Tamayo presents paper in Asian “green economy” forum
July 26, 2012
Dr. Jennifer P. Tamayo, Senior Science Research Specialist at FPRDI’s Technology Innovation Division, presented a paper during the 12th Science Council of Asia (SCA) International Symposium held from 11-12 July 2012 in Bogor, Indonesia. Around 150 delegates from Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam participated in the said event.
Tamayo’s paper titled “Biosorption of heavy metals in mine tailings using Acacia auriculiformis barks” discussed the effects of heavy metals on humans and aquatic organisms, and the potential of acacia barks to remove these toxicities from waste products of mining.
“Asian countries can certainly benefit from the potential of A. auriculiformis barks because the species is easily grown in the region,” explained Tamayo. “Using acacia barks may be a cheaper and more effective way of lessening heavy metal deposits in mine tailings.”
Tamayo’s paper titled “Enzymatic saccharification of pre-treated abaca fiber (Musa textilis) using Cellic® CTec and Cellic™ HTec enzymes prior to ethanol fermentation” was also displayed as a poster during the symposium.
With the theme “Mobilizing Science toward Green Economy”, the conference underscored the need to reconcile economic development and environmental sustainability, which are oftentimes conflicting. It also aimed to raise awareness on the importance of green economy — one that achieves decent living for humans while significantly reducing environmental risks. ### (Apple Jean C. Martin, 19 July 2012)
