Project Name: Reuse of waste and phytoextraction
Project Theme: Industry
Subtheme: Portable cooler, e compost pit and phytoextraction of cadmium, copper and zinc using Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea)
Objective/Aim: Our project basically deals with ewaste management. Under this we have taken up two topics reduction of the harmful impacts of e waste and the reuse of e waste to construct something useful. The aim of our project is to provide a cost effective way for the remediation and clean up of sites contaminated with heavy metals like lead, cadmium, arsenic, copper, beryllium, zinc, etc. At the same time, we have focused on creating a daily utility product from the e waste that keeps lying useless in our homes.
Scientific Principle involved: There are certain genes that code for the transport system in plants. These are present in all kinds of plants. However, there are certain plants called as hyper accumulators where genes known to code for the transport systems of heavy metals are constantly over-expressed when they are exposed to heavy metals. This genetic evidence suggests that hyperaccumulators overdevelop their metal transport systems. This is to speed up the root-to-shoot process limiting the amount of time the metal is exposed to the plant systems before it is stored.
Material Used: all kinds of e waste like pc fans, mother boards, etc, wood, batteries, beakers, artistic materials
Working investigation/findings: Through our research we found out that phytoextraction could be used as an alternative cost effective technology for the remediation of sites contaminated with heavy metals and it shows results within 30-35 days of plantation. At the same time we came to know that e waste can be turned into an asset through careful recycling and reutilization.
Utility and further scope of the project: Our project has great scope for the future. With about 20 to 50 million metric tons of e waste discarded every year in our landfills and the increasing percentage of land being degraded due to the contamination by heavy metals, phytoextraction can come to our rescue. The plants like mustard, sunflower, etc. can be used for the remediation of degraded land, not only on large scale but also in private gardens and households.
The cooler that we have made will provide you with cool air on a hot sunny day even if there is a power cut. At the same time, it encourages one that e waste could be turned into something productive instead of just being dumped into the bin. The e compost pit could be used for composting food and vegetable waste in our kitchens.
Name of the School: Venkateshwar International School, Sector-10, Dwarka, New Delhi
