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Students design state fair project to remove copper ions from water

Hopkinton Middle School students (from left) Tejas Prasad, Aahaan Punjabi and Mohanakrishnan Narayanan pose for a photo after winning a third place award at the Massachusetts Middle School Science and Engineering Fair earlier this month. PHOTO/REKHA GOPINATH

A trio of Hopkinton Middle School students took home a third place award in the Massachusetts Middle School Science and Engineering Fair earlier this month.

The fair — held at Clark University in Worcester on May 9 — brought together middle school teams from across the state to present science and engineering projects they have worked on through the school year. According to the Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair (MSEF) website, projects “should show evidence of scientific research, engineering design, computer science or mathematics.”

HMS students Tejas Prasad, Aahaan Punjabi and Mohanakrishnan Narayanan were one of 19 teams that secured a third place award at the event. Their project involved using calcium alginate beads to remove copper ions from water with the intent of addressing heavy metal contamination in water sources. The three were able to demonstrate to the judges that their solution is sustainable through regeneration of the alginate beads.

Narayanan explained that the idea for the project has its roots in South India, where both his and Tejas’ families originate from. In the region, the Tamaraparani (also known as the Thamirabarani) is a river with high levels of naturally occurring copper. The metal is so prevalent in the area that it inspired the river’s name, he added. ” ‘Tamara’ means ‘copper’ in [the] local language,” Narayanan clarified in a follow-up email.

After diving into scientific research under the guidance of Geeta Pherwani — Punjabi’s mother and a trained chemist — the boys settled on the alginate approach.

Narayanan said each team member put in about 60-70 hours worth of work since they started in January. They continually tested their solution, adjusting contact time, bead size/quantity and copper ion concentration with each experiment. Their work was helped along by access to what Narayanan called “advanced equipment” made available to them.

The team got to the state fair through a sponsorship from the Love to Share Foundation. Narayanan noted that he and his teammates got the foundation’s support because HMS was unable to offer assistance. “The school doesn’t usually sponsor these kinds of projects,” he said, noting a high volume of local students looking to participate annually.

Narayanan said the competition at the state fair was tough. “There were so many competitors, and we thought we wouldn’t win,” he said. “We were so happy because all the competitors were really smart [and their] projects were really good.”

Added Narayanan: “Representing Hopkinton was a proud moment for us.”

Now that the competition is over and the boys have earned their placement, they have begun thinking about next steps to improve their project and bring it to other fairs. Narayanan said the trio plans to enter their project in a fair at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology sometime in the fall.

— NICK SCHOFIELD

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Photo of the Day

Town Clerk Connor Degan checks the tape from an election machine test Wednesday at Town Hall as poll workers Len Holden (middle) and Russ Ellsworth assist. Annual Town Election is Monday.

PHOTO/JERRY SPAR