Five Environmental Engineering students from FTUI’s 2020 cohort have showcased outstanding achievements with their innovative research. The students, Muhammad Kafka Alghifari, Aldrin Irsyarasyid, Mohammad Ghaffariy Al-Fairadj, Soebowo Adjinegoro, and Shafira Anjani Putri, won the First Place Gold Medalist at the World Science, Environment, and Engineering Competition (WSEEC) with their study titled “The Removal of Heavy Metals in Wastewater Using Combinations of Recycled Materials: The Utilization of Banana Peel and Fly Ash – Bottom Ash (FABA) as Adsorbents to Address Acid Mine Drainage Pollution.”
This research focuses on the use of banana peels and fly ash as adsorbent materials to address mining drainage pollution. According to Shafira Anjani Putri, the project stemmed from several theses discussing adsorbents. “Some of our friends found adsorption potential in materials usually considered waste, like kepok banana peels and fly ash and bottom ash,” Shafira explained, highlighting the background of the research under the guidance of Civil Engineering Department lecturer, Dr.-Ing. Sucipta Laksono S.T. M.T.
The team created an adsorbent reactor that works similarly to a filtration unit in boilers or water treatment plants but uses powdered kepok banana peels and fly ash as filter materials. Their innovation offers a cheaper fabrication process, greater effectiveness, the ability to remove up to 94.7% of heavy metals, and a long lifespan (90 days for lead and 1 week for iron and cadmium).
FTUI Dean, Prof. Dr. Ir. Heri Hermansyah, ST., M.Eng., IPU., expressed his appreciation, “The impact and benefits of this research are highly significant for the Indonesian community. By using inexpensive and readily available recycled materials, this solution can help reduce water pollution caused by mining activities, which often contaminate clean water sources and pose a threat to the health of nearby communities. Moreover, this innovation has the potential to create new economic opportunities by converting waste into valuable products.”
WSEEC is a competition focused on research and research methodologies, addressing issues related to Industry 4.0. Organized by the Indonesian Young Scientist Association (IYSA) and the Faculty of Pharmacy at Universitas Pancasila, the event was held at Universitas Pancasila from April 10-16, 2024. A total of 310 participants attended WSEEC, including representatives from Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia, Hungary, and the United States.
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Public Communication Office
Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia
