APPLICATION SCENARIOS
WHAT S GOING ON?
Termites are widely recognized as the fifth pest around the world, based on its astonishing number and incredible damage towards woods and infrastructure. There are termites all over the five continents. According to the experimental results of computer simulation, average per person holds 0.5 tons of termite resources. Given that a termite weighed 1 gram, then everyone around the world should own about 500 thousand termites! This is really a staggering number and it is the fact.
- World Distribution
- China Distribution
- Zhejiang Province Distribution
Wide Geographical Distribution
Termite is an ancient social insect in the world for about 0.13 billion years. They are now filling nearly every corner of the globe, from tropical regions to subtropical ones, which occupies 50% of the earth s area.
Fig1: The orange part shows world distribution of termites
Account for the effect of warm wet air current from the Pacific and Indian Oceans, many provinces with warm climate, plentiful water and abundant vegetation own special preferences for termites.
Fig 2: The orange part shows China distribution of termite
According to the above result, Zhejiang is one of the most regions of termite occupation and plagued by them.
Harmful Dominant Species
Around the World
2013 reported in the literature, 371 destructive termite species occupy 12.5% of current total species. Among them, 104 species such as Coptotermes formosanus; Coptotermes rhinotermitidae; Cryptotermes domesticus; Cryptotermes dudley are harmful dominant and subdominant species, which occupies 3.5% of the total numbers.
Mainland China
In mainland China, Coptotermes formosanus is the kind of species doing harm to housing constructions even on 20 floors; woods; communication facilities ect.
Zhejiang Province
As for urban housing, Reticulitermes speratus is the main species followed by Coptotermes formosanus. As for rural country housing and landacaping， Coptotermes formosanus is the main species.
Taking factors of distribution and dominant damage into account,
we choose Coptotermes formosanus as our major target to control terminate.
Damage of Termite
Termites feed on woods, and can digest lignocellulose. When they feed on housing construction, landscaping and other commercial products, they become economic pests.
These are the following characteristics of damage:
Overview
The harm that termites bring to human mainly reflects in two aspects. One is that termites take materials rich in lignocellulose as food, which causes property damage to human beings. It is reported that, the direct loss induced by termites is beyond 220 billion dollars per year. The other is that, the holes left by termites crawling could affect the integrity and security of buildings, dams and trees. What‘s more, the hazards caused by termites to communal facilities such as large reinforced concrete bridges, gas lines, are frequently reported these years. It really influences public safety and people‘s life in a negative way.
Concealment
Because of the photophobic habit of termites, they always move in a covert condition. It often takes a long time from termites invasion to being discovered. The special hazardous way of termites makes people ignore their invasion at the early time. But once been discovered, they usually have caused a certain financial loss or major accidents. This habit also makes termites one the city pests, which are the most difficult and expensive to control.
Transmissibility
First, termites have the strong adaptability and viability. As long as there are proper temperature, humidity and nutrient, termites can survive.
Second, their reproductive capacity is severe high. In the breeding heyday, a mature termite queen's daily oviposition is over ten thousand. The spawning of one year reaches up to five hundred millions.
Third, termites could achieve different-distance spread and distribution by virtue of flight spread, pervasive invasion and factitious carry, owning to their strong transmission capacity.
The propagation of termites sometimes results in wide spread of termites' harm. Taking the Coptotermes formosanus as an example, which is the most harmful termite around the world; however this species once only distributed in several regions, such as Chinese mainland and Taiwan province. With the transportation of massive supplies in World War II, these termites' distribution range has gradually enlarged. At present this kind of termites has caused serious damages in numerous countries and regions, turning into cosmopolitan pest. According to incomplete statistics, all over the world, the annual expenditure of termites control exceeds a billion dollars.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
IGEM ZJU-CHINA 2015 has created TERMITE TERMINATOR, a genetically modified toxins expression system with a delivery carrier cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) , capable of trapping termites based on their trophallaxis, and then kill the whole nest.
We choose two kinds of toxins which are safe and environmentally friendly to eliminate termites. Separately over expressed in E.coli and another host, toxins were then delivered to the termites by the cell carrier. We have cloned genes coding insecticidal toxic proteins from Photorhabdus luminescens TT01, a bacteria poisonous to numerous insects, and express them in E.coli. Streptomyces avermitilis belongs to actinomyces, one of gram negative bacteria capable of producing multiple antibiotics. The insecticidal avermectin is one of secondary production of S.avermitilis. Judging that S.avermitilis is in Risk group 1, both the S.avermitilis itself and avermectin is safe to human.
