1: Effect of Acidic and Basic Treatments on the Adsorption Capacity of Avocado and Lemon Peels
Gael Hernandez Martinez
Throughout the globe, lakes and rivers have been contaminated by synthetic dyes such as methylene blue that poses public health risk and environmental damage. While engineering-based water treatments exist, many are highly expensive and inaccessible for communities with limited resources. This study explores whether fruit biopeels can serve as an effective low cost bioadsorbent. Lemon and avocado peels were treated with a basic (sodium hydroxide) or an acidic (phosphoric acid) solution to evaluate their adsorption of methylene blue. Peels were washed, prepared, then soaked dilutions of sodium hydroxide or phosphoric acid. After treatment, samples were oven-dried at 60°C for two hours. Adsorption of methylene blue was monitored by a spectrophotometer. Sodium hydroxide treated peels showed the highest adsorption of methylene blue across both peels, on the contrary phosphoric acid treated peels performed lower than both the control and the sodium hydroxide group. Treated in dilute sodium hydroxide, avocado had an efficiency of 65.2% removal and 0.33mg/g
maximum adsorption capacity. In comparison, lemon peels efficiency was 46.8%, and 0.311mg/g maximum adsorption capacity. These discoveries suggest that sodium hydroxide treated avocado and lemon peels, specifically avocado, are accessible, sustainable and promising bioadsorbents for removal of methylene blue from contaminated water. These waste materials may offer an affordable and efficient treatment option for communities lacking advanced water purification
infrastructure.
3: The Effect of Green and Red Light on the Manduca sexta
Hannah Luna, Vanesa Navarro
Manduca sexta, also known as the tobacco hornworm, is a widely-used experimental subject that has helped us for more than 40 years in many areas of insect biology, such as neurobiology, chemical sensing, and immunology. Therefore, it was a beneficial test subject for our research. Manduca sexta is a pest found mostly on tomato plants but can also be found on other plants. Finding out which light Manduca sexta consumes less food in could help with managing their pest-like tendencies. Understanding how light affects their foraging tendencies could help us apply more eco-friendly methods that aren’t harmful to crop growth without relying on pesticides. Hornworms were placed on arugula plants under different wavelengths of light and allowed to forage. Hornworms in red light lost weight and the ones under green light gained weight. This may be due to different light colors matching or not matching their search image. A search image is a mental image that tells the organism what is safe and what isn’t to eat. This means that Manduca sexta prefers green light since they ate more in this light because the search image was matched, compared to the red light, where the search image was not matched. This research is important because it is able to give us an ethical and easy way to reduce the amount these pests consume and help us agriculturally, without harming the organism or the plant. Red light could be more useful for the plant, it allows more photosynthesis to happen, so it wouldn’t only stop Manduca sexta from eating the plant, but also allow the plant to grow more.
5: Effectiveness of Dried and Fresh Marigold (Tagetes erecta) in Adsorbing Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solutions
Elaha Wahidi, Valeria Martinez-Yela, Amy Eaton
Dyes such as methylene blue pose significant risks to both human health and ecosystems, yet many existing removal methods are costly, generate secondary pollutants, and remain inaccessible in many regions. Marigold petals pose a promising alternative, as their porous, high–surface-area structure enables effective removal of methylene blue while remaining biodegradable, cost-effective, and readily accessible. This study investigates the effectiveness of Tagetes erecta (marigold) as a bio-adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solutions. The experiment specifically examines whether the physical state of marigold petals, fresh or dried, and the use of sulfuric acid activation impacts their effectiveness as a bio-adsorbent, an area not well-explored in existing research. Each preparation method followed a distinct sequence of activation and drying. Fresh petals were tested both with and without sulfuric acid activation, while dried petals were prepared using either sun-drying or oven-drying methods. These variations allowed for a direct comparison of preparation techniques and their influence on overall adsorption performance and efficiency. Overall, it was determined that dried marigold petals outperformed fresh marigold petals regarding MB removal from aqueous solutions.Kinetic studies were performed using first order and pseudo-second order models to understand the adsorption process. Comparisons of the adsorption performance of dried versus fresh marigold petals provide insights into the efficiency and process of bio-adsorbents. The findings suggest that marigold petals show potential as a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable bio-adsorbent for the removal of MB from aqueous solutions.
