Two teenagers from Czechia and Slovakia named European Winners of The Earth Prize 2025 for their innovative water purification project PURA: One of them is 18-year-old student Tomáš Čermák from IPP CAS

 

In their work, they propose to use the power of light and plasma by combining Anna's research of water purification through photocatalysis and Tomáš's work using corona discharge plasma to destroy pollutants and antibiotic-resistant bacteria and to create an innovative solution for water purification called PURA. Antibiotic resistance is expected to cause around 10 million deaths per year by 2050 according to WHO. Thanks to the support from The Earth Prize, the student team will work on a prototype capable of treating larger quantities of water.

 

Commenting on their achievements, Tomáš Čermák said: " The news was absolutely unbelievable! When I realized that of all the innovative projects, PURA was recognized as the best in Europe, it really took my breath away. This recognition and funding allow us to bring our research projects to life, while creating a small-scale facility is just the beginning.” More information about Tomáš Čermák and his invention is available in Czech on the website of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

 

The Earth Prize (https://www.theearthprize.org) is the largest international environmental competition and an “idea incubator” for teenagers aged 13 to 19, helping young people mentor and fund their ideas worth up to $100,000. The prize was founded by the Geneva-based Swiss non-profit organization The Earth Foundation as a way to educate young people on environmental challenges. The Earth Prize aims to provide the next generation with all the tools needed to develop their environmental solutions for a real impact on life. Since 2021, the competition has reached more than 15,000 young people in 160 countries and awarded $500,000 to top teams.