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Meghan Marjorie Shea, 18, of West Chester, developed a water filtration method using crushed seeds of the Moringa oleifera plant for her environmental science Intel Science Talent Search project. Previous researchers had developed relatively complicated ways to use these seeds to purify water; Meghan found that a filter containing powdered, non-shelled seeds was more cost effective, reducing E. coli bacteria in the water by as much as 99 percent. More research is required to improve and further test the filter's effectiveness and to establish how often they should be changed, but Meghan hopes that the Moringa tree, which is widely grown in tropical and subtropical areas for food, will become a source of both income and clean household water in impoverished areas. Meghan attends Unionville High School in Kennett Square, where she is co-editor-in-chief of the student-run newspaper and captain of the school's drumline. Meghan also helps run after-school programs for local elementary school children, introducing them to science concepts and helping them with their homework. Meghan is the daughter of Peter and Kathleen Shea and hopes to pursue a career "bettering the lives of others" in environmental science or biology.
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