7:The Effect of Temperature, pH, and Salinity on Anabaena
Nyla Horde, Kennedy Orihuela Rojas, Vanessa Quijada, Charlotte Johnson
Anabaena is a nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria that’s responsible for providing nutrients in freshwater ecosystems. As the impact of global warming quickly reshapes ecosystems, this study aims to better understand how the abiotic factors like temperature, pH, and salinity affect this foundation species’s growth. Anabaena samples were distributed across 27 test tubes that cultured in Alga-Gro medium and exposed to varying conditions of temperature, pH, and salinity over a four day growing period. Nine test tubes were used in triplicate for the conditions: Temperature at 14.7° C, 21° C, and 37.7°C; pH at 6.5, 7.6, and 8.5; and salinity at 0%, 0.5%, and 1%. We expect the highest growth to occur within the moderate conditions (21°C, 7.6 pH, and 0% salinity), which most closely reflect typical freshwater environments. However, due to Anabaena’s adaptability, we also expected comparable growth within variable conditions (14.7°C,6.5pH, and 0.5%). Understanding how these abiotic stressors influence Anabaena growth may provide critical insight into how freshwater ecosystems respond to climate-driven changes. This data may also inform future studies exploring nitrogen fixation rates under the same conditions as well as the cascading effect of changes in Anabaena growth with respect to interdependent aquatic organisms.
9: Effects of Nitrogen Pollution on Freshwater Quality Using Chlorella vulgaris and Ulothrix
Lexi Isaacs, Laila Kaifi, Jack Dunn, Ra’jon Ross
Nutrient pollution is a major environmental issue, fertilizer in freshwater ecosystems is one of the main culprits. Nutrient pollution impacts aquatic life, reducing water quality, and lowering oxygen levels. The utilization of bioabsorbents has grown in recent years due to the low cost, as well as reducing the secondary pollutants. Due to the high nitrogenous content found in pollutants, we propose that if we combine Ulothrix and Chlorella Vulgris (chlorella) algae in nitrogen-polluted water then together they will perform better than individually at decreasing nitrogen content in waste water because the two algae may use nitrogen in different ways and at different rates, allowing them to remove more nitrogen together than individually. To test this, we separated the two algae Ulothrix and Chlorella into three different beakers, replicating real-world wastewater by using nitrogen fertilizer. One beaker had no nitrogen, the second had low levels (1 drop), and the last had high levels (4 drops). Utilizing a spectrophotometer at 420 nm (wavelength for green), we can measure the absorbance to track the clarity of the water. Originally we proposed that the absorbance data would track the water clarity, however the spectrophotometer readings and Nitrate levels showed the algaes used nitrogen levels as a food source for growth instead of removing the pollutant in the water making it a strong bioindicator for nutrient pollution in water. As a result, Chlorella was the strongest indicator having a low growth in the controlled tests and having an increased growth rate in the high nitrogen conditions compared to Ulothrix and the combination of the two algaes. Ulothrix’s consistent growth made it ineffective as a bioindicator. The combination of Chlorella and Ulothrix exhibited a competitive interaction with both showing competition in the lower, but both grew in high nitrogen due to sufficient resources.
11: Affects of Fertilizer on Earthworms
Ilya Martinez, Jolene Walls, Dejah Hicks, Kiara Clark, Vanessa Jauregui, Mason Roberson, Robert Heischman
The primary goal of our experiment was to discover how Earthworms responded to a synthetic fertilizer(phosphate) in the soil. We choose Earthworms because they are the biggest ecosystem engineers that keep our soil clean worldwide. Their health in response to inorganic matter is important to monitor. In our experiment we utilized two separate bins with a stick placed down the center where the left was non-fertilized soil and the right side was fertilized soil. We made one bin without plants as the control
and a bin with plants on each side as our experiment. To gather our data, after 2 weekdays we would measure the distance of the worms from the center in centimeters on the respective sides. After running two trials, we found that Earthworms significantly choose to migrate on the side of non-fertilized soil. On average 62.5% of the worms migrated to the non-fertilized side ranging from 1cm-30cm away from the center and 12.54% of the worms were found on the fertilized side ranging in from 1cm-22cm from the center. This leads us to believe the worms did not prefer fertilizer and was potentially harmful to them based on their behavior and research. Earthworms are the main cause of keeping soil clean, and in turn cause farm-grown flora to thrive. Therefore, it is important that farmers and cultivators utilize soil that is not toxic to Earthworms, which may
harm them or cause them to burrow opposite of crop.
