A high school student from Honolulu has developed an innovative device that uses coconut waste and microorganisms to clean the ocean of plastic and sunscreen, reports infohub.kz.
The student at Kaiser High School in Hawaii created an eco-friendly filter inspired by traditional Polynesian weaving techniques. The device, made from coconut husk waste, successfully captures plastic particles and sunscreen components from the sea surface. However, the young inventor did not stop at just collecting trash—she found a way to safely dispose of it.
During laboratory research at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Wang discovered that fungi inhabit the fibers of coconut husks. The porous structure of the material provides an ideal environment for microorganisms, and tannins in the fibers stimulate their growth. Experiments showed that these fungi can naturally break down trapped waste and sunscreens.
Genetic analysis revealed that some of the found strains have no matches in the world's largest database, indicating the discovery of previously unknown species. For her work, the student won first place in the "Microbiology" category at the state science fair and earned the right to represent the region at an international competition in Arizona.