Isabella Garry, a seventh-grade student at Central Middle School, has been named one of the top 30 finalists in the national middle school STEM competition, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC).
Garry was selected from nearly 60,000 applicants nationwide by the Society for Science. The honor recognizes her advanced environmental health project, titled “A Novel Method for Microplastic Removal From Simulated Gastric Fluid Using Plant Mucilage Flocculants.”
Concerned about the rising global crisis of plastic pollution, Garry’s research addresses the health hazards of microplastics entering the human digestive tract. To simulate human digestion, she created an acidic environment mirroring stomach fluids. She then tested natural, plant-based mucilages (thick, gel-like substances secreted by certain plants) from psyllium, fenugreek and okra to see if they could safely bind to and extract the plastic particles.
Her findings showed that all three natural materials successfully removed microplastics from the simulated gastric fluid. Notably, her highest concentration of psyllium mucilage achieved a 93.3% extraction rate, suggesting a potential plant-based method for removing microplastics under the conditions tested.
As a top 30 finalistGarry will receive a $500 cash prize and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., this October. There, she will represent Minnesota on the national stage, participating in a rigorous team scientific showcase and competing for more than $100,000 in total awards, including a $25,000 grand prize.
Central Middle School will also receive a $1,000 grant to support its local science and math programs in honor of Garry’s achievement.
She is the first Minnesota student to advance to the national finals in the JIC competition.
To learn more about Isabella Garry’s project data, visit her official profile on the Society for Science finalist directory.
The Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, a program of the Society for Science, is a nationwide middle school science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competition. It is intended to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators to solve the world’s most daunting challenges through hands-on inquiry and research.
Source: eplocalnews.org
