Carbon Emissions from Vehicles: A Substitute for Lead Pencils

Group 3

Leader:

Lagmay, James Patrick

Members:

Candelaria, Angela Faye

Trinidad, Ana Katrina

Redota, Louis Emmanuel

Martinez, Jude Anthony

 Chapter I

Introduction

Background of the Study

Air pollution is very common within the urban areas of the country. It is one of the leading

factors that expose humans into higher risk. The main cause of air pollution is the continuous use

of non-renewable materials such as burning of fossil fuels, improper waste management, and

destruction of plants and cutting of trees. Air pollution can cause respiratory problems and expose

them to higher risks, adverse effects on global warming, acid rain, eutrophication, and wildlife

inhabitability.

Air Pollution in the Philippines has been the main environmental issue of the country as

civilization further progress. On September 24, 2017 an article, A Public Health Concern in the

Philippines, explains Air pollution as an environmental health risk around the world with 92% of

the world’s population exposed to air quality levels that exceed WHO’s ambient air quality

guidelines. It points out that people in urban areas are more exposed to dangerous levels of air

pollution than those in rural areas. It also shows air pollutants such as sulfate, nitrates and black

carbon, found in both indoor and outdoor settings, are extremely dangerous to people’s health. it

penetrates to a person’s lungs and cardiovascular system. Barangay Olympia, a community

where this study will take place, is an example of an urban area that belongs to the National

Capital Region of the Philippines, Makati. It is where vast pollutants because of factories and

transportation takes place.

Further supporting the findings, an article published by Sofia Tomacruz on July 25, 2018

entitled Air Pollution Deaths 3rd in PH talks about a study released by World Health Organization

(WHO) released in May 2018 which stated that there were about 45.3 deaths per 100,000

individuals due to outdoor air pollution. It points out China has ranked first at 81.5 deaths recorded

while Mongolia was second at 48.8 deaths, In a statement, Dr. Roger Dazo, outgoing CAMANAVA
Governor of the Philippine Medical Association said, “45.3 deaths per 100,000 Filipinos due to air

pollution is 45.3 Filipinos too many. We can’t afford to lose our countrymen to preventable health

problems it brings like heart disease and stroke.” WHO emphasizes the cause 7 million deaths

were related to air pollution, 2.2 million were caused by heart disease or stroke, chronic

obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and pneumonia were other leading causes. The

findings conclude the severity air pollution brings to the people living in the affected area.

How Bad is Air Pollution in the Philippines, an article published on June 18, 2018 by Rafael

Ambag explains how the Philippines is currently pushing back against air pollution through the

implementation of various laws and ordinances. One of these is Republic Act No. 8749, or the

Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999. RA 8749 currently serves as the foundation for the country’s air

quality management. It further emphasizes its aim to raise awareness about pollution prevention

through programs such as Linis/Ligtas Hangin, coupled with Bantay Tambutso, Bantay Tsimnea,

and Bantay Sunog. It shows that the RA also aims to enforce regulatory standards upon stationary

sources of pollution, such as factories and power plants. RA 8749 encompasses the cooperation

of agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the

Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), the Department of Science and

Technology (DOST), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Energy

(DOE), and many others. As the government works on the implementation of laws regarding the

issue, it is undeniable that the results of their work are unnoticeable.

Living in a third world country, the citizens must make use of the resources that can be

found in the environment to sustain their needs to live. As these resources were consumed it

produces wastes that brings harm to the health of the citizens. Thus, solutions must be made to

address this issue. As citizens of this country, the researchers intend to yield a product that would

help a small community in Makati, specifically Barangay Olympia. As this impending danger of air

pollution continues, the researchers utilized an Air lead Pencils: a pencil for repurposing air
pollutants into tools for art and writing. This study aims to make use of the environment itself and

restore a healthy breathable air within communities as well as ultimately make a product

contributing to the education of the children.

