Remnant International Christian School

3rd Flr. FBR Arcade #317 Katipunan Ave., Loyola Heights, Quezon City

“Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane

(Saccharum officinarum) Bagasse with the use of Table Salt

(Sodium Chloride)”

Presented By:

Kisshamae P. Benitez

Czrille Jaine P. Canonigo

Annika Sofia C. Queyquep

Presented To:

Mr. Brian Rae V. Legaspi

March 2019
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

For this research, the proponents would like to thank the following:

First and foremost, praises and thanks to God Almighty for giving them strength,

knowledge, ability and opportunity to undertake this Investigatory project and to persevere and

complete it. Without his blessings, this achievement would not be possible.

The researchers would like to express their deep and sincere gratitude to their

investigatory project supervisor and science teacher, Mr. Brian Rae V. Legaspi, for giving them

the guidance, support, and the needed information for the betterment of this study.

To the administrators and school principal, Pastor Daniel Kim for letting them study in
2 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
this institution and giving the researchers this opportunity to conduct this investigatory project.

The researchers are extremely grateful to their parents and guardians, especially Mrs.

Rhea Benitez, Mrs. Jenette Canonigo, and Mrs. Christina Queyquep for their love, prayers,

caring and sacrifices for educating and preparing them for their future. They sacrificed their time

and effort, gave encouragement, financial support, and offering help to the researchers. No words

can express how much the researchers thank them.

To their classmates, schoolmates, and friends for camaraderie and inspiration to continue

moving forward even in dire times.

 To the sugarcane vendors, for allowing the researchers to use the leftover sugarcanes for

the research and for their integrity and cooperation and to all those who were a part of this work,

the researchers would like to extend their deepest thanks.

 The Proponents

ABSTRACT

Saccharum officinarum, otherwise known as sugarcane, is one of the most beneficial

crops as it being used in the process of a wide variety of products. However, with its high

demand also comes a huge amount of its byproducts - namely, the sugarcane bagasse. Its
3 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
industries have utilized the bagasse into a material for making materials like paper, plastics, fiber

boards, and fuels. One of the most important of which is that it could also be an alternative to

charcoal since many of the conventional charcoal that the people use today is made by

combustion of wood. Compared to ordinary charcoal, activated charcoal has more absorbent

properties due to the larger surface area of its pores. However, not widely accessible to people

because of its expensive cost. The main purpose of this research is to use utilize sugarcane

bagasse and make it an activated charcoal so that it can reduce the waste and as well as the cost.

The researchers also studied of a way to further lessen the cost of producing activated charcoal

by using a chemical that is found in almost every household – common table salt (Sodium

Chloride).
 The process was tested by the researchers and have investigated the various chemical

activation techniques. By using table salt as a chemical agent, the researchers have concluded

that it is simple, inexpensive, and effective method of making a homemade activated charcoal.

Key terms: Activated Charcoal, Low-cost, Chemical activation, Table Salt, Sugarcane Bagasse

4 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

From livestock feed to natural sweeteners, sugarcane is a versatile crop that can

be used for most purposes, a reason why it holds a prominent position as a cash crop. It has also

found its way to thrive on local businesses. An example of that is the popular beverage stand

where juice is being extracted fresh from sugarcanes. While the juice is being processed, a

collected residue from the sugarcane comes out from the juicer and that is the sugarcane bagasse.

Since there will be no use of it after being thrown, the researchers decided to use this as their
 main raw material as a carbon source. By doing so, it will reduce the ecological impact brought

about by deforestation when burning wood to produce charcoal.

Initially, the proponents wanted to use this knowledge for their research in the utilization

of sugarcane bagasse as activated charcoal for water filtration. Considering that activated

charcoal has more purposes aside from the said use of water filtration, the researchers decided to

focus on making activated charcoal instead. This topic was chosen because it will be very useful

to many people, especially those who use charcoal. Aside from that, the activated charcoal could

be subsequently used for different purposes to decrease waste as well as to decrease the need for

the people to cut down trees for charcoal production.

