National Hispanic Heritage Month has begun in the United States, and to celebrate, we’re highlighting some brilliant and influential Hispanic scientists whose extraordinary research or innovative thinking has helped to solve a variety of water-related issues.
MARÍA ISABEL AMORÍN
You may have thought shrimp were just for eating, but turns out, they're also great for daving the enviroment. One of the biggest soruces of pollution plaguing Guatemalan rivers is the textile industry. Harsh dyes and chemicals can run through mills, releasing gallons upon gallons of polluted water into waterways.
María Isabel Amorín was in college when she came up with the idea to use properties from shrimp shells to create a naturally absorbing polymer that could combat this issue. There are also many underlying benefits to using crustacean shells for this purpose, including the fact that it’s a cheaper process, and that Guatemala already had a large shrimping industry that discarded valuable biowaste of its own. Her invention has the potential to reduce waste from major industries and protect waterways from textile pollution. (Source: MIT Technology Review)
National Hispanic Heritage Month has begun in the United States, and to celebrate, we’re highlighting some brilliant and influential Hispanic scientists whose extraordinary research or innovative thinking has helped to solve a variety of water-related issues.
You may have thought shrimp were just for eating, but turns out, they're also great for daving the enviroment. One of the biggest soruces of pollution plaguing Guatemalan rivers is the textile industry. Harsh dyes and chemicals can run through mills, releasing gallons upon gallons of polluted water into waterways.
María Isabel Amorín was in college when she came up with the idea to use properties from shrimp shells to create a naturally absorbing polymer that could combat this issue. There are also many underlying benefits to using crustacean shells for this purpose, including the fact that it’s a cheaper process, and that Guatemala already had a large shrimping industry that discarded valuable biowaste of its own. Her invention has the potential to reduce waste from major industries and protect waterways from textile pollution. (Source: MIT Technology Review)
Nearly 10% of Colombian homes do not have access to clean water, and that number multiples three times in rural areas, increasing the risk of waterborne illness and even death in the region. To add to this, traditional water treatment methods like reverse osmosis are quite expensive, and can affect the taste of the water, making it salty and unpleasant by the time it reaches Colombian communities.
María Alexandra Tamayo was inspired by two residents of the poorest region in Colombia — where she is from — at a “hackathon” event right after graduating college. She decided to use her knowledge of biomedical nanotechnology to create NanoPro, a device meant to destroy dangerous particles in water such as fungi and bacteria without affecting the flavor. It is also a solution for underprivileged communities, as it doesn’t require any electricity to operate (it hooks right up to faucets) and is much cheaper than market alternatives. (Source: MIT Technology Review)
We are so grateful that the science field is full of so many talented and innovative people who have made a splash studying water-related issues around the world, from engineering to the oceans. We encourage you to take some time this month to learn about the important Hispanic figures whose innovations have made an impact in your own daily life.