Statement of the Problem

The Philippines’ ranks 3rd in the list of countries with the most deaths due to air pollution,

according to a study by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017, there is approximately

45.3 deaths among a hundred thousand individuals here in the Philippines, one of the causes of

air pollution in the country is carbon emissions from vehicles. From transport vehicles, carbon

could be extracted which could be converted into lead, like in pencils. The researchers would test

the effectiveness of carbon collected from transport vehicles as an alternative for lead in lead

pencils to answer the following questions:

1. What are the proportions of the ingredient/s in each set-up?

2. What is the level of effectiveness of the different set-ups in terms of:

a. Smoothness

b. Brittleness

c. Shade

3. Which concentration in the set ups is the most effective?

Hypothesis

Ho: The equal ratio of ingredients and carbon and clay, the better quality of the lead pencil.

Hi: The higher the amount of carbon and clay, the better the quality of the lead pencil.
Conceptual Framework

Air Pencil

Proportionality Effectiveness

Brittleness
Amount of
Clay
Smoothness

Amount of
Shade
Carbon

Significance of the Study

Carbon Emissions from Vehicles: A Substitute for Lead Pencils

With the advancement in technology and industrialization, the current world has grown and

was able to go far from the historical periods. One of the areas that have been changed throughout

the years is the transportation of the people. Before, people would walk or ride horses naturally

but now vehicles such as car, train, airplane and ship are mostly use today’s current time. This

study aims to make an innovative way of carbon emissions as a substitute for lead pencils that

could help in preventing and lowering the rate of people suffering from car pollution related

diseases. The following are the concerned people who will benefit from this research:

Such problems as asthma, heart disease and eye irritation. The emissions form cars

increase the levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Since

carbon emissions are scattered in the environment, the researchers can easily obtain it from a
car exhaust pipe and its carbon are not much use for the people, recycling it promotes being

nature – friendly.

1. The people who have health conditions

People who suffer from lung and heart related diseases such as asthma, heart disease,

shortness of breath and irritation of eyes, nose and throat.

2. Environment

The emissions form cars increase the levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases

in the atmosphere. Since carbon emissions are scattered in the environment, the researchers can

reduce the dust and it is easily obtain from a car exhaust pipe and its carbon are not much use

for the people, recycling it promotes being nature – friendly.

3. The people who are unaware of the surroundings

The people who are fully exposed to the air pollution, are the ones who are likely experience

its effects but this study would help them open their minds, give them new mindset and start taking

care of the earth and also their health. This aims to enlighten the people to start conserving

energy, walk whenever possible, quit smoking and more.

Scope and Limitations

The study focuses to determine the efficacy of carbon emissions collected from vehicles as

an alternative lead for lead pencils. The researchers would test the smoothness and brittleness

of the given ratio that will determine the effectiveness of the products. The checklist would provide

the ratios, where independent variable would be varied in the different set-ups. There would be a

criteria for the different tests to determine the level of effectiveness in each set-up. The study will

take place on one of the researchers house where testing and making of products would be done.

However, the study would only focus on creating lead pencils with the use of carbon

emissions from vehicles, Carbon would be collected from vehicles residing in Barangay Olympia

in Makati. The other ingredients used would have no variation, having six set-ups. Set-ups A-C
will have 12g of clay; set-up A with 6g of Carbon, set-up B with 8g of Carbon and C with 10g of

Carbon. Set-ups D-F will have 20g of clay; set-up D with 6g of Carbon, set-up E with 8g of Carbon

and set-up F with 20g of Carbon.

The size used would be 19 centimeters or 7.5 inches long, just like standard pencils.

Definition of Terms

Eutrophication – It is the excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water,

frequently due to runoff from the land, which causes a dense growth of plant life and death of

animal life from lack of oxygen.

Inhabitability – The condition of being occupying as a place of settled residence or

habitat.

Carbon - The chemical element of atomic number 6, a nonmetal which has two main

forms (diamond and graphite) and which also occurs in impure form in charcoal, soot, and coal.

Brittleness – The property of a material that fractures when subjected to stress but has a

little tendency to deform before rupture.

Smoothness – The fluidness of the stroke of the pencil when writing in paper.

Shade – A sense of dark or lightness according to a layer of graphite applied.

