EVALUATION OF THE OIL ADSORPTION CAPACITY OF MAGNETIC

ACTIVATED CARBON DERIVED FROM TARO (Colocasia esculenta) LEAVES

A Project Proposal

Presented to the Faculty of the Petroleum Engineering

College of Engineering

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY

The National Engineering University

Alangilan Campus

Alangilan, Batangas City

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the degree

Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering

by

Belo, Angelico Lorenzo C.

Castro, Adryan C.

Navera, Adrian R.

OCTOBER 2022
 APPROVAL SHEET

This project proposal entitled “EVALUATION OF THE OIL ADSORPTION

CAPACITY OF MAGNETIC ACTIVATED CARBON FROM TARO (Colocasia

esculenta) LEAVES” prepared and submitted by BELO, ANGELICO LORENZO C.,

CASTRO, ADRYAN C., and NAVERA, ADRIAN R., in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering has been examined

and recommended for Oral Examination. 

                             ___________________________________
  ENGR. ROXANNE R. NAVARRO
                          Adviser

Approved by the committee on Oral Examination with a grade of ___________.

PANEL OF EXAMINERS

_______________________
Chairman
_______________________ _________________________
Member Member

Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN PETROLEUM ENGINEERING

OCTOBER 2022   DR. REYNATO GAMBOA

Date Dean, COE       
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The researcher would like to express their utmost appreciation and deepest gratitude to

several individual that in their own special ways made the completion and success of the project

study possible. 

To Engr. Roxanne R. Navarro, the researcher’s adviser, who diligently offered her

knowledge and specialty in helping the researchers to complete the study and for her patience

and devotion in encouraging the researchers.

To the researchers’ family and loved ones for their encouragement, endless support, love,

and care for their continuous spiritual, moral and financial support.

To the researchers’ friends and classmates, for their deep understanding and unwavering

support for the researchers worries and for giving encouragement and advice which motivated

the researchers for the completion of this study. 

Above all, to GOD ALMIGHTY, LORD JESUS for blessing the researchers with

wisdom, knowledge, strength, and endless love and guidance.

 ABSTRACT

Oil spill is one of the greatest problems faced by the oil and gas industry. It is the

mishandling of crude oil which causes a lot of environmental, ecological, and economic damage

to the environment. Oil's physical and chemical properties change gradually when it is spilled in

water or on land. The spilled oil contaminates drinking water and causes significant

environmental damage. Environmental scientists continue to face difficulties in dealing with an

oil spill.

Adsorption using activated carbon from lignocellulosic material is one of the promising

techniques for removing oil spills in water bodies. and using magnetized activated carbon

improves the adsorption capability of the material. In general, when compared to its parent

material, carbonization and magnetization operations improve the oil sorption ability of the

generated material. This is due to chemical activation, which increases the micropores and

macropores of the activated carbon generated, which is where the majority of the adsorption

process on nanomagnetic activated carbon occurs. The main goal of this study is to determine the

adsorption capacity of activated carbon produced from Taro leaves in removing oil from

wastewater. The study will focus on the properties of the magnetic activated carbon derived from

the lignocellulosic Taro leaves and will investigate the effect on the adsorption efficiency by

varying the amount of activated carbon dosage and the contact time. To evaluate the

effectiveness of the activated carbon derived from taro leaves as oil adsorbent, adsorption rate

and adsorption efficiency will be obtained and analyzed.

Keywords: oil spill, magnetic activated carbon, adsorption, lignocellulosic materials, taro leaves,

oil adsorbent
 Table of Contents

TITLE PAGE I

APPROVAL SHEET II

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT III

ABSTRACT IV

TABLE OF CONTENTS V

LIST OF TABLES VII

LIST OF FIGURES VIII

CHAPTER

I THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction 1

Research Questions 3

Research Objectives 4

Research Hypothesis 5

Scope and Delimitations 5

Importance of the Study 7

Definition of Terms 7

II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Conceptual Literature 9

Oil Spill 9

Oil Adsorption 17
 Sorbent Materials 19

Taro Leaves 23

Activated Carbon 26

Scanning Electron Microscopy Analysis 31

Magnetizing Activated Carbon 31

Research Literature 34

Synthesis 39

III RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURE

Research Design 45

Materials and Equipment 47

Synthesis of the Activated Carbon 54

Characterization of the Activated Carbon 55

Preparation of Magnetic Activated Carbon 55

Analysis of Activated Carbon 56

Preparation of MAC Oval Tablet 56

Experimental Setup 57

Adsorption Isotherm 59

Statistical treatment 59

BIBLIOGRAPHY 62
 LIST OF TABLES

Table No. Title Page #

1 Chemical Composition of Taro Leaves 24

2 Starch Content and Carbon content of Taro Leaves 25

3 Physicochemical Properties of Taro 26

4 Experimental Setups on the Varying Number of Tablets 57

5 Experimental Setups on the Varying Contact Time 58

6 Cost Estimation 60
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure No. Title Page #

1 Marine Oil Spill 10

2 Jet Fuel Spill 11

3 Norilsk Diesel Oil Spill 11

4 Mauritius Oil Spill 12

5 Oil Spill in Solomon Islands 12

6 Sinking Oil Spill at Gulf of Mexico 13

7 Sorbent Pads Applied at Sea 19

8 Taro Leaves 23

9 Results of Scanning Electrons Microscope Analysis 24

10 Anhydrous Ferric Chloride 32

11 Anhydrous Ferrous Sulfate 33

12 Conceptual Paradigm of the Study 45

13 Schematic Diagram of the Study 46

14 Taro Leaves 47

15 Calcium Bentonite 47

16 Potassium Hydroxide 48

17 Ferric Chloride 48

18 Iron (II) Sulfate Heptahydrate 49

19 Muriatic Acid 49

20 Sodium Hydroxide 50
21 Analytical Balance 50

22 Desiccator 51

23 Mechanical Sieve Shaker 51

24 Convection Oven 52

25 Two Liters Platform Glass 52

26 pH meter 53

27 Hot Plate Magnetic Stirrer 53

 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Oil spill is one of the greatest problems faced by the oil and gas industry. It is the

mishandling of crude oil which causes a lot of environmental, ecological, and economic damage

to the environment. One of the most common petroleum products is diesel. Diesel fuel is toxic to

the environment due to its hydrocarbon composition, and its widespread use in human activities

makes it one of the most dangerous hydrocarbon pollutants. That is why oil spills, especially

diesel fuel contamination of marine bodies, always results in tragedy. 

According to Kokkinos et al (2022), water contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons can

be remedied using a variety of physical and chemical methods. Dispersants, chemical oxidation

such as the Fenton process, and other chemical methods are used. Although the implemented

methods demonstrate satisfactory performance, they are often energy-intensive and not cost-

effective. Among the physical cleaning methods, spill adsorption is regarded as one of the most

cost-effective and environmentally friendly. 

As stated in the study of Abuzman et al. (2013), in terms of efficiently adsorbing a wide

range of pollutants and fast adsorption kinetics, adsorption on activated carbon has been found to

be superior to other chemical and physical methods for wastewater treatment. It is the process by

which organic molecules in a liquid or gas are attracted and bound to the surface of activated

carbon pores as the liquid or gas passes through. It means that the chemical is interacting with

the material's surface. Activated carbon can be produced using a wide range of raw materials.

According to the study of Abacan, S., et al (2015), varying the parameters to the optimum

1
condition for the activated carbon to have the best adsorption capacity, the study found that

22.8% of the oil is adsorbed. Due to the hydrophilic raclical of the outer surfactant layer's

adsorption, magnetic reagent can react with activated carbon. As a result, activated carbon is

magnetic (Guizhen, F., ets al, 1997).

According to the study of Gan et al (2020), magnetic-particle integration in the water-

treatment industry is gaining popularity due to its superior physical and chemical properties. Due

to the presence of magnetic material in the adsorbents, which can facilitate separation through

the application of an external magnetic field, magnetic-particle adsorption technology shows

promising and effective results for wastewater treatment. Also, magnetism is a well-considered

quality that makes it simple to separate biochar/activated carbon from treated waste water by

giving it a magnetic property, helping to increase the efficiency of recycling and reuse.

According to the study of Aris, A., et al (2018), their research compared the oil adsorption

efficiency of an unmagnetized activated carbon and a magnetic one. The study showed that the

magnetic activated carbon demonstrated a greater oil removal which is 97% than the

unmagnetized activated carbon which is only at 83%. A maximum oil adsorption affinity of 30.2

g oil/g was measured for the magnetic nano-hybrid material. In the presence of 1 g/L of magnetic

nano-hybrid, the ideal oil leak of 80% was established after 60 minutes. Using an external

magnet, the composite material may be retrieved along with the adsorbed oil and exhibits good

oil retention capacity with quick kinetics. After recovery, the adsorbent material can be

repurposed using solvent or heat extraction. The magnetic nanocomposite is therefore

demonstrated to be an effective and recyclable viable candidate for magnetic separation-based oil

spill cleanup (Joy, P.A. & Raj, K.G., 2015). There are primarily three types of magnetic

activated carbon: "iron-based, cobalt-based, and nickel-based," according to the magnets present.

2
Iron is the most extensively utilized component in the production of magnetic activated carbon

since it is abundant, inexpensive, safe, and non-toxic when compared to other magnetic elements

like cobalt and nickel. That is the main reason why the researchers chose to utilize iron oxides to

produce magnetic activated carbon.

