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Sheyna Patel Develops Experimental Material Aimed at Removing Microplastics, Becomes One of Ten National Finalists of the 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2025 and Refines the Project with Guidance from 3M Specialist.
At 14, American student Sheyna Patel developed a non-toxic experimental hydrogel capable of capturing and promoting the decomposition of microplastics in water. According to results released by the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the material achieved efficiency over 93% in project tests.
The innovation, officially named “PET Microplastic Removal In Water: Development of Novel Sustainable Hydrogel”, led Sheyna to the national finals of the science competition sponsored by 3M and Discovery Education in 2025.
When her finalist profile was announced, she was in the 8th grade at Orlando Science Middle/High Charter in Florida. The official profile of Sheyna Patel on Young Scientist Lab lists her as 14 years old and describes the hydrogel as a non-toxic material capable of capturing and decomposing microplastics with over 93% efficiency.
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Hydrogel Functions Like a “Magnet” for Microplastics
The project combines two steps: attracting and retaining plastic particles in the hydrogel and promoting their degradation over time.
In a demonstration presented after the competition, Sheyna explained that she developed the gel with properties similar to a sponge. When placed in water containing microplastics, the material attracts the particles to its structure.
The student compared the behavior to a “magnet” for plastics in water.
According to a report by Spectrum News on the experiment, Sheyna placed the hydrogel in a solution containing microplastics and worked with three different types of plastic during the project.
The official name of the project specifically highlights PET, which stands for polyethylene terephthalate, a material widely used in plastic products.
Light Plays a Role in the Degradation Process
The proposal does not only involve physically trapping the particles.
Sheyna explained to Spectrum News that the hydrogel can interact with sunlight and release radicals that act on microplastics, aiding their degradation over time.
The percentage over 93%, however, is presented by Young Scientist Lab as the hydrogel’s overall efficiency in capturing and decomposing microplastics.
Public information from the competition does not present this number as an individual chemical degradation rate for PET. Thus, the result should be understood as the performance reported for the system developed by the student, rather than proof that exactly 93% of the PET mass has been chemically destroyed.
Project Improved with 3M Specialist
After reaching the national stage, Sheyna began working with Deborah Isabelle, a product engineering specialist at 3M.
The mentorship was part of the program offered to the ten finalists of the competition. During the summer of 2025, the students worked with professionals from the company to develop and refine their proposals before the final stage.
In a publication dated August 28, 2025, 3M confirmed the partnership between Sheyna and Deborah Isabelle and described the project as a non-toxic hydrogel designed to capture and decompose microplastics in water.
Sheyna stated that the specialist’s guidance helped her overcome obstacles during development and boosted her confidence to turn the proposal into an experimental project.
The ten finalists worked during the mentorship period before the competition, which was held on October 13 and 14, 2025, at the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Trip to Kenya Inspired Anti-Pollution Idea
Sheyna’s concern about the problem began before the competition.
In an interview published by Spectrum News in October 2025, she shared that the inspiration arose approximately two years earlier during a trip to Kenya. The student reported seeing significant plastic pollution and residents consuming contaminated water.
The experience led the young girl to think of a solution related to both pollution and access to clean water.
The project ultimately positioned Sheyna among the finalists of a competition aimed at elementary school students, which seeks to turn scientific ideas into potential solutions for everyday problems.
Months after starting the competition in the 8th grade, Sheyna was already featured in a Spectrum News report as a 9th grader at Orlando Science Schools, a result of her normal academic progression.
Still in the experimental phase, the hydrogel is not represented by sources as a commercial product or technology already applied on a large scale. The results released correspond to tests conducted in the context of the student project, which successfully brought a 14-year-old to the national stage of the 3M Young Scientist Challenge with a proposal to tackle one of the most difficult contaminants to remove from water: microplastics.