Review of Related Literature

Particle Pollution: A Mixture of Dirt found in the Air

Particle pollution, also known as particulate matter or PM, is a general term for a mixture of

solid and liquid droplets suspended in the air. United States Environmental Protection Agency

(August, 2017) identifies that Particle pollution varies in sizes and shapes and can be made up of

a number of different components, including acids (such as sulfuric acid), inorganic compounds

(such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, and sodium chloride), organic chemicals, soot,

metals, soil or dust particles, and biological materials (such as pollen and mold spores). They

further explain the air inhaled indoors and outdoors always contains particle pollution. Some

particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large enough to be seen with the naked eye.

Cooking, smoking, dusting, and vacuuming can also produce particle pollution, particularly in

indoor settings. Particles produced by combustion are more likely to be fine particles, while

particles of crustal (earth) and biological origin are more likely to be coarse particles.

The Origin of Dust and the Harm of Man-made Dusts

Particle pollution, also known as particulate matter or PM, is a general term for a mixture of

solid and liquid droplets suspended in the air. United States Environmental Protection Agency

(August, 2017) identifies that Particle pollution varies in sizes and shapes and can be made up of

a number of different components, including acids (such as sulfuric acid), inorganic compounds

(such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, and sodium chloride), organic chemicals, soot,

metals, soil or dust particles, and biological materials (such as pollen and mold spores). They

further explain the air we breathe indoors and outdoors always contains particle pollution. Some

particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large enough to be seen with the naked eye.

Cooking, smoking, dusting, and vacuuming can also produce particle pollution, particularly in
indoor settings. Particles produced by combustion are more likely to be fine particles, while

particles of crustal (earth) and biological origin are more likely to be coarse particles.

Homemade Pencil and Lead

An article entitled “How to make a Pencil” (December, 2018) Talks about the production of

commercial pencils. Commercial pencils are produced through a time-consuming process and

many special machines. This article combined the different types of making a pencil specifically

form paper pencils, twig pencils and lastly the production of homemade commercial lead pencil

made from graphite. The Process of making a lead pencil was tackled in an article, “How to make

Pencil lead” by Chi, J.D published on April 4, 2017. Explaining the process travels way back

1800’s and are still used until today. It includes graphite, water and clay as the main components

in making commercial lead for pencils. The author summarized an easier way in making lead

through grinding, heating and compacting processes.

Carbon Emissions as Ink

An article entitled “AIR INK” (2016). Discussing the repurpose of carbon rich pollutants into

tools for art, the creators used a device where the device captures the air pollutants. They also

used heating, cooling and compacting process to make an innovative ink where the ink was used

for writing, painting and designing purposes. The ink was used specifically for designing

billboards, printing shirts and papers and also an alternative ink for pens. It was the first ink made

from pollution.

Transportation Exhausts

The article entitled Nitrogen oxides in car exhaust kill tens of thousands in UK is about the

health issues bothering the community through the emissions from vehicles that is responsible

for aggravating cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Coghlan (2015) added that the switch

from petrol to diesel vehicles made things worse because it increases the toxicity of Nitrogen
discharges from exhaust pipes, where diesel burns to make 70% of nitrogen from 10%-15% of

nitrogen burns from petrol that causes people to suffer toxicity. The article entitled Plane Exhausts

kills more people than Plane Crashes is about the deaths of people having respiratory problems

due to inhaling air pollution. Airplane exhaust, like car exhaust, contains a variety of air pollutants,

including sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Globally, Inman (October, 2010) notes the there is

an estimated 8,000 deaths a year result from pollution from planes at cruising altitude about

35,000 feet (10,668 meters) whereas about 2,000 deaths result from pollution emitted during

takeoffs and landings.

 Methodology

In this chapter the methodological procedure that the study have recourse to. It contains the

research design, instrument, population, sample and setting, procedure, and the data gathering

procedure.

Research Design

The researchers used the experimental design, specifically quasi-experimental design. As

the researchers need to validate the product of Carbon Emission as a substitute for lead pencil

through the use of different test. The independent variable is the amount of Carbon emission

collected from transport vehicles and clay that will be used. Both will be measured in grams.

