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Tamil Nadu
Students’ project on cleaning waterbodies
Scientists in the making: Student-members of the Kalpana Chawla Thulir Illam show water samples collected as part of their project on cleaning waterbodies using algae.
TAMBARAM: A project by a team of five school students and an engineering student on cleaning up waterbodies using algae is all set to be presented at the Indian Science Congress, the annual prestigious event to advance and promote the cause of science in the country.
“Bioremediation as a remedy to overcome water pollution” is a project by the six student-members of the Kalpana Chawla Thulir Illam, one among the several hundred clubs throughout the State started by Tamil Nadu Science Forum as part of its efforts to promote scientific temper among school students and children pursuing non-formal education in alternate schools.
R. Sindhu, R. Sibi, T. Deepak, P.K. Rajesh and V.S. Mohan Kumar are students of Zion and N.S.N. Matriculation schools, both near Tambaram. Guided by S. Shanmugapriya, pursuing bio medical engineering at a private college, the students embarked on this project a few months ago.
They presented the project during the Chennai district-level event organised by TN Science Forum and the recently-concluded State meet in Vandalur. The project has been selected for the national-level meet to be organised by the National Children’s Science Congress in Pune and the Indian Science Congress to be held at Andhra University, Vishakapatnam, next year.
The theme for the Vishakapatnam meet is “Knowledge based society using environmentally sustainable science and technology.”
Ms. Shanmugapriya, who herself is a recipient of the “Young Scientist” award for her project on recycling and reusing of grey water during the national meet in 2005 in Bhubaneswar, said waterbodies were becoming increasingly polluted due to various reasons. With growing concern over availability of safe and protected water, it was imperative to protect existing resources.
Their project centred around destruction of water contaminants by biological means, including the usage of algae and bacteria. They started by collecting samples of heavily polluted tannery water from Pammal – Nagalkeni areas, sewage in Tambaram Municipal limits, borewell water near their house in Kamarajapuram and water from the Sembakkam lake.
A portion of the samples were sent to laboratories for analysis, while they retained the rest for their tests, during which they introduced algae, most importantly ‘Chlorella Vulgaris.’ Tests after 10 days revealed that the algae-treated water samples could be used as chemicals, salts and other substances had reduced considerably compared to the original samples collected from the source.
Impressed with the project presentation, Sembakkam Town Panchayat president A.R.D. Loganathan and Peerkankaranai Town Panchayat vice-president K.V. Radhakrishnan have agreed to take up the project for implementation if found viable.
“We do not want to stop with this, we want to treat this water so that it becomes pure enough for drinking purposes,” Ms. Shanmugapriya said.
The success of the students’ interest and concern for social causes only vindicated the objectives of TNSCF, its members said.
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