The Application of Adsorption Technique Using Tiger Grass (Thysanolaena maxima) for

the Removal of Pollutants from Contaminated Water

Philip Jayson L. Lestojas and Franz Stefanie S. Sanico

Nieves Villarica National High School

Presented to the Division Science and Technology Fair 2016

Jim Lyn C. Pacatang, Research Teacher

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

Due to the use of different technologies in daily life, water pollution, particularly oil spill

exists more often. Pollutants from domestic, agricultural, and industrial sectors altered the

quality of water. These bring harmful effects to the water and its aquatic resources (Prasida,

2015).

Conserve Energy Future (2016) stressed that oil spill pollution happens when liquid

petroleum is released into a body of water. These oils such as crude oil are released due to human

carelessness. Some of the sources of these oils in the seas and oceans include petroleum-powered

water vessels and large scale industries. This damage to the body of water is costly and takes

long time to clean up.

In the history, the largest oil spill happened is during the war between the Iraqi and

American forces. January 19, 1991 when Iraqi forces released 380-520 million gallons of oil into
the Persian Gulf, Kuwait to prevent the American marines from its potential landing (Moss,

2010).

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2016) stated that old and recent oil

spills brought deaths to marine species because of the oils poisonous chemical constituents.

Marine organisms die because of their exposure to oil in terms of external exposure through skin

and eye irritation and internal exposure through inhalation. (2014) Bird species and mammals

die due to hypothermia. It happened among birds when they lose the ability to repel water and

protect themselves from cold water, causing them not to maintain their body temperatures.

In the Philippines, the worst oil spill incident took place along the strait of Guimaras

Island, according to Greenpeace, 2.1 million liters of oil was released into the sea on August 11,

2006 after a huge vessel sank. While according to World Wildlife Fund, flora and fauna found in

the strait were greatly damaged. At least 1000 hectares of mangroves were affected and species

such as dugong, turtles, and several cetacean species were threatened.

Philippines is a developing nation that currently experiences urbanization and

industrialization. Greenpeace (2010) survey shows that developments in the country are the

cause of water pollution generally. Statistics revealed that 40 percent of the water bodies having

only fair water quality and 13 percent are seriously under water pollution. Out 421 rivers in the

country, 50 of it are now biologically dead.

Thus, to solve water pollution in the environment, the researchers apply the adsorption

technique for the removal of pollutants from the contaminated water. Adsorption is a mass

transfer process which involves the accumulation of substances at the interface of two phases. It

is a separation process in which certain components of a liquid phase are transferred to the
surface of the liquid adsorbents (Mandal, 2014). In the process of adsorption, the substance being

absorbed is the adsorbate and the adsorbing material is the adsorbent (Amrita, 2013).

This study uses the Tiger Grass (Thysanolaena maxima) as the bio-adsorbent. According

to the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and

Development (PCARRD), this is usually found in the highlands of Ifugao and Mountain

Province. Locally called tambo, it is the raw material from which soft brooms, or walis tambo,

are made out of. Tiger Grass is a kind of Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) that has the ability

to thrive in barren and marginal land.

Tiger Grass is used in this study because of its adsorbent properties. According to

Honeywell UOP, these adsorbent properties include:

High adsorption and capacity and long effective adsorbent life

Ability to attain ultra-low contaminant level in treated steam
Low reactivity, minimized side reactions and reduced coke deposition

The application of the adsorption technique for the removal of pollutants from

contaminated water is an advantage because it is cheap, metal selective, regenerative. It has no

sludge generation, has metal recovery, and has competitive performance (Renge, Khedkar,

Pande, 2012).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Research Environment

This study was conducted at the Science Laboratory of Nieves Villarica National High

School, Zone 7, Barangay Villarica, Babak District, Island Garden City of Samal.

Materials

The materials used for the constructing of the adsorption apparatus were the following:

4 used 1.5-L plastic bottles with caps

Tiger Grass
Polyvinyl chlorine (PVC) pipes
2 meter-water hose
Masking tape
1 meter-thin metal wire

The materials and equipment used during the testing process were the following:

Beaker
Graduated cylinder
Cutter
Water
Used oil

Collection

The Tiger Grass (Thysanolaena maxima) was gathered from the used soft broom.

Materials needed in making the adsorption apparatus were bought from the hardware stores.

Methods

Constructing the Adsorption Apparatus

1. The PVC pipes were connected until the base and the branches that are suitable in

holding 4 plastic bottles were built. The branches were connected to the body of the

apparatus alternately for balancing.

2. The bottom part of the plastic bottles was cut.
3. Using the thin metal wire and the masking tape, each plastic bottle was attached to

each branch.
4. The caps were holed with enough size that the water hose can go through it. Make

sure that the hole is not too big so that the water hose cannot collapse.
5. The water hose were used to connect the plastic bottles so that the water can flow

smoothly.
6. The tiger grasses were put into the plastic bottles.

Preparing the Contaminated Water

1. The beaker was prepared.

2. There are 3 setups of contaminated water