Hey Readers,
We have a lot of innovations this week so stay the course for a longer read.
Papaya Peels » Activated Carbon » Lead Removal
For anyone growing up in South Asia, you will have seen / eaten the humble papaya. You will have also seen the skin peeled off and turned into any number of things from skin products to fodder to fertilizer to most often organic waste. This innovator in Malaysia has devised a way to convert the papaya peels into activated carbon, which in turn proved to be a natural, inexpensive way to remove lead from liquid waste.
For the uninitiated, lead (Pb) in the water is all kinds of bad for you. It enters in a number of ways ranging from petrochemicals, paints and battery manufacturing to the use of lead pipes in water transport infrastructure. As this is a particularly prevalent issue in Malaysia, this researcher worked on finding a low cost locally sourced alternative to the more expensive globally available solutions. They roasted and dried the peels in a range of heat, from 105 to 450 centigrade, treated them with phosphoric acid and sodium hydroxide and hey presto! - the activated carbon produced from agro-waste of the papaya fruit peel.
Methane Conversion to biodegradable plastic
While not strictly in our regular wheelhouse, this was too cool an innovation to not tell you about. Methane is a mostly toxic gas which is produced as a waste by-product in everything from petrochemicals to cow farts. Apart from being toxic, it burns up the ozone layer and contributes significantly to global warming. Enter these innovators from California, who have built on research from a hundred years ago to use a set of microorganisms called methanotrophs to break down methane in the presence of saltwater to create a molecule called polyhydroxybutyrate, or PHB which - you guessed it! - is a biodegradable and completely non-toxic plastic that’s made from organisms instead of fossil fuels.
At a time when Californian dairy farmers are able to sell methane from manure for more than they sell their milk, this is a welcome addition to the ecosystem. Apart from being a carbon negative process, they are now working with top fashion houses to create products out of this biodegradable plastics! AirCarbons anyone?
Removing toxin generation at source, with Corn Syrup!
This Houston based company is solving the toxin production problem at source. Literally! By using their scalable engineered enzyme manufacturing systems, they are cleaning up the chemicals production industry. They say that chemicals production is responsible for 30% of global carbon emissions and riddled with toxins and carcinogens. To tackle this, these innovators produce molecules that are safe, sustainable, and more cost effective than traditional industrial chemicals.
How? - Using the best of biology and technology, they ‘use AI to engineer enzymes and metal catalysts that can bypass the limitations of traditional fermentation.’ Through this method they produce molecules at room temperature using bio-based feedstocks, with no toxins and no waste. One such example is where they start with corn syrup, which is reengineered into a hydrogen peroxide product that can be used not only for wastewater treatment, but also for fertilizers and hand sanitizer. In 2020 they also introduced their BioChelate water treatment made from simple sugar, which water treatment service providers pump into their customers' pipes and water systems.
In Other News
We have written in the past about the various restorative and bioremediation properties of the mangrove forests. Getting on board with that line of thinking is this detailed write up about the famed peatlands and moorlands of UK and their varied benefits. The project delivered via a whole host of organizations found that the peatlands improve water storage, water quality and even absorb greenhouse gases!
In other not-so-nice news, the global summit on limiting global warming - the COP26 is happening in Glasgow from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12. They have 11 corporate sponsors (supposedly to cut costs) who are now pushing for the senior attendees from the UK and other countries to come promote their brands in the designated promotional area. Money talks even here?
Glaciers provide water for more than one sixth of the world’s population in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Indonesia, and South America. Do read this paper assessing how the communities in and around the Andes are adapting to receding glaciers and the reduction in accessible water because of it.
Sportstar father-son duo Yannick and Joakim Noah through their Noah's Arc Foundation, have delivered four Atmospheric Water Generators to Cameroon. Being Cameroonian himself, it’s great to see the former tennis star Yannick and his NBA veteran son Joakim, giving back to where they come from!
We wrote last month about Swedish entrepreneurs setting up microfactories for clean water in places that need it. We are happy to report that the first of their solar powered machines have reached the Serengeti and is being used there. Their circular system has eliminated single-use plastic bottles by nearly 18,000 units per year. Wayout dude!
Last week we wrote about the Dutch innovators showing off their Solarpunk concept at the Dubai Expo 2020 (which is going on right now.) Turns out they aren’t the only ones, Singapore too have built a mini rainforest within their provided pavilion. The pavilion has a self-sufficient ecosystem, the hanging gardens and vertical plant walls help keep temperatures down, aided by a robot prototype designed to monitor humidity levels and plant health. The 80,000 plants from 170 different species, across the multi-layered structure create a green oasis. They use solar power to draw groundwater up to irrigate this biodome.
That is it for this week folks,
‘Til next Friday, Peace