Muscat: Sumaiya bint Saeed al Siyabiyah of the Sultanate of Oman won first place in the Stars of Science, the Arab world’s leading scientific ’edutainment’ reality TV programme, on Friday. She is the first Omani and first woman to win the award given by Qatar Foundation. Shada Bennbaia of Libya and Noraldin Al Deri of Jordan came second and third.
Al Siyabiyah won the prize for her marine microplastics disposal device, which can help to tackle plastics, which account for at least 85 per cent of the total marine waste. She will get a cash prize as seed money to launch her project.
Free of chemicals and environmentally friendly, the device is a floating sphere comprising microbial mats and nanomaterials that dissolve microplastics and convert these into carbon dioxide and water.
The device can easily float in oceans trapping and disposing of microplastics.
Describing Sumaiya’s project, organisers of the programme said, ‘Innovative and simple, it could be invaluable in protecting our natural water resources and the wildlife within.’
Sumaiya has a Master’s degree in biology from Sultan Qaboos University.
After the triumph, she said, "This victory came as a result of the great support of various governmental and private institutions and members of the Omani society and from the Gulf and Arab countries."
She expressed her happiness that she was able to prove the importance of her scientific innovation and its role in preserving the environment and human health.
Sumaiya sought support of the project from all authorities in the Sultanate of Oman
"I was able to prove the importance of my scientific innovation and its role in preserving the environment and human health. During this stage, I conducted a practical application to follow the previous laboratory experiments. Using a fish tank filled with 10 litres of water, the process of decomposition of plastic particles was followed up with the changes that took place," she said.
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