As the researchers have studied, the most known process of making homemade activated

charcoal is through chemical activation – the charcoal will be impregnated with a chemical, thus

making it activated. The main chemical to be used in the process is calcium chloride. However,

the researchers understood that calcium chloride cannot be found in the local market. According
5 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
to the research of Cobb et. Al entitled “Low-tech Coconut Shell Activated Charcoal Production”,

a more common material which is table salt was substituted to chemically process the charcoal.

Since this was more feasible, the researchers decided to use this option instead. Therefore,

making it a better and simpler process.

Objective of the Study

This study on The Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with

the use of Table Salt seeks to attain the following objectives:

 Create a feasible method of producing activated charcoal

 - Many people would prefer to use activated charcoal over the ordinary charcoal

because of the increased efficiency, and yet, it is not readily accessible to

everyone. The most common way of making activated carbon is by a complex

process called steam activation which uses very high temperatures but due to lack

of heavy-duty machineries, this would be very improbable. Another method is by

chemical activation. The researchers sought to find an easier and practical way of

modifying this method.

 Environment sustainability

 Charcoal can be produced almost anywhere around the world. Wood is the

material most often used to produce charcoal; one of many causes for the rapid

rate of global deforestation. Instead of trees, sugarcane bagasse can be used to

replace wood as the carbon source to reduce ecological impact.

6  Spread Knowledge
Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt

 The purpose of this research is the application of the scientific method and

scientific knowledge. Not only will the researchers themselves learn from this

study, but other people as well. If the knowledge will be well incorporated, then

many people can be able to follow the process and recreate the researchers’ work.

Hypothesis

 Table salt is a significant chemical agent for activating sugarcane bagasse

charcoal.
 Significance of the Study

The use of activated charcoal is being widely accepted nowadays as it is being applied as

a potent natural treatment and it gives a variety of proposed benefits, ranging from filtering

water, as a treatment for poison, and many more. The main concern is that the production of

activated charcoal is expensive due to it’s hard-to-get chemicals and equipment in use.

Therefore, this study to create a method for producing activated charcoal that is affordable could

be helpful to a lot of people. If the result of this research shows that table salt can be used as a

chemical for charcoal activation, the findings will contribute greatly to the benefit of the

following:

 Environment
7 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
One of the main objectives of this research is to replace wood with sugarcane bagasse as

carbon source for environmental sustainability. The heavy removal of wood is an example of the

leading causes of deforestation, habitat destruction, and soil erosion. Pollution from improper

waste disposal is prevalent as well. So, the researchers seek to find a more viable raw material

that could alleviate wood’s use a main source of charcoal.

 Society

For the people in the community to be aware of new alternatives to save money. It will be

useful since they could make activated charcoal for themselves and to maximize the use of the

bagasse and table salt.

  Students

It is for them to discover and appreciate science and use it as an application for their daily

lives. To know its importance may be a motivation for them to create their own unique ways of

helping the environment, country, and people.

 Future Researchers

For them to get some ideologies on their Investigatory Project and which this project may

serve as an inspiration. Also, they can improve the research by further investigating its

effectiveness or by adding more technology and methods for its betterment.

Scope and Delimitation

The focus of this study is to determine if it is possible to use sugarcane bagasse as an

8 alternative andLow-cost
viable source of Charcoal
Activated charcoalProduction
instead ofofwood as toBagasse
Sugarcane utilize with
this the
rawuse
material
of Tablethat
Saltis

considered as waste. To further make the charcoal effective and versatile, another factor that will

be studied is that if the charcoal can be chemically activated by salt. The researchers’ aim is to

study if the salt will be able to successfully activate the charcoal made from sugarcane bagasse.

These two materials be the only main component in the experimentation. Since there was not

enough proper instrumentation accessible to the researchers, only qualitative testing of

chemically activated carbon was feasible. Other aspects or qualities to be tested such as

comparison of its effectiveness to other activated carbon, the substances it could potentially

adsorb, its shelf life, and other types of processes in activating charcoal is not included in the

research. Furthermore, the researchers recommend that more innovation and efforts in studying

this method be made by future researchers. It is always open for improvements.