13: Eggshell Derived Catalyst as a Sustainable Alternative to Synthetic Catalysts in Plastic Degradation
Jonathan Gamble, Connor Justeson, Hammad Shabbir
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste has shown to have significant impacts in marine ecosystems which has led this research into developing a sustainable recycling method. This study compared a synthetic catalyst (Manganese (II) complex via Reimer-Tiemann reaction) with a catalyst derived from environmental waste in the form of eggshells (Ca(OH)2). Both catalysts were tested for their ability to break down PET plastics into single monomer chains which can be used for up-recycling, which is the process of chemically making new plastics rather than remolding them. The eggshell-derived catalyst was prepared by separating the membrane of the eggshell, grinding the shells up, then chemically altering them to create our catalyst. Whilst the synthetic catalyst was produced by using a one pot synthesis involving 2-naphthol and Manganese (II) sulfate. Our results showed that the eggshell catalyst successfully degraded the plastic into BHET (monomer components), which provided a low cost, environmentally sustainable way to recycle PET plastics and reduce the environmental footprint of plastics.
15: One Melon’s Trash is Another’s Treasure: Watermelon Waste as a Bioadsorbent for Methylene Blue
Kallum Ives
This study investigated the adsorption capacity of watermelon rind and watermelon seeds as natural, renewable alternatives for removing contaminants from aqueous solutions. Watermelon waste was selected due to its widespread availability and the large volume of byproduct generated during food processing and consumption. In previous studies, watermelon byproducts were shown capable of removing dyes from aqueous solutions. The adsorption studies involving methylene blue were monitored to determine the concentration of the dye remaining in the solution using bioabsorbents. The results are that the adsorption capacity for seeds is 0.000672 mg/g and for the rinds 0.000716 mg/g. Percent removal for the seeds and rinds are 88.8% and 59.9%. This data concludes that the adsorption capacity of the rinds is higher than the seeds and percent removal of the seeds is higher than the rinds. These findings could be translated into a larger scale water filtration method that would be used for contamination removal from water runoff.
17: Organic Chemistry Quest: Reduction of Plastic Pollutants
Martha Ferreyra, Jasmine Lopez, Jessica Lopez, Rebecca Ramos
Plastic pollution remains a significant environmental challenge, with millions of tons of plastic produced annually and much of it resistant to degradation. Starting from methyl salicylate, a Reimer–Tiemann reaction was performed under basic conditions to generate an intermediate for further catalyst development. Preliminary results indicate that the first reaction step successfully produced a new compound, as supported by differences in TLC behavior and corresponding features in the NMR spectrum. Continued work is focusing on completing the synthesis by reacting with ethylenediamine and combining with cobalt nitrate to form the catalyst, and evaluating the catalyst’s effectiveness in degrading plastic materials. This study aims to develop a catalyst that is capable of accelerating plastic degradation.
19: Proving the Purple Ramsey Number R p (3, 4) = 8
Ethan Rukavina, Aadvik Kesharwani
In classical Ramsey theory, the Ramsey numbers R(s, t) denote the minimum n such that every red–blue coloring of the edges of the complete graph Kn contains either a red clique of order s or a blue clique of order t. Introduced by Angell, Lesgourgues, Liebenau, and Taylor, we explore a new type of Ramsey number. Let Rp(s, t) denote the minimum n such that every red–blue–purple coloring of the edges of the complete graph Kn contains either a red–purple clique of order s or a blue–purple clique of order t, where the graph Kn is first colored with either a perfect matching of purple edges if n is even or a maximal matching of purple edges if n is odd. In this project, we prove that Rp(3, 4) = 8.
