13-year-old turns peanut shells into pesticide remover, eyes $25K prize
A 13-year-old student, Arika Kundu, has developed a method to remove pesticide residues from produce using treated peanut shells. Her project is a finalist in the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge.
Why it matters
This highlights innovative, low-cost solutions for food safety and the potential for agricultural waste to be repurposed for environmental and health benefits.
A 13-year-old Indian-American student from Minnesota has invented a method to reduce pesticide residues on fresh fruits and vegetables by using peanut shells, something that is usually thrown away.Arika Kundu, a seventh-grade student at Minnetonka Middle School East in Shorewood, Minnesota, developed the method. Her project is called 'LIGNEX - A novel biosorption based approach that uses agricultural waste material to eliminate pesticide residues from fresh produce'.The project has also earned her a place among the 10 finalists in the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge.
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