According to Chowdhury et al (2022), lignocellulosic biomass is regarded as one of the

most abundant and bio-renewable feedstocks, with enormous potential for long-term production

of activated carbon. From the results of the study of Chimtong, S., et al (2016), it was observed

that untreated taro leaves contain hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin which is vital in the

formation of lignocellulose. Since taro is lignocellulosic, it also has a high carbon content which

ranges from 28.61%-54.98% which makes it an ideal material to produce a good quality of

activated carbon. Taro is grown under paddy, dry land, and hybrid conditions. Despite its wide

geographical range, high nutritional value, and significant trade as a fresh and processed crop,

taro and its wild relatives have received little attention from research funding agencies, and there

has been little effective or large-scale assessment of production, trade, and usage. The primary

qualification for activated carbon, as stated by Carlson and Ebbenis (2022), is that the raw

materials have a high percentage of carbon content. Taro also have properties of being super-

hydrophobic and super-oleophilic. Taro leaves have variety of capacities for repairing diverse oil

spills. The findings show that taro leaves have a good ability to fix low volatile oil material and

have a high rate of centrifugal oil retention (Li, H., et al, 2013). With these properties and

qualifications, the researchers of this study will be utilizing the material to produce magnetic

activated carbon derived from taro leaves.

The study would make significant contributions to sustainable development goal (SDG)

6, which ensures clean water and sanitation and sustainable development goal (SDG) 14, which

3
ensures the life below water. By limiting environmental contamination and recovering the spilled

oil through adsorption, this will help to preserve both life and health as well as the environment.

This study will focus on the production of magnetic activated carbon derived from taro leaves for

adsorbing diesel oil in simulated oil spill.

Research Questions

The goal of this research is to create activated carbon from Taro leaves for the adsorption

of oil spill. The researchers are specifically looking for answers to the following questions:

1. Would the resulting magnetic activated carbon be effective in adsorbing oil from

seawater?

2. How would the adsorption capacity, adsorption rate and adsorption efficiency of the

magnetic activated carbon derived from taro leaves compare to the commercially

available adsorbents used in oil spill?

3. What are the effects of varying the amount of magnetic activated carbon and contact time

in the adsorption rate, adsorption efficiency and adsorption capacity of the magnetic

activated carbon in the adsorption of oil from seawater?

Research Objectives

  The main goal of this study is to determine the oil adsorption capacity of magnetic

activated carbon oval tablets derived from taro leaves in simulated oil spills. Specifically, the

study aims to;

1. Conduct experiment to produce magnetic activated carbon considering the following

1.1. Proportion of the iron oxide solutions

1.2. Stirring time

4
 1.3. Stirring speed

2. Determine the properties of the magnetic activated carbon through chemical analysis.

2.1. Bulk density

2.2. Iodine number

2.3. Particle size distribution

2.4. Pore size

2.5. Surface area

2.6. Surface morphology

3. Conduct oil-spill simulation considering the following

3.1. Proportion of diesel and seawater

3.2. Duration (time) of oil spillage

4. Conduct series of tests using varying amount of magnetic activated carbon and contact

time to determine the following:

4.1. Adsorption capacity

4.2. Adsorption rate

4.3. Adsorption efficiency

5. Evaluate the results through graphical and statistical analysis

Research Hypothesis

The following hypotheses will be tested using research based related literature, theories

and using data assessed by descriptive statistical methods.

1. There is a significant difference on percent oil concentration before and after treatment

using the best condition.

5
 2. The adsorption rate, adsorption efficiency and adsorption capacity of the magnetic

activated carbon derived from taro leaves will have a significant difference when

compared to the market available adsorbents.

3. Increasing the amount of activated carbon and contact time applied on the simulated oil

spill would have a significant effect on the adsorption rate and adsorption efficiency of

the magnetic activated carbon.

Scope and Delimitation

The study will focus on adsorption of oil from water using magnetic activated carbon

derived from taro leaves. The adsorption rate and adsorption efficiency of activated carbon

derived from taro leaves will also be evaluated.

The taro leaves that will be used to produce the activated carbon will be procured from

Lipa City Public Market. The activation process of the collected taro leaves will be done in a

DOST laboratory. Magnetic Fe3O4 will be synthesized by mixing FeCl3 solution with FeSO4

solution with a 2:1 ratio respectively. The solution that will produce magnetic Fe3O4 will be

stirred at 60 degrees Celsius for 30, 45 and 60 minutes.

The study will produce magnetic activated carbon by mixing the solution of Fe3O4 with

the produced activated carbon. By finding common ratios used in various studies concerning

production of magnetic activated carbon, the proponents will use 4:1 ratio of Fe3O4 solution and

activated carbon for the synthesis of the magnetic activated carbon. The solution will be mixed

and stirred slowly at room temperature for 30 minutes.

6
 The proponents will determine the properties of the magnetic activated carbon derived

from taro leaves including, Iodine number, Particle size distribution, Pore size, surface area,

surface morphology. The study will use magnetic activated carbon for the adsorption of oil spill. 

The study will simulate an oil spill using 1.5 mL of seawater and 15 mL of oil for each

setup. The seawater that will be used will have its pH determined by the proponents. The study

will utilize a 20 cm x 15 cm x 20 cm container for the simulated oil spill. Diesel oil purchased

from Shell will be used in the study. The simulated oil spill will be sent to Laguna Lake

Development Authority for the analysis of oil content after treatment of activated carbon.

The study will evaluate the effect of the amount of the magnetic activated carbon tablets

used on the adsorption rate and adsorption efficiency of activated carbon in adsorption of oil.

The study will also evaluate the effect of contact time on the adsorption rate and adsorption

efficiency of the activated carbon. The relationship between the concentration of magnetic

activated carbon and contact time with the adsorption capacity, rate and efficiency will be

presented using graphical analysis.

Importance of the Study

The study will focus on the oil adsorption capacity of activated carbon produced from

Taro leaves simulated oil-water mixture. The study will be beneficial to the following sectors:

To the community, the results of the research will help in improving the environmental

state of places specially those near the industrial buildings. The study will provide results that

would help improving their quality of life.

To the Batangas State University, the study would help in providing research materials

and to attain their objective of providing quality education to students.

7
 To the Petroleum Engineering Department, the study would help as a reference for the

faculty and students alike for further understanding of the topic regarding the adsorption capacity

of activated carbon produced from organic material simulated oil-water mixture.

To the researchers, this study will serve as a practical application of the knowledge

acquired in learning science and engineering. The study would also strengthen researchers’

awareness and concern for the environment.

To the future researchers this study will serve as a guide for future research and can serve

as a basis and reference for improvements pertaining to the adsorption capacities of organic

materials.

Definition of Terms

For better understanding of the study, the following terms are defined conceptually and

operationally:

Adsorbate. The material being extracted from the liquid phase in order to interface. The oil from

simulated oil-contaminated seawater works as the adsorbate in operation (Abacan, S., et al,

2015).

Adsorbent. Adsorbents are solid substances that are used to remove impurities from liquids or

gases that are harmful to the environment (Kane, P., et al, 2021).

Adsorption. Adsorption is a phenomenon of gases or solutes adhering to solid or liquid surfaces,

and it is a mass transfer process. The reason for adsorption on a solid surface is that uneven

forces cause molecules or atoms to retain some of their surface energy (Eurofins, 2022).

8
Activated Carbon. Is powdered charcoal that has been purified. It is physically or chemically

treated to create micro fissures that increase its adsorptive surface area. This is the main method

that will be used in this research.

Adsorption Capacity. The amount of adsorbate absorbed by an adsorbent per unit mass or

volume of adsorbent (Taro Leaf)

Bulk Density. The mass of the bulk solid that fills a unit volume of a bed, including the volume

of all interparticle gaps, is known as the bulk density (Cordoba, A. & Goyanes, S., 2017).

Diesel Oil. Any liquid fuel used in diesel engine. This type of oil is the adsorbate used in the

study (Abacan, S., et al, 2015).

Hydrophobic. Hydrophobic refers to something that doesn't like water, isn't soluble in it, or

repels water (BiologyOnline, 2022).

Iodine Number. A method used to assess the adsorption potential of activated carbons is the

iodine number. The quantity of iodine adsorbed by 1 g of carbon at the mg level is the iodine

number, which measures the porosity of the activated carbon (Saka, C., 2012).

Lignocellulosic. a plant biomass made up of lignin, cellulose, and hemicelluloses, with cellulose

and hemicellulose being firmly attached to lignin (Chandra, M. & Madakka, M., 2019).

Magnetic Activated Carbon. A solid product formed by distributing magnetic substrates on

AC, and is known for the removal of heavy metals from wastewater due to its beneficial physico-

chemical features, including as increased surface area and magnetic properties (Anyika et al.,

2017).

9
Oil Spill. It is the mishandling of crude oil which causes a lot of environmental, ecological, and

economic damage to the environment.

Oleophilic. Refers to a material that can absorb nonpolar liquids or oils (Hild, F., 2022).

Particle Size Distribution. Indicates the percentage of particles of a particular size. These

ranges are additionally known as size classes or fractions (Microtrac, 2022).

Pore Size. The average or range of sizes of holes or pores of activated carbon (IGI Global,

2022).

Surface Area. The overall area of an object's surface that it occupies. Because of its porosity,

activated carbon has a large surface area (Abacan, S., et al, 2015).

Surface Morphology. A subset of analytical imaging, which uses high-end microscopes to

create images of products, materials, and objects that are invisible to the unaided eye. Analytical

imaging is an advanced kind of high spatial resolution imaging. These photos are from the

sample or product's exposed surface (Eurofins, 2022).

Taro Leaves. The heart-shaped leaves of the taro plant (Colocasia esculenta), which is widely

grown in subtropical and tropical climates. It is one of the two organic materials that will be used

in this research.

10
 CHAPTER II

Review of Related Literature

Conceptual Literature

I. Oil Spill

The oil and gas industry are one of the major contributors in the world’s economy and

like any other industries, there are times when accidents happen. Oil spill as one of these

accidents is an extremely dangerous and destructive thing to happen. Oil spills do not usually

make the news unless it is of a massive scale, but oil spills happen frequently. According to the

U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration there were about eleven oil spills per

month in the year 2018. Some of the major oil spills that happen are due to accidents in the

transportation of the oil or accidents in the rig itself and are usually on the ocean or in other

bodies of water. But there are also cases that an oil spill can happen on land. As the need for oil

rose, refined products, such as gasoline and diesel, began to be used to power automobiles, ships,

11
and other vehicles, resulting in the development of a global network of wells, ships, storage

terminals, and pipelines. Extraction of oil from the ground and transportation to refineries and

beyond periodically leaks oil into the environment due to old and damaged equipment, human

mistake, and poor luck. The worst disasters have released tens of millions of gallons of oil,

polluting fisheries, killing, and injuring wildlife, and causing a loss of tourism money. As oil

spills usually happen at the ocean or in other bodies of water, it really causes a big problem in

plenty of marine life. Oil spills harm sea creatures and can make many seafoods unsafe to ingest.

