DETERMINATION OF THE

EFFICIENCY OF THE REMOVAL OF

HEAVY METALS, HARDNESS, AND
FLUORIDE BY TRADITIONAL
PURIFICATION METHODS
&
APPLICATION OF ABOVE METHODS
TO A NATURAL WATER SAMPLE
FROM ANURADHAPURA DISTRICT

MINI PROJECT – GROUP 05

 Introduction

OUTLINE
Materials

Methodology

Results and
Discussion

Conclusion
Objectives

i . To determine the efficiency of traditional

purification methods in removal of Heavy
metals, hardness, and fluoride in water

ii . To apply the above traditional purification

methods to a natural water sample from
Anuradhapura district
INTRODUCTION​
Several districts, specially in the dry zone of Sri Lanka are facing potential health risks
related to contamination and poor quality of water sources available. Hence, monitoring
the quality of water and testing it regularly, is crucial for the wellbeing of people.

Hardness
(Ca/Mg)

Major Water
Quality
Problems in
Sri Lanka
Heavy
High
Metal
Fluoride
Contamina
Content
tion
(F)
(Pb, Cd)
Health Effects on Human Body
Table 1
Characteristics of common ions found in water

Ion Human Health Effect Common Sources Maximum Contaminant level

Kidney damage natural soils and 15.0 µg/L

Lead (Pb)
Reduced neural development agricultural chemicals
Agricultural chemicals
Kidney damage 5.0 µg/L
Cadmium (Cd) such as weedicides and
Carcinogenic
pesticides

cause a change in bowel

Magnesium (Mg)
habits (diarrhea)
leaching of rocks, and
from streams flowing over
Calcium (Ca)
limestone and dolomite

can cause dental fluorosis

Fluoride (F) skeletal fluorosis, arthritis, and 4.0 mg/L
osteoporosis
 Traditional Methods
 Traditional water purification methods which has been used over
centuries may help in providing clean, safe water.
 However, it is necessary to determine whether those methods are
reliable & effective in water purification.
Materials

ඉඟිනි ඇට Charcoal Clay Pot

Clearing Nuts
Strychnos potatarum
 Method
Atomic Absorption
Pb 2+
Spectroscopy (AAS)
Pb2+/ Cd2+/ Ca2+
Results

Cd2+

Traditional
Traditional
Ca 2+
purification
purification Ion
methods
methods 1.Charcoal
(Charcoal, Chromatography
Clearing
2.Clearingseeds,
seeds& (IC)/ F-
Mg2+ Clay Pot)
3.Clay Pot

F-

Tube well water Hatch /Mg2+

Results
 Heavy Metal absorption via Traditional Methods for standard solutions
100

90

80

70
Percentage Removal

60

50
44.35

40

30

19.61 19.72
20

10
2.52 1.68
0.6
0
Clearing Seeds Charcoal Clay Pot

Method

Pb2+ Cd2+
 Water Softening via Traditional Methods for Fluoride reduction via Traditional
standard Solutions Methods for standard solutions
100
90
90
90

80
80

70 63.44
60.32
60
Percentage Removal

60

50

40

30

20

10
1.63 2.65 1.78
0
Clearing Seeds Charcoal Clay Pot Clearing Seeds Charcoal Clay Pot

Method
Fluoride Content
Mg2+ Ca2+
 Percentage Remo val of Pb2+,Cd2+,M g2+,Ca2+,F- by Traditi o nal Purifi cati on
Methods fo r a natural water sample fro m Anuradhapura district
Pb2+ Cd2+ Mg2+ Ca2+ F-

100

90

80

70
Percentage Removal

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
Clearing Seeds Charcoal Clay Pot

Method
Conclusion
References
Joseph, L., Jun, B.-M., Flora, J. R. V., Park, C. M., & Yoon, Y. (2019).
Removal of heavy metals from water sources in the developing world using
low-cost materials: A review. Chemosphere.
doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.04.198
10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.04.198 downloaded on 2019-07-17
GROUP
MEMBERS
1. 1. S19083 D Karunanayake
2. 2. S19057 B Haluwadana
3. 3. S19118 P Nishshanka
4. 4. S19045 R S Gawri
5. 5. S19060 C Herath
6. 6. S19039 H Dilshan
7. 7. S19105 M L Madusanka
8. 8. S19126 T S Perera
THANK YOU