 Conceptual Framework

Combustion

Sugarcane Bagasse Sugarcane Bagasse

Charcoal

Adsorption
Chemical
Activation with the
use of Salt
Methylene Blue
9 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt

Evaluation

Color Retains intensity

Output
Decrease in Color Intensity
Sugarcane Bagasse Activated
Charcoal
Not effective Effective Adsorption
 Definition of Terms

 Activated Charcoal - a charcoal processed to make it extremely porous and thus to have a

very large surface area used for adsorption.

 Adsorption – adhesion of molecules to a surface.

 Agro-byproducts – An by-product is a secondary product derived from a manufacturing

process of an agricultural products or plants. It is considered as agricultural excess or

waste.

 Bagasse – A fibrous material that remains after sugarcane stalks are crushed to extract the

juice. A dry pulpy residue.

 Catalyst - a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself
10 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
undergoing any permanent chemical change.

 Chemical Activation - involves carbonization and activation in a single step in which the

raw material, impregnated with certain chemical agents, is thermally decomposed.

 Impregnation - To cause a material to be filled or soaked with something.

 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Reviews on Sugarcane Bagasse

Sugarcane Bagasse is the fiber that remains after the sugars have been extracted. It is a

lignocellulosic material providing an abundant and renewable energy resource and one of the

largest cellulosic agro-industrial by-products. Historically, bagasse waste has been burned in the

fields, and thereby creating pollution. Now, several processes and products have been reported

that utilizes sugarcane bagasse.

Other applications for parts of the sugar cane and its residues are being studied with the

objective of generating a sustainable life cycle of production. There are successful examples of
11 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
cement-based materials reinforced with plant fibers produced at very low cost and with high

potential as building materials in poor areas. In Cuba, the Technical Centre for Construction and

Materials, with the help of the Cuban Institute for the Research of Sugar Cane By-products, has

developed sugar cane husk–cement panels, similar to those produced from chip wood bonded

with cement. Panels of up to 1.20 m2 have been produced and have been found to be useful for

construction purposes. There has been presented several propositions involving the use of

pressed sugar cane bagasse for the production of panels and sheets. In the future it is possible

that the availability of bagasse will increase due to the general interest in the production of bio

fuels based on sugar cane.

 Sources:http://www.ecokloud.com/what-is-bagasse.html;
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/bagasse
Image: https://www.feedipedia.org/node/559

Reviews on Sugarcane Bagasse as Charcoal

 Article: CARBON ROOTS INTERNATIONAL—USING SUGAR CANE

12 BAGASSE IN HAITI
Low-cost ActivatedTO CREATE
Charcoal BIOCHAR
Production (ANDBagasse
of Sugarcane A MOREwith SUSTAINABLE
the use of Table Salt

COOKING CHARCOAL)

The production of both biochar and green charcoal is from the same feedstock, bagasse, the

leftover residues from pressing sugar cane. Because the sugar cane is brought to centralized

processing facilities for pressing to extract the syrup, there is good access to large amounts of the

bagasse residue in a central location. Bagasse is also one of the few agricultural residues in Haiti

that has little other useful purpose in that it is not used for animal feed or for compost. Often,

Haitian farmers pile bagasse residues and burn them for disposal. The feedstock is fairly dry

depending on the season, but in the wet season, keeping the material dry can be a challenge

unless it is stored under a tarp. CRI has found that bagasse is a good feedstock to convert into

charcoal and they get a 40 – 50% conversion based on weight.

 Source: https://biochar-international.org/carbon_roots_international/

 Article: Sugarcane Charcoal

In Haiti, the production of wood charcoal, the primary source of cooking fuel, contributes to

severe deforestation and environmental degradation. More than 90% of Haiti is now deforested.

Many children die of respiratory infections from breathing indoor cooking fumes. Sugarcane

charcoal was developed as an alternative to wood charcoal. Dried bagasse, the waste product

from sugarcane processing, is burned in a simple kiln, carbonized, mixed with a binder, and

compacted using a press to produce sugarcane charcoal briquettes, which burn as well as wood

charcoal. Other agricultural waste materials such as corn cobs are being explored as other “food

for fuel” alternatives. Corn cobs do not need further processing after burning, eliminating the

need for binders and briquetting equipment and significantly reducing the cost of charcoal

production.

