phytoremediation potential chapter i

7/27/2019 Phytoremediation Potential CHAPTER I

1/10

CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

This chapter gives the readers a birds eye view of the problem the researchers

have studied. It is consisted of the background of the study, statement of the problem,

hypothesis, significance of the study, review of related literature, operational definition of

terms, and scope and limitation.

1.1 Background of the Study

Water is really essential in life. It takes weeks before a man would die without

food but only days without water.

Water is the most important substance on earth. Without it, no living things can

exist. Watery solutions carry nutrients throughout individual plants and animals.

Through chemical processes, nutrients are converted into energy or used to build new

tissues. Then, the water solution will carry away the waste products of the chemical

processes.

Furthermore, water is also vital in the human body. It makes up seventy percent

of a human body. Example is blood which is almost water. Large parts of human skin,

bones, and other body tissues are also water. Therefore, people need to have clean

and safe drinking water for consumption.

Sad to say, Mother Earths water now is polluted due to household and industrial

wastes, agricultural chemicals, oil spills and many more. Now, this is one of the serious

environmental problems not in this country, but also in the world. Sometimes, we read

1


2/10

in newspapers of sicknesses, the reasons of which are traced to toxic waste in the

water. One cant even be sure the water, even if it undergoes several treatments,

coming out of the faucet is safe. The contamination may come from the pipe where the

water passes through. Copper, for example, may appear in drinking water either from

contaminated well or corroded copper pipes. Lead, too, gets into the water through the

lead solder or brass fixtures through ones plumbing. Both copper and lead, when taken

in large amounts, are toxic minerals which can lead to poisoning and even death.

Silver, another mineral, occurs in drinking water but just in small amounts. Unlike

copper and lead, it is not toxic and cant affect ones health but when taken in large

amounts, it can cause argyria, blue-grayish pigmentation of the skin, eyes and mucous

membranes.

This problem led to the formulation of this study. The researchers wanted to

contribute to the removal of the copper, silver and lead from the water through natural

means. At the same time, they would like the people to know that tap water is not one

hundred percent safe to drink.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

This study proposes to investigate on the effectiveness of corn bran and coconut

husk in removing copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and silver (Ag) from water. Specifically, it aims

to answer the following questions:

1. What are used by the proponents to lessen the amount of copper, lead and

silver?

2


3/10

2. Are corn bran and coconut husk effective in eliminating the copper, lead and

silver content?

3. How do the proponents determine that there is a change in the amount of copper,

lead and silver when using corn bran, and coconut husk?

1.3 Hypothesis

This study is carried out to experiment the following hypothesis:

H0. The coconut husk and corn bran is not effective in removing copper, lead and

silver from the water.

H1. The coconut husk and corn bran is effective in removing copper, lead and silver

from the water.

1.4 Significance of the Study

This study is important because some people dont know that the water they use

in bathing, washing, or even cooking is contaminated with copper, lead or silver which

pollute the drinking water that eventually lead to sickness and even death. Moreover,

this study educate people that coconut husk and corn bran are helpful in removing

harmful chemicals in the water without undesirable side effects of decontaminating

substances.

1.5 Review of Related Literature

This sub-chapter contains the related literature of the investigation to further

explain the contents of this project. It gives a more vivid view of the topics included in

this research.

3


4/10

Copper

Copper is a chemical element that can be found in the periodic table with the

symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a reddish- colored metal that occurs usually in

various mineral ores. It is malleable, ductile and good conductor of electricity. It has a

high boiling point and tensile strength and capability to resist corrosion by atmosphere

and seawater.

It is said that copper is probably the first metal used from which useful articles

were made. Civilizations in places like Iraq, China, Egypt, Greece and the Sumerian

cities have early proofs of using copper. During the Roman Empire, copper was mainly

mined on Cyprus, therefore the origin of the name of the metal as Cyprium, metal of

Cyprus, later shortened to Cuprum.

Copper is normally applied in making coins; products of electronics like copper

wire, electromagnets, and many more; and household plumbing materials. Moreover,

many parts of airplanes, missiles, automobiles and satellites are made of this metal. It

is used also in electroplating and some batteries.

Not only in technology is copper needed but also in living things. It is necessary

for the synthesis of hemoglobin, for certain oxidative enzymes such as cytochrome

oxidase and uricase. Furthermore, they act as a cofactor for the enzyme superoxide

dismutase, which remove superoxide ions from our body. Elevated superoxide levels

have been associated in arthritis, aging and radiation sickness. Copper is found in the

brain in the form of cerebrocuprein, in the blood cells as erythrocuprein and in the blood

plasma as ceruloplasmin.

