery of Radium and Polonium, two new
elements of the periodic table:
Maria SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE
1911
Nobel
Prize in
Chemistr
y
Brief history
Discovery of artificial radioactivity & transmutation
phenomenon:
Irène JOLIOT-CURIE
Frédéric JOLIOT
1935
Nobel
Prize in
Chemistr
y
Brief history
Discovery of new particles
NEUTRON by James CHADWICK
1935
Nobel
Prize in
Physics
POSITRON by Carl David ANDERSON
predicted by Paul DIRAC
1936
Nobel
Prize in
Physics
1933
Nobel
Prize in
Physics
All these
discoveries have
opened
the way to
Quantum Physics…
but we prefer now
to focus on the use
of radioactivity in
the world…
Use of radioactivity
At the beginning of the 20th Century
In various applications
Very serious such as medicine
More strange such as addition of radium in drinking water, soda,
soap, toothpaste, wool, butter, chocolate…
even in condoms !!
Use of radioactivity
Nowadays
Medicine
Therapeutic applications / Diagnostic applications
Dating
History 14C dating / Geologic dating / Wine dating
Biology - Food
Metabolism research / Sterilization
Industries
Aeronautic / Smoke alarm
Military applications
Nuclear powered / Atomic bomb
Energy
Nuclear power plants
Use of radioactivity
Generation of energy is responsive
for a large dissemination of
radioactivity in the environment.
So, we will focus on nuclear power
plants to better understand the
context of our project…