Norup Student Earns 3rd Place in Regional Science Fair

Congratulations to Shiva Egan, Norup 8th grader, for earning 3rd place at the 69th Annual Science & Engineering Fair of Metro Detroit for his project, “Mycoremediation of Detroit Demolition Sites Using Pleurotus ostreatus.” Shiva also received a Professional Award from AIRWAS — the Air & Waste Management Association, recognizing the scientific promise and real‑world impact of his work.

Shiva’s project focused on a major environmental challenge facing Detroit. As the city worked to remove abandoned and blighted homes, many demolition sites were filled with soil later found to be contaminated with heavy metals such as lead, chromium and arsenic, as well as pollutants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). To address this growing environmental concern, Shiva explored an innovative solution: mycoremediation, the process of using mushrooms to remove toxins from soil. Certain fungi, such as oyster and wine cap mushrooms, can absorb and store heavy metals in their cells, offering a natural, eco‑friendly way to clean contaminated environments.

Shiva hypothesized that oyster mushrooms grown on copper‑contaminated substrate would bioaccumulate the copper into their tissues. After successfully growing and fruiting his mushrooms, he used microwave‑assisted acid digestion followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP‑MS) to measure copper uptake.

His findings strongly supported his hypothesis. 

The Science & Engineering Fair press release shared, “Shiva’s research demonstrates both scientific rigor and community-focused problem‑solving. His work highlights how biological solutions like mycoremediation could help protect residents, restore safe soil and support a cleaner future. Congratulations, Shiva, on your impressive accomplishment and for using science to make a difference in our world!”