Digital Media Center

Most of the Earth’s water is in the seas, with only a small fraction of freshwater being suitable for consumption. In fact, at the present, 2.2 billion people cannot ensure safety in drinking water. An effective approach to solve this problem is to convert sea water into fresh water. To achieve this, the focus of this study is on Bacterial Cellulose made by Komagataeibacter sucrofermentans which is a type of acetic acid bacteria. These bacteria are commonly encountered in our daily lives, and are utilized in the production of vinegar. Prior research has shown that bacterial cellulose is a semipermeable membrane. Using this fact, we aim to chemically modify bacterial cellulose to impart ion-exchange properties and to convert seawater into freshwater through electrolysis. The success of this study will contribute to solving SDG 6 “Clean water and sanitation”, to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for individuals.

This project investigates the efficacy of cushioning paper derived from durian peel mixed with activated carbon in retarding ripening and providing mangoes’ shock protection. Utilizing durian peels sourced from community leftovers, the fibers are extracted through boiling and subsequently combined with activated charcoal powder in varying proportions (5%, 10%, and 15% by weight of fibers) and finally molded using a paper sieve. In conclusion, the developed cushioning paper demonstrates the ability to retard ripening processes effectively while offering superior shock protection. These findings underscore the potential of utilizing agricultural waste for sustainable packaging solutions in the food industry.

In the UK, during 2023, around 7.7 million single-use vapes were purchased each week. With 11% of adults in the UK vaping regularly, it poses the question: how were the 400 million vapes purchased in 2023 disposed of?
One study found that 83% of vape users were not disposing of them in a correct and sustainable manner, with 7% of vape users admitting to dropping the vapes on the street. As a result, we questioned how any remaining e-liquid within the vapes would affect invertebrates, should it leak into an aquatic environment.