# Myco Guard

***

### **Problem:** <a href="#the-why" id="the-why"></a>

In the past, we had predictable and gentle showers. Because the atmosphere is now warmer, it holds more moisture. This leads to extreme precipitation events, sudden and violent downpours.&#x20;

Our 50-year-old city drains especially in underdeveloped areas were designed for gentle rain, not these mini-floods. They get overwhelmed instantly.

#### The "Toxic Flush" is a Climate Symptom:

When these violent rains hit the hot, dry pavement of a city, they don't soak in. They "scour" the streets.

* **The Result:** All the oil, rubber, and heavy metals that built up during a dry spell are suddenly "flushed" into the river in one massive, toxic wave.
* **The Link:** Without climate-driven extreme rain, the "Toxic Flush" wouldn't be nearly as dangerous or frequent.

### **The Mission** <a href="#the-mission" id="the-mission"></a>

To deploy a decentralized network of bio-bales that act as a biological defense system using AI to predict the exact moment of peak toxicity.

#### Living Systems are Climate-Adaptive:

Concrete filters are rigid; they break or overflow. Biological systems (like mushrooms) are resilient.

* Carbon Sequestration: By using agricultural waste (straw/sawdust) to grow our filters, we are "locking up" carbon that would otherwise be burned (releasing $$CO\_2$$).
* Decentralized Defense: Because we can't rebuild every giant sewer pipe in the world to handle climate change, we need a spread-out solution that catches the water *before* it becomes a flood.

### **Proposed Solution** <a href="#our-solution" id="our-solution"></a>

***

**The Organism:** *Pleurotus ostreatus* (Oyster Mushroom).

<figure><img src="https://3666575084-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FK2cxIHl5t3cbLoIb42Xw%2Fuploads%2FcUuWpqJq0dM6jBwKB2OF%2Fmushroom-cultivation-clay-pot.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=a4916e6a-d54d-42cf-b9fb-caa7c20db624" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

**The Mechanism:**&#x20;

Unlike passive filters (sand/charcoal), Myco Guard is an active enzymatic reactor.

**Extracellular Digestion:**

Laccase enzymes in this fungus are "chemical scissors" that break down complex petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) from 10,000 ppm to <200 ppm.

### **The Bio-Bale & Sump**

<figure><img src="https://3666575084-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FK2cxIHl5t3cbLoIb42Xw%2Fuploads%2F98rXg05l9lIcz2sw3EBF%2FEco-friendly%20myco-bale%20water%20filter%20design.png?alt=media&#x26;token=5cd119a7-c071-456a-9911-382e6e0e76b6" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### **Proposed Design:**

**Materials:**

Agricultural waste (sawdust/straw, etc.) encased in a heavy-duty mesh or steel gabion.

The sump acts as a collection basin where water is slowed down, allowing the Bio-Bale maximum time to pull toxins from the water.

**Placement:**

Check dams at the edges of industrial zones or anywhere there is a chance to catch runoff before it enters the river system.

{% file src="<https://3666575084-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FK2cxIHl5t3cbLoIb42Xw%2Fuploads%2Fzbd0iRZtLyhvuArAmwjE%2Fvideo.mp4?alt=media&token=6bc75de4-5931-4ee0-9ffe-9ecc244d3ea8>" %}

**The AI Solution:** We trained a custom EfficientNet-B0 model to act as a diagnostic tool. By analyzing images of the filter, the AI detects microscopic "stress markers" in the fungi.

**Real-Time Alerts:** By integrating with the OpenWeather API, the system predicts peak toxicity moments, alerting city workers to check or replace bales exactly when a storm is forecasted.

<figure><img src="https://3666575084-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FK2cxIHl5t3cbLoIb42Xw%2Fuploads%2Fx1uuE6jb2UWkd0xNY2Ge%2Finterface.png?alt=media&#x26;token=e25bd175-00ed-448f-ab43-620e452577d4" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="https://3666575084-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FK2cxIHl5t3cbLoIb42Xw%2Fuploads%2FiN54axaQUZ7AK8uJqG5i%2Finterface-ss.png?alt=media&#x26;token=4e7cbbaf-42ec-443d-9c57-4a93e1f3c6c0" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="https://3666575084-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FK2cxIHl5t3cbLoIb42Xw%2Fuploads%2Fwz1vnnBLBuxVXtwiQJQ6%2Finterface-snap.png?alt=media&#x26;token=1c96cc81-4a71-478b-b7a3-5204b04d22dc" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### References

\
**Enzymatic Degradation:** *Stamets, P. (2005). Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World.* (Foundational research on Laccase enzymes and petroleum breakdown).\
\
**Heavy Metal Biosorption:** *Tay, C. C., et al. (2011). "Biosorption of Lead (II) by Pleurotus ostreatus."* (Confirms the "Bio-magnet" effect for Lead removal)

**Urban Runoff Dynamics:** *United States EPA. "Stormwater Best Management Practices."* (Evidence for the need for decentralized green infrastructure)