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Maricela Granda - Ecuadorian, Latin America and the Caribbean

2018 Winner | | Ecuadorian

In the Ecuadorian Amazon, when bananas are harvested, significant plant waste is generated (stem, rachis, leaves). These wastes can be used to create an effective biofilter that can remove pollutants from water, including toxic hydrocarbons released by the extractive industry. Thus,  clean water can be recovered to improve the lives of local people. The banana plant waste can also be used as a substrate on which to cultivate edible fungi to enhance food security. The banana is cultivated in several parts of the world, so this idea can be replicated elsewhere. Further more it will generate employment and economic opportunities. I am currently working on the physical and chemical characterization of banana crop residues, specifically the Dominico harton type. I am also isolating strains of edible fungi of the genus Pleurotus as part of my initial investigation.

I was born in Sucumbíos, Ecuador. I grew up amidst the oil activity and nature of the Ecuadorian Amazon. That is why, as a child, I knew the importance of finding solutions to environmental problems, taking as reference the biological systems of nature. That is also why I opted for a university career related to the environment. I am a graduate of ESPOCH in Environmental Biotechnology Engineering and I have researched the ability of the banana pseudostem to retain hydrocarbons. This research is the basis of the idea that I am pitching for the Young Champions of the Earth Prize.

Avertissement: NOTE: Ce contenu a été mis en ligne pour le cycle 2019 du programme Jeunes champions de la Terre et n'a pas été mis à jour. Cette liste ne constitue ni une approbation ni un statut auprès du Programme des Nations unies pour l'environnement.

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