Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Effectiveness of Oil Absorbent Pads Utilizing Processed Peanut Shells
Effectiveness of Oil Absorbent Pads Utilizing Processed Peanut Shells
RESEARCH CAPSTONE
MAY 2024
INTRODUCTION
Over the years, utilization of agricultural waste such as peanut shells, has
family and are valuable food items used extensively worldwide in various ways (Çelebi
et al., 2022). The peanut shell is an agricultural byproduct that requires immediate
utilization (Gao et al., 2022). This research is groundbreaking in its use of peanut shells
waste containing meso- and micropores, and were employed as an evaporator for
interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG). Despite being rich in protein, fat, and fiber,
peanut shells are typically thrown away after being consumed (Arunkumar et al., 2023).
In recent years, the study of Yong et al., (2018) highlighted peanuts as a significant
according to the findings of Malawade et al., (2021), the appeal of natural biodegradable
Peanut shells serve as an efficient adsorbent for extracting heavy metals like
chromium, lead, copper, zinc, and cadmium. It proves the peanut shell effectiveness in
heavy metal removal even without undergoing pyrolysis. This underscores the potential
of peanut shells as a natural and effective solution for heavy metal remediation
(Mathabatha 2022). Utilizing peanut shells in absorption and separation technology, the
issue of spilled oil is effectively addressed, leading to the mitigation of ecological harm
associated with oil spills. This approach not only transforms discarded peanut shells into
a valuable resource but also highlights the potential for creating a cost-effective and
efficient absorbent from our agricultural waste (Dai et al., 2022). The study of Zhao et al.,
friendly separation layer to purify industrial oily wastewater, addressing its detrimental
2. To reduce the amount of agricultural waste generated by castoff peanut shells and
Most of the agricultural wastes are untreated and underutilized, the researchers
conducted this study to investigate the effectiveness of utilizing processed peanut shells
1. How may the peanut shells be processed and developed as an oil absorbent pad?
2. How many grams of processed peanut shells are needed to create a single sheet of pad?
a.100grams
b.200grams
c. 300grams
3. What assessments should be taken into account while developing a peanut shell-based
b. Cost-Effectiveness
4. How well does the peanut shell-based oil absorbent pads absorb different kinds of oils
such as:
a. Gasoline (Premium)
b. Kerosene
c. Diesel
5. How much oil will the peanut shells’ oil absorbent pads absorb within the varying time
a. 0-25 ml
b. 25-50 ml
c. 50-75 ml
d. 75-100 ml
6. How does the thickness of the pads influence the speed and quantity of oil that can be
absorbed effectively?
a. 0.5 mm
b. 1 mm
c. 1.5 mm
Hypotheses
H0: The oil absorbent pads using the peanut husk will not be effective on absorbing most
oil.
Ha: The oil absorbent pads using the peanut husk will be effective on absorbing most oil.
Ha: The oil absorbent pads will absorb the oil slowly.
This study will provide benefits as it offers a sustainable and eco-friendly solution
for cleaning up oil spills. The biodegradable nature peanut shell, coupled with their status
as a renewable resource, make them as one of the options. This approach supports local
sourcing, minimizes waste and avoids the introduction of synthetic materials into
environmentally friendly oil absorbent pads. This approach aligns with environmental
regulations, reduces the overall environmental impact, and supports waste management
This study will also help to preserve and recycle the peanut shells that are usually
perceived as waste. This will also provide the community a product that is more reliable
and less expensive than branded absorbent pads. This research promotes peanut shell-
based oil absorbent pads to enhance environmental compliance, minimize oil spill
response plans, collaborate with industries, and raise public awareness about sustainable
practices.
Lastly, this study provides information that could guide future studies about
effectiveness of oil absorbent pads utilizing processed peanut shells. This study provides
a precise, reliable and credible set of information that could lead to deeper understanding
Oil Absorbent Pads by processing the peanut shells to create identical pads from peanut
shell-based and traditional materials and conduct oil absorption tests, measuring time and
quantity absorbed. This study aims to determine the absorption of Peanut Shells as an Oil
Absorbent Pads. The study will be conducted in the second quarter of the second
semester of the school year 2023-2024 within the vicinity of Gapan City, Nueva Ecija.
Conceptual Framework
To begin the procedure, the researchers will gather all of the resources required
for the study and ensure that everything is in accordance with the project's objectives.
