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TWO Year 12 students at St Ciaran’s College in Ballygawley, who took part in the Stripe Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition at the RDS in Dublin over the weekend, have unveiled a project entitled ‘Can bacteria beat the bloom?’
Sixteen-year-olds Bróghán McKenna and Padraic O’Neill have explored whether bacteria, made in fermented rice, can defeat the blue-green algae plaguing Lough Neagh.
Using rice and water to make rice starch which is then fermented, the students then added it to a number of dairy products including, buttermilk and Greek yoghurt before leaving the mixture in the heat to separate.
It is then strained and mixed with stagnant water with floating algae blooms.
The experiment caused pH levels to drop, reducing the amount of algae and leaving the water clearer.
The students, who now hope to further develop their project, said they hope to find a way to resolve the ongoing crisis at Lough Neagh in recent years.
St Ciaran’s College principal Paul Lavery commended the two students for their outstanding participation in the Strip Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.
“Their project, which explores the highly topical and important issue of blue-green algae in Lough Neagh, demonstrates exceptional curiosity, scientific understanding and a strong sense of environmental responsibility,” said Mr Lavery.
“By tackling a real and pressing local issue, they showed not only academic ability but also a clear commitment to applying science for the benefit of the wider community.
“Their research, analysis and presentation reflect great credit on themselves, their teachers and the school.
“We are extremely proud of their initiative and hard work and we congratulate them on representing St Ciaran’s College with such enthusiasm, insight and maturity.”
Also in attendance at the Stripe Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition over the weekend were Cookstown High School students Luke Johnston and Daniel Brownlee who have developed a tourism app which is powered by AI and allows users to find hidden stories and share their experiences.
Having spent two years working on the app, the Cookstown students, whose project was one of over 500 projects on display at the exhibition, said the app aims to help tourists find experiences that genuinely match what they care about, offering personalised results through GPS.
