TREATMENT OF LEACHATE USING PHOSPHORIC ACID TREATED

ACTIVATED CARBON FROM LUFFIA ACUTANGULA

(RIDGE GOURD)

by

ORONG, JULIUS B.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment for the degree of

Bachelor in Science in Environmental Engineering

Examination Committee: DR. JIHAN HASHIM-ADIL (Chairperson)

ENGR. REKICH R. PAHUNANG (Member)
ENGR. REY P. GUMALING (Member)
ENGR. RUSSEL R. FLORES (Member)

ENGR. ANAMIE RABONGUE (Adviser)

Western Mindanao State University

College of Engineering
Department of Environmental Engineering

May 2021
 1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The world is facing major pollution problems due to the increase in population,
urbanization, and industrialization. This causes devastating effects on the environment,
climate, animals, plants, as well as human beings. (Bhat et al., 2021; Kabirifar et al.,
2020; Khan et al., 2021). With the increase in population, there is also an increase in
waste generation which in turn results in problems such as public health ( Kapel Dev
Sharma and Siddharth Jain, 2020). Waste can be categorized into different types,
municipal solid waste, hazardous waste, industrial non-hazardous waste, agricultural and
animal waste, medical waste, and many much more (EPA, 2023).

Often the wastes we generate end up in sanitary landfills as our effort at waste
management without disturbing the environment and public health (Zhang et al., 2020). A
municipal solid waste landfill is a typical area often chosen to receive waste (EPA, 2023).
It is the most common and preferred by many municipalities as a means of waste
management. This disposal site is a natural ecological reactor in which waste transforms
undergoing physical, chemical, and biological changes ( Sonil Nanda and Franco
Berruti,2020). It is a well-engineered facility that is located, designed, operated,
monitored, and tailored to follow compliance with federal regulations (EPA, 2023).
However, due to the rapid increase in waste production municipal solid waste landfills
produce continuous flows of leachate (Wijekoon et al., 2022). One major flaw of
municipal solid waste landfills (Khalil, 2018). Leachate is fluid that forms from waste
materials mostly in sanitary landfills, they are formed from excess fluids such as
rainwater which finds its way through the mountain of waste (Sridhar et al.,2020). This
contaminant has a drastic effect on substances as well as heavy metals that are generated
from the waste ( Negi et al., 2020). Leachate also contains ammonia, calcium,
magnesium, sodium, chlorides, iron, and many more (Pulikowska, 2020).

Proper treatment of leachate must be done to avoid its ecotoxicity and damage to
the environment (Chen et al., 2021). There are multiple numbers of treatment methods for
leachate systems however, researchers stumble upon downhill problems such as high
capital cost and specialized management equipment that is required to solve such
problems ( Aiman et al., 2019) Thus, there must be a deeper understanding of its
physiochemical and environmental behavior to ensure its efficient treatment. One
common method of leachate treatment is by physical-chemical processes such as
adsorption (Chen et al., 2021). Absorption using activated carbon is the common research
trend specifically using agricultural waste as its main source (Aiman et al., 2019).

Agricultural wastes are waste materials from crop produce (Kumar

Harshwardhan and Kanjan Upadhyay, 2017). These waste materials are a good precursor
for activated carbon production. They are cost-efficient, renewable, and accessible for
mass production (Blachnio, 2020). It is one of the most effective technologies for
managing pollutants. Waste produced from crops has loose and porous textures and
structures and contains carboxyl and hydroxyl groups hence, it is an effective and
efficient biological absorption material ( Zhang et al., 2018). One common example of
agricultural crops being utilized as activated carbon is ridge gourd. Peels from this plant is
used to prepare activated carbon (Krishna, 2023). A genus luffa, ridge gourd with the
scientific name Luffa Acutangula which is a a typical vegetable with market value
(Rathod et al., 2018). It is examined through electron microscopy that activated carbon
prepared from ridge gourd has an uneven surface and porous structure, indicating that it
has excellent adsorption capacity. RGAC has a surface area of -945.857 m 2/g, pore size
of – 1.7nm, CFX adsorption capacity of RAGC is 37.56 mg/g, Langmuir isotherm
theoretical data shows the connection between the theoretical and experimental data is 25
or C (R2 = 0.9647).This shows that RGAC is a highly efficient activated carbon ( Krishna,
2023).
1.2 Statement of the Problem

This research has a chief concern regarding the environmental health effects of
landfill.Leachate and the application of agricultural waste as a cheaper alternative for the
Production of activated carbon. To obtain all the essential knowledge, data, and
information, the researcher sought to answer the crucial questions as follows.
1. What are the environmental and health effects of landfill leachate?
1.1. Absorption efficiency of activated carbon
1.2. Removal of organic contaminants on landfill leachate
using GAC

1.3 Significance of the Study

The problems that the writer wants to solve are as follows:

1. This study will be undertaken to find out the absorption efficiency of RGAC
treated with phosphoric acid to treat leachate in sanitary landfills.
2. This research will be beneficial to our society for it brings forth innovative
solutions that are both sustainable and eco-friendly.
3. The research will benefit the economy, especially in the modern world where the
problem of inflation exists, this will provide a cheaper alternative to costly
activated carbon in the market.

