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INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, the Philippines is suffering various environmental problems such us

waste mismanagement or increasing agricultural waste production.

The most common agricultural wastes in the Philippines are rice husk, rice straw,
coconut husk, coconut shell and bagasse. The Philippines has the largest number of
coconut trees in the world as it produces most of the world market for coconut oil and
copra meal. The major coconut wastes include coconut shell, coconut husks and coconut
coir dust. Coconut shell is the most widely utilized but the reported utilization rate is very
low. Approximately 500 million coconut trees in the Philippines produce tremendous
amounts of biomass as husk (4.1 million tonnes), shell (1.8 million tonnes), and frond
(4.5 million tonnes annually) (Zafar, 2019).
Another environmental problem is the insufficiency of potable water supply.
Many may argue that there is almost endless resource for water as seen by how vast water
bodies are, but in reality, only less than one percent of all water in the planet is
considered potable. (Epa, 2016). Clean water shortage in the Philippines is often
overlooked by many. One of the top 10 causes of death in the Philippines in 2016 was
acute watery diarrhea, claiming over 139,000 lives. Due to climate change, this situation
could worsen as the country is beset by the El Nino phenomenon that contribute to
increase in temperature, drying up wells, as well as other clean water resources (World
Health Organization 2019).
In addition, Baguio is one of the cities that is greatly affected with potable water
shortage. Over the depletion of water in the city, adding that the private wells could be
making the situation worse. There is a big chance that water drilled from the city’s
aquifer will further deteriorate because of over-pumping of wells. Busol watershed, the
city’s largest, can hold up to 55,000 cubic meters daily, but to support the whole
population of the city for the next decades, it will need to hold up at least 100,000 cubic
meters daily (Baguio Water District 2018). The two main rivers of Benguet, Balili and
Bued(downstream rivers), is much more polluted than that of Manila Bay. If those river
waters were to be made into drinkable water, communities lying near those areas may
also benefit from self-sufficiency (Espiritu 2019). Environmental Management Bureau
(EMB) Cordillera regional director Reynaldo S. Digamo said that based on the latest
monitoring of the Balili river that strands from Baguio City, La Trinidad and Sablan in
Benguet and exits in Naguilian, La Union, the fecal coliform in the water of the Balili
river reached the hundreds of billions while the waters of the Bued river that strands from
Baguio City, Tuba, Benguet and exits in Rosario, La Union has reached millions which
are way beyond the prescribed standards of coliform in the waters of the river systems.
“The data that we obtained in our previous monitoring only shows that the interventions
being implemented by the concerned local governments, agencies and the private sector
are not actually working that is why it is high time for everyone to revisit their activities.
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We no longer need lip service this time because the water quality of Balili and Bued
rivers are at their worst,” Digamo stressed. Under the standards of the Philippine Clean
Water Act, Balili river is classified as Class A body of water wherein its water quality is
supposedly potable and with an allowable 1.1 most probable number (MP) of fecal
coliform of 1.1 per 100 milliliter while Bued river is classified as Class C body of water
wherein it is suitable for agriculture and fishery with an allowable fecal coliform of 200
MPN per 100 milliliter. The EMB-CAR official revealed the based on the agency’s
monitoring report, the worst water quality of Balili river was 800 billion MPN per 100
milliliter while the worst water quality of the Bued river was several millions MPN per
100 milliliter which should be a cause for alarm by all the involved stakeholders.
According to him, the worsening water quality in both river systems only indicates the
existence of a large number of residences that directly discharge their sewerage waste to
the river systems aside from the proliferation of backyard piggeries that also discharge
animal waste to the said bodies of water (Herald Express 2019).
Rainwater has been found in some cases to contain bacteria, or trace metals, or both
(Chubaka, Emmanuel & Ross, Kirstin & Edwards, John. 2017).
In order to solve the stated problems, utilization of the primary agricultural wastes
being produced and purification of water is necessary. Water purification is the process of
removing undesirable chemical and biological contaminants, suspended solids, and gases
from water. This process is done to promote water potability. There are numerous ways
of doing this process, but the safest way is simply by filtration and disinfection.
(Eftekhar, 2015).
Despite the numerous water purifier alternatives, there is still insufficient supply
for potable water. Inadequate and intermittent water supply in Metro Manila and in other
parts of the country can have serious health consequences. When water is scarce, people
are often forced to rely on drinking water sources that may not be safe. They may also
lack sufficient water for basic hygiene - to wash themselves and their clothes, and to
prevent infection including from foodborne and waterborne diseases. Low or negative
water pressure in pipes due to short supply can attract contaminants that will put water
quality at risk when the supply is restored (World Health Organization 2019).
Meanwhile, one thing in common to the articles or related literatures of the researchers is
the utilization of coconut “Cocos nucifera” husks or coir, coconut husk fibers, as one of
the components for water filtration or purification system. Thus to address the problems
mentioned, the researchers seek to study different possibilities and ways to utilize
Coconut “Cocos nucifera” husk as the main medium for a water purification system.
Various polyphenols are present in the coconut husk (Sueli and Gustavo, 2007)
and the aqueous extract of the coconut husk has antimicrobial activity (Esquenazi et al.,
2002). Moreover, polyphenols possess antioxidant and inflammatory properties that
repulses bacteria. The phytochemical screening of coconut husk has reported that this
plant material is rich in alkaloids, flavonoids, catechins, and epicatechin, together with
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condensed tannins, which confer on it potent antimicrobial properties (Alviano WS,

