Arika Kundu, a 13-year-old student from Minnesota, designed a method that converts discarded peanut shells into a material to remove pesticide residues from produce.

The innovation addresses the persistent challenge of chemical contamination in fresh fruits and vegetables. By utilizing agricultural waste, the method provides a sustainable alternative for improving food safety and reducing environmental pollutants.

Kundu named her process LIGNEX. The system transforms peanut shell waste into a functional material capable of extracting pesticide residues from the surface of fresh produce [1]. This approach repurposes materials that would otherwise be discarded as waste.

Kundu is currently a participant in the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge. She is competing for a grand prize of $25,000 [1].

"She is now competing for the $25,000 grand prize with guidance from a 3M scientist," a reporter said [1].

The project combines waste management with public health goals. By targeting pesticide residues, the LIGNEX method aims to make fresh produce safer for consumption while utilizing a low-cost, bio-based source material [1].

“Arika Kundu designed a method using discarded peanut shells to remove pesticide residues from fresh fruits and vegetables.”

This development highlights a growing trend in 'circular chemistry,' where agricultural by-products are repurposed into high-value filtration or cleaning agents. If scalable, the use of lignocellulosic waste like peanut shells to neutralize pesticides could reduce the reliance on synthetic chemical washes in the food supply chain.