UK students win Stockholm Junior Water Prize

Christopher Whitfield and Wenqi (Jonathan) Zhao from the United Kingdom have received the prestigious Stockholm Junior Water Prize 2024 for their work on PFAS pollution. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution is a growing concern worldwide, and the students developed a unique solution to address the problem.

Focusing on the Thames Basin in the United Kingdom, Whitfield and Zhao created a geospatial neural network that can predict PFAS values to within 10% of experimentally validated values. The students also designed and tested a point-of-use filtration device to be installed on taps, which can reduce PFAS concentration by 93%.

"We are very proud to have won this prize," Zhao said. "It has been an amazing stay here is Sweden with so many new friends."

The Jury noted that Whitfield and Zhao's project "finds a way to take data and turn it into actionable knowledge. [They have] identified PFAS hotspots using machine learning, field tested their results, developed a cost-effective filtration system, and reached out to local governments and environmental organizations to raise awareness."

The Stockholm Junior Water Prize is an international competition where students between the ages of 15 and 20 present solutions to major water challenges. The winners were presented with their prize during an award ceremony at World Water Week by HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, the Prize's Official Patron.

The Diploma of Excellence was awarded to Shanni Valeria Mora Fajardo and Rosa Mendoza Sosa from Mexico for their work on developing a homemade filtration system to purify wastewater from dyeing processes so that it can be reused for vegetable gardens. The People's Choice Award went to Manoel José Nunes Neto from Brazil for developing a low-cost aquatic rover to monitor water quality in freshwater ecosystems.

The Stockholm Junior Water Prize has been organized every year since 1997. It is hosted by Stockholm Water Foundation, with Xylem as Founding Partner.

"Innovation is paving the way to a more water-secure world, and the next generation are accelerating progress," said Austin Alexander, Vice President of Sustainability and Social Impact at Xylem. "The Stockholm Junior Water Prize competitors are an inspiring example of the ingenuity and passion young innovators bring to the table. On behalf of Xylem, I'd like to congratulate all those who took part in this year's competition."

Learn how Xylem Ignite is building a network of passionate student leaders and empowering them to drive real changes in the water industry.

Read more about the winning projects

Stockholm Junior Water Prize: United Kingdom
Diploma of Excellence: Mexico
People's Choice Award: Brazil

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