Six students from SIS Kelapa Gading in Indonesia have won Best in Country for their investigations into using microalgae as an air filter.
Team members Song Hyun Jung, Benjamin Alva Ruslim, Matthew Adriano Rahul Suresh, Kristina, Regeena Andlie Anam and Andrew Gohar wanted to support and promote green efforts to combat air pollution in Jakarta. The team carried out investigations to find the best concentration, measured in optical density, of microalgae in a set volume to create the most efficient algae-based air purifier.
After measuring out different concentrations of algae solution to distilled water, the team measured the pH and dissolved oxygen levels every 24 hours over a period of four days. They found that as time went on, the pH and dissolved oxygen levels increased as the algae photosynthesized carbon dioxide to produce oxygen. Â
The team wrote that: ‘The reason why we chose this topic was because we’ve always wanted to do something that would change the extremely poor air quality that we are currently experiencing in our environment. We were brainstorming ideas, and when we came across the fact that we could recreate the photosynthesizing effects of multiple adult trees with just a container filled with the green liquid, we were hooked.’
The judges commented: ‘This is a thorough and impressive study in an area of significant ecological importance. It is, in effect, two investigations: first the team made their own algae tree and then researched its characteristics. The questions are rigorously and logically posed, and the methods are outlined meticulously and carefully executed. The notable connection to the students’ local environment further strengthens its merit.’