A team of innovative young scientists from the Hermanas Mirabal high school has engineered a miniature aquatic vessel designed to tackle environmental pollution in Dominican waterways. The pioneering invention, created by students Carla Guzmán, Yanibel Vásquez, Yésica Polanco, Anyelis Solano, and Liceidy González, represents a significant breakthrough in addressing the Caribbean’s escalating sargassum crisis.
The ecological cleaning system operates through dual conveyor belts—a primary and secondary mechanism—that efficiently gather sargassum seaweed and plastic debris from river surfaces and coastal areas. The collected materials are transported directly into an internal storage compartment for subsequent processing and repurposing. The organic sargassum biomass demonstrates potential as agricultural fertilizer, while the intercepted plastics can be transformed into artisanal crafts or converted into alternative fuel sources.
Under the guidance of educators América Peña and Braulio Nova, these adolescents aged 13-15 developed their prototype focusing on Diamante beach in Cabrera municipality, a region severely impacted by ecological degradation. The project’s presentation at the Fourth María Teresa Mirabal Science Fair highlights how secondary education institutions are contributing practical solutions to national environmental challenges.
The technological innovation addresses dual environmental threats: the ongoing sargassum blooms that disrupt marine ecosystems and the plastic pollution crisis. This student-led initiative demonstrates how localized technological solutions can mitigate large-scale ecological problems while creating economic opportunities through circular economy principles.