These concentrations will be tested according to its dependent variable which is its quality,

specifically its, smoothness for capacity to write easily, brittleness for its capacity to maintain its

shape without breaking and the visibility of the shade in writing. The controlled variable is the

mixture of other ingredients specifically water and wax. The researchers will be comparing the

lead from the different set-ups. The concentration of the carbon will be mixed with 2

concentrations of clay to see its effectivity resulting to 6 set-ups.

The pencils will be tested on the same quality of paper which is short bond paper. The

pencils will be tested as the researchers will write a sentence that includes all letters of the

alphabet to test its quality within two trials.

Instrument

The researchers would be using an observational checklist to observe and assess the

quality of the lead depending on the different concentrations that will be named as each different

set-ups. This checklist will guide the researchers in finding the answers to their problems that

would lead to the answer and result of this study. The scores will be based on a matrix to assess

the scores of the set-ups in meeting the required quality of the lead.
Table 1. Scores for the Effectiveness of the Carbon as a Lead Pencil

12g of Clay

Set Up A Set Up B Set Up c

(6g of Carbon) (8g of Carbon) (10g of Carbon)

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 1 Trial 2

Smoothness

Brittleness

Shade

Total

20g of Clay

Set Up A Set Up B Set Up c

(6g of Carbon) (8g of Carbon) (10g of Carbon)

Smoothness

Brittleness

Shade

Total

Population, Sample and Setting

A. Population and Setting

The researchers interviewed Barangay Olympia Makati City with the help of the staffs the

researchers positively got a good response. Team leaders Michell Serilo and Ron Lasam both

EMT-B and also Jocelyn Orleanz Barangay staff gave concrete information. The community of

Barangay Olympia had problems about air pollution due to poor disposing of trashes that leads

to flooding and some respiratory problems.

 Makati is the financial center of the country and one of the most highly populated Metro

Manila region. With these population thousands of drivers crosses manila especially in Olympia

which causes high rate emissions of vehicles.

Through these problem the researchers had decided to repurpose carbon pollutants from

vehicles to make an innovative substitute to lead that will help the community to lessen carbon

and nitrogen flew in the atmosphere. The researchers can get carbon pollutants free in automobile

stores in Barangay Olympia. The researchers will be having low cost on materials in producing

the said product.

B. Sample and Sampling Technique

The dust within the community will be used as the main constituent of the pencil. Dust is

also carbon based. Carbon emissions is present in almost every transportation vehicles that uses

fuel and most commonly in its uncleaned part of its structure.

The researchers chose the non-probability purposive sampling because the pencil would

only be limited into using dust since the researchers would be having different dust particles only.

Procedure and Ingredients

- Wax - Water - Oil

- 12g, 16g, and 20g of carbons

- 6g and 10g of clay

Filter the carbon to remove big objects and to get the powdered carbon. Grind up clay and carbon

in a container. Mix to pulverize the graphite and clay into a fine powder while heating in a pan at

300 degrees. Add water to the mixture, and blend for up to 40 minutes after heating. When the

mixture is the right consistency, press the water out, and leave the remaining muddy mixture to

dry until it hardens. Grind up the hardened, muddy mixture a second time, and add more water to
create a malleable paste. If the pencil lead is not dark enough, add carbon to make it darker.

Force the soft paste through a thin metal tube with a small opening to make the familiar round

pencil lead found in wood and mechanical pencils. Cut the pencil lead rods to the proper length.

Heat the pencil leads in a kiln at 1,800 degrees F until they are smooth and hard. Once again

heat the pencil leads for 1800 degrees for 1 minute to remove the water and to make the lead

strong. You can dip the leads in oil or wax to create a smoother writing tool. Then insert the lead

into pencils or package it for use in mechanical pencils. Make the procedure 6 times and see the

differences between each mixture. There will be 6 set ups. The first set up contains 12g of carbon

and 6g of clay with wax, water and oil. The second set up contains 12g of carbon and 6g of clay

with wax, water and oil. The third set up contains 12g of carbon and 6g of clay with wax, water

and oil. The fourth set up contains 16g of carbon and 10g of clay with wax, water and oil. The fifth

set up contains 16g of carbon and 10g of clay with wax, water and oil. The sixth set up contains

16g of carbon and 10g of clay with wax, water and oil.

