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Production of Dust Free Chalk from Mussels (Mytilus Edulis) Shell Powder

A research Proposal Paper

Presented to the Faculty of
Toledo City Science High School
Ilihan Heights, Toledo City

In Partial Fulfilment
Of the Requirements
For
Research Elective

Pansacala, Rheneil P.
Juarez, Pyonah Marie B.
Libod-libod, Maria Althea D.

10- Einstein
S.Y. 2022-2023
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER TITLE i.

TABLE OF CONTENTS ii.

LIST OF FIGURES………… iii.

CHAPTER

1. INTRODUCTION

Rationale. B 1-2

Review of Related Literature

3-6 Conceptual Framework… 7

2. THE PROBLEM

Statement of the Problem 8

Hypothesis 8

Significance of the Study………… 8

Scope and Delimitations………………………… 9

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3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design 10

Research Environment………………… 10

Research Instrument………………… 10

Research Procedure……………………… 11-12

DEFINITION OF TERMS 13

REFERENCES 14-15
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Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION

Rationale

Dust exposure in schools is a serious health concern for students and teachers,
as it can lead to respiratory problems and allergies. Traditional chalk made from calcium
carbonate produces a significant amount of dust when used on chalkboards,
aggravating these health risks. To address this issue, clamshells can be used as an
alternative source for chalk production. People often think of chalk, as they imagine the
clouds of dust in the air when erasing the content of the board, with numerous concerns
around health problem and asthma it is very essential to make this item.

According to a study conducted by Pal et al. (2016), mussel shell powder has the
potential to be used as a raw material for the production of dust-free chalk. The
researchers found that the high calcium carbonate content in mussel shells makes it a
suitable replacement for traditional chalk ingredients. Additionally, the study reported
that the resulting chalk produced from mussel shell powder had a significantly lower
dust emission compared to commercial chalk. This highlights the potential benefits of
using mussel shell powder in chalk production, not only as an eco-friendly alternative
but also as a means of reducing dust pollution in schools and other settings where chalk
is commonly used.

The research gap for the study of producing dust-free chalk from mussel shells
could be related to the development of more efficient and cost-effective production
methods, optimization of the recipe for the chalk mixture to improve quality and
durability, and the evaluation of the economic feasibility of scaling up production.
Inhaling significant amounts of harmful chalk dust poses a risk to both teachers and
students. The cleaning process of chalkboards is known to produce a significant
quantity of fine and ultrafine particles. These particles can contain various components
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of chalk, including calcium carbonate, gypsum, and talc, which can potentially cause
respiratory problems when inhaled regularly over an extended period.
2

The study of producing dust-free chalk from mussel shells has the potential to
benefit several groups, including the education sector. The education sector can benefit
from this study by having access to affordable, eco-friendly, and dust-free chalk. By
producing dust-free chalk from mussel shells, schools and universities can improve the
learning environment and ensure the safety and health of students and teachers.
Furthermore, this study can benefit communities that rely on the seafood industry.
Mussel shells are often discarded as waste, leading to environmental concerns. By
using mussel shells to produce chalk, we can reduce waste and promote sustainable
manufacturing practices, which can provide economic benefits to the community.

The purpose of producing dust-free chalk from mussel shell powder is to address
the health and environmental hazards associated with the traditional method of chalk
production. The use of calcium carbonate as the primary raw material in traditional chalk
production leads to the generation of large amounts of dust, which poses significant
health risks to workers and consumers. Inhaling chalk dust can cause respiratory
problems such as asthma, bronchitis, and silicosis.
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REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Chalk is a very essential tool in every teacher’s lives. Its main use is of course,
to write the lessons the teachers teach their students on the blackboard or any similar
material. Chalks may also be used as a “marking tool” for different materials such as
wood, cement or even cloth. Chalks are also often used by gymnasts, rock climbers,
and weightlifters as a drying agent. Chalk is also used in billiards (pool) on the tips of
the pool cues. Not only Filipinos use chalk but foreigners use them as well. They are a
lot cheaper than using whiteboard markers and whiteboards. Also, a typical Filipino
school setting uses the traditional way of teacher which is of course, using chalk and a
typical blackboard made out of wood. As our nation’s fight for poverty arises, the
researchers thought of making chalk out of clamshells because compared to the
commercialized chalk, making a homemade chalk is a lot cheaper. Another advantage
is that making chalk out of clamshells is not time consuming and it’s easy to follow the
simple steps in making them (PhD Essay,2018 Jan 1).

