Murdoch PhD student sets sights on depolluting Nile River

Egyptian-born Joseph Boctor is leading research to depollute the Nile River from Perth’s own Murdoch University.

He moved to Willagee from the northern African country last year and is looking at an insect — the greater wax moth — which has the ability to eat and break down fossil-based plastics into energy sources.

He said he took on the project in a bid to reduce the effects of plastic waste which was plaguing his hometown.

“Egypt is a developing country and like most developing countries, produces a large amount of plastic and has poor recycling infrastructure,” he said.

“On top of that, we have the Nile River, which is the source of life for all agriculture and the main source of potable water.

“This river — the longest river in the world — is also littered with plastic pollution.”

Mr Boctor is holding his research with Murdoch University and a CSIRO Bioplastics Innovation hub to find the enzymes in the insect that can break down plastic.

He said while bioplastics were held as a part of the solution by developed nations, getting rid of plastic was a priority for developing nations.

“This is why I’m interested in finding safe and useful ways to degrade plastic polymers that would usually take up to 1000 years to degrade,” he said.

“This is what will solve the plastic waste in waterways like the Nile, because there is no way it can all be collected.”