It was also extremely hard to remove oil from the water and it takes a very long time to

completely remove any traces of oil in the water causing tremendous damage to the water and to

anything that lives in it.

Figure 1. Marine Oil Spill

Source: Office of Response and Restoration (2010)
Types Of Oil Spill

Although oil was thought of as a single substance, there are many different types of oil. The

viscosity, volatility, and toxicity of different oil types varies accordingly. The viscosity of an oil

12
refers to its resistance to flow. The pace at which the oil evaporates into the air is referred to as

volatility. Toxicity refers to how dangerous or toxic an oil is to humans or other organisms. The

National Office of Response and Restoration have classified oil into five groups

● Group 1: Non-Persistent Light Oils 

This includes very volatile and highly flammable gasoline products. It was also

highly severe toxic to organisms. After evaporation it does not leave any residue and due

to its high flammability and toxicity cleanup can be dangerous.

Figure 2. Jet fuel Spill at Oceana

Source: Vergakis, B. (2017)

● Group 2: Persistent Light Oils

It includes diesel oil, home heating oil, jet fuels and kerosene. It has a moderate

volatility and leaves a third of the oil spilled as a residue after a few days. This type spread

rapidly into thin slicks and has moderate to high acute toxicity to organisms.

13
 Figure 3. Norilsk Diesel Oil Spill
Source: Onsite Treatment Services (2020)
● Group 3: Medium Oils

It is a moderately volatile product that evaporates one-third of the oil on the first

24 hours upon spillage. Contamination of intertidal areas can be severe and long lasting.

This type of oil also tends to smother organism when it was stranded oil. The effects of

oil on waterfowl and fur-bearing mammals can be devastating. Cleanup is most effective

when conducted immediately.

Figure 4. Mauritius Oil Spill

Source: Mongabay (2020)
● Group 4: Heavy Oils

14
 There is very little evaporation or dissolution. Intertidal zones are likely to be

heavily contaminated. Waterfowl and fur-bearing mammals face severe consequences

(coating and ingestion). Long-term sediment pollution is a possibility. Shoreline cleanup

is challenging in any circumstance.

Figure 5. Oil Spill in Solomon Islands

Source: Green Peace USA (2019)

● Group 5: Sinking Oils

This type of oil sinks in water if oil spill occurred in the water and when spilled

on shoreline will behave similarly as Heavy Oils. Due to it being submerged do

evaporation or dissolution will occur. It has severe impacts to organisms living in bottom

sediments. Cleanup is possible by dredging.

15
 Figure 6. Sinking Oil Spill at Gulf of Mexico

Source: Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program (2020)

Causes Of Oil Spill

Oil spill is release of petroleum products to the sea and land affecting both aquatic life

and living organisms living on land respectively. Numerous oil spills are currently plaguing the

world. This occurs both at sea and on land. The worst part is that most of the catastrophic oil

spills occur at sea which bring harmful effects to organisms at the water. Most of these oil spills

occur due to human error. Some of the oil spills happen when ships transporting petroleum

products start to have leakages. According to Environmental Eclipse oil spill may happen due to

various causes.

Natural Occurrences

The production of oil requires organic materials from dead living organisms. As a

result, oil can be found in most places of the world, but only deep underground.

Furthermore, oil is found in seas, but only deep within the sea's underlying geology.

Natural events including hurricanes, earthquakes, sea storms, and other climatic changes

result in natural oil spills. Because the underlying rocks in seas are closer to the sea, it is

16
easier for an oil spill to occur when erosion occurs. Furthermore, when an earthquake

strikes in an area where oil drilling, transportation, or storage is located, the likelihood of

an oil spill is significant. As a result, the oil can be rinsed into the nearest body of water.

An example is when a hurricane caused the sinking of an oil production company off the

coast of Louisiana which resulted in daily oil leaks of 300-700 barrels.

Oil Transportation

Oil transportation is responsible for large oil spills around the world. Oil tankers

frequently experience mechanical problems or crash with other ships, resulting in

catastrophic oil spills. Thousands of barrels of crude oil flow into the water when such an

event occurs that is extremely dangerous to aquatic life.

This can be seen on an accident in the Castillo de Bellver, a Spanish oil tanker

that caught fire while sailing from the Persian Gulf to Spain. This accident spilled over

200,000 tons of crude oil. Other transportation causes include pipelines that pass beneath

the water, in addition to oil vessels dumping oil. Due to a lack of maintenance, the

pipelines may begin to leak. This invariably results in an oil spill. The majority of oil

spills, however, are caused by oil tankers.

Oil Drilling

One of the reasons of the oil spill is oil drilling. Onshore and offshore oil drilling

are two of the most dangerous methods for oil to reach the sea. Many oil rigs are

currently being drilled in the sea. Some of which are experiencing technological

difficulties, resulting in oil spillage. Off-shore oil drilling triggered the worst oil leak in

the Mexican Gulf.

17
 An oil well controlled by Pemex, a Mexican oil company, failed, spilling about

30,000 barrels of oil. This wreaked havoc on marine life in a region of over 704,000

acres. The American government began a sea cleaning, however the use of Corexit failed

to cure the problem and instead caused significant health concerns for inhabitants and

marine creatures.

Drainage Systems

People drain oil products without thinking about the environmental consequences.

When mechanics change the oil in a vehicle or motorbike engine, they frequently spill it.

The majority of these drainage systems are linked to big bodies of water. This is a

dangerous situation for aquatic life. It may appear to be a minor factor, yet it is regarded

an intentional cause of the oil disaster.

Effect of Oil Spill

Oil spills have long-term effects on marine life and local industry. When an oil spill

occurs near coastal areas, the impacts are exacerbated. Birds, sea otters, fish, and crustaceans are

common on shorelines that thrive on the water's surface. The health of marine life is harmed

when large amounts of oil are dumped into these places. Oil spills have an economic impact on

nearby businesses, including fishing, shipping, and tourism.

Effects on Marine life

Marine life, particularly diverse fish species, are the first live receptors to come

into touch with an oil leak in the case of a marine oil spill. Oil spills may have serious

health consequences on marine life, in addition to harming coastal fishing and fisheries.

18
 The negative effects on marine life are related to the accumulation of persistent

and bio accumulative oil components in the tissue and bodies of marine life (fish), which

have the potential to cause a variety of health and reproductive issues, as well as mass

mortality events in marine life in general.

The problem is worsened for higher-order creatures (which consume smaller

organisms) and might have major consequences for birds, marine animals, and larger

fish. This is due to the slow and cumulative accumulation of larger levels of oil pollutants

as a result of simultaneous exposure to a polluted environment (polluted water) and

polluted food (with higher pollutant concentrations than in ambient environment). When

mass mortality events occur, food scarcity becomes a problem.

Apart from direct contact and buildup of oil spill contaminants, oxygen loss can

also occur when oil slicks form on the water's surface. This could have a particularly

negative impact on fish and marine animals that live in shallower waters. Deep oil spills,

such as those caused by well leaks at very deep depths in the Gulf of Mexico, may also

impact marine life in deeper water (in conjunction with BP offshore drilling activities).

Effects on Wildlife

Those that ingest contaminated wildlife food may be at an even greater risk of

poisoning or adverse consequences due to higher pollutant concentrations than in the

surrounding environment. Any bird, animal, amphibian, reptile, or other wildlife from

contaminated places may suffer significant health impacts as a result of:

 Direct contact with oil spill pollutants, which can enter animal bodies by

ingestion, inhalation, skin absorption, and/or injection, just as it can in people

19
 (through cuts in the skin, for example). Some particular instances of harmful

impacts from oil spill pollution exposure include potential degradation of thermal

insulation and impairment to behavior and reproductive system.

 Indirect exposure through the ingestion of tiny species that were themselves

exposed to oil spill pollution.

 Lack of usual food. When mass mortality events occur, affecting vast numbers of

fish and exposed marine life, there is a lack of regular food (for example, in the

case of a severe marine oil spill). This could have major long-term ecological

consequences, possibly leading to the extinction of some species.

II. Oil Spill Adsorbents

One of the most known methods for remediation of oil contaminated water is through

adsorption. The physical attachment of contaminating substances to the surface of a solid is

known as adsorption. The adsorption capability of a material is affected by several mechanism.

Adsorbents are insoluble materials that are coated by a liquid on its surface, including

pores and capillaries, without the solid swelling more than 50 percent in excess liquid. To be

useful in combating oil spills, sorbents need to be both oleophilic (oil-attracting) and

hydrophobic (water-repellent). Although they may be used as the sole cleanup method in small

spills, sorbents are most often used to remove final traces of oil, or in areas that cannot be

reached by skimmers. Sorbent materials used to recover oil must be disposed of in accordance

with approved local, state, and federal regulations. Any oil that is removed from sorbent

materials must also be properly disposed of or recycled.

20
Composition of Oil Adsorbent

Currently, about two hundred of various sorbent materials are produced and used. The

composition of oil sorbents are mainly divided into 3 types, natural organic, synthetic and

inorganic materials.

 Natural Organic

Natural organic sorbents include readily available carbon-based products

including peat moss, sawdust, paper pulp, chicken waste and other agricultural waste

products. It was also naturally available from industrial processes as a waste by-product.

Organic sorbents can adsorb between 3 to 15 times its weight in oil. Organic sorbents are

also low cost due to it availability. There are some limitations in using organic sorbents.

Some organic sorbents tend to absorb both water and oil, leading them to sink. Many

organic sorbents, such as sawdust, are loose particles that are difficult to gather once they

have been spread over the water.