Source: https://www.designother90.org/solution/sugarcane-charcoal/
13 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt

Reviews on Activated Charcoal

Activated Charcoal is a highly porous form of carbon with a surface area of 950 to 2000 m 2/g

that is capable of adsorbing poisons with a molecular weight of 100 to 1000 daltons. The poison

adsorption may be limited by the administration of activated charcoal either as a single dose or in

multiple doses. The multiple-dose administration of activated charcoal also may enhance the

elimination of a toxic substance. A highly absorbent gritty black material commonly found in air

and water filters, activated charcoal is created by carbonizing organic matter in a kiln under

anaerobic conditions and activating the material with oxidizing gases like steam or air at high

temperatures. This oxidative process erodes the charcoals internal surfaces and increases its

adsorption capacity by creating an internal network of very fine pores. Usually bone char,
 coconut shells, peat, coal, petroleum coke, and sawdust are the starting materials for making

activated charcoal.

The medical uses for charcoal date back to the Egyptian Papyrus of 1550 B.C. During the

time of Hippocrates (400 B.C.) physicians treated epilepsy and anthrax with charcoal. In the

1700s charcoal was often prescribed for bilious problems (excessive bile excretion). After the

development of the charcoal activation process (1870 to 1920), many reports appeared in

medical journals about activated charcoal as an antidote for poisons and a cure for intestinal

disorders.

Modern research has validated most of the early uses for charcoal and discovered exciting

new applications. This article will discuss the many important therapeutic uses for activated

charcoal;1,6

1. Universal antidote for drugs, chemicals and poisons.

2. Systemic clearance of drugs and intoxicants.

14 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
3. General detoxification.

4. Anti-aging and life extension.

5. Reducing cholesterol, coronary disease and arteriosclerosis.

6. Counteracting pathogens.

7. Intestinal complaints.

Source: http://m.ateneo.edu/ls/sose/ateneo-innovation-center/news/activated-charcoal-universal-

antidote-and-detoxifier

Production of Activated Charcoal

In principle, the methods for preparing an activated carbon can be divided into two

categories: physical activation and chemical activation. In physical activation, a raw material is
 first carbonized, and the carbonized material is secondarily activated by steam or carbon dioxide;

i.e., there are two steps: carbonization step and activation step. In chemical activation, a raw

material is impregnated with an activating reagent, and the impregnated material is heattreated

under an inert atmosphere. The carbonization step and the activation step simultaneously

progress in chemical activation. This method occurs at lower temperature than that of the

physical methods. Therefore, it improves the pore development in the carbon structure. The type

of chemical agent is selected as a function of the characteristics of the desired activated carbon.

Molina-Sabio and Rodriguez-Reinoso [7] reported that KOH produces only widening of the

microporosity to more heterogeneous micropores, whereas ZnCl2 develops both wide

micropores and low mesopores and H3PO4 large mesopores and even macropores. Chemical

activation using ZnCl2 and H3PO4 has been studied by several researchers [7-9] using different

preparation conditions. These chemicals are used to dehydrate the starting material and to retard

the formation of tars during the activation and the carbonization process.
15 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt

Source: https://ac.els-cdn.com/S1876610214007838/1-s2.0-S1876610214007838-main.pdf?