This may contain tools, components, and resources outlined in accordance with the
processes to be conducted. Once all of the materials have been gathered, the researchers
will proceed to prepare them for use. This includes sorting through the collected items,
cleaning them up, and organizing them in a way that allows for efficient utilization. This
step may also include activities such as cutting or measuring to ensure that the materials
Following material preparation, the oil absorbent pads making process will begin.
In this process, the raw materials will be transformed into pads through a series of steps.
This typically involves blending the peanut shells to create a husk, spreading it onto a
screen or mold, and drying it to absorbent pads. Once the product is made, the next step is
to determine the peanut shell's absorption capability for various types of oil, such as
kerosene, gasoline, and diesel. The obtained data from testing its capability will be
material. And lastly, the final step of the process is to establish waste disposal processes
Definition of Terms
showcases the absorbent nature of peanut shells in capturing and containing oil,
used for oil absorption, can release harmful chemicals into the environment
pads, which may involve treating the shells to improve their absorbency and
d. Oil spills - This refers to the environmental disasters that occur when crude oil or
refined petroleum products are released into the environment, typically into
bodies of water like oceans, seas, or rivers. These spills have detrimental effects
e. Peanut shells - It refers to the outer coverings or husk that encase the edible
Most of the national peanut production, estimated at 900,000 tons per year, is processed
accumulate in the environment and pollute it. However, there are alternative strategies for
transform peanut shells into bio-pellets that can be used as fuel, reducing reliance on
help minimize waste and foster a circular economy (Novianto et al., 2020). Furthermore,
peanut shell waste can be used as a source of prebiotics, providing a beneficial substrate
for the growth of probiotic bacteria (Suwasdi et al., 2019). The research study illustrate
the ability of peanut shell waste to be converted into valuable resources while reducing
soaked up by another material or medium without the use of artificial or synthetic means.
absorbents are frequently utilized in industries and spill cleanup operations, although they
(Absorbents, GlobalSpec). Finding alternative resources that are efficient and eco-
friendly has therefore become progressively more important. Researchers are turning
their attention to natural sources as a result of Tolkou et al., (2024) emphasizing the need
for sustainable solutions. Since they were numerous, low-cost, and biodegradable,
characterized by having high porosity, which means water, oils, and other types of
products can be easily absorbed (Bobet et al., 2019). Peanut shells have a great capacity
to adsorb a wide range of contaminants, such as organic chemicals, dyes, and heavy
metals. The study of Pessôa et al., (2024) showed the usefulness of peanut shells in
the health of environments. Furthermore, investigation by Chen et al., (2019) also looked
effectiveness. To improve the surface characteristics of peanut shells and increase their
adsorption capacity and range of applications, researchers found that by treating peanut
shells with chemicals or changing their surface, they can soak up more and be used in
more ways.
Oil Spill
Number of large oil spills have come down over the years, possibly due to an
governments. The study also found out that numerous physical countermeasures have
been developed targeting the different stages in a typical clean-up operation, and can be
categorized into the following two types based on their modes of action: active and
passive techniques. Passive measures, such as booms and barriers, entail containment on
water surface to restrain the spread of oil and to facilitate its recovery at a later stage.
Booms are the most widely used ones, although they are sensitive to water currents,
diversion, or jet flows, oscillation of individual components, and wind effects (Bhardwaj
Peanut Shells
are chickpeas, lentils, beans, and peas. It is originally from South America and is used
mainly for culinary purposes, in confectionery products, or as a nut as well as for the
production of biscuits, breads, sweets, cereals, and salads. (Perea-Moreno et al., 2018).
Groundnuts, or peanuts, are a type of dicotyledonous plant with reticulate leaf veins
and peanut peel covering the seeds. There are more than 100 nations in the globe where
peanuts are grown, with Asia and Africa having the highest concentrations (Akram et al.,
2018). China is a major producer of peanuts, and the country has abundant resources of
peanut shells, which include lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, and other organic materials
shells is a combination of lignin (36.1 wt%), cellulose (44.8 wt%), proteins (5.4 wt%),
hemicellulose biopolymers (5.6 wt%), and other compounds such as minerals, pectin, and
tannins with several polar functional groups i.e. hydroxyl, methoxy, and carboxyl groups
on the surface.