2008). On the other hand, catechin and epicatechin have also been shown to possess
antibiotic properties due to their role in disrupting bacterial processes. As the Cocos
nucifera husk contains catechin and epicatechin, it can be contemplated that these
components must be the primary constituents that confer the antimicrobial effects (Sasaki
H, 2004). Coconut in general has long been proven for its versatility. Its husk for instance
can be utilized as an activated charcoal that can be used for filtration. Carbon filtering is a
method of filtering that uses a bed of activated carbon to remove contaminants and
impurities, using chemical adsorption. Activated carbon works via a process called
adsorption, whereby pollutant molecules in the fluid to be treated are trapped inside the
pore structure of the carbon substrate. Active charcoal carbon filters are most effective at
removing chlorine, particles such as sediment, volatile organic compounds (VOCs); such
as hydrogen sulfide most commonly found in river and ocean waters due to pollution, and
taste and odor from water (Bharadwaj, 2016).
For the researchers to be guided, here are the contaminants that might be present
in water according to United States Environmental Protection Agency. The following are
general categories of drinking water contaminants and examples of each: Physical
contaminants primarily impact the physical appearance or other physical properties of
water. Examples of physical contaminants are sediment or organic material suspended in
the water of lakes, rivers and streams from soil erosion. Chemical contaminants are
elements or compounds. These contaminants may be naturally occurring or man-made.
Examples of chemical contaminants include nitrogen, bleach, salts, pesticides, metals,
toxins produced by bacteria, and human or animal drugs. Biological contaminants are
organisms in water. They are also referred to as microbes or microbiological
contaminants. Examples of biological or microbial contaminants include bacteria,
viruses, protozoan, and parasites. Radiological contaminants are chemical elements with
an unbalanced number of protons and neutrons resulting in unstable atoms that can emit
ionizing radiation. Examples of radiological contaminants include cesium, plutonium and
uranium.
Using this purification technique involving coconut husk is not only for the
benefit of saving money but also for efficiency. Coconut husks are known for its almost
non-degenerative structure, meaning, its shelf life exceeds way more than what organic
matter is expected to spoil; thus, even those husks that were stacked months, or even
years ago can still be made into activated carbon. Additionally, activated carbon can be
used for a long time before getting old and overused to be utilized further. Furthermore,
replacing it is not an issue because it cannot be dissolved in water (Ratnoji, 2014).
If these processes were to be implemented in at least a small community, it will
help that community to be self-sufficient in terms of drinkable water.
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Research Objectives

The researchers aim to: 1) Construct Water Purification System prototypes

utilizing coconut shell as activated charcoal with coir as water filter. 2) Determine the
difference of water before and after the purification in terms of physico-chemical and
microbiological (E. coli) characteristics. 3) Determine the potability of the purified water
through physico-chemical and microbiological water testing.

