AdU-ChE researchers represent PH in 5th RCCS 2019

by JV L. Custodio
Competence once again prevails as Vanessa Denise Aguilar, Jerome Fundano, Jeswino Legaspi,
Darwin Mojica,, Janselle Tullao, Allister Mae A. Zafra, Chemical Engineering students from Adamson
University, represent Philippines in the upcoming 5th Regional Conference on Campus Sustainability 2019.

Indeed, Fundano and his team contributed a remediation technology by using plant as alternative
reducing agent. The Adamsonian chemical engineering students studied on Nitrate Reduction Using
Synthesized Green Nano Zero Valent Iron (GnZVI) and G-nZVI-Cu.

“Nung una nagbibiruan pa kami na next year kami naman ang makakarating sa ibang bansa. Pero
hindi pa rin kami makapaniwala na aabot kami dito. Sobrang saya”, Fundano expressed, reminiscing how
their dreams came to reality.

Nano Zero Valent Iron (NZVI) are defined to rapidly transformed environmental contaminants to
their mineral forms. According to the study of Kassim Badmus, a professor in the University of Cape, the
high surface area of the material ensures excellent reactivity and applicability in remediation persistent
contaminants in soil, groundwater and other bodies of water.

Researchers have studied much on NZVI until the AdU chemical engineering students came up
with an idea of the incorporation of Copper Bimetal. From a simple idea, the researchers have developed
an efficient alternate reaction pathway towards nitrogen gas production

Fundano also emphasized that the research main focused is to help the Philippine Water System
in accordance to the compliance to the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR)
Administrative Order 2016 on Water Quality Guidelines and General Effluent Standards.

In fact, according to the study of Dr. Reyes Itardo, one of the professors in the Department of
Biosciences, University of Exeter, 30% of all groundwater sampled in Philippines and Thailand showed
nitrates levels above the World Health Organization safety limit of 50 mg l-1 of nitrate (NO3-). Provided
that Philippines is a country rich in agricultural lands, the innovation will greatly contribute to the water
system.

Aside from the 5th Regional Conference, the researchers have also presented in the recently
conducted Philippine Institute of Chemical Engineers (PIChE) National Students Congress 2019 at De La
Salle University Manila, last February 26, 2019.

The team is set to fly to Iwaki, Fukushima, on 26th to 27th March 2019. Neither they win nor lose,
the innovation alone is already a valuable contribution to the Philippine Water System. The students are
indeed an exemplary of competence, character, and charity.