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Hi, my name is Elina. I’m a student from Almaty, Kazakhstan, with a strong interest in STEM — especially in chemistry and biology. I’m excited to connect with other young researchers and like-minded individuals through this competition!
Tell us what the water concern in your country is!Kazakhstan's water resources are under severe pressure from pollution linked to industrial discharge and chemical-intensive farming. Emissions from petrochemical facilities, solvent use, and fuel storage further degrade water quality. Despite water’s critical role, pollution control remains insufficient, endangering long-term ecological and public health resilience
This is what I think is one of the solutions for a sustainable future:To move toward a sustainable future, we need to combine scientific research, community engagement, and efficient use of resources. Each step plays a crucial role — from identifying environmental problems to monitoring them, analyzing their sources, and developing effective solutions.
New Sorbent-Enhanced Needle Trap Device for VOC Detection in Water
In our project, we present a novel method for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water using a Needle Trap Device (NTD) filled with a recently developed metal-organic framework sorbent (MOF), ZnMOF-74. VOCs, even at low concentrations, pose serious health and environmental risks. Omnipresent in rivers, near factories, and in tap water, exposure may lead to liver complications, lung disease, and cancer. The ZnMOF-74 sorbent demonstrated high reusability, sensitivity, and reproducibility in capturing VOCs such as isoprene, acetone, benzene, and p-xylene. Compared to conventional methods, this approach offers improved detection limits and environmental compatibility. The findings highlight the potential of MOFs as sorbent materials for the extraction of harmful chemicals and contribute to creating a safer aquatic environment.
