STUDENTS AIM TO TACKLE MICROPLASTICS ISSUE

A university project which scooped a £1,000 innovation prize could help to tackle the rising issue of microplastics in water.

The FilTerra team from the University of Bath picked up the top Engineers in Business prize at the recent Bath Beyond Boundaries enterprise competition.

The team, comprising mechanical engineer Nika Kanayev and chemical engineer Tim Girling, impressed judges with their device – a carbon-negative domestic water filter.

The FilTerra system leverages biochar’s unique properties, with its high surface area and microscopic pores, and is engineered to effectively trap microplastics in the range of 20-300 μm.

Researchers are concerned about how microplastics – in particular phthalates, which make plastics more durable – can negatively affect humans, especially their sex hormones.

As a biochar filter is made from upcycled organic waste to perform water filtration, the duo hope it can undercut other filtration systems in terms of price – but also crucially be manufactured much more sustainably.

Nika and Tim met at the start of their final years on the ‘Intro to Entrepreneurship’ activity and after winning their university competition, the pair are now excited to take their innovation to the next level.

Nika, 22, said: “I had an idea for a biochar venture and knew Tim had a chemical engineering background, so sought him out to see if he would be interested in working together.

“I had initially thought about using biochar in agriculture to increase yields and to upcycle waste products. But in our ‘Business for Engineers’ session, the idea had several pivots.

“There are good filtration products on the market but ours could definitely be more sustainable in terms of manufacturing.

“We’re both graduating this year, and we currently don’t have jobs to go to so now could be the perfect time for us to start this journey. We know we have something, but we’re keen to learn from others who have been through similar journeys to guide us through the process. We’re ready to make it a reality.”

Tim, 23, said: “I have done a lot of reading on the subject, and am really interested in making a difference in this area.

“By proactively addressing this pressing environmental concern, FilTerra represents a transformative step towards safeguarding our water resources and minimising the insidious health risks associated with microplastic exposure.”

Tim also believes that taking part in the competition has already given him skills he can take forward into the business world.

He added: “I learnt a great deal about how to communicate a business idea to someone new and got an understanding of how to undertake market analysis of an idea.

“The hardest part for me was definitely the presentation. I’d done a couple of short presentations – about a minute long. But standing up there, pitching for five minutes was something else. We had a couple of sessions where people gave us all some really good pointers about smiling, engaging the audience and using body language which really helped. It’s really helped my confidence too.”

Find out more about our Engineers in Business competitions.