Teen discovers coconut fungi can filter plastic and sunscreen from ocean, wins science fair

A high school senior in East Honolulu has turned coconut waste into a potential tool for cleaning polluted ocean water — and her work is earning big honors. Using a woven filter inspired by Polynesian craft traditions and experiments run in a university lab, Vera Wang discovered fungi in coconut husks that can break down sunscreen chemicals and microplastics, a finding that propelled her to top prizes at the Hawaiʻi State Science & Engineering Fair and a spot at the international competition next year.

Wang’s project blends traditional materials, hands-on engineering and modern microbiology. What began as a sustainable filtering prototype evolved into a deeper investigation of the microorganisms living in coconut fiber — and revealed surprising biological activity that could reshape approaches to coastal pollution.

How a traditional weave became a modern ocean filter

Wang first built a surface-water filter modeled on Polynesian weaving techniques. The design used leftover coconut husk — a byproduct of local agriculture — to trap floating sunscreen residue and tiny plastic fragments. The filter was intentionally low-tech and low-waste: every component came from coconut processing leftovers, so the device itself aligned with circular-economy principles.

• Design inspiration: traditional Polynesian weaving patterns that optimize porosity and flow.
• Material choice: coconut coir and husk fibers repurposed from agricultural waste.
• Function: capture of sunscreens and microplastics from surface water, with attention to environmental footprint.

Building the prototype revealed another hurdle: collecting pollutants is one thing, but disposing of them responsibly is another. That question pushed Wang to investigate the biological life living in the filter material itself.

Lab tests at the University of Hawaiʻi: microbes doing the heavy lifting

Wang carried her work into Anthony Amend’s lab at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where she collaborated closely with marine biology graduate student Kaylee Christensen. There, she shifted focus from mechanical capture to biological degradation — asking whether organisms already living on coconut husks could break down the contaminants the filter trapped.

What the team looked for and how they tested it

The researchers sampled fungal communities from coconut fiber and exposed them to common sunscreen compounds and microplastic media under controlled conditions. They tracked growth, measured degradation, and experimented with biochemical indicators to pinpoint organisms capable of breaking down pollutants.

• Exposure experiments to assess whether fungi could metabolize sunscreen ingredients.
• Microplastic degradation trials to observe structural or chemical breakdown over time.
• Use of tannin-based tests to screen for organisms that actively degrade these materials.

Key scientific clues: tannins, pores and microbial hotspots

Wang found that the porous structure of coconut fiber supports airflow and water movement, creating niches where microbes thrive. The fibers also contain tannins — plant compounds that appeared to correlate with the presence and activity of pollutant-degrading fungi. Using tannin-based indicators helped the team identify candidate strains more quickly.

Genetic surprises: possible new fungal species

Genetic sequencing of the fungal isolates produced an unexpected result: several organisms did not match any entries in major global gene and genome databases. That means some of the fungi may be previously uncharacterized species, a discovery that opens new avenues for both basic science and applied biodegradation research.

• Sequencing revealed unmatched genetic profiles in multiple isolates.
• Uncharacterized strains suggest new metabolic pathways could be present.
• Further taxonomic work will be needed to confirm and name any novel species.

Award wins, scholarships and the road to the international fair

Wang’s project earned significant recognition at the state level. Among the honors were first place in the Microbiology category and a scholarship from the McInerny Foundation. Her performance has qualified her to present at the International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) next May in Arizona.

• 1st place — Microbiology.
• McInerny Foundation scholarship.
• Qualification to compete at ISEF in Arizona next May.

“I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to pursue my project in the Amend Lab,” Wang said, acknowledging the mentorship she received while developing and expanding her research.

Mentors and what the discovery means for Hawaiʻi science

Faculty and graduate students at the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) praised Wang’s initiative and the educational pipeline that supported her work. Anthony Amend, based in the Pacific Biosciences Research Center, highlighted the broader significance of student-driven research.

“This work was made possible because of Vera’s vision, and it gives me such optimism about the future of science in Hawaiʻi,” Amend said, noting the role of local public schools in preparing students for research careers.

Why this finding could matter for ocean cleanup strategies

The combination of a biodegradable-friendly filter made from coconut waste and fungi capable of breaking down pollutants presents a potentially scalable, low-cost approach to reducing coastal contaminants. Practical implications include:

• Reducing reliance on synthetic filtration materials by repurposing coconut byproducts.
• Leveraging native or naturally occurring microbes to biodegrade persistent chemicals.
• Designing disposal workflows that use biodegradation rather than landfilling or incineration.

Researchers caution that more work is needed to assess degradation rates, byproducts of microbial breakdown, and ecological safety before field-scale deployment. Still, the early results point toward an approach that combines indigenous materials knowledge, microbiology and sustainable engineering.

Next steps for research and competition preparation

Wang and her collaborators are planning further experiments to quantify degradation efficiency, identify active enzymes, and isolate the most promising fungal strains for follow-up study. They also intend to continue genetic analyses to properly classify any novel organisms discovered.

• Scale-up trials to test filter performance in real-world conditions.
• Biochemical assays to identify enzymes responsible for sunscreen and plastic breakdown.
• Taxonomic and ecological studies to document and name potential new species.

She will present this evolving work at the international fair next spring, a stage that could attract additional collaborators and funding for moving the concept from the lab toward practical field applications.

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Michael Thompson

Michael Thompson is an experienced journalist covering U.S. and global news. With ten years on the front lines, he breaks down political and economic stories that matter. His precise writing and keen attention to detail help you grasp the real‑world impact of every event.