Chalk is a non-clastic carbonate sedimentary rock that is form

of limestone compesed of the mineral calcite. It is soft, fine-grained and easily
pulverized.  Color is white-to-grayish variety of limestone rock. It is composed of the
shells of such minute marine organisms as foraminifera, coccoliths, and rhabdoliths.
The purest varieties contain up to 99 percent calcium carbonate in the form of the
mineral calcite. The sponge spicules, diatom and radiolarian tests (shells), detrital
grains of quartz, and chert nodules (flint) found in chalk contribute small amounts of
silica to its composition. Small proportions of clay minerals, glauconite, and calcium
phosphate also are present.
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Mussel is a seashells that are hard exoskeleton of aquatic molluscs such

as bivalves and many more. The is responsible for protecting and supporting their
bodies, it is also composed of calcium carbonate that is secreted by the mantle, a skin
like tissue in the mollusc’s body wall (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Adam
Augustyn, Parul Jain, John P. Rafferty, 2021). Researchers from the Memorial
University of Newfoundland have produced a spongey form of calcium carbonate from
mussel shells that could find uses as components in biomedical materials or in energy
storage devices. Although most forms of calcium carbonate – which is found in the
shells of mussels and other shellfish, as well as limestone, chalk and marble – are hard
minerals, this new form of the substance is both soft and absorbent.

The chalkboard still has plenty of benefits today, despite the relatively recent
advances of whiteboards, and many teachers are fighting to keep them in their
classrooms because they think the boards are such a great benefit for their students
and the entire learning process (Shizuka Rin, 2013). Using chalkboards in teaching
improves teaching effectiveness, classroom management and student academic
success (the classroom,2018). Usage of chalk in a classroom is a traditional teaching
method and it has been popular in many countries for a long time. However, a large
amount of chalk dusts including submicrometer dust are generated during a class. A
portion of chalk dusts can penetrate into the respiratory system of students and
teachers who spend their time in the classroom for many hours of the day (Lin et al.,
2015). The participatory and cost-effective nature of the process makes the use of chalk
and a board for education a widely used method. In many inventive countries, the white
board and erasable markers are used for teaching, but in underdeveloped and
emerging countries, the chalk and board system is still the natural choice due to its
simplicity and low setup and operating costs.

Chalk dust is the fine white powder remaining after chalk is erased from a
chalkboard. Chalk produces dust, the amount depending on the quality of chalk used.
Some people find this uncomfortable or may be allergic to it, and according to the
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American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), there are links
between chalk dust and allergy and asthma problems inhaling chalk dust with lots of
drying agents can cause dehydration on the lung surfaces and lead to shortness of
breath, coughing, and wheezing. Chalk dust inhalation isn't the only risk; this substance
can also affect your skin negatively. (rock climbing,2021). Although the chemical
composition of chalk depends on its raw material, chalk dusts are considered to be non-
toxic because it is usually made of calcium carbonate or magnesium silicate sometimes
containing a small portion of aluminum silicate (Fayez-Hassan, 2011; Fujinuki, 1983).
However, as a trace element of chalk, Fe was also detected by Fayez-Hassan (2011).
Aryal (2007) suggested that inhalation of a small amount of chalk dust does not cause
acute illness, but breathing in it for a number of years can trigger respiratory diseases.
Chalk, soft, fine-grained, easily pulverized, white-to-grayish variety of limestone. Almost
all chalk produced today is dustless. Earlier, softer chalk tended to produce a cloud of
dust that some feared might contribute to respiratory problems. Dustless chalk still
produces dust; it's just that the dust settles faster. Manufacturers accomplish this by
baking their chalk longer to harden it more. Another method, used by a French
company, is to dip eighty percent of each dustless chalk stick in shellac to prevent the
chalk from rubbing off onto the hands.

Chalk is composed of the shells of such minute marine organisms as

foraminifera, coccoliths, and rhabdoliths. The purest varieties contain up to 99 percent
calcium carbonate in the form of the mineral calcite. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2013)
Calcium carbonate is a widely available natural inorganic compound, also known as
limestone, chalk or marble (Soft school), A soft, chalky stick used to write on
blackboards by students and teachers since the early 1800s. Blackboard chalk originally
contained Calcium carbonate typically bound with kaolin clay, Oleic acid, and Sodium
hydroxide. (cameo, 2016) Chalk Mineral, mainly calcium carbonate (CaCO 3), formed
from the shellsof minute marine organisms. It varies in properties and appearance; pure
forms, such as calcite, contain up to 99% calcium carbonate (oxford,2018). Calcium
carbonate is the main ingredient of chalk, which is very brittle and breaks easily when
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force is applied. But shells are strong and resistant to fracturing, and this is because the
calcium carbonate is combined with proteins which bind the crystals together, like bricks
in a wall, to make the material stronger and sometimes tougher.
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Plaster of paris, quick-setting gypsum plaster consisting of a fine white powder