Hypotheses

To guide the researchers, the following hypotheses were formulated: 1) There is a

significant difference between the water samples before and after the purification in terms
of physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics. 2) There is a significant
difference between the water sample before and after the purification in terms of physico-
chemical and microbiological characterictics.

Scope and Delimitations

This research project will only utilize coconut husks and its fibers for the Water
Purification System to be able to prove that it can be an alternative to expensive water
purifiers. The water samples are also gathered from Baguio and Benguet only, if other
people might want to make use of the Water Purification System, the researchers made,
they might have to do the processes done in this research to make sure that the Water
Purification System is effective, because the water that they may get might have different
or worse physical, chemical, microbiological characteristics.

Significance of the Study

The result of the study will be of great benefit to the following: Students. This
study will help the students to develop their interest in discovering natural alternative for
water purifier. School Administrators. The result of this study could serve as an
additional idea for the improvement of the project implemented to keep the school an
eco-friendly environment. Parents. The result of the study may be helpful to cut the
expenses of the parents in buying artificial water filters if and only if they buy artificial
water filters. Community. This study will benefit all the members of the community,
especially those who do not have an easy access to clean water supply, by making their
own Water Purifier System using the same affordable materials utilized in this project.
Future Researchers. The result presented may serve as a basis in conducting new
researches or in testing the validity of other related literature. This study would also serve
as a cross-reference that will give them an overview on the effect of the water
purification system to the different samples. And it may be of great help as a guide in
making this Water Purification System and to test it on a different setting.
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CHAPTER II

METHODOLOGY

Collection of water samples and water testing before the purification

In this part, 2 liters of raw Balili river water sample was collected for physico-
chemical (lead count) and microbiological (Escherechia coli count) water testing.
Escherichia coli (abbreviated as E. coli) are bacteria found in the environment, foods, and
intestines of people and animals. E. coli are a large and diverse group of bacteria.
Although most strains of E. coli are harmless, others can make you sick. Some kinds of
E. coli can cause diarrhea, while others cause urinary tract infections, respiratory illness
and pneumonia, and other illnesses (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019).
Water testing is the continuous sampling of various liquid streams and the analysis of
their quality. These liquid streams include watercourses such as rivers and lakes,
groundwater, recirculated cooling streams, boiler feedwater or condensate, and process
effluents (Cole-Parmer, 2018).

Gathering of materials to be used for the construction of Water Purification System

After the water testing, the researcher gathered 10 kg of coconut shells and 2 kg
of coir. For the Water Purification System, the materials used were four pieces of 2 inch
pipes, a sterile water jug, a fine net, a cheese cloth, a flex tape and a neoprene rubber.

Current Carbonization Process

Coconut shells are carbonized through the following processes: (1) Build a
medium-sized fire in a safe area (2) Pack a metal pot with small pieces of hardwood
(3) Cook the pot on an open fire for 3 to 5 hours to make charcoal (4) Clean the charcoal
with water once it cools (5) Grind up the charcoal (6) Allow the charcoal powder to air
dry completely (7) Combine calcium chloride and water in a 1:3 ratio (8) Use bleach or
lemon juice as an alternative to the calcium chloride solution (9) Stir together the calcium
chloride solution and charcoal powder (10) Cover the bowl and let the charcoal sit for 24
hours (11) Cook the charcoal for another 3 hours to activate it.

Construction of the Water Purification System

Before the construction, the researchers manually extracted the coir from the
coconut husks and they sterilized the materials needed for the Water Purification System.
Second, when the materials were already dry, the cheese cloth and the fine net were cut
into a square with 4 in sides and were attached at one end of each 2 inch pipes using a
flex tape. Third, the researchers put the activated charcoal and coir into the corresponding
pipes and lastly, it was assembled together with the sterile water jug.
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Purification of water samples

Here, the researchers poured 2 L of raw Balili river water sample to the pipe. As
the water flowed through the layers of the activated charcoal and coir inside the pipe, it
was being purified. The water then was stored in the reservoir or jug after flowing
through the pipe.

Water testing after the purification

In this part of the methodology, the amount of water needed for the water testing
and the water testing procedures that will be done were the same as the procedures
mentioned before the purification.

