A 16-year-old Indian-origin South African girl has won $50,000 price at Google Science Fair in the United States for using orange peel to develop a cheaper ‘super-absorbent material’ that helps soil retain water.

Grade 11th student of a private school St. Martin’s, Kiara Nirghin, submitted her project titled, ‘No More Thirsty Crops’ aimed at alleviating the severe drought plaguing South Africa. Her solution to the problems includes using the peel from orange and avocado fruits, which were normally discarded.

Nirghin, who has cited renowned Indian scientist as her inspiration in her submission said, “I have always had a great love for chemistry since I was young. I vividly remember at the age of seven experimenting with vinegar and baking soda solutions in plastic cups. M S Swaminathan, has always been an inspiration of mine as he truly believed in the necessary movement of not only India but the whole world towards sustainable agricultural development.”    

She added, “I hope to one day become a scientist specializing in agricultural science and also become a molecular gastronomist.”

By explaining that how she had found and alternative in fruit peels to super absorbent polymers (SAPs), which absorb and carry about 300 times its weight in liquid relative to their own mass.

Nirghin said, “These SAPs are not biodegradable, costly and full of acrylic acid, sodium hydroxide and other chemicals. During more research in the topic, I found that natural occurring polymers exist in most citrus fruits.”

“The only resources involved in the creation of the 'orange peel mixture' were electricity and time, with no special equipment or materials required,” Nirghin added.

Nirghin is confident that her discovery will help assist farmers in agriculture drought disaster areas, where food security could increase by 73%.

She said, “I would also like to make large amounts of orange peel SAP and apply it to crops such as maize and wheat in poorer communities in South Africa.”

By Prajakt K.