(calcium sulfate hemihydrate), which hardens when moistened and allowed to dry.
Known since ancient times, plaster of paris is so called because of its preparation from
the abundant gypsum. Plaster of paris does not generally shrink or crack when dry,
making it an excellent medium for casting molds. It is commonly used to precast and
hold parts of ornamental plasterwork placed on ceilings and cornices. It is also used in
medicine to make plaster casts to immobilize broken bones while they heal, though
many modern orthopedic casts are made of fibreglass or thermoplastics. Some
sculptors work directly in plaster of paris, as the speed at which the plaster sets gives
the work a sense of immediacy and enables the sculptor to achieve the original idea
quickly.

Portable particulate monitor PM10/PM2.5 is capable of detecting particulate

matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less (PM10) and particulate matter with a
diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less (PM2.5).PM2.5 is considered to be more harmful
than larger particles because it can penetrate deeper into the lungs and cause more
damage. For this reason, many portable particulate monitors are designed to measure
PM2.5 concentrations specifically.

Compressive strength test is another method to test the effectiveness of dust-

free chalk. This test measures the maximum compressive load that a sample of chalk
can bear before it breaks. The sample of chalk is placed between two plates, and a
compressive force is applied until the chalk breaks. The force required to break the
chalk is recorded, and the compressive strength of the chalk is calculated. This test is
useful in determining the structural integrity of the chalk and its ability to withstand
pressure during use.
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Conceptual Framework

mussel
shells

Drying
process

Pulverizing
Pulverizing
process Machine

Mortar and
Pestle
Mixing
process

Trial 1: 1:1:1 Trial 2: 2:1:1 Trial 3: 3:1:1

ratio (mussel ratio (mussel ratio (mussel
Mussel shell
powder powder : plaster powder : plaster powder : plaster
of paris : water) of paris : water) of paris : water)

Plaster of paris Mussel powder: Mussel powder: Mussel powder:

33.3 grams 50 grams 60 grams
Plaster of paris: Plaster of paris: Plaster of paris:
33.3 grams 25 grams 20 grams
Water Water: 33.3 Water: 25 grams Water: 20 grams
grams
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STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study will determine the effectivity of mussel shells powder as a dust free
chalk .This study specifically wanted to answer these questions:

1. To test the effectiveness of a dust-free chalk, various factors can be evaluated such
as:

a) Durability
b) Dust

2. The results of the following instruments test:

a) Compressive strength test 8 (to check the durability)

b) Portable Particulate Monitor PM10 / PM2.5 (to check the dust particles)

HYPOTHESIS

(Ha) Alternative Hypothesis- If the mussel shell powder as a dust free chalk can pass all
the test then it is an effective dust free chalk.

(Ho) Null Hypothesis- If the mussel shell powder as a dust free chalk cannot pass all the
test then it is not an effective dust free chalk

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study offers an innovative solution to the problem of traditional chalk, which
produces harmful dust particles that can pose serious health hazards to teachers and
students alike. By developing a chalk that is dust-free, made from a sustainable and
eco-friendly source such as mussels, the study offers a practical solution that addresses
health and environmental concerns.
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SCOPE OF LIMITATION AND DELIMITATION

This study aim to create an alternative chalk and test the effectiveness of
Mussel (Mytilus Edulis) shell powder as an ingredient to produce a chalk which we are
highly recommended to use because aside from its environment friendly it is also a dust
free chalk
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The independent variable will be the proportion of mussel shell powder, plaster of
Paris, and water used in the production of the dust-free chalk. The dependent variables
will be the Portable particulate monitor PM10/PM2.5, compressive strength, and writing
quality of the produced chalk.The experiment will involve multiple trials where different
ratios of the independent variables will be used to produce the dust-free chalk. The
abrasion resistance and compressive strength of the chalk will be measured using
appropriate machines and procedures. The writing quality of the chalk will be assessed
through a writing test where the produced chalk will be used on a chalkboard to
determine its performance in terms of legibility, smudging, and dustiness.

Research Environment

The researchers will make their dust free chalk out of mussel shell powder in
Toledo City. The equipment and machines needed for the study, such as the Portable
particulate monitor PM10/PM2.5 , compressive strength will be set up in a laboratory or
workshop in Cebu City.