_tid=6bf139ac-f65c-4dc0-939e-

b315212f4f18&acdnat=1552800634_1883bfe6d4958fda284d8ffd43934122

Reviews on Salt

Salt is a  mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical

compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in its natural form as a crystalline mineral is

known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantities in seawater, where it is the main

mineral constituent. The open ocean has about 35 grams (1.2 oz) of solids per liter of sea water,

a salinity of 3.5%.
 Salt is essential for life in general, and saltiness is one of the basic human tastes. Salt is one of

the oldest and most ubiquitous food seasonings, and salting is an important method of food

preservation.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt

Review of Related Studies

 Low-Tech Coconut Shell Activated Charcoal Production (Cobb et al. 2012)

 Abstract

Water treatment technologies in the developing world typically focus on removing two

types of impurities from water sources: suspended, particulate materials and microbial

pathogens. However, as industrialization and high-input agriculture has expanded into the

16 developingLow-cost
world, aActivated
third type of impurity
Charcoal has increased
Production in importance.
of Sugarcane Bagasse with Chemical impurities
the use of Table Salt

such as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers have found their way into drinking water

supplies and have been linked to severe health-related issues. Activated carbon has the

capacity to remove these problematic chemicals from water sources. The possibility of

producing a low-tech, inexpensive, and effective activated carbon from local agricultural

waste by-products was assessed for the community of Bluefields, Nicaragua. Coconut shell

charcoal was produced on site, and various chemical activation steps were then investigated.

Ultimately, it was discovered that sodium chloride (common table salt) could successfully

activate the coconut shell-based charcoal. The adsorption capacity of three separate

chemically activated coconut shell charcoals was analyzed, with common table salt being the

most inexpensive and feasible option.

  Preparation of Activated Carbon from Sugarcane Bagasse by Microwave Assisted

Activation for the Remediation of Semi-aerobic Landfill Leachate (Foo et al. 2013)

 Abstract

This study evaluates the sugarcane bagasse derived activated carbon (SBAC) prepared by

microwave heating for the adsorptive removal of ammonical nitrogen and orthophosphate

from the semi-aerobic landfill leachate. The physical and chemical properties of SBAC were

examined by pore structural analysis, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform

infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The effects of adsorbent dosage, contact time

and solution pH on the adsorption performance were investigated in a batch mode study at

30 °C. Equilibrium data were favorably described by the Langmuir isotherm model, with a

maximum monolayer adsorption capacity for ammonical nitrogen and orthophosphate of

138.46 and 12.81 mg/g, respectively, while the adsorption kinetic was best fitted to the

pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The results illustrated the potential of sugarcane bagasse
17 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
derived activated carbon for the adsorptive treatment of semi-aerobic landfill leachate.

Synthesis

This research was based from the different studies made on sugarcane bagasse as

charcoal. Since it is possible to make charcoal out of sugarcane bagasse, the researchers wanted

to improve the quality of the bagasse charcoal by making it activated. To make the activated

charcoal, the easiest way possible is by doing chemical activation which requires a chemical to

impregnate the charcoal. The most common way of doing this is by obtaining chemicals Calcium

Chloride (CaCl2) or Zinc Chloride (ZnCl2). However, these chemicals would probably not be

found in the local market. Since both chemicals are chloride salts, the researchers performed

another more readily available chloride salt, NaCl. A study regarding this was also made with
 coconut shell charcoal, and it produced positive results hence, the researchers wanted to make

this the basis for the investigatory project. Further information for this research was also based

from the study of The Production of Carbon Nanoparticles (Detona et al. 2017) which includes

the production of activated charcoal by simply heating the charcoal through microwave assisted

activation. By these studies, the researchers got a concept of how to do the process.

Overall, the idea of the research involves the process of making sugarcane bagasse

charcoal, chemically activating it with salt and for more effective activation, heating it by

microwave. All the materials are available, inexpensive, and the process was feasible for the

researchers.

18 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

Carbon Source

To be able to make activated charcoal, a sufficient source of carbon and an activation

technique that would be appropriate, feasible, and low-cost for the local conditions and resources
 was needed. For the carbon source, it was economically important to use an agricultural waste

by-product. Around the local mall in the area and in many places, there are many stores namely

sugarcane juice stalls which process sugarcane and leaves the sugarcane bagasse unused. Since

this is a material that is available to the researchers, they have initiated to use this as their raw

material.