MATERIALS AND METHOD
Collection of Materials
Peanut shells will be acquired from the Public Market in Gapan City, Nueva
Ecija. Upon collection, the peanut shells will be thoroughly cleaned to remove any
contaminants that may affect the outcome of the research. Subsequently, the cleaned
peanut shells will be cooked by the researchers to prepare them for the experimental
procedures. In addition to the peanut shells, various oils such as kerosene, gasoline, and
diesel will be obtained from Gapan City Gas, located at 386 Tinio Street, Gapan City,
Nueva Ecija.
Preparation of Materials
The Peanut Shells will be thoroughly cleaned by brushing off the dirt on its
surface using a cleaning brush. The Peanut Shells will be crushed into small pieces and
put in a casserole for cooking. 4 kilograms of caustic soda will be mixed with 15 liters of
water. The cooking process will prepare a 1 set of mixtures. The mixtures will be placed
in the casserole and pre-heated for about a half or an hour. The Peanut Shells and pre
heated mixtures will be mixed and boiled for about two hours. The softened raw
Paper Making
The Peanut shells will be mashed and blended. The blended Peanut shells will be
put into water. The blended Peanut shells (100, 200, and 300 g) will be set into the
screen to determine the desired measurements of the blended Peanut shell to create a
sheet of paper. Once a stack of damp sheets assembled between boards, pressing of the
entire pile would follow and will dry to cut into varying sizes.
Risk Involve
Peanuts are prone to fungal disease and farmers use pesticides to fight against it.
problems, skin irritation, and even cancer (Weber M, 2024). Also, according to Yeung
A.A., (2023), peanut allergies are common and can cause severe reactions. Even if you’re
not allergic to peanuts themselves, the shells could still trigger a reaction due to cross-
contamination and peanut shells are high in fiber and can be difficult to digest for some
Determining the Grams Needed for a Single Sheet of Oil Absorbent Pads
necessary to assess the pads' efficacy. The primary determinants of quality are the
absorption capacity, wet back, liquid strike through time, and retention capacity of the
absorption pads (Devi et al.,2022). The grams of processed peanut shells required for a
single sheet of absorbent pads will be worked out by the researcher using a weighing
scale.
Determining the Absorption of Peanut Shells Oil Absorbent Pads in Different Type
of Oils
One (1) sheet of Peanut Shells with varying thickness of (0.5mm, 1mm, 1.5mm)
will be predetermined by its mass. To determine the starting mass, 100mL of each test oil
(Kerosene, Gasoline, Diesel) will be measured and placed into the three (3) transparent
containers with 1L capacity. After predetermining the weight of samples (0.5mm, 1mm,
1.5mm), the samples will be placed into each container. The introduced samples with the
test oils will be observed by the researchers. To determine the absorbency of the peanut
shells’ oil absorbent pads, the researcher will use the formula:
Risk Involved
Crude Oil is toxic and can cause many health complications for humans. Crude oil
contains chemicals that some people can be extremely sensitive to, it can cause eye
irritation, eye redness, diarrhea, vomiting, and even respiratory problems. Long-term
exposure to crude oil can increase the risk of cancer, damage blood and organs, and can
Determining How Much Oil will the Peanut Shells’ Oil Absorbent Pads absorb
containers, each contains the sample of oils (Kerosene, Gasoline, Diesel) with an amount
of 100ml. One 0.5mm thick oil absorbent pad will be put on each container for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, the pads will be removed from the containers, the pads will then be
weighed for the second time to determine how much (a. 0-25 ml, b. 25-50 ml, c. 50-75
ml, d. 75-100 ml) they absorb from each oil . Another one 0.5mm thick oil absorbent pad
will be put on each of the three (3) containers, each containing the sample of oils
(Kerosene, Gasoline, Diesel) with an amount of 100ml this time for 10 minutes. After 10
minutes, the pads will be removed from the containers, the pads will then be weighed to
know how much (a. 0-25 ml, b. 25-50 ml, c. 50-75 ml, d. 75-100 ml) they absorbed from
each oil. One 0.5mm thick oil absorbent pad will be put on each of the three (3)
containers, each containing the sample of oils (Kerosene, Gasoline, Diesel) with an
amount of 100ml for 15 minutes. After 10 minutes, the pads will be removed from the
containers, the pads will be weighed to know how much (a. 0-25 ml, b. 25-50 ml, c. 50-
Nine (9) 1 mm thick oil absorbent pads will be used. On the three (3) containers,
each contains the sample of oils (Kerosene, Gasoline, Diesel) with an amount of 100ml.
