INVESTIGATION OF COCONUT SHELLS ACTIVATED CARBON AS THE COST EFFECTIVE ABSORBENT IN DRINKING WATER FILTER
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/jt.v77.6656Keywords:
Coconut shells, activated carbon, drinking water filter.Abstract
Utilization of activated carbon for organic contaminant removal from drinking water is commonly practiced in point-of-use (PUO) water applications in Malaysia. Public health concerns and demands on water purity with the stated goal in Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of improving access to safe drinking water by halve ahead of the 2015 has prompted the need to feasible conversion and sustainable solutions. This study investigated the efficiency of activated carbon from coconut shells as the potential cost effective absorbent material in drinking water filter due to its nature of greater micro-pores, inexpensive and abundantly available over other agricultural by-products. Activation of the coconut shell carbon was first carried out by carbonization in the exposure to nitrogen (N2) atmosphere followed by heating with the activating agents for a specific retention period. pH test and dynamic testing of filtered water were conducted using the protocol established by ANSI/NSF Standard 53 (Health Effects of Water Treatment System). The pH value was indicated to increase proportionally to the level of filtering, which has achieved a constant value of 6.41 after eight times of filtering. Additionally, the activated carbon has removed Methyl Tertiary-butyl Ether (MTBE) to non-detectable level, which is less than 1 part per billion (ppb). The non-detectable level has sufficiently reduced the odour and taste problems. Therefore, activated carbon from coconut shells has considerable potential as the cost effective absorptive material in a drinking water filter.
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