Canadian Stockholm Junior Water Prize – 2015 Retrospective

By Cindy Toth, WEAO, CSJWP National Organizer and Head Judge, Town of Oakville

Ms. Nicole Zhao, a senior at Markville Secondary School in Markham (Unionville), Ontario travelled to Stockholm, Sweden in late August to compete for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize as Canada’s representative. While there Nicole participated in the competition and numerous other exciting activities organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI).

Nicole’s science project isolated and identified naturally occurring bacteria, Microbacterium oxydans, from the Great Lakes basin capable of degrading the contaminant carbamazepine (CBZ). CBZ enters the natural water system via human excretion and discharged treatment plant effluents. This bacterium could be used in bioremediation as a cost-effective and environmentally-sustainable solution to prevent further CBZ contamination in all parts of the water system. Nicole has an insatiable intellectual curiosity and is quite skilled in technical, scientific and creative capacities.She was very proud to represent Canada at this respected international competition.

Nicole Zhao, a senior at Markville Secondary School in Markham (Unionville)

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