Students at the Shiv Nadar School, Noida have come up with an eco-friendly and cost-effective solution to eliminate what is referred to as eutrophication — a process where water bodies become enriched with nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen, posing a significant threat to the urban ecosystems.
According to an official release, five students of grade 10 at the school spent months ideating and creating an eco-friendly product called Bioenzyme with an aim to revive water bodies by purifying surface and underground water.
The team Eutrophication, consisting — Nistha Sehgal, Taarushi Abrol, Rupangana Gupta, Ishaan Viryani, and Sanidhya Mehta — was inspired to develop this product as a result of alarming reports on 70% of surface water in India being deemed unfit for consumption, the release said. The students came up with a solution, and developed a cost-effective product by fermenting citrus peel, jaggery and water, it added.
The solution consists of a mixture of kitchen waste products in a ratio of 1:3:10, where jaggery is one part, citrus peels are three parts, and water is ten parts. This mixture effectively purifies surface and underground water, and it serves as a natural pesticide, reducing the need for chemical alternatives. Additionally, it helps prevent blockage in drainage pipes by releasing any residues that may have accumulated in the sewage pipe. The product is not only environmentally friendly, but it also provides multiple benefits, the release said.
“The success of our grade 10 students in developing Bioenzyme, a sustainable solution for cleaning water bodies, is a testament to the effectiveness of our curriculum in nurturing young innovators and problem solvers who are committed to making a positive difference in the world,” Mark Nelson, head of technology, Shiv Nadar School, said.