1.4 Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study are as follows:

1. To understand the absorption efficiency of activated carbon derived from ridge

gourd.
 2. To mitigate the environmental problem posed by sanitary landfill in the form of
leachate.
3. To provide a cheap, cost-effective, and eco-friendly source of activated carbon.

CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter discusses the related literature of the study. This includes recent
information, ideas, and evidence that helped reiterate the significance, methodology, and
results of the study.

2.1 Landfill Leachate as Emerging Contaminant

Landfill disposal of municipal solid and liquid waste from residential, commercial,
and industrial sources continues to increase in response to population growth and to
expanded manufacturing and availability of consumer products. Leachate is produced at
landfills from the percolation of precipitation through solid waste and from liquid waste
migrating downgradient. Complex mixtures of contaminants of concern for human and
ecosystem health ( Masoner et al., 2020). Toxic materials from unorganized dumping
sites leached out in the form of leachate and pollute the groundwater that resulting in
significant impacts on human health and environment. Management of this highly toxic
leachate is essential for assessing the impact of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills to
ensure the least environmental impact ( Mishra et al., 2018). The results indicated that
CLL generation is higher (188.59 m3/d) than ALL (49.53 m3/d). The concentrations of
principal physical, chemical, and biological constituents and concomitant
leachate pollution index were higher in CLL (33.20) than in ALL (26.65). Furthermore,
the germination indices of CLL (57.48) and ALL (79.14) and tail DNA damage of CLL
(56.49%) and ALL (23.8%) ratified greater phytotoxicity and genotoxicity potential,
respectively of CLL overall ( Palani and Anand, 2022). . Landfill leachate contains
different kinds of municipal toxic wastes as well as heavy metal, which finally percolates
into the ground and joins the groundwater table. Consuming such water results in severe
health hazards and may sometimes be fatal if consumed for long periods. Several studies
have shown evidence on the high concentration of heavy metals in leachate as well as in
nearby groundwater sources. Moreover, various studies have confirmed the fact that there
is an increased threat of adverse health effects (low birth weight, birth defects, and certain
types of cancers), congenital malformations in children, and higher risks for
malformations of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems for skin, hair, and nails in
local residents. Pregnant women and children are more vulnerable to these pollutants, and
newborn children are more prone to the health risk. These findings may signify the real
health risks associated with residents residing near landfill sites ( Kumari et al., 2017).

2.2 Leachate treatment using activated carbon.

The activated sludge process has been found to be a good solution with low
processing costs and is now therefore the core process for leachate treatment, especially
for nitrogen removal ( Wang et al., 2018). Activated Carbon (AC) is an adsorbent with
having high surface area which makes the process of removing heavy metals from
wastewater (such as landfill leachate) very effective ( Erabee et al., 2018). In adsorption,
an adsorbent plays a key role in removing the desired pollutants from the wastewater. In
this regard, activated carbon has been thoroughly studied as an adsorbent mainly because
of its high surface area and it can be modified in a number of ways to increase its
adsorption capacity. The carbon in the activated carbon is used to remove dissolved
organic matter via adsorption (Ahmad et al., 2021). The use of activated carbon as
support for metal catalysts shows several advantages compared to other support materials.
The carbon surface is inert, especially in strongly acidic and basic conditions, the pore
size distribution and the chemical properties on the surface can be adjusted (polarity and
hydrophobicity) according to the envisaged application. In addition, metal particles can be
recovered simply by burning the carbon support. Thus, porous carbon materials represent
a large part of the supporting materials for the preparation of heterogeneous catalysts.
Nevertheless, only a small amount of the worldwide produced activated carbon (<1%) is
used as catalyst support. A possible reason may be the lack of reproducibility due to
inconsistent carbon precursor compositions (Iwanow et al.,2020). Activated carbon is a
carbonous solid widely used as a multipurpose adsorbent meant for the adsorption of
liquid and gaseous phases. Activated carbon (AC) is produced from an extensive range of
precursors, including char and agricultural waste. Surface chemistry, microporosity, and
porosity all affect how well AC can be removed from gas or liquid phases ( Gonfa et
al.,2020).