Then, we prepared cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) , and generated the nanofibrous microspheres (NCM) self-assembled from CNC as bacteria carriers. We decided to have the carrier for: reducing the loss; improving transport efficiency; targeting the carrying to aimed location and preventing bacteria from releasing into the environment to some extent. And why CNC? Trap Termites (termites love woods); High biodegradable and biocompatible; Achieve self-assemble esaily; Easily available and economical.
Finally, a series of simulation experiments have been conducted. These experiments helped us to understand the cellulase, and confirm the terminator are efficient. Based on the result of simulation, we improved a device with the function of monitoring and terminating for better achieving.
GOAL AND BUSINESS PLAN
TERMITE TERMINATOR aims to kill the whole nest of Coptotermes formosanus. Our project will be started from Zhejiang province and finally to China even more countries. Nests are terminated and could save people‘s life and numerous economic and wood resources losses.
The major working area is started in particular environment such as houses and some historical sites. Once area is limited, it become much more easier for us to control and considering safety points. And also, could cut down costs.
In the following ten years, if possible, it could acheive mass production of TERMITE TERMINATOR and could be widely used with our designed devices. Factory is the base and during improvements as well as experiments, social users data is collected for further promotion and perfection.
CONTEXT AND APPLICATION
Forest protection agency
Economic forest plays an important role in human's world. It provides people with raw materials of construction, food, medicine and industry. Thus, there is a group of people working in the forest protection agency to take care of these trees. But what make them stressfol is that the forest regions are always inhabited by termites. Trees that destroyed by termites will lost their economic value. What's more, termites have tenacious vitality and will soon spread through the forest. They are always one of the toughest problem for those forest keepers.
In order to get rid of termites in the whole economic forest region, the forest protection agency contact ZJUTT. Technical staff will go to the forest for field trips to evaluate the severity. With the map and other information that the agency provided, ZJUTT will draw up a plan with the optimum locations for killing devices placement. Tree keepers together with company technicians will bring the device to the place. Calcolated amount of food have been beforehand put into the device. After a period of time technicians will come again to check if one more dose or a new plan is needed. Finally, the termites disappear from the region. Devices will be taken back to the company for sterilization and reuse.
Ancient building protection department
Many ancient buildings are made up of woods. To some extent, woods are fragile. They can be destroy by fire, strong wind and importantly, termites. These ancient buildings are significant coltural property and if we lose them, we may lose them forever. Fortunately, thanks to today's technology, some wood structures are able to be repaired and consolidated. But if the damage is due to termites, repairing will be only a temporary protection.
The ZJUTT (ZJU TERMITE TERMINATOR) sees this problem and therefore cooperates with the ancient building protection department. When repairing is needed, ZJUTT technicians will show up first, rather than the maintenance worker. If the termites are convicted by the technicians, termites control shoold be applied first to eliminate the future danger. Devices are placed in optimum places and taken back by our technicians.
In order to keep these buildings in safety, ZJUTT will provide the monitoring service. Every few years, special devices will be placed near the building. These devices are used to attract termites to check if there is any new hidden termites nest. With the monitor, precaution can be taken and use ZJUTT devices kill termites before they cause any damage.
School
Under the dazzling sunshine of summer, students are sweating, reading their textbooks. There is a little annoyance upon their faces, because the final exam is coming. However, that is not the only problem. What's more annoying is that, the termites are also coming! Every summer, the termites are flying all around. They are hovering around your head. They stop at everywhere, your arms, your clothes, your desk and your textbooks. Termites are really bothering students' school life.
The school principal decides to help his students. He advise the school stuff to buy a few small size termites killing devices from ZJUTT. Following the instruction, they open the outer shell, put the box of food inside, spread some water on the surface of the food, and place the device in a corner where is dark, damp and termites can be seen. Outside the shell there is a warning sign to prevent students' contact. When 3 months pass and there are nearly no termites, take out the food box form the device and burn the rest food if possible.
Ordinary resident
Termites are not only in school but also in people's houses. They may live in the interlayer of ceiling, walls or wood floor, eating your clothes, books and furniture. The annoying termites strongly reduce the quality of life.
