Author Topic: super absorbent polymer from orange peels!  (Read 1588 times)

Daintree

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super absorbent polymer from orange peels!
« on: April 28, 2018, 12:31:06 PM »
"Old" news, but still really cool!
A teenager from South Africa won the 2016 Google science fair by developing a biodegradable SAP in her home kitchen using orange peels, avocado skins and lemon juice. The only other things used were time, sunshine, and electricity (for her stove).

Sure hope this pans out, for South Africa AND the world.  Put me on the list to buy some, but for now, I think I will try and make my own.  I certainly produce lots of citrus peels (not all orange, so I will be curious to see if I get similar results with a mix of lemon, lime and orange) and avocado skins.  My worms can't eat either one, so "wahoo!"

This girl has a great sense of humor, also.  Check out the required "health and safety" portion of her entry.
I wonder how her current experiments are going...

https://www.googlesciencefair.com/projects/en/2016/deb654bce83b15eed364f52fa8685634649014602eca78858c58fec00aa6041a

BajaJohn

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Re: super absorbent polymer from orange peels!
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2018, 12:54:39 PM »
Thanks for the heads-up. I'm definitely going to follow up on this.
It takes my worms a while to get through avocado peels but they love the half-avocados that have turned brown inside.

Daintree

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Re: super absorbent polymer from orange peels!
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2018, 02:56:28 PM »
Yeah, my worms (the "Bob's") love avocado, but never do finish up the skins.
I am curious if the mixture will help acidify the soil, also...

Carolyn

ScottR

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Re: super absorbent polymer from orange peels!
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2018, 10:28:32 AM »
Good question Carolyn, I've soaked orange and lemon peels before in water over night and it dropped my water ph from 6.8>5 in 5-gal bucket. ;)
Thanks for posting article very smart young lady 8) :)
« Last Edit: April 29, 2018, 10:30:25 AM by ScottR »