OSCAR

The Optimized System for Carboxylic Acid Remediation, or OSCAR, is the Destroy component to our iGEM 2012 Calgary project. Building on last years biosensor, OSCAR converts naphthenic acids (NAs) into hydrocarbons by removing unwanted functional groups - carboxylic acids, nitrogen, sulfur and phenols - from their intricate chemical structures. We incorporated well-characterized catabolic pathways from a variety of microorganisms that target each functional group. OSCAR also analyzes the metabolic flux for each pathway to optimize conversion efficiency and maximize hydrocarbon yield. These microbes will be housed in a tailored bioreactor that we designed and prototyped. Altogether, OSCAR provides a method to upgrade NAs from a toxic waste product into a useable fuel.