What you need to do is simple. Walk in the supermarket and pick up the household type termites killing device produced by ZJUTT. Open the package and put it at places where termites can be seen. Avoid direct sunshine and remember to keep your children away from it. 3 months later you will be glad to say goodbye to those little troublemaker termites.
WHY OUR PRODUCT
CURRENT WAYS OF DEALING
Firstly, locating the nest, then people will dig a hole as a trap near the nest and put food mixed with drug in it. Termites will die after feeding in the trap. The trap won't be cleared until no termite will feed in it. Yet locating the nest is one huge difficulty when using this way to kill termite. It requires a lot of human cost in the early days. Special techniques are also needed.
Simply placing the drugs that will kill the termites is also a way we might use when locating the nest is quite impossible or the nest is quite dispersed. We particularly choose the drugs that have long action period. We expect that the drug will attach to the termite and be carried back to the nest, then the whole nest of termite can be killed for one time. However, the drug used in this way is toxic to many species other than termites, and will produces much ecological pressure consequently.
Sometimes we can do precautions by pesticide application or by reinforcing the buildings that might suffer from the termites. But the cost could be huge and in many cases we don't have ways to determine the range of the precautions.
CURRENT PRODUCTS OF KILLING
Beneficial nematodes
These are very small unsegmented worm species which search for hosts, like termites, and burrow into them, causing death within approximately 48 hours. They are not harmful to humans, plants or pets, and are able to kill the entire insect colony.
- Timing
- Storage and Handling
- Environmental Conditions
- Results and Cost
Although application with a garden hose and sprayer is relatively easy, gardeners can't simply apply nematodes to the landscape whenever they feel like it and expect them to work. Apply nematodes at dawn or dusk, because high levels of ultraviolet rays from the sun can kill them.
You need to use live nematodes as soon as possible for maximum efficacy, because they have a limited shelf life. Be careful with storage conditions, though, because extreme temperatures may kill nematodes or render them ineffective.
Nematode effectiveness against insect pests also depends on a number of environmental conditions. Adequate moisture is the most important -- nematodes need water to move and find host insects. If they become dry, they could die.
Nematodes do their work under the soil surface, gardeners don't see dead insect bodies, making efficacy hard to measure. Improved plant health may take up to 30 days to occur. For stubborn infestations, it needs to repeat the applications, which can eventually result in increased costs over chemical controls.
Boric acid
It's one of the most effective ways to kill the insects. This natural insecticide shuts down their nervous system and dehydrates them. Spray or coat wood with boric acid. Place boric acid bait stations in your garden and/or at home. Check them regularly and replenish with boric acid.
- Disadvantage
Boric acid can be useful as an insecticide, disinfectant, and flame retardant. It‘s fairly safe, but may not be very effective. It can be absorbed through and damage the mucous membranes; also harmful to the kidneys and liver.
OUR ADVANTAGES
In order to attract termites successfully, deliver the packed and carried by chemical agents. This novel way of insecticide delivery create an eco-friendly model to eliminate pests and can be directly applied to other pest control projects.
As our purpose is to control termites which do great harm to people' houses, we can bring the result of the project into production. The business outlook is considerably broad because our project is environmentally friendly and closely associated with people's daily life. Those who have suffered from termite invasion might accept the product easily for the dramatic insecticidal effect and non-ecological influence.
We take advantage of synthetic biology to improve the drug production, cut the industrial cost of the drug and even save the purification process, which will make it more convenient for utilization of the drugs. We offer not only a whole system for killing pests, but also a referable model that uses nano size chemicals to pack bacteria for biomedicine, food manufacturing and cosmetic industry.
FUTURE AND APPLICATION
Aiming at controlling and eliminating pests, TERMITE TERMINATOR uses modified bacterium to produce insecticide. In order to attract termites successfully, deliver the packed and carried by chemical agents. This novel way of insecticide delivery create an eco-friendly model to eliminate pests and can be directly applied to other pest control projects. As our purpose is to control termites which do great harm to people' houses, we can bring the result of the project into production. The business outlook is considerably broad because our project is environmentally friendly and closely associated with people's daily life. Those who have suffered from termite invasion might accept the product easily for the dramatic insecticidal effect and non-ecological influence.
We take advantage of synthetic biology to improve the drug production, cut the industrial cost of the drug and even save the purification process, which will make it more convenient for utilization of the drugs. We offer not only a whole system for killing pests, but also a referable model that uses nano size chemicals to pack bacteria for biomedicine, food manufacturing and cosmetic industry.
