Stories
Minnesota Student Transforms Peanut Shells Into Pesticide-Cleaning Tablets
M
Moneycontrol•08-10-2026, 19:46
Minnesota Student Transforms Peanut Shells Into Pesticide-Cleaning Tablets
- •Arika Kundu, a 13-year-old student from Shorewood, Minnesota, invented LIGNEX, an experimental tablet made from treated peanut shells designed to remove pesticide residues from produce.
- •Her innovative project earned her a finalist spot in the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge, competing for a $25,000 grand prize.
- •The LIGNEX process uses biosorption, treating peanut-shell powder with acetic acid to create effervescent tablets dropped into rinse water.
- •In laboratory tests using methylene blue as a stand-in contaminant in her garage lab, Kundu achieved a 93.94 percent removal rate.
- •While promising, the technology remains experimental and requires further testing on actual pesticides and various produce before commercial use.
Key Questions Answered
LIGNEX is an experimental project developed by Arika Kundu, a 13-year-old 7th-grade student from Shorewood, Minnesota, to remove pesticide-like contaminants using peanut-shell waste.
Kundu treats powdered peanut shells with acetic acid and forms effervescent tablets meant to be dropped into rinse water. The biological material uses biosorption to adsorb contaminants onto its surface before the water goes down the drain.
Arika Kundu was named a finalist in the July 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge for her project. She will meet other finalists in St. Paul, Minnesota, to compete for the title of America's Top Young Scientist and a $25,000 grand prize.
