Peeling Away Problems

The Antioxidating, Antimicrobial, and Antimutagenic Effects of Tree Bark

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Project Info

Name: Xingyu Zhou

Group Category: 7-9

Team Size: 1

Subject Area: Biology

Project Type: Experimental

Language: English

Summary:

     The purpose of my experiment was to find the health benefits of different types of tree bark left behind in the wood industry. I made tree bark extracts from common coniferous (Jack Pine and White Spruce) and deciduous (Paper Birch and Trembling Aspen) trees, measured the polyphenol amounts and the antioxidizing activity of the tree bark extracts, tested the tree bark extracts in the inhibition of microbial growth, and examined the antimutagenic properties of the tree bark extracts using the Ames Test.

Software Tools: Microsoft Word, Microsoft FrontPage, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Powerpoint    

Hardware Tools: Digital Camera, Computer, spectrophotometer, centrifuge, Vacuum Evaporator, Incubater

Source of Idea:   

     During my previous science fair (involving proanthocyanidins, a type of antioxidant), I read some research papers about antioxidants from different natural resources and their health benefits and became interested in that area.

Awards:

      This project won an award at the Saskatoon Regional Science Fair for the best Intermediate Life Sciences project. This was also the top project in the Saskatoon Regional Science Fair which means it won a travel award to Truro, Nova Scotia to attend the 2007 Canada-Wide Science Fair in May. 

      This project also won the top prize in the open category at the Saskatoon Sanofi-Aventis Biotech Challenge and the Monsanto Commercialization Special Award and will compete at the national Sanofi-Aventis Biotech Challenge in May.

Previous Projects:

2005 - Salt Tolerance---Will Biotechnology Help? http://www.virtualsciencefair.org/2005/zhou5x0/public%5Fhtml/

2006 - One Shade Too Dark---Tale of Condensed Tannins in Faba Bean Seed Coats http://www.virtualsciencefair.org/2006/zhou6x2/index.htm

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