Data Collection Technique

The researchers would be using an observational checklist to monitor and assess the quality

of the pencil and its ability to write on paper according to its smoothness and brittleness. The

checklist will help the researchers in finding the most feasible concentration of carbon as pencil

which were divided in 6 set-ups. Set up A having a concentration of carbon in 6 grams. Set up B

having 8 grams of carbon and set up C having 10 grams of carbon. Accordingly, set-ups A-C will

be joined with 12 grams of Clay. Set-ups D-F will have a mixture of 20 grams of clay, set-up D

with 6 grams of carbon, set-up E with 8 grams of carbon and set-up F with 10 grams of carbon.

All will undergo two trials.

 The researchers will rank its quality accordingly to the criteria for the Likert scale that will

be used on the observational checklist. The researchers will use the following scale

3 2 1

Smoothness The pencil can easily The pencil can hardly The pencil can’t write

glide on the paper write on the paper on the paper

Brittleness The pencil did not The pencil almost The pencil break

break after writing the break after writing the easily after writing

sentence sentence the sentence

Shade The writings of the The writings of the The writings of the

pencil is clearly pencil is visible pencil is not visible

visible

The researchers will based their observation trough this matrix then the researchers will get

the average of the results of the first and second trial. The results will be according to this table

also.

Data Analysis Technique

The researchers would be having one-way ANOVA. This will test if the quality of the pencil

according to its varying Carbon concentrations on the different set ups. Having three set-ups in

the making. This technique will be used to see the difference of each set-ups and determine which

performed the best.

Reference List

Tomacruz S., (2018, July.) Rappler. Retrieved from: https://www.rappler.com/nation/208192-air-

pollution-deaths-3rd-highest-philippines

Ambag R., (2018, June.) Flip Science. Retrived from:https://www.flipscience.ph/health/how-bad-

air-pollution-philippines/

Department of Environmental and Natural Resources. (2017, September.) Retrieved from:

https://www.denr.gov.ph/news-and-features/latest-news/3295-air-pollution-apublichealth-

concern-in-the-philippines.html

Brilli F., Fares S., Ghirado, A., et al. (2018, March) American Society of Human Geneteics.

Retrieved from: https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/fulltext/S1360-1385(18)30046-3

Datta A. Biochemistry Journals. Retrieved from: https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access-

journals-list.php?aid=84127&view=mobile

American Association of Chemistry Teachers. Chemistry for Life. Retrived from:

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/about.html?sc=180808_GlobalFooter_od

United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2017, January.) Particle Pollution and Your

Patient’s Health. Retrieved from: https://www.epa.gov/pmcourse/what-particle-pollution Healthy

Information for Western Australians. Environmental Health Directorate, Public Health. Retrieved

from: https://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/F_I/Health-effects-of-dust

Liu, CM., Chen JW., Tsai, JH., et al. (2012, January.) US National Library of Medicine National

Institutes of Health. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22393814

Chi, JD., (2017, April.) How to Make Pencil Lead. Retrieved from: https://sciencing.com/make-

pencil-lead-5024388.html
Graviky Labs Pvt. Ltd., (2015.) Air Ink. Retrieved from: http://www.graviky.com/air-inktrade.html

New Scientist Ltd., (2015, September.) Nitrogen Oxides in car exhaust kill tens of thousands in

UK. Retrieved from: https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn28245-nitrogen-oxide-is-not-so-

harmless-and-could-damage-human-health/

Inman, M. Planet Exhaust Kills More People Than Plane Crush. National Geographi. Retrieved

from: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/101005-planes-pollution-deaths-

science-environment/

Elsevier BV., (2011.) The Basic Properties of Building Materials. Building Materials in Civil

Engineering. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/brittleness

Golding M., (2009, January.) Drawing with the Pencil. Retrieved from:

www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1317223&seqNum=2

Pencils Co. (2018.) The Pencil Making Process. Retrieved from: https://pencils.com/pencil-

making-today-2/?fbclid=IwAR12MXUUsa1rF4ekurwgoXGwlPN8L5rQNamfYt_JwLys4NEaW6P-

V15hKGo