21: From Toilet to Sprinkler: Testing Whether Recycled Water Actually Makes Plants Thrive
Jennifer Bossett, Kenna Souza, Shobita Jerusha Suraboyini, Raiana Tan, Jill Bouchard
Freshwater scarcity has intensified over recent decades, increasing the need for sustainable irrigation alternatives that reduce reliance on potable water. Recycled water has emerged as a potential solution because it contains added nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which may support plant growth while decreasing the use of commercial fertilizers. However, variable salinity and chemical composition can also introduce physiological stress depending on species and environmental conditions. This study investigated how Brachypodium distachyon (B. distachyon), a small, self-fertile temperate annual grass used as a model organism for functional genomics in grasses, cereals, and biofuels, responds to four irrigation sources: recycled water, greywater, lake water, and deionized water, under controlled fabricated ecosystem (EcoFAB) conditions. Twelve EcoFAB chambers were prepared using a 50/50 mixture of each water source and growth media, and one germinated seed was placed in each chamber under standardized light and environmental conditions. Plant growth and condition was monitored weekly by measuring shoot height, root length, and leaves grown. We found that B. distachyon grown with lake water demonstrated the strongest overall development (roots and shoots increased ~840% compared to controls, while greywater (~630%) and deionized water (~760%) supported moderate growth and full survival throughout the study period. In contrast, plants irrigated with recycled water exhibited limited growth and declined before the end of the experiment. These outcomes indicate that the chemical composition and nutrient balance of each water source played a role in determining plant health under EcoFABconditions. The findings highlight the importance of evaluating recycled water quality before its use in controlled or sensitive plant‑growth systems and contribute to broader efforts to identify reliable irrigation strategies in the context of increasing freshwater scarcity.
23: Bleached Hair Makes you Dye Faster!
Gabrielle Anne Bautista, Payton Vick, Fatima Rodriguez Magana, Angelina Zuloaga, Mylah Andrea Solian
Human hair is a widely discarded waste product, generating millions of pounds annually and often ending up in landfills. As a slow-decomposing material, it poses environmental concerns, particularly for water systems. Similarly, methylene blue (MB) dye is a toxic, non-biodegradable, cationic pollutant that threatens aquatic ecosystems and human health, especially in developing nations. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of bleached (treated) and virgin (untreated) human hair as adsorbents for removing MB dye from an aqueous solution. The dye adsorption capability of human hair was characterized using a spectrophotometer, with MB concentration measured at 5-minute intervals over a 75-minute period. Results indicated that Treated Hair and Untreated Hair both provided significantly effective amounts of MB adsorption of 86.24% MB removal on average.
25: Development of A Lanthanum Based Catalyst for Plastic Degradation
Richard Dunn, Joshua Kelly, Reagan Thomas, Natalie Tucker
Plastic pollution is one of the most widely acknowledged environmental issues due to its persistent nature which makes it a target when it comes to developing ways to fight back against environmental pollution. In our research we aimed to create a catalyst that would aid in the process of degradation of plastics.
To achieve this we did a series of reactions turning our starting material of Salicylic acid into a Lanthanum based Catalyst. We proposed this catalyst to hopefully speed up the process of breaking down plastics due to the Lanthanum’s ability to weaken the plastics bonds while the Salen-Ligand structure of our catalyst would stabilize it allowing for a more effective breakdown of the plastic.
Through our series of reactions we were able to synthesize the Lanthanum based catalyst which we kept track of through testing and keeping observations such as color change, crystallization and a precipitate forming as a result of our reactions. Although the catalyst was not able to be tested in its effectiveness the data and the theoretical strengths of the catalyst suggest an effective catalyst for degradation of plastics.
Ultimately, our research indicates that it is possible to synthesize our proposed catalyst from the reactions we followed, evident by the different observations and changes that occurred to our materials. This successful synthesis can serve as a foundation for additional research as a model compound to look at as well as to compare to try and develop an improved catalyst for plastic degradation.
27: Ability of Walnut Shells in Adsorbing Methylene Blue and Congo Red
Charlize Almazan, Paige Cortesi, Carolyn Dodds, Christina Velarde, Cadence Wing
Previous research has explored the effectiveness of walnut shells in adsorbing various dyes from aqueous solutions. It has been shown that biosorbent load is efficient of adsorbing pollutant dye at a small scale; so, scaling up the amount of biomass can potentially be viable in realistic large scale water treatment. Additionally, sodium hydroxide has shown potential in being used for treating the surface of walnut shells to increase electrostatic attraction as well as being used as a stripping agent for cationic dyes like methylene blue (MB, C16H18CIN3S). Therefore, walnuts shells are expected to yield a high percent removal of cationic methylene blue dye from aqueous solutions because of the negative electrostatic forces on the surface that attract positively charged dyes. Similarly, since congo red (CR, C32H22N6Na2O6S2) is an anionic dye, it is expected that treating the load in an acidic substance before adsorption could alter the attraction and allow dye adsorption onto the shell’s surface. In this study, the walnut shell efficiency was evaluated by testing the effects of initial concentration of dye, regeneration of biomass, and scalability of biomass load. To test adsorption capacity for both dyes, the load and volume were kept constant in different dilutions. To regenerate the biomass, 0.1 M NaOH and pH 4 buffer were used as stripping agents. Preliminary results have shown that NaOH-treated and stripped walnut shells adsorbed 67%-75% of methylene blue from aqueous solutions.
