Booth Id:
ENEV034T
Category:
Environmental Engineering
Year:
2021
Finalist Names:
Laansalu, Ats (School: Tallinna Mustamae Gumnaasium)
Pihelgas, Henri (School: Tallinna Mustamae Gumnaasium)
Abstract:
The title of the present research project is “The Use of Peat in Eliminating Environmental Pollution from Bodies of Water”. This topic is relevant because in today’s world, environmental pollution is becoming a problem of increasing urgency and new, more effective ways of eliminating this pollution from bodies of water must be found and the use of peat for various filters could offer a solution. The objective of the project was to find a way to use peat for the extraction of oil from bodies of water. The practical objective was to produce peat filters and mats. 3 research questions and corresponding hypotheses were put forward:
1. Question: Which bog’s peat is the most effective for elimination of pollution from bodies of water?
Hypothesis: The most effective peat for elimination of pollution from bodies of water comes from Rae bog. The hypothesis was confirmed with the conducted tests.
2. Question: What degree of peat humification is best for liquid absorption?
Hypothesis: Low humification degree of peat is the best for absorbing and containing of liquid. The hypothesis was confirmed with the conducted tests.
3 . Question: How do the parameters of the peat mats affect the quality of pollution elimination?
Hypothesis: Thicker peat mats absorb more fluid and are more effective in pollution elimination than the thinner peat mats. The hypothesis was not confirmed. The conducted tests confirmed that peat’s absorption is affected by its degree of humification and its composition. Peat mats were effective in extracting pollution from the top of the surface of water. Pertaining to the future research on the topic, the author suggests conducting the tests in real environment, not in an artificial one.