# 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="/files/QpyFIbAbdsEv0KVbosgz" 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="/files/aFwDnubK8fMZORHkZtSF" 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="/files/YoJXvhbNw9rbbVsJFLDX" %}

**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="/files/tvbURd4pmeQQLSbqUKCj" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="/files/rrnLqIjuaZJzfNxHfb4B" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="/files/RVl8ARRlJvHWBD6J7xWt" 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)


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