 Inorganic

They consist of vermiculite, glass sand, or volcanic ash. Inorganic sorbents can

adsorb from 4 to 20 times its own weight in oil. It can be produced and acquired at a low

cost and is naturally available in the environment. The main disadvantages of these

sorbents are that they are not suggested for use on the water's surface, that application in

windy areas is difficult, inhaling this adsorbent may also pose a health concern,

and vermiculite and clay type natural inorganic sorbents are weak materials.

21
  Synthetic

Synthetic sorbents are manufactured materials that are comparable to plastics and

are designed to adsorb liquids onto surfaces. This includes polyurethane, polyethylene,

and polypropylene. Other synthetic sorbents include cross-linked polymers and rubber

materials, which absorb liquids into their solid structure, causing the sorbent material to

swell. Most synthetic sorbents can absorb up seventy times their own weight in oil.

Synthetic sorbents are usually utilized in low viscous oil and has an amazingly simple

way of deployment and retrieval. An example of synthetic sorbent is boom. One of the

disadvantages of using synthetic sorbents is the limited efficiency for more viscous oil.

Synthetic sorbents can also cause environmental problems because it does not easily

decompose resulting in limited option for its disposal.

Properties of Oil Adsorbents

The adsorption capacity between activated carbon and the adsorbate is mainly affected by

several factors. The basic physical parameters of activated carbon, such as surface area, pore

size, and pore volume, are one of the key factors employed by several research to evaluate the

adsorption capability of activated carbon. Several variables controlled by the structure of

adsorbents are essential to the process of separation such as porosity, hydrophobicity, appropriate

pore size and surface area. The adsorbent's surface is a crucial aspect that promotes effective oil

removal additionally high carbon or oxygen content is also crucial because it promotes effective

oil recovery from water. However, only a small number of materials satisfy all the conditions for

selectivity, sorption rate, capacity, and recyclability.

22
  Pore size

The pore size distribution varies in activated carbon produced from many

lignocellulosic compound types. It specifies the different contaminants that activated

carbon's surface can absorb. In case of oil adsorption, according to the study of Diao, S.

et al. (2020), the larger the inner diameter of the pore size in the graphene aerogels, the

faster the adsorption rate of the oil would be. It would mean that for adsorbents the larger

or bigger the pore size between individual particles the better it is as an oil adsorbent.

 Surface Area

It is well known that a substance's surface area primarily depends on its size, with

smaller sizes having bigger surface areas. As a result, it was discovered that the

adsorption effectiveness was inversely related to particle size. A high surface area is a

necessary property for a good sorbent. A successful sorbent material must have a high

surface area to volume ratio. The performance of a sorbent in adsorbing a more viscous

oil that does not flow easily in the sorbent depends on the accessible external surface

area. According to the study of Diao, S. et al. (2020), larger the outer surface area, the

faster the adsorption rate of the emulsified oil would be. Activated which is commonly

used as adsorbent generally have large surface area and exhibit exceptional adsorption

capacity for most pollutants.

 Hydrophobicity (Oleophilicity)

As tool used for separation of oil from water, oil adsorbent is naturally water

repellent or exhibit hydrophobicity and at the same time oil-attracting or oleophilic. To be

23
 useful in combating oil spills, sorbents need to be both oleophilic (oil-attracting) and

hydrophobic (water-repellent)

 Oil Retention

A sorbent structure may droop and bend under the weight of recovered oil, and it

may leak oil that has been trapped in its pores when it is pulled out of the water. When

recovering adsorbent materials lighter, less viscous oil is lost through the pores more

readily than heavier, more viscous oils that cause secondary contamination.

Table 1. Oil Adsorption Capacity of Existing Adsorbents

Adsorbent Adsorption Capacity

Sugarcane bagasse Phragmites australis 6.6 -8 g/g crude 4.5 g oil / gram phragmites

Activated Carbon Tablets from Corncobs Percentage adsorption of 22.82% of oil

Raw luffa 12 g oil (Diesel)/g sorbent

Polypropylene 4.5 g/g sorbent

Ferric oxide nanoparticles doped carbon 7 g/g

nanotubes adsorbents

Source: Noor, A. & Tatiana, Y. (2016)

Table 1 presents the oil adsorption capacity of different adsorbents. It can be observed

that different materials have varying oil adsorption capacity. From the table it can be said that

adsorbent made from organic (corncob activated carbon) materials (corncob activated carbon)

exhibit a higher oil adsorption capacity than synthetic (polypropylene) materials.

24
Types of Oil Spill Adsorbents

There several types of oil adsorbents that are currently available in the market. Each

types have their own advantages and disadvantages

 Bulk Sorbents

For recovering modest amounts of liquid spillage, bulk sorbent is helpful in land-

based oil mostly because they have trouble managing their utilization in the marine

environment, including their application and retrieval. Bulk sorbent should only be used

in certain circumstances. Granular sand is a typical sort of sorbent that is applied to spill

surfaces. Oil, coolants, and other solvent spills can all be absorbed by these floor sweeps.

In addition to restaurants, industries, hospitals, and schools, they are also used in office

buildings, petrol stations, and warehouses.

 Enclosed Sorbents

Enclosed sorbents include pillows, booms, or socks. They feature a loose stuffing

inside of an exterior cloth or mesh shell. Any of the aforementioned three material groups

may make up the contained contents. Booms and skimmers are perfect for removing oil

from streams, ponds, and other water bodies to prevent environmental damage. They

prevent contaminants like petroleum-based liquids from entering rivers. Sump socks,

pillows, and oil containment booms are all examples of oil sweeps and skimmers.

 Continuous sorbents

Continuous sorbents, such as rolls, mats, or pads. The most typical building

material is synthetic, like polypropylene. Continuous sorbents' flat sheet design offers a

25
 lot of surface area for oil recovery. A pad is a sheet of adsorbent material that is used

to contain small spills, lessen the risk of physical harm, and safeguard surfaces from

harmful liquids.

 Loose Fibers

Owing to their bundled strand design, they are frequently referred to as "pom-

poms." They are mostly constructed of synthetic polypropylene threads with connected

fibers. Each strand enables the entrapment of oil at several surface contact locations.

Table . Types of Oil Adsorbents, Properties, Availability, and Limitation

Types Composition Availability Application Limitations Literature

Bulk peat, sawdust, Often naturally Used in Difficult to Noor, A. &

paper-pulp, abundant or recovering control and Tatiana, Y.

cork, chicken widely oil spills in can be spread (2016),

feathers, straw, available as the surface by the wind. ITOPF

wool and waste of water (2012)

human hair. by-product of and small

vermiculite and industrial spills of oil

pumice. processes. in land.

primarily Can be low cost

polypropylene.

Enclosed peat, sawdust, Naturally Slows the Structural Noor, A. &

paper-pulp, abundant due to spread of strength Tatiana, Y.

26
 cork, chicken wide oil and limited to (2016),

feathers, straw, availability of keep it that of the ITOPF

wool and organic contained. mesh or net. (2012)

human hair. materials from Organic

vermiculite and agricultural booms can

pumice. wastes and rapidly

primarily industrial become

polypropylene. processes saturated and

sink.

Oil retention

is limited.

Continuous primarily Widely used Commonly Do not readily Noor, A. &

polypropylene due to its used in decompose Tatiana, Y.

hydrophobicity Spill limiting (2016),

and oleophilic response. disposal ITOPF

property options. (2012)

Limited

efficiency for

weathered or

more viscous

oils.

Loose primarily Not naturally Effective Less effective Noor, A. &

Fibers polypropylene occurring on on fresh light Tatiana, Y.

27
 unlike organic weathered and medium (2016),

materials. and more oils. ITOPF

viscous oils (2012

Table 2 presents the availability, application and limitations of the different types of oil

adsorbent base on their composition.

III. Taro leaves

Taro is the most diverse edible aroid, with over 160 known varieties distributed

throughout the Philippines. The surface of the taro leaves has been observed to exhibit

hydrophobicity or the ability to repel water. When water touches a hydrophobic surface, it tends

to be rounder and is barely touching the surface unlike putting it on most surfaces where water

pull down and rests on it.

Figure 8. Taro Leaves

Source: Research Matter
Under scanning electron microscope taro leaves have pentagon and hexagon patterns on the

surface. It was found that on a nanoscale level the walls that make up the patterns have a flake

like texture.

28
 Figure 9. Results of Scanning Electron Microscope Analysis
Source: THE DYNAMIC INTERACTION OF WATER DROPLET WITH NANO- STALAGMITE
FUNCTIONAL GROUPS OF TARO LEAF SURFACE
Chemical Composition of Taro leaves

Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is a single polymorphic species that is part of the Arecaceae

family. They are mostly grown on tropical regions including Asia, west India, Africa, and South

America. The corms or root is edible while the leaves are a by-product of the harvesting process.

Young taro leaves, on the other hand, are the major vegetable. Taro root is high in carbohydrate,

vitamin B complex, and potassium, but low in ascorbic acid and carotene (Lee, 1999).C ell wall

of taro are cellulose (1,4-β-D glucans) and non-cellulosic polysaccharides (galacturonorhamnans,

galactomannan, glucomannan and arabinoxylan) (Jiang,1999).

Table 1. Chemical compositions of taro leaves (%dry matter)

Item Composition (%)

Moisture 5.84 – 6.39

29
 Fat 1.04 – 3.60

Ash 1.11 – 1.84

Crude protein 13.06 – 25.70

Fibre 1.02 – 2.12

Carbohydrate 62.43 – 76.08

Energy 34.40 – 35.58

Source: Improvement of Taro Leaves Using Pre-treated Enzyme as Prebiotics in Animal Feed

From the results of the study “Improvement of Taro Leaves Using Pre-treated Enzyme as

Prebiotics in Animal Feed” it was observed that untreated taro leaves contain hemicellulose,

cellulose and lignin which is vital in the formation of lignocellulose. Due to their endless supply

and low production costs, lignocellulosic materials have been investigated as naturally

alternative resources sourced from bioenergy crops and agricultural leftovers, with the goal of

replacing petroleum-derived goods in several fields. Materials that are lignocellulosic are also

being utilized for oil adsorption since it can be used as a replacement for petroleum products

which is a result of having similar properties and chemical composition.

