A project developed by 3 students from Escola Secundária da Maia in collaboration with the “Natural Products from Cyanobacteria” team was among the winners of the Educaixa (“La Caixa” Foundation) “The Challenge” competition
The Challenge competition focuses on secondary school teachers and students in Portugal and Spain and is an opportunity to promote talent and encourage students to develop projects in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The “EnziMar” project aims to decontaminate ocean waters, protecting marine life as well as maintaining the water cycle, preserving effective climate regulation and ensuring the health, economy and safety of the community through the rehabilitation of our water resources. To do this, genetically modified cyanobacteria are used which produce enzymes that can be used to create a product that cleans the oceans of organophosphates, the main constituents of pesticides.
The project was presented in Barcelona between May 8 and 11, 2024. Afterwards, the winning projects also had the opportunity to go on a training trip to New York and Boston, from June 30 to July 12, 2024, where they could be presented to the UN and GOOGLE.