29: Comparison of Escherichia coli Abundance in Maintained vs. Unmaintained Soil Across Different Environments
Charmay Repollo, Maya Murphy, Gabriela Trejo Alvaro, Shivam Prasad Rijal
This experiment compares Escherichia coli presence and abundance in maintained and unmaintained soils from two environments: Big Break Regional Shoreline and local farmland. E. coli bacteria is commonly used as an indicator of fecal contamination in real-world issues, particularly in agricultural systems, which can pose risks to human health through food production. The purpose of this study is to identify how E. coli bacteria growth is influenced by environmental factors in maintained and unmaintained soils and for individuals to improve understanding of food safety risks. Soil samples were collected from both maintained and unmaintained areas. Variables including pH level, moisture level, nutrient levels, and texture were measured and recorded for each sample. Bacteria were extracted from the soil using distilled water, and then samples were plated on agar and incubated at 37°C for 48 hours, after which E. coli colonies were counted manually and compared across samples. Results showed that E. coli presence varied across locations and soil conditions. Higher bacterial diversity and E. coli abundance was observed in farmland soils, particularly in maintained soil compared to shoreline environments. Data trends in variables suggest that clay texture, low pH level, and increased nutrient availability and moisture levels in soils promote E. coli growth. Additionally, unmaintained soils showed greater overall bacterial abundance but lower E.coli abundance, indicating that soil maintenance practices may play a role in decreasing bacterial contamination in soil. Overall, this experiment provides insight into how soil conditions and management practices influence bacterial growth, especially in agricultural settings.
31: Skybound Salvation: Developing a Cargo Drone for Search and Rescue
Chinedu Iheme, Samantha Ward, Francesca Briggs (professor)
With the advancements in drone technology and increased demand for delivery, it is now possible to create cargo drones for specialized purposes. While most development is focused on consumer package delivery, solutions for search and rescue would greatly impact the emergency response industry. In a flooding emergency, emergency responders are tasked with rescuing people who were caught off guard by the disaster and are in need of immediate assistance. However, responders may not have the tools or personnel to reach everyone at once, so automating some parts of the response could help it proceed more quickly than it would otherwise. The Nightengale Aerial Response Drone (NARD) is devised to automate the delivery of basic aid packages to people who are still in the disaster zone, eliminating the need to allocate rescue teams to drop off food and/or medicine for the stranded. N.A.R.D would allow them to focus more on saving the injured and those at risk, while the drone swoops in to offer temporary, but vital assistance. N.A.R.D is designed to deliver small packages (< 20 lbs.) of food and medicine to survivors of flood disasters who are cut off from conventional forms of assistance delivery (i.e., road transport) due to the floodwaters.
33: How is the Growth of Spirogyra Affected by Varying Escherichia coli Concentrations?
Zakira Saleh
Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentration was high in drinking water as runoff from fertilization leaked into the water. Algae that grow in water are important for photosynthesis and releasing nutrients into the water. We studied the effect E. coli had on algae growth. Over the course of a week, algae were grown in plastic containers with varying concentrations of E. coli.10 mL of water and algae from each designated container were collected and blended to create a homogeneous mixture to record absorbance with a spectrophotometer at 420 nm. The mixture with the least absorbance had the most algae growth, as less light passed through the mixture. After a week, our data showed that algae grown in low E. coli conditions had the greatest growth, followed by high E. coli, while the control had the lowest growth. These results suggest that E. coli has a concentration dependent effect on algal growth, where low levels may support growth and higher levels may limit it due to competition for nutrients.