Table 2. Starch Content and Carbon content of Taro Leaves and Starch Granule Sie and Shape

Range

Total Starch Content (g/100g) 34.1 – 40.8

Size (m) 4.08 – 4.93

Shape Small Rounder, Irregular Polygon

Total Carbon Content (Wt%) 28.61 – 54.98

30
 From the results of the study “The potential of taro (Colocasia esculenta) as a dietary

prebiotic source for the prevention of colorectal cancer”, it is found that taro has high starch

content, meaning that a good amount of starch proves as a good adsorbent material. The dense

porous surface of the granule increases the specific surface area, exposing more reaction sites

and improving adsorption performance. It also has a good carbon content that ranges between

28% and 54%, that makes it as an ideal material for activated carbon which has good adsorbent

properties.

Table 3. Physicochemical Properties of Taro

Range

Water Absorption Capacity (g/g) 4.18 – 5.81

Water Solubility Index (g/100g) 15.72 – 33.30

Swelling Capacity (g/g) 1.20 – 2.07

Bulk Density (g/mL) 0.59 – 0.69

Oil Absorption Capacity (g/g) 1.17 – 3.15

IV. Activated carbon

Activated carbon is made from high-carbon environmental waste. Raw sources use to

produce activated carbons, includes lignocellulosic and coal material. Physical activation and

chemical activation are the two methods for producing activated carbon for use in water

purification systems. Because of its larger surface area, microporous capabilities, and chemical

31
complexity of its exterior area, activated carbon has a high potential for adsorption of heavy

metals. The ability of activated carbon is affected by several factors.

A. Physical Characteristics

● Pore Structure

The pore structure of activated carbon varies and is mostly determined by the source

material and manufacturing method. The pore structure, in conjunction with attraction forces,

permits adsorption to occur.

● Hardness / Abrasion

The hardness number assesses the external integrity of activated carbon against wear

along the exterior and breaking of small points. It is stated as a percentage of loss on a specific

sieve when granules are shaken under specific conditions.

The structural strength of granular activated carbon is measured by the abrasion number.

It is a measure of a particle's capacity to withstand shear pressures induced by particles rubbing

together or particles rubbing against another surface such as a column wall or supporting screen.

It is calculated as a percentage reduction in Mean Particle Diameter by shaking granules with

steel balls in a container under specific conditions.

According to Carlson (2016), hardness and abrasion is an important way of picking an

activated carbon. Many applications will need activated carbons with strong particle strength and

attrition resistance (the breakdown of material into fines). An activated carbon made from

coconut shell has the highest toughness of any activated carbon.

32
 ● Bulk Density

The apparent density, also known as the bulk density of activated carbon or volumetric

density, is defined as the mass of numerous activated carbon particles divided by the total

volume they occupy. Particle volume, inter-particle void volume, and internal pore volume are

all included in the overall volume.

● Moisture

The moisture content of activated carbon is calculated as weight loss after heating to

150°C and drying to a constant weight (usually after 3 hours). During transit and storage, the

moisture content of packed activated carbon typically rises. Ideally, the physical moisture

content of activated carbon should be between 3-6 percent.

● Ash Content

Total ash is a weight-based measure of the mineral oxide concentration of activated

carbon. It is calculated by transforming mineral components to oxides at 800°C. The ash is

mostly silica and aluminum, and the amount varies depending on the foundation raw material

used to make the product. Typical values for coconut shell-based activated carbon are 2-3%

W/W, 5% W/W for wood-based activated carbon, and 8-15% W/W for coal-based activated

carbons.

As stated by Ebbenis (2016), the ash content of activated carbon is a measure of the material's

inert, amorphous, inorganic, and useless components. The ash content should be as low as

feasible because the quality of the activated carbon improves as the ash concentration lowers.

33
 ● pH Value

The pH of activated carbon indicates whether it is acidic or basic. The pH of the liquid

phase has a considerable impact on adsorption processes. The pH does influence surface

chemistry and surface charge. For example, at low pH, the surface is positively charged,

resulting in poor cation adsorption performance due to electrostatic repulsion.

● Particle Size

The particle size of activated carbon has a direct impact on its adsorption kinetics, flow

properties, and filterability. The finer the particle size of activated carbon, the greater access to

surface area and the higher the rate of adsorption kinetics. In vapor phase systems, this must be

balanced against pressure drop, which affects energy costs. Consideration of particle size

dispersion can result in significant operational benefits.

● Pore, Porosity, Pore volume, Pore diameter

A pore is a tiny opening in the surface of activated carbon that leads to the interior in a

winding path. Also refers to the little hole or opening that permits liquid to pass through. The

void fraction or porosity of activated carbon is a measurement of the void spaces. It is a fraction

of the volume of voids over total volume, ranging from 0 to 1, or a percentage ranging from 0%

to 100%.

B. Chemical Adsorption Characteristics

● Carbon Tetrachloride Activity (CTC)

34
 The Carbon Tetrachloride Activity determines the loading of carbon tetrachloride,

expressed as a weight percent on carbon, at air concentrations close to saturation. The method is

a measurement of the pore volume of activated carbon and is mostly used as a quality assurance

test for activated carbon production.

As stated by Sosa and Underbill (1984), This test is quick, simple, and does not require any

expensive equipment. However, it is now widely accepted that carbon tetrachloride fumes are

exceedingly poisonous and can cause serious and irreparable kidney and liver damage. Inhaling

1000 ppm carbon tetrachloride for two hours can be lethal. Since these incidents and the

potential danger, it might cause, it has been replaced with the Butane Activity.

● Iodine Number

The iodine number ("iodine value") represents the usable surface area per gram of virgin

carbon in m2. Although the Iodine number has become associated with activated carbon's

"activity" and is extensively employed as a quality control (QC) parameter in the production and

reactivation of activated carbon, it does not always give a measure of the carbon's ability to

adsorb other species.

● Surface Area

The surface areas of activated carbons are often determined using the BrunauerEmmett-

Teller (BET) method, which involves nitrogen adsorption at various pressures at liquid nitrogen

temperature. AC area is measured in m2/g.

35
 As said by Nowicki (2016), activated carbon is porous, affordable, and widely available

for use as adsorbents, providing a vast surface area for pollutants to be removed. It has the

highest usable surface area per gram of any material available for physical adsorption. A

teaspoon of activated carbon, in fact, has more surface area than a football field.

V. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Analysis

SEM analysis is a strong investigative tool that produces complex, high magnification

images of a sample's surface topography using a focused stream of electrons. Once a region

of interest on the sample has been located and examined using SEM, researchers can use

energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, or EDX analysis, to delve deeper into the material's

intricacy.

SEM analysis is used to characterize the surface features and evaluate the

morphological changes such as the pore size, shape, and distribution of nanoparticles and

fillers in the nanocomposites and the thickness of the membranes. The distribution of

nanoparticles or pores on the surface of the samples can be observed using SEM images

obtained from the surface. Cross-sectional SEM images can also reveal the distribution of

nanoparticles and other morphological features inside the bulk of the sample.

Procedures in Magnetizing Activating Carbon

Producing magnetic activated carbon is composed of many processes and steps. Activated carbon

or the precursor of activated carbon is first synthesized. The precursor for activated carbon or the

activated carbon itself was mixed with an aqueous solution of the magnetizing agent. The resulting

36
mixtures was stirred at room temperature and then dried overnight. After drying the mixture will undergo

pyrolysis to obtain the magnetic activated carbon. Among the many methods that uses and varies the

general processes in obtaining magnetic activated carbon there are two that are most commonly used and

reported the adsorption method and chemical coprecipitation method.

Adsorption Method

The adsorption method is based on the preparation of a magnetic fluid. A solution containing the

magnetic fluid is prepared and then the activated carbon is immersed in the solution and continuously

stirred. The excess magnetic fluid is removed by pickling or ultrasonication and the magnetic activated

carbon is obtained.

Chemical Coprecipitation method

A solution of Fe(III) and Fe(II) salts are prepared at a certain ratio. Example of Fe(III) salt is

ferric chloride and Fe(II) salt is ferrous sulfate. Ammonia and sodium hydroxide is used as a precipitant.

The finished activated carbon is added and mixed with the mixture of Fe(III) salt solution and Fe(II) salt

solution. This was done in order for the Fe 2+ and Fe3+ to adsorb into the pores of the activated carbon to

obtain iron hydroxide. Increasing the temperature of the iron hydroxide will result in the formation or

conversion into iron oxide and the magnetic activated carbon that contained magnetic particles is

obtained.

Research Literature

This section presents past research and studies which have similarities to the present

study. These served as the basis for the research, evaluation of the oil adsorption capacity of

activated carbon derived from taro leaves.

Foreign Studies

37
 The super-hydrophobic and super-oleophilic properties of taro leaves, as well as

their application, were reported in a study by Liu et al. (2013). According to the findings of this

study, the change in saturated oil absorption rate for taro leaves exhibits some regularity, with

the highest saturated oil absorption obtained when the taro leaves were dried at 200 °C. Taro

leaves have varying capacities for cleaning up various oil spills. According to the findings, taro

leaves have a high centrifugal oil retention at high rotational speeds and a high capacity for

fixing low volatile oil material.

As stated in the study of Humaidi et al. (2019), the obtained biofoam material for the

application of composite-based styrofoam food packaging, taro leaf powder and polyvinyl

acetate (PVAc) produced a variation of the composition of taro leaves and PVAc that is optimum

in composition (45:55) percent wt and has good biodegradability with a degradation rate of 91.2

percent for 50 physical days, FTIR has demonstrated and tested the presence of lignocellulose

compounds with active hydroxyl groups, carbonyl, and CH Alkyne.

