Maria Angeles Santamaria

Mexican biochemist creating edible water bottles to combat plastic pollution

Maria Angeles Santamaria is a Mexican scientist whose invention of the Ooho seaweed-based water container is transforming global sustainability efforts. As founder of WaterTable, she developed the world's first mass-produced edible water container in 2020. Made from brown algae and calcium chloride, the biodegradable spheres dissolve in 48 hours if uneaten, eliminating plastic waste from single-use bottles.

Her innovation has prevented over 2 billion plastic bottles from entering oceans since 2022. Santamaria's team created the BioForming production system, allowing local manufacturing using regional seaweed varieties. The technology is now used in 43 countries, including providing emergency water supplies in Haiti and Syria. She pioneered the Edible Packaging Index, a UN-backed standard for biodegradable food containers. Her 2023 book <《The Future of Thirst》> outlines strategies to eliminate plastic packaging by 2030.