Research Plan Template

Name(s): Tania Titu

Research Plan (to Accompany Form 1A)
A) Rationale
Include a brief synopsis of the background that supports your research problem and explain why this research is
important and if applicable, explain any societal impact of your research.
Mold on food is an extremely common problem that people deal with on a daily basis. The consumption of mold on
food can create various health problems, including vomiting and shortness of breath, and in some extreme cases,
diarrhea, fever, and liver damage. One popular solution to extends the shelf life of food is antimicrobial plastic.
However, as of late, research questioning the safety of antimicrobial plastic has emerged, exploring the components
of antimicrobial plastic and its possible effects on the human body. A common active ingredient in antimicrobial
plastic is silver, and when silver is used for food storage, its ions are released into food and then ingested by humans,
which can lead to even more health problems. Another popular ingredient in antimicrobial plastic is polyvinyl chloride
(PVC), which is a large source of phthalates. Phthalates have been proved to disrupt hormone function, cause liver
problems in adolescence, and increase the risks of contracting respiratory disorders if exposed to for prolonged
periods of time. Existing plastics that do not contain these harmful ingredients are expensive and inaccessible to the
public. Garlic, sage, and oregano have been previously studied for their antimicrobial properties, but their
effectiveness has never been studied in plastic. This project proposes to create an antimicrobial plastic that is made
from immediately available ingredients, is food safe, and tests for the best antimicrobial agent in garlic, sage, and
oregano.
B) Research Question(s), Hypothesis(es), Engineering Goal(s), Expected
Outcomes.
How is this based on the rationale described above?
Research Question(s): What antimicrobial agent will prevent the growth of mold and create a completely food-safe
plastic container?
Hypothesis(es): The hypothesis is that the allicin in garlic will prevent the growth of mold the most.
Engineering Goal(s): The goal is to engineer an antimicrobial plastic using accessible and safe materials.
Expected Outcomes: The expected outcome is that plastic made from allicin will be the most effective as an
antimicrobial.
Procedure(s)
Detail all procedures and experimental design including methods for data collection. Describe only your project. Do
not include work done by mentor or others.
CREATION OF MOLDS
1. Spray the bowl, lid, and plastic storage container with silicone release spray.
2. Measure out the silicone mold mix according to the instructions on the packaging.
3. Place the bowl with the silicone release spray upside down inside of the plastic storage container.
4. Pour in the silicone mold mixture.
5. Allow the mixture to set and cure based on the instructions on the packaging.
6. Release the plastic storage container and the bowl from the silicone, leaving a mold of the bowl.
7. Repeat the process using the lid instead of the bowl to create a silicone mold of the lid.
8. Set the molds aside for later use.

CREATION OF PLASTIC
1. Place a stainless steel pot onto a stove and do not turn on the heat.
2. Wear heat resistant gloves.
3. Mix in 15 grams of tapioca starch, 60 grams of water, 6 grams of glycerin, and 6 grams of vinegar.
4. Once everything is thoroughly mixed, turn on the heat.
5. Keep on stirring until the mixture becomes mostly clear and thick, turn off the heat.
6. Pour the plastic mixture into the silicone bowl and lid molds.
 Research Plan Template

Name(s): Tania Titu

7. Use the original bowl to press down and fix the shape of the plastic bow in the mold.
8. Wait for the plastic to cool and release it from the silicone molds. Repeat 2 more times to make a total of 3
“normal” bowls.
9. Repeat steps 1-8, but using 15 grams of crushed allicin tablets, creating 3 bowls made with allicin.
10. Next, repeat the same process using 15 grams of oregano essential oil and again with 15 grams of sage essential
oil. There should be a total of 12 different bowls made.
11. After each bowl and lid has been made, testing can begin.

TESTING
1. Place 3 strawberries into each bowl, and seal them with the lid.
2. Leave the strawberries in a well ventilated area at room temperature.
3. Check on the strawberries every 12 hours, noting any deterioration.
4. At the first sign of mold of bacteria in a bowl, end the experimentation on that bowl by properly disposing of the
moldy food and sanitizing the plastic container by soaking it in 0.05 L of bleach and 1 L of warm water for 15-20
minutes. Wear gloves during this process and record the time that mold was first seen.
5. Record the times that mold first appeared in each plastic bowl. Analyze the data to find the bowl that took the
longest amount of time to show any mold growth.
Risk and Safety
Identify any potential risks and safety precautions needed.
There are risks when using a stove to create the plastic and testing for mold on the plastic. Gloves will be worn
throughout both processes and mold will be disposed of properly.
Data Analysis
Describe the procedures you will use to analyze the data/results.
After putting all the collected data about each type of plastic into a spreadsheet, I will observe and graph the data in
order to decide which type of plastic preformed the best and had the greatest antimicrobial properties.
IF Applicable
Below are subject-specific guidelines for additional items to be included in your
research plan/project summary as applicable.
Human participants research:
a. Participants: Describe age range, gender, racial/ethnic composition of participants. Identify vulnerable populations
(minors, pregnant women, prisoners, mentally disabled or economically disadvantaged).
b. Recruitment: Where will you find your participants? How will they be invited to participate?
c. Methods: What will participants be asked to do? Will you use any surveys, questionnaires or tests? What is the
frequency and length of time involved for each subject?
d. Risk Assessment: What are the risks or potential discomforts (physical, psychological, time involved, social, legal,
etc.) to participants? How will you minimize risks? List any benefits to society or participants.
e. Protection of Privacy: Will identifiable information (e.g., names, telephone numbers, birth dates, email addresses)
be collected? Will data be confidential/anonymous? If anonymous, describe how the data will be collected. If not
anonymous, what procedures are in place for safeguarding confidentiality? Where will data be stored? Who will have
access to the data? What will you do with the data after the study?
f. Informed Consent Process: Describe how you will inform participants about the purpose of the study, what they
will be asked to do, that their participation is voluntary and they have the right to stop at any time.
N/A
Vertebrate animal research:
a. Discuss potential ALTERNATIVES to vertebrate animal use and present justification for use of vertebrates.
b. Explain potential impact or contribution of this research.
c. Detail all procedures to be used, including methods used to minimize potential discomfort, distress, pain and injury
to the animals and detailed chemical concentrations and drug dosages.
 Research Plan Template

Name(s): Tania Titu

d. Detail animal numbers, species, strain, sex, age, source, etc., include justification of the numbers planned.
e. Describe housing and oversight of daily care
f. Discuss disposition of the animals at the termination of the study.
Potentially hazardous biological agents research:
a. Give source of the organism and describe BSL assessment process and BSL determination.
b. Detail safety precautions and discuss methods of disposal.
N/A
Hazardous chemicals, activities & devices:
• Describe Risk Assessment process, supervision, safety precautions and methods of disposal.
While using to stove to create plastic, heat-resistant gloves will be used to prevent the risk of a burn injury. While
testing for mold growth, as soon as the growth of any mold is seen on plastic, experimentation on that type of plastic
will end. While wearing gloves, the mold will be wrapped in a small paper bag and disposed into a trash can. The
plastic will then be soaked in a mixture of 0.05 Liters of bleach and 1 Liter of water for 15-20 minutes in order to be
sanitized.