Taro stalks were modified by diethylenetriamine to produce modified taro stalks

adsorbents, according to He et al. (2018). This type of raw material is novel, and the

modification method is straightforward. SEM, FTIR, and a zeta potential analyzer were used to

characterize the physicochemical properties of modified taro stalks adsorbents. The capacity of

modified taro stalks adsorbents for heavy metal adsorption was tested using a UV-visible

spectrophotometer under various influencing factors. The results showed that the gaps between

the microspheres of the modified taro stalks adsorbents are greater, which is favorable for

adsorption. The modified taro stalk adsorbents may have increased the amino-functional groups

that are beneficial for adsorption, resulting in a 5-7 fold increase in the adsorption capacity of

copper and nickel ions compared to bare taro stalks.

38
 In the study conducted by Mopoung et al. (2015), they used activated carbon derived

from tamarind seeds by KOH Activation for FE(III) Adsorption from aqueous solution. It is

concluded in the study that tamarind seeds can be utilized for activated carbon preparation.

Using carbonization at 500 °C, the yield charcoal of the product is at 40.14% wt. With the use of

KOH activation at temperatures of 500°C-700°C using impregnation ratios of 0.5:1 – 1.5:1, the

yield of the product is at 54.09% - 82.03%.

Tabbakh et al. (2020) studied “cleanup oil spills by activated carbon prepared from

agricultural wastes”. The study used naturals wastes, such as wheat, straw, uncooked and cooked

corn, as their raw materials and they successfully create a well-developed porous texture of

activated carbon using those raw materials. Those natural wastes can manage sources for

manufacturing activated carbons with a large surface area, this means that it can operate as an

adsorbent for water treatment.

Olufumi et al. (2017) investigated activated carbons derived from mango shell. The study

concludes that crude oil removal via adsorption using mango shells is feasible. The adsorption

and percentage removal of crude oil was found to be dependent at various levels on adsorbent

dose, adsorbate dose, contact time, temperature, and pH as well as speed of agitation. The mango

adsorbent's adsorbed oil-water ratio was greater than unity in all cases studied, indicating that the

adsorbent has a higher adsorption selectivity for crude oil over water.

In the study of Ngofa et al. (2021), they use activated carbons derived from bamboo and

banana wood fibers as adsorbent materials for the removal of oil samples. These materials were

characterized using FTIR spectra and BET analysis. Since the relationship of SA to adsorption

capacity has been established, the synthesized AC from various biomass reviews that further

39
surface chemistry matter can prompt significantly higher remediation efficiencies, according to

the obtained results. This study offers a promising methodology for a potential oil spill response

option that could also be used for pharmaceutical removal and heavy metal removal.

Abel et al. (2020) studies the adsorption of Oil Spill using coconut coir activated carbon,

the parameters they used is the following: (a) Surface Area, (b)Moisture Content, (c)Bulk

Density, (d)Ash Content, and (e)pH Content. It is concluded in their study that coconut coir

activated carbon when activated with KOH, it demonstrated significant potential for use as an

alternative adsorbent in the adsorption of spilled crude oil in water.

The advantage of chemically modifying coconut coir activated carbon was that it yielded

a high value of adsorption capacities and percent crude oil removal, and the use of CCAC as an

adsorbent demonstrated that it is readily available, cost effective, non-toxic, and environmentally

friendly; thus, the determined parameters for the adsorption process could be useful for the

design of industrial plants for oil spill clean-up.

In a recent study of Vocciante et al. (2019), sorbent materials are the focus on cleaning up

oil spill. The study mentioned the different methods for the removal of oil from water including

booms, dispersants, skimmers, and thermal methods but focused on the utilization of sorbents

which was described as hybrid systems for they can be used both for active removal and

containment of oil spill. It was also mentioned that adsorbent materials were gaining researchers’

interest when it come to the removal of oil spill from water. Adsorbents have great potential

capacity to recover oil, have a simple application and most importantly does not contribute to

pollution in case of retrieval after use.

40
 In the study of Huang et al. (2018), the proponents utilized rice straw as a raw material

and polyurethane for the investigation of the oil adsorption capacity of lignocellulosic based

materials. The study also mentioned that rice straw is composed of 66 percent cellulose and 22

percent lignocellulose. The study used three types of oil, fuel oil, diesel oil and kerosene, as

study objects for the investigation of the oil adsorption capacity of polyurethane and rice straw

mixture. These types of oil were used because of their popularity in ships and vessel fleet. The

properties of the oil considered in the study is the density and the surface tension. The study used

four sorbent materials with different rice straw concentrations. The proponents used RSPU for

the abbreviation of the adsorbent material, rice straw-polyurethane mixture and used three

concentrations of rice straw, 5%, 15% and 25% and PU for pure polyurethane material. They

found that the RSPU with 25% rice straw has the highest oil adsorption capacity for all three

types of oil that was used in the study while the pure polyurethane material has the lowest oil

adsorption capacity for all types of oil used in the study. The of effect of contact time, between

the oil and the adsorbent, on the oil adsorption capacity was also evaluated in the study. The oil

adsorption process was divided into two the rapid phase and slow phase. On the first 15 minutes

of the contact between the adsorbent and the oil adsorption capacity is the greatest. This time is

the rapid phase and after came the slow adsorption period which signifies on increasing contact

time oil adsorption capacity decrease.

Anyika et al. (2017) focused on the synthesis and of magnetic activated carbon derived

from palm kernels. In their study the activated carbon was magnetized by utilizing the

suspension of ferric chloride (FeCl3) and ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) extracted from electric arc

furnace slag. The suspension of ferric chloride and ferrous sulfate was obtained by mixing a

solution of 18 grams of FeCl3 and 1300 mL of distilled water with the solution of 20 g FeSO4

41
and 150 mL of distilled water and then heated at a constant temperature between 60 and 70 °C

followed by vigorous stirring using a magnetic stirrer. The suspension of FeCl3 and FeSO4 was

then mixed to a 50 g palm kernel shell activated carbon (PKSAC) suspended in a 500 mL

distilled water. The proper mixing of the two suspension was ensured by stirring slowly at room

temperature for 30 min. 10 M of NaOH solution was added after mixing, dropwise into the

solution until the pH had reached between 10 and 11 and then left for about 60 minutes. The

aged activated carbon suspension without stirring for 24 hours at room temperature, and the

materials suspended as a result of an interaction between PKSAC and iron suspension were

rinsed several times using distilled water and ethanol until the filtrate's pH has approximately

reached 7. The MG-PKSF was vacuum-packed filtered and dried in the oven at 50 °C overnight.

In the a recent of study of Elkady et al., (2020) entitled “Eco-friendly magnetic activated

carbon nano-hybrid for facile oil spills separation” carbonization and magnetization processes

improved the oil sorption capacity of the water hyacinth material compared to the same material

without undergoing carbonization and magnetization. The study mentioned that this is due to the

chemical activation that increases the micropores and macropores of the activated carbon where

most of the adsorption of oil happens. The processes also increased the surface area and pore

volume of the activated carbon which improve then adsorption properties of the material. The

study also evaluated the effects of contact time, dosage, mixing time, thickness of oil,

temperature to the oil adsorption affinity of the nanohybrid magnetic activated carbon (NMAC)

from water hyacinth. The study found that the NMAC at increasing adsorption time the oil

removal also increases until it hit a maximum at 60 minutes and then decreased constantly

regardless of sorption time. For this reason, 60 minutes is considered as the optimum equilibrium

time for the process of adsorption.

42
Local Study

As stated in the study entitled “Oil Spill Adsorption Capacity of Activated Carbon

Tablets from Corncobs in Simulated Oil-Water Mixture” by Abacan et al. (2015), the results

demonstrated in their study that generated activated carbon had good capabilities for oil spill

absorption. The amount of binder and contact duration had little influence on adsorption

capacity, however the number of tablets had a substantial effect on adsorption capacity of the

activated carbon tablets. The ideal number of pills was three. At the best condition, there was a

considerable difference in oil concentration after treatment. Corncob activated carbon tablets are

effective for oil spill adsorption. The Langmuir isotherm model fits the experimental data and

shows that only a single layer of adsorbate was produced on the activated carbon's surface. It is

also advised to investigate other activation methods to estimate the likelihood of producing a

more efficient carbon using alternative activation methods. Aside from cylindrical tablets,

employ tablets of various shapes to create activated carbon, which may boost its adsorption

capacity.

As stated in the study of Abuzman et al. (2013), it was concluded that using activated

carbon derived from coconut shells as adsorbent is effective and the result indicated a reduced oil

and grease concentration of the collected wastewater. The best amounts of activated carbon to

greatly adsorb oil and grease content were 5 grams in sample A, 6.25 grams in sample B, 5

grams in sample C, 6.25 grams in sample D, and 2.5 grams in sample E.

In the study of De Castro et al. (2014) entitled Evaluation of the Effectiveness of

Dispersant-Treated Corn Cob as an Oil Spill Sorbent 150 grams of tanker oil and two liters of

seawater was used for each set of the simulation of the oil spill. The study utilized a dispersant

treated corn cob as a sorbent of oil. In doing the oil spill simulation the proponents prepared

43
three sets of containers for the seawater with. The tanker used in the study was measured in a

beaker and then mixed with the seawater in the three different containers.

According to Angeles et al. (2016) in their study “Utilization of Pretreated Sugar Cane

Bagasse as an Oil Spill Sorbent”, sugar cane bagasse being a fibrous material and having a lignin

content of 21.79% has a significant effect on it is the oil sorption capacity of the sugar cane

bagasse.

Sovattei et al. (2013) stated in their study entitled “Utilization of untreated and treated

rice husk as adsorbents for lead removal from wastewater” that rice husk was discovered to be a

porous substance that can be utilized as an adsorbent to remove heavy metals from wastewater.

The presence of –OH functional groups in rice husk indicates that rice husk can bind metal ions.

Because the pH of rice husk with zero charge is nearly neutral, acid treatment of rice husk is

recommended to improve its ability to remove heavy metal ions from wastewater.