Charcoal Production

The charcoal production method that the researchers have incorporated involves the

combustion of the raw material until it turns into char by a modified pyrolysis technique using a

steel oil drum but since only a small amount of sugarcane bagasse will be processed, a metal

container was used instead. The process is quite simple, and most of the provinces or areas in the

Philippines are familiar with this technique of making charcoal. The sugarcane bagasse was

placed in the metal container and lit from the bottom. Once the material inside are fully ignited,
19 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
the metal container was sealed to initiate the combustion process. Over the next two to three

hours, the material was successfully carbonized and charcoal was formed. Once it was

completed, it was sorted by visual inspection to find material that had been thoroughly

carbonized.

Activation Process

After charcoal was produced, the materials were broken into smaller pieces by crushing

them down to fine powder. It will result in a much higher surface area per unit mass. Once this

step was completed, the powder was soaked in saline solution for 24 hours. Since 25% solution

of CaCl2 has been shown to successfully create activated carbon from charcoal, 25% solution of

NaCl was used as well. After 24 hours, they were rinsed thoroughly and placed in the oven set in
 100 °C for 3 hours for the powder to completely dry. Then, it was allowed to be air dried for an

hour.

Research Locale

The study was conducted in Quezon City, Philippines. All the materials and the

equipments in the experimentation were obtained around the area. The sugarcane bagasse used

for the carbon source was taken from a local sugarcane juice stand in UP Town Center Mall

along Katipunan Avenue. Since there was a lack of time and finances, the researchers only did a

qualitative test that can be done at home and no laboratory testing for the product was done.

Procedure

I. Materials and Equipment

20 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
 1 kilogram of Sugarcane Bagasse

 Metal Container

 Microwave Oven

 Mortar and Pestle

 Table Salt (non-iodine)

 Tray

 Water
21 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt

II. Making the Charcoal

22 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt

Pictures/ Documentation of the Procedure

23 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt

Treatment of Data

Testing of Activated Charcoal –

Qualitative Method
 Without proper instrumentation, only qualitative testing of chemically activated carbon

was feasible. The produced activated charcoal was tested by means of qualitative, visual

colorimetric method using a common dye indicator (methylene blue) a chemical that is usually

used to test the adsorption rate of activated charcoal. A dilute methylene blue solution was made

to test the charcoal once it had been processed with sodium chloride. Approximately one gram of

activated charcoal was placed into the test solution and 1 hour was allowed for adsorption to take

place before the treated solution was passed through a common coffee filter. The observed

decrease in color intensity of methylene blue solution following the final filtration step was an

indication that the charcoal had been successfully activated.

CHAPTER IV

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Presentation of Data
24 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
Although CaCl2 and ZnCl2 have been proven to successfully produce activated carbon

from charcoal, they are difficult to obtain and are prohibitively expensive in most regions of the

developing world. This is the reason why the researchers decided to make an alternative method

using a more common and readily available chloride salt, NaCl. Since a 25% solution of CaCl 2

been shown to successfully create activated carbon from charcoal, a 25% solution of NaCl was

used as well. A 0.01% solution of methylene blue was mixed into a container. A blank sugarcane

bagasse carbon without any chemical activation step was also tested to ensure that non-activated

charcoal was not providing any adsorption. Approximately one tablespoon of the activated

charcoal was mixed into the solution and one hour was allowed for the charcoal to settle. It was

then transferred to another container with the aid of a coffee filter so that the powdered charcoal

will be separated from the methylene blue solution. By doing this, the mixtures can be compared.
 The two pictures below show how the test was conducted. As evidenced by the pictures

below, the charcoal treated with 25% NaCl produced a result in the methylene blue testing.

Figure 1: Transfer and filtering of the treated charcoal solution to another container.

25 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt

Figure 2: Qualitative Experimentation – Before and after activated charcoal treatment

Analysis of Data

Based from the previous image, there was indeed a resulting color change after

methylene blue was treated with the salt activated charcoal. The first solution has a very intense
 blue dye color. After it was filtered, the solution changed to a lighter shade of color blue. This is

an indication that the charcoal has affected the color of the dye. As for the other solution that was

mixed with non-activated sugarcane bagasse, no color change or associated methylene blue

removal was observed during the experiment.

