2 teens won $50,000 for inventing a device that can filter toxic microplastics from water

[CaptainTruth]

8. That all dependents on how patent rights are handled...

...& whether the teens choose to sell or license those rights.

If this truly is a unique "first" it should be impossible for any company to produce prior art proving they did this before the teens, & the teens would own the intellectual property rights.