“Nothing like breathe taking views, cockadoodle doos, lots of mildew, results to go through, friendships stronger than glue, and finding the real you.
Ecuador has been the best experience of my life, and I will forever be grateful. ???”
(Via Instagram / @bilbreyjosh)
Josh Bilbrey was a part of the Engineering Cohort program at Mercer University. “We had split up into different little teams. So my team was in charge of the water analysis. We collected water samples around the town and surrounding area and tested them for bacteria to see if the water was potable.”
A frequented practice of artisanal and small-scale gold miners (ASGM) in underdeveloped countries uses mercury to purify gold from ore; this process is referred to as amalgamation. When mercury is in contact with pure gold, the two elements combine to form a compound termed an amalgam. As the mercury is liberated from the amalgam, miners often inhale toxic vapors and mercury is released into the air, soil, and water. Mercer University students that travel to Zaruma, Ecuador will participate in the design, installation, and testing of three mercury aerosol capture and reuse devices.