Research Design

This project proposal will require more than two research designs. First, the
researchers will use the Water Purification System. The Water Purification System will
need coconut fibers and activated charcoal from coconut husks, reusable water gallons,
fine net, and cloth. Second, the researchers will use the Observational Design (Centre for
Evidence-Based Medicine, 2019) for the physical characteristics of the water samples
before and after the purification. Third is the Experimental Research Design (Centre for
Evidence-Based Medicine, 2019) for the chemical characteristics and microbiological
characteristics of the water samples before and after the purification. And lastly, the
researchers will test the feasibility of the Water Purification System with coconut husk
and activated charcoal by comparing it to other alternative water purifiers/ purification
system. The comparison will be done through the Pugh Matrix method. The Pugh Matrix
was developed by Stuart Pugh, it is a type of Matrix Diagram that allows for the
comparison of a number of design candidates leading ultimately to which best meets a set
of criteria. It also permits a degree of qualitative optimization of the alternative concepts
through the generation of hybrid candidates.
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Flow Chart

Collection Water Gathering of Gathering of

of water testing materials for materials for the
samples before the the WPS WPS
purification

Construction Current
of the Water Carbonization
Water testing after Purification of Purification Process
the purification water samples System

Build a medium-sized fire in a safe area

Pack a metal pot with small pieces of hardwood
Cook the pot on an open fire for 3 to 5 hours to make charcoal
Clean the charcoal with water once it cools
Grind up the charcoal
Allow the charcoal powder to air dry completely
Combine calcium chloride and water in a 1:3 ratio
Use bleach or lemon juice as an alternative to the calcium chloride
solution

Stir together the calcium chloride solution and charcoal powder

Cover the bowl and let the charcoal sit for 24 hours

Cook the charcoal for another 3 hours to activate it

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Data Analysis

To compare the data that refer to the differences, a histogram will be used since
according to ThoughtCo., histograms provide a visual interpretation of numerical data by
indicating the number of data points that lie within a range of values. Also, tables, before
these graphs, will be presented to interpret the results

CHAPTER IV

Results and Discussion

For the physical properties: Based on the observable results, it was seen that the
yellowish and cloudy water of the Balili River were turned into significantly clearer but
slightly grayish-blackish solution after the purification. The slightly grayish solution is
determined to be caused by the activated carbon that conjoined with the molecules of
water. Although still safe for consumption, it would be better if there were no
discoloration (see image 1).

For the chemical properties. For the heavy metal testing, it was identified that
before the purification, there were no or insignificant traces of such; arsenic, cadmium,
lead (see table 2). After the purification it was again determined that there were really no
significant amount of heavy metals on the Balili River (see table 4).

For the microbiological properties. Based on the results of the water testing
from Baguio Water District, it was found out that the water from Balili River is positive
for thermotolerant coliform organisms. Using the multiple tube fermentation technique
for total coliform count and thermotolerant coliform or E.coli count, it was discovered
that the water sample collected from the said river has greater than 8.0 MPN (most
probable number of colony forming units) per 100 mL against the standard of less than
1.1 MPN per 100 mL (see table 1). Using pour plate method, it was found out that the
sample has a heterotrophic plate count of greater than 6500 colony forming unit (CFU) /
1mL, this is way more than the standard of less than 500 CFG / mL. The results point out
that the major problem relating to Balili river’s polluted water is its microbiological
hazards. To address this, several tests were conducted for the purified Balili river water.
For the pH of the purified sample, it was recorded to be 6.82; this signifies that the
purified water is close to seven and is actually safe for drinking based on the PSNDW
standard which is (7 ± 2.5) For the microbiological testing (E. Coli) -----
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CHAPTER V

Conclusion

The researchers have

Recommendation

To guide the future researches, the following recommendations were made: 1)

The researchers made no replication of treatments for the testing of their water sample
and this devalued the integrity of their
results. To avoid that, the researches recommend to make at least 3 replications with
different treatments, specifically the amount (mass) of activate carbon or coir per pipe. 2)
The researchers did not use any statistical tool for their project. The use of statistics for
this project is deemed to be improbable because there were not enough data to begin
with. Again, to avoid that, the researchers recommend to add more data by doing
replications and setting at least one control variable for each dependent variable. 3) The
researchers recommend to subject at least 10 kg of coconut to pyrolysis; it was
determined that 7 kg of coconut is not enough to complete the project.
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