Turning agricultural water treatment technology is at the heart of Nonkululeko Malomane's research. The 29-year-old PhD candidate in chemistry at the University of South Africa's Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability is developing environmentally friendly nanomaterials from sugar cane bagasse, orange peels and other agricultural waste to tackle some of the toughest water contaminants. Her research targets endocrine-disrupting chemicals, antimicrobial resistance genes and harmful bacteria that conventional treatment methods often fail to remove.
By immobilising these nanomaterials onto recycled polystyrene, she is creating sustainable, reusable technologies that could improve water quality while reducing waste and preventing secondary pollution. Her work reaches beyond the laboratory. Malomane is a co-inventor of a filed UK patent application for a sunlight-activated antimicrobial technology designed to improve household water safety in underserved communities.
She has also mentored more than 200 high school learners in maths and physical sciences through the NRF-Saasta National Youth Service Programme and the uBambiswano Project, in collaboration with the South African Young Academy of Science and the University of South Africa, inspiring more young people, particularly girls, to pursue careers in Stem. Driven by the belief that scientific innovation should improve lives, Malomane is proving that meaningful change begins with curiosity, persistence and a commitment to creating sustainable solutions for communities that need them most.