My name is Omar Quijano, and I am a student from Baja California Sur, Mexico, passionate about sustainability, leadership, politics, and environmental innovation. Growing up surrounded by the ocean and spending much of my time surfing made me more aware of how pollution affects marine ecosystems and coastal communities. This inspired me to develop Oleo-Catch, a project that uses recycled palm waste to adsorb oil contamination in water through a low-cost and sustainable approach. Beyond science, I enjoy public speaking, debate, and collaborating with people who want to create real impact. Participating in SIWI is an opportunity to learn from global perspectives, share ideas, and continue growing as both a researcher and future leader
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Manager for Stockholm Junior Water Prize
Alia Baidoun
2026•Omar Quijano Martínez
OleoCatch: Recycled Fibers for Aquatic Hydrocarbon Capture
Oil pollution in aquatic ecosystems poses a threat to biodiversity, water quality, and economic activities associated with these environments. This project developed a sustainable alternative for removing surface oil using human hair and palm fiber, two low-cost and widely available organic waste materials. The methodology involved evaluating different proportions of both materials to determine their hydrocarbon adsorption capacity and selecting the most efficient combination for prototype design. The results showed that the mixture of human hair and palm fiber achieved 85% oil adsorption with low water retention, confirming its potential as an adsorbent. In addition to contributing to the reduction of pollution in aquatic ecosystems, the proposal promotes the circular economy by repurposing materials considered waste and offers scalability potential…