The overall cost of the materials was also taken into consideration by the researchers.

Excluding the materials used for the testing, there was little to no cost in producing the activated

charcoal. The raw material sugarcane bagasse was just taken from a juice stall in a mall that

disposes of the sugarcane bagasse. These samples were given to the researchers. As for the salt,

the researchers used the plain, cheap, non-iodine table salt. It cost around 12 php in the local

market. Since the salt was already found at home, the researchers did not need to purchase.

Interpretation of Data

The positive qualitative results from the tests, given the obvious color change of the
26 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
methylene blue solution, suggested that common table salt could be used as a replacement for the

normal chemical activation agents. However, given the limited instrumentation available, there

was no way to quantify and compare the adsorption capacities.

The researchers also proved that using table salt is feasible since the process of making

activated charcoal is relatively easy to follow, and table salt is cost-efficient as well.

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATION

Summary
 The investigatory project entitled “Low-cost Activate Charcoal Production of Sugarcane

Bagasse with the use of Table Salt” has the objective of utilizing agricultural waste such as

sugarcane bagasse and making it into an alternative material in making charcoal instead of wood

which is one of the main causes of environment destruction and deforestation today. The

research also aims to further improve the quality of the charcoal by making it into activated

charcoal which proposes a lot of use and benefits in the household. However, it is difficult to

produce activated charcoal since this requires a lot of equipment and materials that are hard to

find. Because of this, the researchers have designed an easy method in chemically activating

charcoal by means of chemical activation using a chemical that can be easily found – table salt.

By using this method, it could reduce the cost of production, and it will be easier for common

people to create their own activated charcoal.

After producing the activated charcoal as stated in the methodology, the salt activated

charcoal was subjected to a qualitative testing so that it could prove that the charcoal has been
27 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
successfully activated. For the experimentation, a chemical dye methylene blue was used as a

color indicator. The reduction of color intensity of methylene blue shows that the charcoal was

indeed activated because it has adsorbed some of the pigment dye, making the resulting final

solution a lighter shade of blue. Therefore, the researchers were able to prove that salt can be a

potential chemical agent in activating charcoal. Not only that but it is also effective and cost-

efficient. However, further studies must be made in the future since the researchers were not able

to do a quantitative test of the chemically activated charcoal.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the researchers were successful in their objectives that sugarcane bagasse

can be used as a practical alternative in making charcoal. They were also able to prove that table
 salt is significant and can be a potential chemical agent in making a charcoal activated by the

results of the tests made that indicates that it is effective. The studies conducted could also serve

as an aid to society in utilizing sugarcane bagasse, reducing the amount of waste that can be

potential pollutants to the environment, and generating a method that is easy and useful.

Furthermore, this research can provide more knowledge to the people who are interested in

making activated charcoal.

The salt was proved to be effective during the testing phase, however further research is

needed in order to provide more information about the product as well as having more

innovation.

Recommendation

Further testing prior to future field-scale use of the NaCl-activated carbon is

recommended to extend the researchers’ observations and conclusions to other contaminants. In

28 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
addition, testing for other available agricultural waste byproducts as a raw carbon source for

activated carbon production should be investigated as sugarcane bagasse will not be available in

all locations.

If some are planning to conduct studies related to the investigatory project, the

researchers would also like to recommend the following:

a) Research on other qualities and aspects of sugarcane bagasse.

b) Laboratory tests on salt activated charcoal to determine the adsorption capacities.

c) The shelf life of produced activated charcoal

d) The effects to other contaminants it could potentially adsorb.

REFERENCES
 1. Low-tech Coconut Shell Activated Charcoal Production

CITATION:

Cobb, et al. (2012). https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/ijsle/article/view/4244

2. http://www.survivalnewsonline.com/index.php/2014/01/activated-carbon-from-

homemade-charcoal/

3. https://sciencestruck.com/how-to-make-activated-charcoal

4. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/activated-charcoal

5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092134491300058X

6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/sugarcane-

bagasse

29 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt
30 Low-cost Activated Charcoal Production of Sugarcane Bagasse with the use of Table Salt