Chemical Engineering students from the GAMER Research Lab Group secured third place at the Faculty and Undergraduate Students Engineering Research Symposium (FUSERS 2026), held on February 12, 2026 at the Frassati Auditorium. The annual gathering convenes faculty members and undergraduate researchers to showcase scholarly work that responds to pressing technical, environmental, and societal concerns.

Their study, titled “Biochar derived from waste pineapple peels (Ananas comosus) as adsorbent for the removal of acetaminophen in water,” examined the conversion of agricultural residues into functional carbonaceous materials for water treatment. The team synthesized biochar from discarded pineapple peels and systematically assessed its adsorption behavior toward acetaminophen, a commonly detected pharmaceutical contaminant in surface and wastewater systems. Characterization and batch adsorption experiments demonstrated favorable uptake performance, underscoring the viability of fruit waste–derived biochar as a cost-conscious and environmentally responsible sorbent.

Panel evaluators highlighted the study’s clear linkage between waste valorization and water quality protection. By transforming food-processing by-products into adsorbent materials, the project advances circular resource strategies while addressing emerging pollutants in aquatic environments.