Xylem Commends 2015 Stockholm Junior Water Prize Winner for his Ground-breaking Invention to Remove Heavy Metal Contaminants from Water
Houston resident Perry Alagappan takes top honors at international
student competition in Stockholm
RYE BROOK, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL), a leading global water technology company
dedicated to solving the world’s most challenging water issues,
congratulates Perry Alagappan of Houston, Texas, the winner of the 2015
Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP), the most prestigious international
student competition for water-related research. The award was presented
to Mr. Alagappan during the 19th SJWP ceremony at the annual
World Water Week celebration in Stockholm for his project “Novel
Renewable Filter for Heavy Metal Removal: A Practical Application of
Functionalized Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes.”
Mr. Alagappan became interested in how rapid technological advances have
resulted in a significant rise in electronic waste, including toxic
heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium and lead, found in the waterways.
Combining his interests in water and nanotechnology, he focused his
intensive research on creating a first-of-its-kind filter that removes
more than 99 percent of heavy metal contaminants from drinking and
industrial wastewater.
H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden presented Mr. Alagappan with
the top prize of U.S. $15,000 and a prize sculpture, and Mr. Alagappan’s
school will receive a U.S. $5,000 award. Xylem has been a sponsor of the
SJWP global competition since its inception nearly 20 years ago, which
today draws entries from students in nearly 30 countries around the
world.
“As a long-standing supporter of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, we
continue to be inspired by the ingenuity and passion of all these bright
students, who bring fresh perspectives to address some of the world’s
most daunting water challenges,” said Patrick Decker, President and
Chief Executive Officer of Xylem. “At Xylem, we are committed to
supporting initiatives such as the Stockholm Junior Water Prize that
will help advance these innovative ideas to solve global water issues.”
The selection jury also awarded a Diploma of Excellence to Katherine
Araya and Katya Urqueta from Chile for a project that improved water use
efficiency in agriculture. In their project, the students addressed
global and local issues of food and water security, as well as the
preservation of agricultural land. Their project entailed using fungus
from an Antarctic root in lettuce production to decrease the amount of
water needed in the farming process. These winners of the Diploma of
Excellence received an award of U.S. $3,000.
The international SJWP is presented each year to students between the
ages of 15 and 20 for outstanding water-related projects that focus on
topics of environmental, scientific, social or technological importance.
Winners from 29 countries competed for the international honor, which
was awarded by an international jury of water professionals and
scientists.
The prize is administered by the Stockholm International Water Institute.
About Xylem
Xylem (XYL) is a leading global water technology provider, enabling
customers to transport, treat, test and efficiently use water in public
utility, residential and commercial building services, industrial and
agricultural settings. The company does business in more than 150
countries through a number of market-leading product brands, and its
people bring broad applications expertise with a strong focus on finding
local solutions to the world’s most challenging water and wastewater
problems. Xylem is headquartered in Rye Brook, New York, with 2014
revenues of $3.9 billion and approximately 12,500 employees worldwide.
Xylem was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the last three
years for advancing sustainable business practices and solutions
worldwide.
The name Xylem is derived from classical Greek and is the tissue that
transports water in plants, highlighting the engineering efficiency of
our water-centric business by linking it with the best water
transportation of all — that which occurs in nature. For more
information, please visit us at www.xylem.com.
Contacts
Xylem Inc.
Kelly McAndrew, +1-914-323-5969
Kelly.McAndrew@xyleminc.com
