Mark Florence Saturnino, a fifth-year chemical engineering student, won First Runner-up during the PICHE National Student Research Competition held at the University of San Agustin, Bacolod City, last February 16, 2011. The competition was organized by the PICHE Metro Manila Academe Chaper as a parallel activity with the 72nd PICHE National Convention, Bacolod City.
Mr. Saturnino won the recognition for his thesis research project titled, “Sequential Electrolytic Copper Recovery and Alkali Precipitation of Wastewater from Gold-smelting of Scrap Electronic Circuit Boards”. In his study, he proposed a sequential process ( electrodeposition followed by alkali precipitation) for the treatment of copper-rich effluents generated by the goldsmelting of electronic circuit boards. The process is seen to offset the treatment cost (due to the value of the copper metal recovered) and it may also obtain a more environmentally compliant effluent (with respect to metals). The thesis guidance committee of Mr. Saturnino is composed of Dr. Catalino Alfafara, Dr. Veronica Migo, Engr. Maria Christina Mahilum and Engr. Jerico Aguila.