35: Extracting and Coloring Pesticides From Store bought fruits methodologiesStore bought fruits methodologies
Eeman Lanval, Shealynn Cyr, Promise Anoruo, Saryah Tokhay, Melissa Lopez
ur research question was initially to determine if a harmful level of the pesticide malathion is present in frozen store-bought organic and non-organic strawberries and blackberries. We have developed procedures from the literature and modified them to work with the supplies available at LMC. We tested ways to color malathion, researched more in-depth methodologies for QuEChERS, acetonitrile extraction, and we also found methods to color the malathion, using nitric acid and the amaranth method for detection on a UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The amaranth method involved diluting the dye and using NBS solution, 4.0M HCl, and 1.0% KBr. The absorbance was measured at 520 nm using a spectrophotometer. The QuEChERS method involved mixing acetonitrile solution, homogenized strawberries and blackberries, and QuEChERS salts to detect pesticide residues. The nitric acid method involves using acetonitrile to extract and detect malathion residues and then using the QuEChERS method to isolate the pesticide for observation. Future students could expand on what could be researched at LMC. However, they must go through literature if they want to research things other than pesticide residue. Our methodologies can be helpful for detecting organochlorides, organophosphates, parathyroids, pesticide residue, food safety, environmental monitoring, and as a method of development for a lab.
37: Fresh Garlic Extract vs Store-Bought Garlic Extract
Ari Francis, Lucero Martinez, Amari Woods
Antibiotic resistance is becoming a serious problem, making it harder to treat even common infections. Due to this, scientists are starting to look at natural alternatives, including garlic, which has been used for centuries as a remedy. This study explored whether fresh garlic extract is more effective than store-bought garlic extract at stopping the growth of Escherichia coli. While garlic is known to produce a compound called allicin that can kill bacteria, it is unclear how much of that effectiveness remains after processing. To test this, the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was used. Fresh and store-bought garlic extracts were prepared at concentrations of 0%, 25%, 50%, and 100%, then applied to disks placed on agar plates with E. coli. After 48 hours of incubation at 37°C, the zones of inhibition were measured in millimeters across five trials. The results showed a clear difference between the two types of garlic. Fresh garlic extract produced strong antibacterial effects, with average zones of inhibition of 32.2 mm at 100%, 30.0 mm at 50%, and 16.2 mm at 25%. In contrast, store-bought garlic extract showed no inhibition at any concentration, matching the control. This study shows that
fresh garlic is much more effective at inhibiting bacterial growth than processed garlic products. These findings suggest that how a natural substance is prepared can greatly affect its effectiveness, and that simple, natural compounds may still have an important role in fighting bacteria as antibiotic resistance continues to increase.
39: Synthesis of Salicylaldehyde via Modified Reimer-Tiemann Conditions
Leslie Cruz, Valerie Macha Ramos, Rocio Sandoval
The rapid accumulation of plastic waste has created an urgent need for effective and sustainable chemical solutions for polymer degradation. This project investigates a multi-step organic synthesis designed to generate catalysts capable of promoting plastic breakdown. The first stage employed a modified Reimer-Tiemann reaction using salicylic acid, sodium hydroxide, and chloroform to synthesize a substituted salicylaldehyde intermediate.
Quantitative stoichiometric analysis confirmed that 10.00 g of salicylic acid (0.0724 mol) corresponds to an expected yield of approximately 11.02 g based on a 1:1 mole ratio. The reaction mixture was prepared by dissolving NaOH in deionized water, followed by the addition of salicylic acid and controlled dropwise addition of chloroform under an ice bath. The reaction was maintained at approximately 60 °C with continuous high-speed stirring (~1000 rpm) for over one hour, resulting in a more uniform solution and clear progression of the reaction.
Acidification of the reaction mixture to approximately pH 2 led to successful precipitation of the product, which was isolated through vacuum filtration. A crude product mass of approximately 25 g was obtained, with the elevated value attributed primarily to residual water retention. These results indicate that the modified conditions effectively produce the desired intermediate. The synthesized compound will be further converted into ligands and metal complexes for evaluation of catalytic activity in plastic degradation. This work establishes a reliable and scalable synthetic pathway relevant to environmentally sustainable plastic waste solutions.
41: Efficiency of Natural Bio Absorbents (Hay, Coconut Coir, Cotton) for Absorption of Canola Oil Spills
Hillary Fregoso, Jackie Morfin, Mariana Maravilla
Our oil pollution has drastically gotten worse over time. An estimated 706 million gallons of oil enter the ocean every year, having massive environmental impacts.[1] The purpose of this research was to find the most effective, accessible and cheap fiber to remove oil from our sea or other circumstances threatening our environment. Using the ASTM F726-17 method, this research tested hay, raw cotton and coconut coir to determine which would hold the most oil and which would have the fastest absorption rate using canola oil. Raw cotton is most likely to absorb the most oil compared to the other fibers because it has a porous surface and its natural waxed surface makes raw cotton oleophilic and hydrophobic.
