Effectiveness of Coir, Zeolite and Activated Charcoal as Water Filtration System

Researcher:

Lady Josephine Kaye L. Mendoza

Contact no. : 0935-144-2985

Email Address: kayemendoza559@gmail.com

Oriental Mindoro National High School

Adult Sponsor:

Aldrin F. Ramilo

Contact no. : 0921-807-6794

Email address: aframilo0200994@gmail.com

Oriental Mindoro National High School

 Effectiveness of Coir, Zeolite and Activated Charcoal as Water Filtration System

Rose Anne B. Damilig, Jerryll Aerhold P. Melo, Lady Josephine Kaye L. Mendoza

A. Rationale

Water is one of the basic necessities for us to live. We use every day to stay hydrated and

hygienic. In fact, our body is 70 percent made up of water and ¾ of the Earth’s surface is

covered by water. But most of our waters are polluted by trash, sediments, and many more which

limits the amount of clean water we can use every day. About an estimated 80 percent of marine

litter makes its way gradually from land-based resources (Melissa Denchak, 2018). Also due to

constant changes in our climate, we experience water shortages due to water constantly

evaporating, therefore limits our water supply.

Coir also known as coconut fibers can be found in the coconut husks. It is used in many

products such as fishnets, ropes, etc. Zeolite is compound mostly used in filtering water. It is

widely known for that fact and for their “labilty toward ion-exchange and reversible

dehydration” (Augustyn, Lotha et. al, 2018). Activated charcoal will be used to absorb the

organic compounds, in the samples.

The study aims to prove that the water filtration system made out of coir, zeolite,

activated charcoal and filter paper. This study can also help the communities for the use of this

filter system can make clean water, which is not necessarily for drinking but can be tap water

which is used for cleaning and hygiene.

B.1 Project Question

 How effective is the water purification system using three different subject

a) Canal Water

b) Freshwater

c) Rainwater

 How effective are coir, zeolite and activated charcoal in purifying water in terms

of:

a) Amount of sediments filtered

b) Clearness of water

c) pH level of the water

d) amount of water filtered

B.2 Statement of the Hypothesis

 Coir, zeolite and active charcoal will not make an effective water filtration system

in the different samples:

a) Canal water

b) Freshwater

c) Rainwater

 The water filtration system will not be effective in terms of:

a) Amount of sediments filtered

b) Clearness of water
 c) pH level of the water

d) amount of water filtered

B.3 Engineering Goals

This study aims to:

 measure the effectiveness of the water filtration system in terms of:

a) Amount of sediments filtered

b) Clearness of water

c) pH level of the water

d) amount of water filtered

 also to measure their effectiveness on the three samples namely:

a) Canal water

b) Freshwater

c) Rainwater

B.4 Expected Outcome

It is expected that the water filtration system will be effective in filtering the three

samples having:

a) A high amount of sediments filtered

 b) Clear water

c) Normal to basic pH level

d) High amount of water filtered

C.1 Materials

 1kg Coir

 500grams Zeolite granules

 800 grams Activated Charcoal

 8 Filter paper

 1.5 L empty plastic bottle

 100 mL of Canal Water

 100 mL of Freshwater

 100 mL of Rainwater

 6 measuring cups 150 mL capacity

 Iron stand

C.2 Procedure

Assembling the water filtering system. Cut the bottle in half, use the upper half as base.

Turn it upside down and place the filter paper inside. Next, put the coir, activated charcoal and

zeolite granules. Use the iron stand for support and to hold the water filter.
 Filtering and testing on the water samples. Record data on each of the 100 mL water

samples about the no of sediments, its clearness, and pH level, before filtering. Then, filter each

sample separately. The number of sediments removed will be measured by subtracting the no. of

sediments in the water before and after. Clearness will be measured using observation skills. The

pH level will be measured by laboratory tests.

C.3 Data List

The product will be tested and observed to collect the following data:

 amount of sediments filtered in:

a) canal water

b) freshwater

c) rainwater

 Clearness of :

a) canal water

b) freshwater

c) rainwater

 pH level of :

a) canal water

b) freshwater

c) rainwater

 amount of filtered:
 a) canal water

b) freshwater

c) rainwater

Risk Assessment

In this project, there are a few risks which include:

Physical Risk

 In cutting the bottle the researcher may cut him/herself that is why they

should be careful in handling sharp objects and seek supervision from

adult

Bacterial harm

 The researcher will be handling different samples that are contaminated

and might contain bacteria that can cause different illnesses to the

researcher and such. The researcher must wear gloves and be sure to be

sanitary at all times.

Bibliography

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. 2018. “Zeolite.” Encyclopædia Britannica.

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. December 20, 2018.

http://www.britannica.com/science/zeolite.

"Carbon Filtering." Wikipedia. August 03, 2019. Accessed August 04, 2019.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_filtering.

Denchak, Melissa. 2019. “Ocean Pollution: The Dirty Facts.” NRDC. June 6, 2019.

http://www.nrdc.org/stories/ocean-pollution-dirty-facts.

"Philippines Water Crisis - Water In The Philippines 2019." Water.org. 2019. Accessed July 05,

2019. https://water.org/our-impact/philippines/.

Viana, Camila Emanuelle Mendonça, Jose Wilmar Da Silveira Neto, and Khaldoon A. Mourad.

"(PDF) Using Rice Husks in Water Purification in Brazil." Using Rice Husks in Water

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