Research Instruments
In the study "Production of Dust Free Chalk from Mussels (Mytilus Edulis) Shell
Powder", there are several test variables that will be examined.The ratio of mussel shell
powder to plaster of paris and water will also be tested to determine the optimal mixture
for producing dust-free chalk. The writing performance of the chalk will also be
evaluated using writing tests conducted with a chalk writing machine. The durability of
the chalk will be assessed through tests such as comprehensive strength and dust-free
quality of the chalk by utilizing Portable particulate monitor PM10/PM2.5. The study will
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also investigate the chemical composition of the mussel shell powder and the chalk
produced to determine any significant changes and potential benefits for using this
material in chalk production.
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Research Procedure
The production of dust-free chalk from mussel shell powder will involve the
following procedure:

Collection and preparation of mussel shells Fresh mussels will be collected from
local markets. The shells will be washed thoroughly to remove any dirt, debris or other
contaminants. The cleaned shells will be dried in an oven or sun-dried to remove any
moisture content. The dried shells will be ground into fine powder using a Mortar and
Pestle and pulverizing machine.

Mixing of ingredients: The ground mussel powder and plaster of paris will be
mixed together in the specified ratios (1:1:1, 2:1:1, and 3:1:1) using mixer. Water will be
added to the mixture to achieve a dough-like consistency.

To determine the amounts of each ingredient needed for each trial in grams, we
need to know the total weight or volume of each ingredient used in the ratios. Assuming
that we want to make a total of 100 grams of chalk for each trial, the amounts of each
ingredient needed for each trial in grams are as follows:

Trial 1: 1:1:1 ratio (mussel powder : Trial 2: 2:1:1 ratio (mussel powder :
plaster of paris : water) plaster of paris : water)
Mussel powder: 33.3 grams Mussel powder: 50 grams
Plaster of paris: 33.3 grams Plaster of paris: 25 grams
Water: 33.3 grams Water: 25 grams

Trial 3: 3:1:1 ratio (mussel powder :

plaster of paris : water)
Mussel powder: 60 grams
Plaster of paris: 20 grams
Water: 20 grams
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After the ingredients have been mixed thoroughly, the mixture will be poured into
cylindrical molds. The molds will be carefully filled with the mixture, ensuring that each
mold is filled to the same level. The molds will then be left to dry and harden for
approximately 24-48 hours, depending on the environmental conditions. After the drying
process, the molds will be removed, and the chalk cylinders will be carefully removed
from the molds. The chalk cylinders will then be checked for any defects and trimmed to
the desired length using a cutter.

To make the chalk dust-free, a coating of wax or oil can be applied to the surface
of the chalk sticks. This coating acts as a binder, holding the chalk particles together
and preventing them from crumbling and producing dust. The coated chalk sticks are
then left to dry and cure for a specific period of time, typically 24 to 48 hours.
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Definition of Terms

Mussel shells are the hard, protective outer coverings of mussels, a type of
bivalve mollusk found in freshwater and saltwater environments. These shells are
composed primarily of calcium carbonate and are made up of two symmetrical halves,
also known as valves, that are connected by a hinge. The shells are typically elongated
and oval-shaped, with a slightly curved shape that allows the mussel to close tightly to
protect itself from predators and environmental stressors. Mussel shells are also
commonly used in various industries, such as jewelry-making, as well as for their
nutritional value and as a source of calcium carbonate in agricultural applications.

Plaster of Paris is a type of plaster made by heating gypsum (a soft mineral) to

high temperatures, then grinding it into a fine powder. When mixed with water, the
powder re-forms into a soft, pliable material that can be shaped and molded before
hardening into a solid structure.

A portable particulate monitor is a device used to measure the concentration of

airborne particulate matter in a given environment. The two most common size ranges
of particulate matter that are measured are PM10 and PM2.5, which refer to particles
that are 10 micrometers or smaller and 2.5 micrometers or smaller, respectively.

The compressive strength test is a common method used to determine the

strength of a material, such as concrete or rock, under a compressive load. It measures
the ability of a material to withstand forces that push or compress it, rather than forces
that pull or stretch it.
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Hamester, Michele & Balzer, Palova & Becker, Daniela.( 2012). Characterization
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Ma, C.-J., Kang, G.-U., & Hamada, M. (2019). Behavior and Exposure of Chalk
Dust during Classroom Teaching.
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Mukherjee, S., & Mishra, S. (2015). Preparation and characterization of mussel

shell powder and its application for the removal of Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solution.
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Yi, H., & Li, K. (2018). Study on dust-free chalk made from waste eggshells.
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