2.3 Agricultural waste as activated carbon precursor

Generally, activated carbons are classified as commercial and low-cost types. Most
commercial activated carbons are made from materials that can't be reused, like coal,
animal bones, and apricot stone. Low-cost activated carbons are made from renewable
biomass or agricultural waste, like a lotus stalk, sewage sludge, waste tires, coconut shell,
cane bagasse almond shell, acorn shell, peanut shell , palm kernel shell, corncob, and
Canarium Schwerin fruit Nutshell ( Gonfa et al.,2020).

Agricultural waste materials (strawberry seeds and pistachio shells) were used for
preparation of activated carbons by two various methods. Chemical activation using
acetic acid and physical activation with gaseous agents (carbon dioxide and water vapor)
were chosen as mild and environmentally friendly methods. The effect of type of raw
material, temperature, and activation agent on the porous structure characteristics of the
materials was discussed applying various methods of analysis. The best obtained
activated carbons were characterized by high values of specific surface area (555–685
m2/g) ( Blachnio et al.,2020). Removal of organic pollutants onto agricultural waste
adsorbents (raw material, modified agricultural waste or preparation AC by them) has
been reviewed. Moreover, the adsorption capacities of organic pollutants desorption
approaches, adsorption mechanism, and the optimizations activated carbon preparation
conditions and adsorption process variables by response surface method have been
summarized ( Zhou et al., 2015).
 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY

3.1 Preparation of activated carbons

Selection of locally produced Ridge Gourd (Luffa Acutangula) from waste
near marketplace. Preparation for two methods of activation: Physical activation
with carbon dioxide and steam and chemical activation using phosphoric acid.

3.1.1 Preparation of Activated Carbon Using Physical Activation

Preparation for physical activation of activated carbon was carried out using a
microwave under 80,240,400,560 and 800 W with a constant flow of N2 for about 10
minutes for air from the sample substance.

3.1.2 Preparation of Activated Carbon Using Chemical Activation

In preparation for chemical activation, the ridge gourd sample was treated with
phosphoric acid for about 8 hours then later filtered and dried. An oven of 110
degrees Celsius of heat for 1 hour was utilized in drying the sample which had already
been treated with phosphoric acid.

3.1.3 Scanning Electron Microscopy/Transmission Electron Microscopy

The surface morphology of the activated carbons was studied by the field
emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) employing a Quanta TM 3D FEG (FEI
Company, Washington County, OR, USA) apparatus operating at 30 kV. The
microstructure of the samples was analyzed by the Transmission Electron Microscopy
(TEM) Titan G2 60–300 kV FEI Company. The tested samples were grinded, poured over
with ethanol, and homogenized by ultrasonication (Blachnio, 2020).

3.1.4 Absorption rate of GAC using UV-Vis spectrophotometry

Ultra-Violte visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy is a spectroscopic method that is based

on the interaction of a chemical species with light in the ultraviolet and visible ranges of
the spectrum ( Mtewa et al.,2021)

3.1.5 Absorption rate of Activated cabron

Activated carbon is one of the most common used as an absorbing substance. The
adsorption process takes place in three steps:

 Macro transport: The movement of organic material through the macro-pore

system of the active carbon (macro-pore >50nm)
 Micro transport: The movement of organic material through the meso-pore and
micro-pore system of the active carbon (micro-pore <2nm; meso-pore 2-50nm)
 Sorption: The physical attachment of organic material on the surface of active
carbon in the meso-pores and micro-pores of the active carbon

The absorption efficiency of AC is quantified by the following Freundlich.

isotherm equation:

Freundlich:

x/m = adsorbed substance per gram active carbon

Ce = concentration difference (between before and after)

Kf, n = specific constants

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BUGETARY REQUIREMENT

WORKPLAN AND TIMETABLE

NO Activities Ja Fe Ma Ap Ma Ju Jul Au Se Oc No De Ja Fe
. n b r r y n y g p t v c n b

1. Proposal v V
preparation

2. Examination v
of proposal

3. Instrument V
preparation
and revisions

4. Phase 1 v V
( Implementin
g)

5. Results V
consulting and
analyzing

6. Phase 2 v v V
(Implementing
)

7. Results V
consulting and
analyzing

8. Phase 3 V
(Implementing
)

9. Results v v
consulting and
analyzing

10. Written v v v
reports
11. Reviewing v v v
report