Stars and STEM Stories
GLOBE Qatar: Students Use Date Pits as a Powerful Tool Against Pollution
GLOBE Qatar
students Alya and Retaj from Moza Primary School for Girls (shown at
right), just 11 years old, are using a groundbreaking and eco-friendly
way to purify water using lipid droplets extracted from date pits,
turning agricultural waste into a powerful tool against pollution.
This project is one of the STEAMATHON projects implemented by GLOBE Qatar in collaboration with Qatar University. Under the supervision of Yumn Soufi, Hager Abdulaziz, and Aya Khattab, and in line with the GLOBE Hydrology (Nitrates) protocol, the students were able to show that these natural droplets act like "magnets" for harmful dioxins, completely removing them from water. The process is simple, cost-effective, and sustainable, using discarded date pits to create a product that aligns with Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and global efforts for clean water and environmental protection. This method is affordable and can be used in impoverished areas and conflict zones, making it a practical and accessible solution for communities facing water contamination challenges. It aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 6, which focuses on clean water and sanitation, and Goal 14, which emphasizes the conservation of life below water. By promoting sustainability and repurposing agricultural waste, this initiative supports global efforts to reduce environmental impact.
The process of cleaning the date pits and adding the lipid mixture to water.
Alya and Retaj from Moza Primary School for Girls presenting their work.