Hello, my name is Christopher Xu, and my project regards the degradation (essentially removal) of a simulated pollutant (Methylene Blue dye) with a photocatalyst (something that speeds up a reaction under light) made from copper and chitosan, where chitosan is a derivative of chitin, a polysaccharide found in crab and shrimp shells. Studies have been conducted with this catalyst with the same pollutant but only under lab conditions, meaning neutral DI water. These studies miss a crucial point: while this catalyst may work under lab conditions, there is no telling how they might work under harsher conditions such as those in the ocean: specifically, pH, salinity and hardness. I will investigate how the catalyst performs under these conditions in hopes to gain further insight into when it can be used for pollutant removal most efficiently. Furthermore, I intend to gain insight on the main drivers of reaction. To do this, I will run radical scavenger tests or introduce certain chemicals into the reaction to take away one of the reactants, then investigate if there was a change in reaction rate. For the experimental design, I will have 2 controls, and 3 experimental groups. The two controls will be DI water (to compare against current literature to ensure I synthesized the catalyst correctly) and a solution of copper ions (to make sure that it is the complex, not just the copper that is degrading the pollutants). The three experimental groups would be pH, salinity and hardness, each with a low, medium and high value. I would expect the pH group to show the catalyst being most efficient in the medium value, and the salinity and hardness to be most efficient in the low group. This project will allow us to determine the best time to use a copper-chitosan complex to remove pollutants, knowing what salinity, hardness and pH are best, and what groups are essential for driving the reaction.