Omani biologist wins top prize at Geneva inventions exhibition

The Grand Prize at the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions was awarded on Friday to Omani biologist Sumaiya Al Siyabi for a process that breaks down microplastics present in aquatic ecosystems. This innovative solution combines biology and nanotechnology. "The process developed by Sumaiya Al Siyabi is a response to one of the main sources of pollution on earth," said the Exhibition in a press release. Nearly 460 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, a significant proportion of which ends up in water, where it deteriorates and becomes microplastics. The solution presented by Al Siyabi combines microbial mats and nanomaterials, whose combined action with light dissolves the microplastics in just a few hours. According to the organisers, the process helps to make the water clean and liveable for wildlife. + High levels of microplastic pollution recorded in Lake Lugano Environmentally friendly, effective, economical and above all applicable on a large scale, this ...