In another local study from Malayan Colleges Laguna by Mendoza et al. (2020) entitled

“Preparation and Characterization of Activated Carbon Derived from Bignay Fruit in Methylene

Blue Removal from Wastewater”, Granulated bignay activated carbon has a larger pore size with

a diameter of 3.87 m and a carbon content of 26.95 percent by weight when compared to

powdered bignay activated carbon, which has a pore size diameter of 2.82 m and a carbon

content of 32.83 percent by weight. With an R2 value of 0.993, the Freundlich isotherm model

best fit the adsorption, indicating multilayer adsorption on the AC surface. The adsorption

process was favorable according to the Langmur isotherm (RL = 0.123). Normal adsorption

occurred from the Freundlich isotherm (1/n = 0.392). Physical adsorption was used to adsorb

bignay activated carbon (E = 2.36 kJ mol -1). The best fitted adsorption kinetics model was

44
pseudo-second order. According to adsorption studies, the maximal adsorption capacity of BAC

is 1.60 mg g-1. As a result, bignay activated carbon serves as a precursor to activated carbon.

SYNTHESIS OF THE ART

Significant similarities were found in the literature and studies acquired by the

researchers. Many researchers, both inside and outside the Philippines, have investigated the

effectiveness of biomass-derived adsorbents.

This research is different from the study conducted by Liu et al. (2013) titled “Super-

Hydrophobic and Super-Oleophilic Properties of Taro Leaves and their Application” in terms of

the utilization of the taro leaves. This study will utilize taro leaves as magnetic activated carbon

in adsorbing oil from oil spill while the study of Liu et al. (2013) used the taro leaves as is, to

determine the oil absorption rate with some modification in the temperature where the leaves

were dried.

The study conducted by Humaidi et al. (2019) titled “Manufacture and Characterization

of Biofoam Based on Composite of Taro Leaves Powder Reinforced Polyvinyl Acetate” is

different from this study in terms of objectives and how the taro leaves was utilized as a product.

This study will utilize taro leaves as magnetic activated carbon tablet for oil adsorption in an oil

spill simulation while the study of Humaidi et al. (2019) utilized the taro leaves to produce

biofoam as substitute for Styrofoam.

This research is different from the study conducted by He et al. (2018) titled “Adsorption

of Cu (II) and Ni (II) from Aqueous Solutions by Taro Stalks Chemically Modified with

Diethylenetriamine” in terms of the part of the taro plant used and the application of the said

45
material. This study will use magnetic activated carbon tablets derived from taro leaves to

adsorb oil from a simulated oil spill set up while the study of He et al. (2018) utilized taro stalks

to adsorb heavy metals specifically Cu (II) and Ni (II) from an aqueous solution.

The study conducted by Abacan et al. (2015) titled “Oil Spill Adsorption Capacity of

Activated Carbon Tablets from Corncobs on Simulated Oil-Water Mixture” is different from this

study in terms of adsorbent materials used and the adsorption technology used. This study will

use taro leaves to derive an activated carbon, then the produced activated carbon will be

innovated with the application of magnetic-particle adsorption technology to further enhance the

adsorption capability of the activated carbon tablet. The study of Abacan et al. (2015) also tested

the effect of the amount of binder clay added to the activated carbon tablets whereas this study

will utilize a controlled amount of binder clay added to form the magnetic activated carbon

tablet. This study will also utilize the procedures for synthesis of the activated carbon by Abacan

et al. (2015). This study will utilize sea water for the oil spill simulation instead of using distilled

water in order for the simulation to be more akin to an actual oil spill.

This study is different from the study of Abuzman et al. (2013) titled “Activation

Treatment of a Wastewater: An Experimental Approach to the Utilization of the Activated

Carbon for Oil and Water Separation” in terms of the materials used and the way of utilizing the

activated carbon in adsorbing oil from the simulated oil spill. This study will utilize a magnetic

activated carbon derived from taro leaves, molded into oval tablets. On the other hand, the study

of Abuzman et al. (2013) utilized coconut shells for the activated carbon powder for the

experimentation.

The study conducted by Anyika et al. (2017) titled “Synthesis and Characterization of

Magnetic Activated Carbon Developed from Palm Kernel Shells” in terms of materials and the

46
preparation of the activated carbon. This study will utilize taro leaves to produce magnetic

activated carbon tablets for adsorbing oil in a simulated oil spill set up while the study of Anyika

et al. (2017) will use palm kernel shells to produce magnetic activated carbon to adsorb heavy

metals. The study of Anyika et al. (2017) will use phosphoric acid (H 3PO4) while this study will

potassium hydroxide (KOH) for the impregnation of the activated carbon. This study will also

use the procedures for the preparation of magnetic activated carbon by Anyika et al. (2017) in

utilizing ferric chloride (FeCl3·6H2O) and ferrous sulfate (FeSO4·7H2O) solutions.

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES

The main objective of this chapter is to provide an outline of the various steps involved in

conducting the research in the production and characterization of magnetic activated carbon

derived from taro leaves (MACOT). It also presents the data gathering, optimization, and

isotherm and kinetic studies executed during the course of the study.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The conceptual framework is a graphical representation of the method by which the

researchers came up with the study's concept and formulation.

47
 Input includes raw materials, reagents used in the synthesis of activated carbon,

preparation of the magnetic activated carbon and as well as experimentation. The parameters and

other data required for the experiment were gathered through related literature and studies.

Process involves the synthesis of the activated carbon, the pre-run experiments to identify

the suitable parameter ranges, the determination of oil percent concentration and statistical

evaluation of the results.

Output comprises the magnetic activated carbon made using taro leaves and its

properties, the magnetic activated carbon oval tablets and the graphical analysis of the oil

concentration in varying parameters.

48
 PROCESS

 Synthesis of the
Activated Carbon
OUTPUT
INPUT from taro leaves
 Preparation of the
magnetic
 Magnetic
 Raw Materials activated carbon
Activated Carbon
(Taro Leaves)  Production of the
Oval Tablet
 Activating magnetic
 Treated oil spill
reagents and other activated carbon
simulation
reagents used oval tablet
mixture
 Related  Treatment of the
 Percent oil
Literatures and simulated oil spill
concentration
Studies  Determination of
 Statistical results
the oil percent
concentration
 Statistical
Evaluation of the
Results

Figure 12. Conceptual Paradigm of the Study

Research Design

Experimental design will be utilized in the study to determine the diesel oil adsorption

capacity of magnetic activated carbon derived from Taro leaves. The study will use an

experimental approach to investigate the effects of the amount of dosage and contact time to the

adsorptive capacity of the activated carbon in adsorbing diesel oil from water.

49
 Collection of the Taro Leaves

Washing and Drying of the Taro Leaves

Size Reduction and Drying of the Taro Leaves

Impregnation with 80% KOH

Vacuum Filtration

Oven Drying at 120 °C for 12 hours

Activation of the Taro Leaves

Magnetization of the Activated Taro Leaves

Batch Adsorption Experiment

Statistical Treatment

Figure 13. Schematic Diagram of the Study

Figure 13 presents the experimental setup for the evaluation of the diesel oil adsorptive

capacity of Taro leaves derived oval tablets activated carbon. The Taro leaves will be collected

from a vacant lot in Lipa City, Batangas. The preparation for the Taro leaves will start. Then, it

will be followed by the activation and synthesis of the taro leaves. It will discuss the effects of

50
contact time and dosage of the oval tablets to the adsorption of diesel oil from the simulated oil

spill. The experimental setup will include preparation of 3 sets of simulated oil spill for the three

dosages and another 3 sets of simulated oil spill for the assigned contact time. The study will also

provide a graphical analysis of the relationship between the number of oval tablets activated

carbon applied, contact time, and the adsorptive capacity of the oval tablet activated carbon.

Materials and Equipment

1. Taro Leaves

The Taro leaves will be acquired from a vacant lot Lipa City, Batangas. These will be

manually cut to reduce its size and will then be washed with distilled water. Then it will be sun

dried for 3 days and powdered to 150 mesh.

Figure 14. Taro leaves

Source: Research Matters

2. Bentonite

Calcium bentonite will be purchased from FCG Trading Inc., Carsadang Bago, Imus

City, Cavite.

51
 Figure 15. Calcium bentonite

Source: Livestrong

3. Potassium Hydroxide

The potassium hydroxide will be purchased Terran Supply Depot, Marcos Highway,

2600 Baguio City.

Figure 16. Potassium hydroxide

Source: Noah Chemicals

4. Ferric Chloride

The anhydrous Ferric Chloride will be purchased from Jinan Future Chemical Co., Ltd.

Figure 17. Ferric chloride

Source: IndiaMart

5. Simulated Oil Spill

52
 Diesel oil will be mixed with sea water at a concentration of 1% diesel oil by volume.

Diesel oil will be purchased from Sh Kumintang Llaya Bats, Shell petrol station.

6. Iron (ii) Sulfate Heptahydrate

The pure iron (ii) sulfate heptahydrate will be purchased from ChemPur.

Figure 18. Iron (ii) sulfate heptahydrate

Source: Science Photo Library

7. Muriatic acid

This will be used to adjust the pH of the samples. It will be purchased at Ace hardware,

SM Lipa City, Batangas.

Figure 19. Muriatic acid

53
 Source: Tesoro en Maderas

8. Sodium Hydroxide

This will be used to adjust the pH of the samples. It will be purchased at Binondo, Metro

Manila.

Figure 20. Sodium hydroxide

Source: WoodFinishing Enterprises

9. Analytical Balance

This will be used for a precise weight measurement of the activated carbon. It will be

used to measure mass in a sub-milligram range.

54
 Figure 21. Analytical balance

Source: Adam Equipment

10. Desiccator

The activated carbon will be stored in a desiccator to preserved it and preventing it

from having a chemical reaction with the moisture in the air.

Figure 22. Desiccator

Source: IndiaMart

11. Mechanical Sieve Shaker

55
 This will be used to test the particle size distribution of the sample.

Figure 23. Mechanical sieve shaker

Source: Gilson Company

12. Convection Oven

This will be utilized to dry the Taro leaves for 12 hours at a temperature of 120

degree Celsius. It will also be used in oven-drying the mixture of activated carbon for 12

hours at a temperature of 120 degree Celsius.

