Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
At ADIPEC 2025, students in the Young ADIPEC programme showcased their latest research and innovations.
The initiative is designed to inspire tomorrow's changemakers and empower youth to build a more inclusive and progressive energy future.
Speaking to Aletihad, Noura Al Tamimi, a Lab Specialist at UAE University, presented her master's thesis project.
Her research focuses on identifying the optimal mix that maximises the removal of heavy metals from wastewater.
"I am a civil engineer currently doing my PhD at the United Arab Emirates University. What I am presenting today is my master's thesis work, where we study the competitive absorption of heavy metals by fly ash and slag-based geopolymers under two different conditions: static and dynamic flows.
"We are targeting wastewater from industries like battery manufacturing, which contains high concentrations of lead, cadmium, cobalt and zinc.
"These metals accumulate over time and are not properly removed before being discharged, posing serious risks to aquatic life and, eventually, to humans who consume contaminated fish."
Al Tamimi emphasised that her team uses industrial waste by-products to create sustainable solutions.
"We repurpose materials such as fly ash and slag, which are typically dumped in landfills, to form geopolymers," she explained.
"By activating them with alkaline solutions, we can use these waste materials to treat wastewater efficiently."
For Al Tamimi, the environmental benefit is: "Instead of dumping industrial waste, we are giving it a new purpose: cleaning polluted water. Clean water is as valuable as any natural resource, and finding ways to recycle materials for this goal is essential."
Another participant, Alanood Al Blooshi, Young ADIPEC Ambassador, introduced her innovation - a smart water monitoring system incubated by Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S).
"My innovation uses ultrasonic flow meter sensors that clamp onto pipes to monitor water flow," she said.
"The sensors read and analyse data, helping users see exactly how much water is being used in each section of their home; something not visible on regular utility bills."
Al Blooshi added that the system can detect leakages and offers an artificial intelligence-powered predictive analysis feature.
"After a while, the system starts predicting future water consumption and provides a financial incentive for users to reduce their usage," she explained.
"For instance, our data shows that bathrooms account for around 35% of total household water use."
Meanwhile, Sultan Al Ali, a postgraduate student at Khalifa University, presented his research on sustainable refrigerants.
"Right now, we have an issue with current refrigerants being unsustainable," he explained.
"Our goal is to find alternatives that are environmentally friendly and safe."
He described the vital role artificial intelligence and machine learning play in his work.
"We use AI to predict the flammability of potential refrigerants. By inputting specific variables, our model calculates the flammability value, and we achieved a 99% accuracy," Al Ali noted.
Young ADIPEC continues to provide a powerful platform for UAE youth, turning academic research into real-world solutions that contribute to a cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable energy future.
