One step closer...

This week, the team had the opportunity to extract DNA from their bacteria. During the first week, we had to pick the bacteria we want to work on throughout the semester, and I had picked Pseudomonas stutzeri. Right now, the goal of the extraction is to run a PCR so that we could have our PCR primers to later try and culture some bacteria from specific types of plastic so that we can see if a specific type of Pseudomonas does, in fact, grow and degrade that form of plastic. 
In addition to that, this week, I was asked to prepare a ground form of plastic number 6, which we decided to use styrofoam for. To grind it, we used a blender. Seemed like a good idea until blending it became a disaster when static electricity chose to be a part of the blending. I couldn't get the styrofoam to stay in the blender. the more I blended and opened to check on it, the more of a mess I made. However, in the end, I asked if water can be added while blending so that it could get rid of the static electricity. After blending using water, Matt agreed to evaporate the water to leave us with our plastic. 


So far, my week has been very productive and successful. Hope the next week is as successful...