(1) PROJECT PROFILE

Project Title: Cocos Nucifera: An Alternative Water Filter Source for Activated Charcoal
Names of Project Proponent/s: Caitlyn Ancheta, Cassy Beltran, Kleigh Zaizy Lucena,
Kimberly Visbal
Region: _III Division:__ _Bataan__________
School: Limay National High School Grade Level:___10____
Project Duration (number of months):___________
Email: ____________ Contact number:__________
(2) CATEGORY OF RESEARCH (4) THEME
_____ Physical Science _____ Food Safety
__/__ Life Science _____ Water Conservation
_____ Robotics and Intelligent _____ Renewable Energy
Machines ____ Cyber Security
_____ Mathematics and _____ Traffic/ Road Congestion
Computational Sciences _____ Health
_____ Disaster Mitigation
(3) __/__ Agriculture and Environment
_____ Individual _____ Others (please specify)
__/___ Team ______________________

(5) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (not to exceed 200 words)

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(6) INTRODUCTION
a. Background of the Study

Water pollution has the potential to harm our health, the environment, and the

economy. It releases energy into bodies of water, in the form of radioactivity or heat, in

addition to the release of substances such as chemicals, trash, or microorganisms. Due to the

high risk associated with impure water, the demand for water filtration has never been greater.

As we struggle with pollution, climate change and rapid population growth, our natural

resources are also under pressure. Boiling water used to be sufficient enough to kill many

germs and bacteria, although due to modern day contaminants, twenty minutes is not enough

to get rid of them finding its way to our water sources. One of the best methods of water

filtration is using the coconut shell-based activated carbon. It is a natural, effective and a cost-

saving option.
 Despite the fact that there are many water filters found in the market, some are not eco-

friendly and/or are ineffective. We, as teenage researchers, decided to create our own water

filter, using coconut shells as our main component and alternative for coal-based carbon and

wood-based carbon.

(6.1) RATIONALE/SIGNIFICANCE (not to exceed 300 words)

Charcoal is considered as a non-renewable energy source as it is extra tedious to

produce. As of this year, Philippines’ production of coconuts are 3.30 million metric tons,

making our country the third largest coconut producer in the world. Coconut shells or husks

being one of the most recurrent wastes in this nation proves that we should use this more as a

replacement of coal-based and wood-based carbon to filter water contaminants.

Significance of the Study

This study is pivotal due to the fact that using carbonized coconut shells in water

filtration is a green source of carbon and an eco-friendly alternative than activated charcoal. It

creates cleaner water as it is known as a non-leaching agent and has a high density of

micropores, meaning it is best in filtering liquid impurities.

(6.2) SCIENTIFIC BASIS/THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK/MATHEMATICAL

THEORY INVOLVED

A clean and recommended source of activated charcoal is coconut shells. Although

coal, wood, and other materials can be used to make charcoal, activated coconut

charcoal is preferable. First, it complies with strict quality standards because it is

intended to be consumed as well as used in blood filtering devices like kidney dialysis
units. This means that it is USP (U. S. Pharmacopoeia) food-grade.

Coconut shells are burned at a high temperature to produce activated coconut

charcoal, which is then heated to high temperatures to undergo activation. As a result,

the surface develops millions of small pores. It is used to filter water because of this.

Toxins and gas can be bound by the pores of activated coconut charcoal when taken

orally to help the body expel them. The main applications for activated coconut charcoal

include internal deodorization, gas and bloating relief, and overall detoxification.

Here is a brief explanation of these applications and several others in greater detail:

Pre-filters made of activated carbon are most often seen in water purifiers.

Activated carbon is a very effective adsorbent for many pollutants in drinking water due

to its large internal surface area. The primary sources of activated carbon are peat,

coconut shells, petroleum-based residues, and coal (anthracite, bituminous, and lignite).

Why is activated carbon made from coconut shells the most popular option in the

market? Coconut shell-derived activated carbon primarily contains micro-sized holes.

Micropores make up nearly 85–90% of the activated carbon made from coconut shell.

These tiny pores are very effective at trapping contaminants because they are the same

size as those found in drinking water. Most of the meso- and macro-pores in peat and

wood activated carbon are conducive to trapping larger molecules.

Since activated carbons made from coconut shells tend to be microporous and are

the least dusty, they are particularly effective at adsorbing organic chemicals. Coconut-

shell based activated carbon filters offer the maximum hardness when compared to other

types of activated carbon, which makes them perfect for water filtration. In addition to

these special qualities, coconut shells are a sustainable and renewable material for water
 filtration. Three times a year, coconuts are harvested; this doesn't have an adverse effect

on the coconut trees, which keep growing all year. Additionally, coconut shell carbon

filters adsorb volatile organic pollutants, insecticides, and herbicides, as well as

disinfection byproducts like THM, remove halogens from water, and enhance water

quality.

Theoretical Framework

This research was based on the study of Joseph Amy in 1746, where he used charcoal and wool to strain the small

particles mixed in water. Instead of charcoal activated carbon, we came up with the idea of using coconut shell-based activated carbon since it is more
 efficient and accessible.

(6.3)OBJECTIVES

The main objective of this study is to construct a Carbon Coconut Water Filter that

restricts the growth of toxic chemicals. Its aim is to provide clean water and prevent

waterborne diseases and illnesses. It highlights the removal of harmful particles that pollute

water.

