Three Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering students, Khristian G. Ubiña, Christian B. Santos, and Marie Rocelle G. Raviz, successfully defended their undergraduate thesis on April 16, 2026, at the Roque Ruaño Building.

Their study, titled “Beta-cyclodextrin-functionalized sweet corn (Zea mays) husk hydrochar for adsorption of methylparaben in water,” explores a sustainable route for addressing emerging contaminants in aquatic systems. The work focuses on Methylparaben, a commonly used antimicrobial agent in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals that has raised environmental concerns due to its persistence and potential endocrine-disrupting effects.

The research team developed an adsorbent derived from agricultural waste, specifically sweet corn husks, which were converted into hydrochar through thermochemical processing. Surface modification using beta-cyclodextrin introduced host–guest interaction sites, enhancing the material’s affinity toward organic micropollutants. This functionalization strategy leverages the unique cavity structure of cyclodextrins to selectively capture target molecules such as methylparaben.

Performance evaluation revealed that the modified hydrochar exhibited improved adsorption capacity and favorable kinetics compared with unmodified counterparts. The results point to the combined effect of porous carbon structure and cyclodextrin inclusion complexes in facilitating efficient pollutant removal. The bead-free powdered system also demonstrated potential for practical deployment in batch and column-based water treatment processes.

The successful defense marks an important milestone for the group, showcasing their ability to translate fundamental concepts in adsorption and materials engineering into a solution-oriented study addressing real-world water quality challenges.