An ingenious technique of using magnetic fluids to filter microplastic from water has netted a West Cork student a major world science award, as The Irish Times reports.

Eighteen-year-old Fionn Ferreira from Ballydehob topped a group of 24 finalists from around the globe to win the 2019 Google Science Fair — an accolade that also comes with a $50,000 educational bursary.

Ferreira, who has just completed his Leaving Cert and was a regular BT Young Scientist entrant at school, experimented with ferrofluid, which adheres to plastic, to see if it would help clear water samples of microplastic.

His findings showed that at least 87% of microplastic could be removed from a given sample — and he is eager to see his research applied in a bigger setting.

The Irish Times has more on the story, and Google has further details on Fionn’s research HERE.

WM Nixon adds: Fionn Ferreira comes from a creative and talented background in Ballydehob – his mother is craft worker Anke Ekhart while his father is the highly-skilled classic boat-builder Rui Ferreira, who has breathed remarkable new life into some old craft, and is noted for building new classics to the highest standards – one of his latest creations is the Dublin Bay Water Wag No 50 Hilda for Martin & Triona Byrne of Dun Laoghaire, which some observers reckon is the best Water Wag ever built in the class’s 132 year history.

Renowned Ballydehob classic boat-builder Rui Ferreira of Ballydehob – seen here with the Dublin Bay Water Wag Hilda which he completed this year for Martin & Triona Byrne of Dun Laoghaire – is father of award-winning junior scientific inventor Fionn Ferreira. Photo: Ian Malcolm