Two high school students, Faith Qin of Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Alisha Singh of Spring-Ford High School in Pennsylvania, conducted research at Old Dominion University's Biomass Research Laboratory directed by Sandeep Kumar, professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Working alongside Ph.D. student Ujjwal Pokharel, they explored the potential of chemically modified biochars—made from cornstalks—to remove harmful PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from water. Singh worked remotely from Pennsylvania.
Their research, titled “Acid and Alkaline Modified Biochars for Short-Chain PFAs Removal,” was selected for a poster presentation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Undergraduate Research Technology Conference in October.
PFAS chemicals, used in products like waterproof clothing and non-stick cookware, are widespread in U.S. waterways and pose serious health and environmental risks. Biochar, a substance that acts like a sponge, can trap these chemicals, potentially making water safer to drink.