43: Aldehyde and Seek: Searching for a Path to Plastic Degradation
Angelina Akopyan, Julian Baires, Tiffany Garcia, Connor Torres, Aman Popal, Nathanael Gistand, Dennis Gravert
This study investigates the synthesis of 2-hydroxynaphthalene-1-carbaldehyde from 2-naphthol using a Reimer–Tiemann reaction under basic conditions with sodium hydroxide and chloroform, followed by acid workup to isolate the aldehyde product. The reaction produced a solid product (0.337 g, 9.41% yield) after purification via vacuum filtration and drying.
Infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy was used to characterize the compound, and the resulting spectrum showed strong agreement with expected functional groups, supporting successful synthesis of the target molecule. Key features included a strong absorption near ~1700 cm⁻¹ consistent with an aldehyde C=O stretch, along with characteristic aldehyde C–H and aromatic signals.
Although plastic degradation was not directly tested, the successful synthesis and characterization of this aromatic aldehyde provide a foundation for exploring its potential role in polymer degradation. Future work will include thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and experimental studies to assess interactions between the synthesized compound and plastic substrates.
Overall, this work establishes a basis for investigating reactive aromatic aldehydes as potential contributors to plastic degradation pathways.
45: Building a Catalyst for Plastic Breakdown: A Copper–Salen Approach
Victoria DePaola, Jaishree Ramamoorthi, Anna Ullah, Sara Shafi
Plastics are used in nearly every aspect of daily life, yet only about 9% are fully recycled. As a result, much of this waste is incinerated, contributing to pollution and the release of harmful chemicals. This study aimed to synthesize a catalyst capable of breaking down plastics. Starting with salicylic acid, a three-step synthesis was carried out to form a copper-based complex. First, a Reimer–Tiemann reaction was used to introduce an aldehyde functional group. Next, a Schiff-base condensation with ethylenediamine formed a salen ligand, which was then reacted with copper(II) nitrate to produce a dark purple precipitate that is likely the target catalyst. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was used to monitor reaction progress, and physical changes such as color shifts and phase changes were observed throughout the synthesis. While the final product is consistent with formation of the intended copper complex, further analysis is needed to confirm its structure and evaluate its effectiveness in plastic degradation.
47: Investigating the Effects of "Clean" and Conventional Makeup on Brachypodium Distachyon Growth
Rookia Alam, Zuleyma Placencia, Yusra Sulaiman, Ivan Terrenate, Jill Bouchard
The cosmetic industry has expanded drastically over the past decades because social media has changed beauty standards. Although "clean," "vegan," and “planet friendly" makeup products are marketed as environmentally safer alternatives, there is limited evidence regarding how these products impact plant systems after disposal. While studies in the past have examined the impacts of inorganic compounds and minerals, few studies have investigated the environmental effects of cosmetic products that contain these chemicals. We ask the question, will Brachypodium growth be better supported when it is exposed to makeup lacking the inorganic compound/mineral barium nitride and talc, or will there be no difference in plant growth? To test our hypothesis, we grew B. distachyon plants in controlled conditions using EcoFABs. The experiment includes three treatment groups: a control group receiving only water and super neat, a group exposed to a solution made from the “clean” eyeshadow, and a group exposed to a solution made from the “dirty” eyeshadow. Quantifiable measurements will include the length of roots, the length of shoots, the number of shoots, and leaf color analysis. We analyzed our data to discover that B. distachyon plants exposed to the solution containing the clean eyeshadow experienced the greatest root growth in comparison to their dirty eyeshadow group counterparts and the control group. The control group produced the largest quantity and the longest leaves across all groups. This suggests that different aspects of plant development respond differently to inorganic compounds. Our results indicated that cleaner makeup products that lacked certain inorganic compounds can support healthier root growth in B. distachyon plants. However, there is a lack of evidence revealing that “clean” makeup was able to improve plant development across all areas of plant health and prosperity. In accordance with these findings, it is suggested that consumers and makeup manufacturers be conscious of the environmental impacts even due to makeup products that claim and advertise themselves as "clean."