One 1 mm thick oil absorbent pad will be put on each container for 5 minutes. After 5
minutes, the pads will be removed from the containers, the pads will then be weighed to
determine how much (a. 0-25 ml, b. 25-50 ml, c. 50-75 ml, d. 75-100 ml) they absorb
from each oil . Again, One 1 mm thick oil absorbent pad will be put on each of the three
(3) containers, each containing the sample of oils (Kerosene, Gasoline, Diesel) with an
amount of 100 ml, this time for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the pads will be removed
from the containers, the pads will be weighed to know how much (a. 0-25 ml, b. 25-50
ml, c. 50-75 ml, d. 75-100 ml) they absorbed from each oil. And again, One 1 mm thick
oil absorbent pad will be put on each of the three (3) containers, each containing the
sample of oils (Kerosene, Gasoline, Diesel) with an amount of 100ml for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, the pads will be removed from the containers, the pads will then be
weighed to know how much (a. 0-25 ml, b. 25-50 ml, c. 50-75 ml, d. 75-100 ml) they
Another total of nine (9) 1.5 mm thick oil absorbent pads will be used. On the
three (3) containers, each contains the sample of oils (Kerosene, Gasoline, Diesel) with
an amount of 100ml. One 1.5 mm thick oil absorbent pad will be put on each container
for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, the pads will be removed from the containers, the pads
will then be weighed to determine how much (a. 0-25 ml, b. 25-50 ml, c. 50-75 ml, d.
75-100 ml) they absorbed from each oil . Then, One 1.5 mm thick oil absorbent pad will
be put on each of the three (3) containers, each containing the sample of oils (Kerosene,
Gasoline, Diesel) with an amount of 100ml, this time for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes,
the pads will be removed from the containers, the pads will be weighed to know how
much (a. 0-25 ml, b. 25-50 ml, c. 50-75 ml, d. 75-100 ml) they absorbed from each oil.
Then lastly, One 1.5mm thick oil absorbent pad will be put on each of the three (3)
containers, each containing the sample of oils (Kerosene, Gasoline, Diesel) with an
amount of 100ml for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, the pads will be removed from the
containers, The pads will be weighed to know how much (a. 0-25 ml, b. 25-50 ml, c. 50-
According to the Public health England (PHE), breathing in kerosene fumes (not
vehicle exhaust) may cause dizziness, drowsiness headaches. Breathing in large amounts
can result in coma, loss of muscle control, heart and lung problems. Kerosene can cause
the skin to become irritated, dry and cracked; if the skin is exposed for a long time then
burns may develop. Also, Having exposure to gasoline or gasoline vapors in large
amounts or over an extended period of time can cause serious health complications.
Ingesting even a small quantity of gasoline can be fatal (Huizen 2023). Direct contact
with diesel fuel can cause irritation and dryness of the skin. Prolonged or repeated contact
can lead to more severe skin conditions such as dermatitis (Branson 2023).
Determining the influence of the thickness of the pads to the speed and quantity of
The thickness of pads may have a direct influence on the speed and quantity of
oil. It can be faster and have more quantity that could be absorbed. The larger diameter
pad is, the more effective it is, because of the increase in thickness, although the effect is
not as pronounced as with pad height ( Luo et al., 2018). Using a larger diameter pad
focuses the speed and also increases the quantity of it to be absorbed. Based on the study
of Yang et al., (2020) from the Chemical Engineering Journal 401, it stated that the pace
of absorption is dependent on the oil's thickness. Heavy oils take longer to absorb than
light ones. Oil retention: A sorbent structure may droop and distort due to the weight of
recovered oil.
Risk factor
Heavy Fuel Oil is highly concentrated in sulfur (35,000 parts per million). This
means global shipping accounts for 8% of global emissions of sulfur dioxide emissions
(SO2), which is highly acidic when mixed with water making shipping a major
contributor toward acid rain and other respiratory diseases (Degnarain, 2020).
Statistical Analysis
Gasoline, Diesel) with varying time (5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes) with the help of
Waste Disposal
disposal process. Various types of oils, including Kerosene, Gasoline, and Diesel,
alongside oil absorbent pads that have been soaked in these different oils, will be
specifically allocated trash bins that are intended for hazardous wastes. This approach
ensures that all materials used in our research are handled and disposed of in a manner
protection standards.