56
 Figure 24. Convection oven

Source: EPDC - DOST

13. Squat form glass

This will be used in the production of magnetic activated carbon derived from taro

leaves.

Figure 25. 2-liter squat form glass

Source: Capital Analytical

14. pH meter

The pH meter will be used to monitor and control the pH value of the synthetic water.

Figure 26. pH meter

57
 Source: Shop Milwaukee Instruments

15. Hot Plate Magnetic Stirrer

The magnetic stirrer will be used to stir the powdered taro leaves, KOH and distilled

water to impregnate the powdered Taro leaves. The magnetic stirrer will run at 240 rpm for 6

hours at 80 °C temperature.

Figure 27. Hot plate magnetic stirrer

Source: MMS Medical and Laboratory Supplies

PREPARATION OF THE MAGNETIC ACTIVATED CARBON OVAL TABLET

1. Synthesis of the Activated Carbon

The procedures for the synthesis of the activated carbon will be based on three studies.

The three studies mentioned will also be used as guides for the next parts of the methodology.

The first one is a study last 2016 by Andas et al titled “Facile Synthesis of Activated Carbon

from Swamp Taro Stalk via Single Step ZnCl2 Activation” and the second one is as study last

2017 by Anyika et al titled “Synthesis and Characterization of Magnetic Activated Carbon

Developed from Palm Kernel Shells”. The third study is an undergraduate thesis last 2013 by

58
Abacan et al titled “Oil Spill Adsorption Capacity of Activated Carbon Tablets from Corncobs in

Simulated Oil-Water Mixture”. 5 kg of the taro leaves will be acquired from a vacant lot Lipa

City, Batangas. These will be manually cut to reduce its size and will then be washed with

distilled water. Then it will be sun dried for 3 days and powdered to 150 mesh.

The procedure for the impregnation of the prepared powder materials will be based from

the undergraduate thesis of Abacan et al titled “Oil Spill Adsorption Capacity of Activated

Carbon Tablets from Corncobs on Simulated Oil-Water Mixture”. Taro leaves powder will be

impregnated by mixing with KOH and adequate amount of distilled water at impregnation ratio

of 4:1 (KOH: taro leaves) with continuous stirring for 6 hours at 80 °C using magnetic stirrer hot

plate.

The mixture will be vacuum-filtered and oven-dried for 12 hours at 120 °C. Then a 500 g

of the dried powder will be sent to DOST for activation. After the carbonization and activation of

the taro leaves powder, it will then be washed with a 3 N hot HCl solution to achieve a pH of 6.5

– 7. Following vacuum filtration of the neutral activated carbon, residues will be removed by

repeated washing with 80 °C distilled water. The prepared activated carbon will then be dried in

an oven at 120 °C for 12 hours. The activated carbon will be cooled and stored in a desiccator for

further analysis as the final step.

2. Characterization of the Activated Carbon

A batch of the made activated carbon will be sent to Advanced Device and Materials

Testing Laboratory located at Bicutan, Taguig City and the powder will be subjected to Fourier

transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis to know the composition and the functional

groups present on the surface of the activated carbon. Another batch will be sent to BIOTECH

59
Electron Microscopy Service Laboratory, UPLB, Laguna for complete sample processing for

SEM analysis to know the pore size, particle size, surface area and surface morphology.

3. Preparation of Magnetic Activated Carbon

In 500 mL of distilled water, 50 g of activated carbon from taro leaves will be suspended.

A ferric chloride solution (FeCl3·6H2O) will be made by dissolving 18 g ferric chloride in 1300

mL of distilled water, while a ferrous sulfate solution (FeSO4·7H2O) will be made by dissolving

20 g ferrous sulfate in 150 mL of distilled water. In a 2-L beaker, both solutions will be mixed

and heated to between 60 and 70 °C before vigorous stirring with a magnetic stirrer. To ensure

proper mixing, the ferric chloride/ferrous sulfate solution suspension will be added to the

previous aqueous suspension of taro leaves activated carbon and stirred slowly at room

temperature for 30 minutes. After mixing, 10 M NaOH solution will be added dropwise into the

suspension until it reaches a pH of 10 to 11 and will be left for 60 minutes. The activated carbon

suspension will be aged at room temperature for 24 hours without stirring, and the suspended

materials obtained from the reaction of taro leaves activated carbon and iron suspension will be

washed repeatedly with distilled water and ethanol until the pH of the filtrate is around 7. The

produced magnetic activated carbon will be vacuum filtered and oven dried overnight at 50 °C.

4. Analysis of Activated Carbon

Activated carbon is used to purify liquids and gases in a variety of applications. This

includes municipal drinking water, food, beverage processing, odor removal and industrial

pollution control. The following are the different test methods that will be applied to determine

the properties of activated carbon:

A. Apparent bulk density test method

60
 This method is easy to do. It also has a low equipment cost with low maintenance.

The result is determined by a controlled free fall of the particles into a 100-milliliter

graduated cylinder.

B. Particle Size Sieving test method

This is a practical and cost-effective test to know the particle size. It functions by

providing mechanical separation with standard sieves

C. SEM Analysis

This is a strong analytical technique for performing examination on a wide range

of materials at high magnifications and producing high resolution images. Information

concerning properties such as particle size, surface area, surface morphology and iodine

number can be obtained through this test analysis.

5. Preparation of MACOT

A 6-gram tablet of magnetic activated carbon will be prepared. Bentonite and magnetic

activated carbon will be mixed in a parametric proportion of 10% bentonite by weight.

Adsorbent binder mixtures will be mixed with enough water to ensure homogeneous mixing. A

portion of these mixtures will be manually pressed in a 5-cm molder. After being pushed out of

the molder, the adsorbents will be dried at 120°C for 12 hours.

EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP

Experiments will be conducted to determine the number of activated carbon oval tablets

and contact time at which it will be effective in adsorbing diesel oil. Three set ups will be

required to determine the effects of sorbent dose (number of MACOT). The simulated oil-water

mixture will be prepared by mixing 15 mL of diesel oil with 1.5L water in a 20 cm x 15 cm x 20

cm container. The pH of the mixture will be measured afterwards. The oil adsorption experiment

61
will be performed with varying dosage (1 tablet, 3 tablets, 5 tablets) and a controlled contact time

(60 minutes). After the specified contact time, the setups will be filtered, and the filtrate will be

sent to LLDA Labs to determine their oil and grease concentrations.

Run Number pH Sorbent Dosage Contact Time % Removal of

Number of (Minutes) Diesel Oil

tablets)

1 6 3 60

2 6 5 60

3 6 8 60

Table 4. Experimental Set-ups on the Varying Number of Tablets

Source: Catorce, J., et al (2022)

Three set ups will be required to determine the effects of contact time (30 minutes, 60

minutes and 90 minutes). The simulated oil-water mixture will be prepared by mixing 15 mL of

diesel oil with 1.5L water in a 20 cm x 15 cm x 20 cm container. The pH of the mixture will be

measured afterwards. The oil adsorption experiment will be performed with varying contact time

(30 minutes, 60 minutes and 90 minutes) and a controlled number of MACOT (3 oval tablets).

After the specified time of contacts, the setups will be filtered, and the filtrate will be sent to

LLDA Labs to determine their oil and grease concentrations.

Run Number pH Sorbent Dosage Contact Time % Removal of

Number of tablets) (Minutes) Diesel Oil

1 6 3 30

62
 2 6 3 60

3 6 3 90

Table 5. Experimental Set-ups on the Varying Contact Time

Source: Catorce, J., et al (2022)

The amount of oil absorbed, q in mg/g, in each set-up will be calculated using the

formula:

q= [ Ci−Cf
m
V ]
Where:

 Ci is the initial oil concentration in mg/L

 Cf is the final oil concentration in mg/L

 V is the volume of solution in L

 m is the mass of the activated carbon in g

The percentage of removal of oil, Rem%, in solution will be calculated using the

following equation:

Rem %= ( Ci−Cf
Ci )
x 100 %

Adsorption Isotherm

The relationship between the solid phase concentration of the adsorbate and the solution

phase concentration of the adsorbent at the equilibrium condition under constant temperature will

63
be examined by conducting isotherm experiments. Mass ratio of the adsorbate to adsorbent will

be plotted against the oil concentration.

Statistical Treatment

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) will be utilized in order to test the significant effect of

varying amount of dosage (number of MACOT) and contact time on the adsorption capacity of

the MACOT.

The t-test will be used to determine if there is a significant difference in the percentage of

oil concentration before and after the treatment under optimal conditions.

64
Budget Requirements

The table below summarizes the budget requirements and allocation for this research.

The budget for this study will include the cost of raw materials, equipment, and testing

procedures to be performed in various laboratories.

Table 6. Cost Estimate

COST ESTIMATION

Product/Services Raw Price Quantity Price

Diesel Oil ₱ 80 1 liter ₱ 80

Collection of Taro leaves ₱0 5 kg ₱0

Distilled water ₱ 25 1 jug ₱ 25

Potassium hydroxide ₱ 75 3 packets ₱ 225

Muriatic acid ₱ 200 1 liter ₱ 200

Sodium Hydroxide ₱ 70 3 packets ₱ 210

Iron (ii) Sulfate Heptahydrate ₱ 780 1 packet ₱ 780

Ferric Chloride ₱ 700 1 kg ₱ 700

Calcium bentonite ₱ 160 1 packet ₱ 160

8 Liter container ₱ 150 8 pieces ₱ 1, 200

2-Liter Beaker

Glass Desiccator FREE OF USE FROM BSU MAIN II LABORATORY

pH meter

SEM Analysis ₱ 8800 1 test ₱ 8, 800

FTIR Analysis ₱ 4000 1 test ₱ 4, 000

65
Oil and Grease Content ₱ 900 7 tests ₱ 6, 300

Sieve Analysis ₱ 400 1 test ₱ 400

TOTAL ₱ 23, 080

66
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