FRESH graduates of the University of the Philippines-Visayas were recognized at the 2022 BPI-DOST Innovation Awards for their project on removing pollutants in aquatic environment.

Steve Turita, Lorraine Ann Mana-ay and Maridel Somejo submitted their project titled “Carbon Quantum Dots as Innovative Materials for Detection and Removal of Selected Aquatic Pollutants.” It aims to explore the potential application of nanomaterials as nanocatalyst for photodegradation of harmful organic pollutant and as a nanoprobe for the detection of heavy metals in aquatic environments.

They were mentored by Dr. Concepcion Ponce and Asst. Prof. Arnold Gaje of the UPV Department of Chemistry.

Joining UP Visayas in the top three are the University of Santo Tomas and Saint Louis University.

The top three winners were awarded cash prizes of P100,000 each.

The BPI–DOST Innovation Awards, in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute, is a competition that challenges Filipino students of Basic and Applied Sciences to actively participate in resolving the country’s most pressing socio-economic problems.