Specifically, this study aims to answer the following questions:

1. How may the Carbon Coconut-based Water Filter be described in terms of:

1.1 efficiency;

1.2 accessibility

1.3 affordability

1.4 quality

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using this Carbon Coconut Water Filter?

3. Is there any significant difference between your Carbon Coconut-based water filter with

Activated Charcoal-based water filters in terms of:

3.1 efficiency

3.2 accessibility

3.3 affordability

3.4 quality
 H –There is no significant difference between Carbon Coconut-based Water Filters
o

and Activated Charcoal-based Water Filters in terms of;

a.  efficiency
b. accessibility
c. affordability
d. quality

Ha – There is a significant difference between Carbon Coconut-based Water Filters

and Activated Charcoal-based Water Filters in terms of;

a.  efficiency
b. accessibility
c. affordability
d. quality

(7) REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Relevant Studies

Many years ago, water filtration is as old as civilization itself: traces of it have been

found in India and Greece around 2000 B.C.. At this time, people thought heat or boiling were

the best forms of water filtering. They also used unrefined straining methods of sand and

gravel filtration. In 1500 B.C., the Egyptians first discovered the method of coagulation.

Coagulation is a process used to separate the solids from water by straining. At this point in

history, people thought that water taste indicated it's purity. They were not aware that even

water that tasted pure could contain chemical contaminants or dangerous microorganisms. We

now know that just because water taste good, it’s not necessarily to drink.
Hippocrates, a Greek philosopher also known as the "Father of modern medicine" discovered

the healing properties of water and considered health to be harmonious balance. So, he

considered pure water to be essential for the body. He set findings about the best way to purify

water and discovered a crude water filter system in the form of a cloth bag. This simple tool

became known as a "Hippocratic sleeve". He boiled the water and then poured it through the

filtration cloth to separate the sediments creating a cleaner and better tasting water.

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, a Dutch spectacle maker and obsessed with object magnification.

Analyzed the water by viewing tiny drops of it. Which led him to astounding discovery that

tiny microorganisms existed in water and scientists now began to understand that removing

harmful microorganisms in water avoid you to other diseases.

The first actual municipal water treatment plant initiated around 1700s. Robert Thom, a

Scottish civil engineer who made the water treatment based on sand filtration to eliminate 99%

bacteria in the water. It decreases waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid,

amoebiasis etc. Thom's revolutionary water filtration system change the face of water

treatment history

The first carbon filter came next in 1862 when John Doulton and his son Henry invented the

ceramic water filter system to remove bacteria in drinking water. At that time, drinking water

was contaminated with raw sewage and epidemics of cholera and typhoid were common.

Henry Doulton created a micro porous ceramic cartridge which could remove bacteria with

99% efficiency. At this point, Doulton filters were used by the military, crown agents and

hospitals and gradually introduced into home. The range and efficiency of this water filter

system has changed over the years but the popularity and effectiveness of the early 20th

century invention continues with these water filter systems and still used across the world

today.
Related Literature

(8) METHODOLOGY
Research Design

This study mainly focuses on coconut activated carbon into a filtering device
designed as quantitative and qualitative study. Analyzing the matched product, the efficiency
of coconut shell-based activated carbon as a filtering device will be tested.

Product- Coconut shell-based activated carbon and coal-based activated carbon.

The efficiency of coconut shell-based activated carbon is about 86.4% above with an
adsorption capacity of 4.70 mg/g while coal-based activated carbon is about 10% efficiency
with an adsorption capacity of 4.14 mg/g. In filtering, coconut shell-based activated carbon
can trap 99.97% of small particles while coal-based activated carbon can filter 98%.

Materials

The researchers will need 1 non-toxic glue, 1 large black pvc pipe, 1 small plastic
faucet, 2 transparent plastic sheets, pebbles and gravels, fine sand, coconut shell-based
activated carbon, 4 plastic mesh screens, and 1 cheesecloth.

Procedures

To start, these group of young learners will begin by removing the large pipe at the
center, and then insert and glue the transparent plastic sheet in order to see the items. Then,
they will take out a small portion of the bottom of the said pipe and install the plastic faucet.
Starting at the bottom, they will glue the cheesecloth at the base of the pipe, and then place and
glue 1 mesh screen above the previous material. After that, they will put the coconut shell-
based activated carbon over the separator. They’ll proceed to stick another screen above the
activated carbon, insert the fine sand, put over one more mesh screen, and then put both the
pebbles and the gravels. Lastly, these students will put the last transparent plastic sheet,
already formed as the shape of the top of the pipe, as the cover.

Data Gathering Procedure

Statistical Data Analysis Procedure

All the data gathered and accumulated will be tabulated and analyzed by acquiring the

mean and mode of the data given by respondents.

(9) EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS

This study was significant especially to the following consumers:

To the Students – This portable appliance would help them while camping to filter

water for their needs.

To the Community – This device would benefit families who doesn’t have access to

clean water sources.

To the School – This tool would aid students in their project relates to subjects like

environmental science.
 To the Researchers – This study would benefit future researchers in terms of

making use of the information related to our research.

The researchers sought for two potential impacts, which is to help people have

more access to cleaner water, and to use an eco-friendly component in water filtration.

(10)WORK PLAN AND TARGET DELIVERABLES

(11)REFERENCES