Satria, the young air pollution fighter<\/p>\n
Bambang M., Contributor, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Come to Yogyakarta and rent a bike to ride around town. The
\nchances of you getting through traffic safely without going
\nthrough a cloud of exhaust from a motorbike is virtually nil.<\/p>\n
The choking air is worse at every junction, where you wait for
\nthe light to turn green. Should you forget your Matrix Blind
\nOptics Neo sunglasses or something similar, then be prepared for
\nitchy and sore eyes.<\/p>\n
The major cause of air pollution in Yogyakarta is the
\nincreasing number of motorcycles droning through the streets.
\nWhile the provincial administration is still working out a
\nsolution to this problem, let us introduce you to 17-year-old
\nRizky Yudha Satria.<\/p>\n
Satria is in his final year at state-run high school SMUN 6 in
\nYogyakarta. Although he may \"only\" be a teenager, he has already
\ninvented a simple gadget that can reduce the pollution caused by
\nthe exhaust from motorcycles.<\/p>\n
Check this out: On Aug. 20, he won first prize in the
\ntechnology category at the national level research program for
\nstudents and youngsters, the 2003 Science Project Competition for
\nYouths, organized by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).
\nIn it, he presented a paper titled \"The Influence of Propeller
\nContaining Natural Zeolite over Exhaust Pipes to Reduce Air
\nPollution (the Case of Carbon Monoxide Gas)\".<\/p>\n
\"This invention is the follow-up to my research on air
\npollution brought about by the smoke from motorized vehicles in
\nYogyakarta,\" said Satria, who won the first-prize trophy, Rp 4
\nmillion in cash and a letter from LIPI recommending him to any
\nuniversity of his choice.<\/p>\n
Born on July 30, 1986, Satria is very fond of research. One
\nproject of note is an environmental survey on brick-making in
\nSitimulyo, Bantul, which had caused ground water reserves to dry
\nup.<\/p>\n
He conducted the survey along with his classmates, and his
\nhard work won him second prize in the 2002 all-Yogyakarta Science
\nProject Competition for Youths.<\/p>\n
\"He is sensitive to problems found around him,\" said Rezayas,
\nhis father.<\/p>\n
Environmental issues comprise Satria's main interest, and he
\nargues that men enjoyed the comforts of life at the expense of
\nthe environment. Air conditioners, for example, generates CFCs
\n(chlorofluorocarbons), chemical compounds that are responsible
\nfor depleting ozone (O3) from the earth's atmosphere, thereby
\ncontributing to global warming. Ozone is the earth's protection
\nagainst harmful UVB and UVA rays from the sun.<\/p>\n
Satria is also aware that 70 percent of the air pollution in
\nthe country's major cities is caused by the exhaust fumes from
\nmotorized vehicles.<\/p>\n
Satria said he had learned from books that natural zeolite
\n(green sand) could absorb carbon monoxide (CO), one of the main
\ncomponents of exhaust fumes. One day, it dawned on him that a
\npropeller containing green sand, fixed at the opening of the
\nexhaust pipe, could help reduce pollution.<\/p>\n
\"This instrument is his own, original idea,\" said Rudi
\nPrakanto, advisor to science projects at the school and Satria's
\nmentor.<\/p>\n
The central part of Satria's gadget is a small propeller made
\nof sheet iron. Each blade of the propeller has a receptacle
\ncontaining minute pieces of natural zeolite, which can be
\nreplaced with new ones after several days. The outside of the
\nreceptacle has small holes to allow the zeolite to absorb the
\nexhaust fumes. This deceptively simple invention is attached to
\nthe opening of a motorcycle's exhaust pipe.<\/p>\n
Satria has designed the gadget as a propeller because, \"there
\nmust be no constraint on the air flow of the exhaust pipe\".<\/p>\n
When the motorcycle is running, the flow of exhaust through
\nthe pipe will activate the propeller, and the zeolite chips will
\nrotate, taking rounds in absorbing CO.<\/p>\n
After conducting several tests, Satria found that his
\ninstrument could reduce CO emission by about 50 percent.<\/p>\n
CO is hazardous to human health, as when it is inhaled through
\nexhaust fumes, it will stick to hemoglobin (red blood cells) and
\nreduce their ability to carry oxygen through the bloodstream. As
\na result, people may develop difficulty breathing, nervous
\ndisorders, chronic migraines, and even paralysis. People may even
\nfall into a coma or die from CO poisoning.<\/p>\n
Satria's invention is thus very important in reducing air
\npollution and in protecting people's health from its harmful
\neffects.<\/p>\n
He plans to have his invention patented, but before that, \"I
\nintend to study further whether this instrument will be
\neconomically valuable and whether I can increase its capacity to
\nabsorb CO.\"<\/p>\n
He attributes his success to his peers and to Pak Rudi, but
\nmost of all, he says with affection that his success is mainly
\ndue to the support he has received from his family.<\/p>\n
\"My dad has never asked me to be number one in the class, so
\nI've had a lot of time for research.\"<\/p>\n
Rezayas said that he had never assisted his son beyond guiding
\nhim in the right direction to channel his talents, because he has
\nlittle knowledge about his son's research.<\/p>\n
Balancing the support from loved ones and the intellectual
\nworks has almost been Satria's life motto.<\/p>\n
He looks up to noted environmental expert Otto Soemarwoto at
\nthe Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) as a role model. One
\nthing he admires most about Soemarwoto is the environmentalist's
\ndevotion to science as well as his family.<\/p>\n
\"In his work, Pak Soemarwoto always expresses his gratitude to
\nhis family,\" said Satria, adding that he wished he might one day
\nmeet Otto Soemarwoto.<\/p>\n
A meeting with Otto Soemarwoto may encourage Satria to
\nprogress further, but for now, it is more urgent to popularize
\nhis invention among the public.<\/p>\n
If his instrument becomes widely used, he will have fulfilled
\none of his ambitions: to be a useful person by reducing air
\npollution for the common good.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/satria-the-young-air-pollution-fighter-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}