WATER PURIFIER OUT OF COCONUT HUSK

AND CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES

A RESEARCH PAPER

NAPTALI S. SOSING

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS

Catarman National High School
Catarman, Northern Samar
Background of the Study

With the growing population of the country, fresh water resources continued to

face scarcity. In fact, the Philippines have been facing water crisis since the year 2000.

According to Water Roam, although 1.8 billion people have already access to basic

drinking water services, 7 million Filipinos still consume and utilize water from unsafe

and unsustainable sources. In addition, 24 million people in the Philippines also lack

access to improved sanitation that begets water-borne diseases and life-threatening

illnesses.

In Northern Samar, there are a lot of towns located in remote areas which do not

have an established, sanitized water resources. These large landmasses are more of an

agricultural land with large plantations of coconuts and rice crops. Due to this, the local

government unit find it hard to build water resources infrastructures resulting to

Nortehanons opting to drink unsafe and dirty water in their daily living. Moreover, water

stations offering clean water for consumption is sometimes unavailable to other places,

especially those that are hidden in rural areas such as those in the mountain. Traveling

from these locations can either be expensive or a struggle for many. Leaving them

consuming polluted, unsafety water.

The researcher has found a cause to solve this unending crisis that the

Nortehanons have been struggling with. The researcher has thought of an innovation to

make use of these large landmasses’ plantations, the coconuts, as water filters to

improved water sanitation in the province. The researcher will use coconut husks and

charcoal as filtering devices that filters and sanitizes water making it fresh, clean, and

safety for drinking.

Objective of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to make a water purifying device capable

of cleaning and sanitizing unclean water from coconut husk and charcoal briquettes.

1. Determine the efficiency of water purifier from coconut husk and charcoal

briquettes in purifying unclean water.

2. Ascertain if the water purifier can purify heavily polluted waters.

3. Find out if the water purified by the water purifier is safe for drinking and storing.

Significance of the Study

This study aims to innovate a water purifier that can help sustain living in

the remote areas of Northern Samar. This will pave way for a better water system and

aims to end the water and good sanitation not only in the province, but also in the whole

Philippines. Furthermore, this study is beneficial especially to the following:

Nortehanons

Students

Local Government Units

Catarman National High School

Future Researchers
Scope and Limitation

This study focuses on the use of coconut husks and charcoal briquettes in

innovating a water purifier that will help cleanse water to improve sanitation. It includes

the use of coconut husks and charcoal briquettes. It also includes dirty water and its

accessories in conducting the study. This experiment will be tested for 2 months during

the school year of 2021-2022.

This study is limited to the amount of water that can be purified. It is also

limited to the availability of coconut husks and charcoal briquettes as more water needs

more of these materials.

Theoretical Framework

This study is anchored to the Theory of Water Filtration by Thomas Camp

that states that the resultant water after sedimentation will not be pure, and may contain

some very fine suspended particles and bacteria in it. To remove or to reduce the

remaining impurities still further, the water is filtered through the beds of fine granular

material, such as sand, etc. This theory is related to the present study as coconut husks are

proved to be a source of activated carbon that could separate tiny, unwanted particles that

will help filter water for a safer drinking environment.

This is supported by the Theory of Adsorption by Activated Carbon which

further postulated the efficacy of activated carbon as a medium of purifying water.

 Conceptual Framework

The figure shows the input-process-output model. During the input, the

researcher will conceptualize and commence the production of the water purifier. On the

process stage, the researcher will conduct his experiments in relation to the objective of

the study. Finally, the clean water will serve as the output.

It is assumed that the water purifier from coconut husks and charcoal

briquettes can purify and filter water.

Paradigm

WATER PURIFIER  Determine the

efficiency of water
FROM COCONUT purifier from
coconut husk and
HUSKS AND ` charcoal briquettes
in purifying
CHARCOAL
unclean water. CLEAN WATER
 Ascertain if the
water purifier can
BRIQUETTES
purify heavily
polluted waters.
 Find out if the
water purified by
the water purifier is
safe for drinking
and storing.

Figure 1. The schematic diagram of the study

Hypothesis

This study hypothesizes that the water purifier will not work properly

Definition of Terms

Activated Carbon – Conceptually, this refers to form of carbon processed to have

small, low-volume pores that increase the surface area available for adsorption or

chemical reactions. Operationally, this refers to the medium of purification of water

conducted by the researcher

Charcoal Briquettes – Conceptually, a compressed block of coal dust or another

combustible biomass material. Operationally, refers to the charcoal mixed to the unclean

water for filtering.

Coconut Husks – Conceptually, this refers to the rough exterior shells of the

coconut. Operationally, it is the coconut husk used in the production of activated carbon.

Water Purifier – Conceptually, a device that filters and purifies unclean water for

it to be safe for drinking and other uses. Operationally, this refers to the device innovated

by the researcher with the use of coconut husks and charcoal briquettes.
 Literature Cited

Filtration: Advantages of Water Treatment with Coconut Shell Carbons - WCP Online.

(2001, July 15). Retrieved May 20, 2021, from WCP Online website:

http://wcponline.com/2001/07/15/filtration-advantages-water-treatment-coconut-

shell-carbons/

Theory of Adsorption by Activated Carbon. I. Microscopic Aspects. (2021). Retrieved

May 20, 2021, from Separation Science and Technology website:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01496397908066961

Valenzuela, A. (2020, April 20). The Use of Coconut Shell Activated Charcoal in Water

Purification. Retrieved May 20, 2021, from EnviroSupply & Service website:

https://envirosupply.net/blogs/news/use-of-coconut-shell-activated-charcoal-water-

purification