4


5/10

Unfortunately, copper when taken in large amounts can be poisonous and even

deadly to organisms. The average daily diet contains about 2.5 to 5 mg of copper, an

amount that is believed to be sufficient for a normal adult. One way copper can go to

ones body is when the water he drinks is from contaminated well water or corroded

copper pipes. If one drank water containing high levels of copper, the immediate health

effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. If one is doing these

of many years, this would likely result into liver or kidney damage. Fatal cases, on the

other hand, are generally finished by convulsion, palsy and insensibility. Example of

illnesses brought about by too much copper in the blood is Wilsons disease, a rare

hereditary disease caused by a defect in the bodys ability to metabolize copper. If the

disease is untreated, the accumulation of copper in the body can lead to liver failure and

brain damage. Another example is Menkes syndrome (also known as kinky hair or

steely hair syndrome), an inherited abnormality in copper metabolism. It affects male

infants and can be fatal.

Lead

Lead is another chemical element that can also be located in the periodic table

with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. It is bluish white in color when freshly cut

but tarnishes into dull gray when exposed to air. It is a soft, ductile and malleable metal

which has low tensile strength and low boiling point; and dull luster. It is a poor

conductor of electricity. It is also extremely resistant to corrosion so it is used to contain

acidic liquids.

5


6/10

It is used for a long time already since it is widespread, easy to extract and to

work with. In the early Bronze Age, it is used with antimony and arsenic. Alchemists

considered lead as the oldest metal and related it to the planet Saturn. Romans make

use of this for constructing water pipes, joined with an alloy of lead and tin. Additionally,

lead is used in enormous quantities in storage batteries and in sheathing electric cables

and in industry for lining pipes, tanks, and X-ray apparatus. Because of its high density

and nuclear properties, lead is used extensively as protective shielding for radioactive

material. Among numerous alloys containing a high percentage of lead are solder, type

metal, and various bearing metals. A considerable amount of lead is consumed in the

form of its compounds, particularly in paints and pigments.

Like copper, lead can enter ones body through the water he drinks. Most of the

time, lead gets into the water after it leaves the local treatment plant. The most possible

source of lead in drinking water is the lead solder or brass fixtures in ones own

plumbing. It is said that the chloramines which is used to minimize chlorine disinfection

by-products in drinking water, was the reason why lead drain away from the lead pipes

and brass plumbing materials. Lead taken internally in any of its forms is highly toxic.

Even the ancients recognize lead poisoning and its effects. The symptoms of lead

poisoning are anemia, weakness, constipation, colic, palsy, and often a paralysis of the

wrists and ankles. The effects are learning disabilities, hyperactivity, decreased muscle

and bone growth, and behavioral problems. Lead-based paints and toys made from

lead compounds are considered serious hazards for children while for adults, one lead

hazard at levels once thought safe is that of increased blood pressure.

6


7/10

Silver

The 47th chemical element in the periodic table is silver, which has the symbol

Ag. It is a soft rare white lustrous transition metal with the highest electrical and thermal

conductivity for a metal. It can be easily shaped and resists corrosions by the

atmosphere. It sometimes take place in nature as a metal but usually in association

with gold, copper, lead or zinc in complex ores.

Silver is used and known as an ornamental and coinage metal since old times.

Some silver ornaments found in the Middle East date back to about 3500 B.C. The

elements name comes from the Anglo Saxon word for metal while its chemical symbol

came from the Latin word argentum.

For many centuries, India, China, and other countries of Asia used more silver

than the rest of the world. Soon, Europeans began using silver but a little were made

during the Middle Ages because their supply is limited and mining is not yet developed.

Production increased when silver mines were discovered in Mexico, Peru and Bolivia in

1500s and in United States and Canada in the 1700s.

Now, this element is important in making photographic film, welding alloys and

electronic contacts. In addition, it is used in purifiers to make water safe to drink

because it has toxic effects on some bacteria, viruses, algae, and fungi. It is part of a

cream used to heal skin burns. It also is used on huge carved mirrors that collect

sunlight, which is then changed into electricity and heat energy.

Silver is occasionally found in groundwater, surface water and drinking water at

concentrations above five micrograms per liter. Even though silver is not toxic to human

beings, too much ingestion of silver can lead to argyria, blue-grayish pigmentation of the

7


8/10

skin eyes and mucous membranes because silver and compounds containing this

element can be absorbed to our circulatory system and deposited in various body

tissues. This condition is usually permanent and disfiguring. Argyria is a rare and mild

form sometimes mistaken for cyanosis.

Coconut husk

Coconut is a plain, dry fibrous fruit known as a fibrous drupe. It has a thick outer

covering called the coconut husk (mesocarp). This husk is composed of bristle fiber,

mattress fiber and coir fiber. The coir is located between the husk and the outer shell of

a coconut. It is water-proof and one of the few fibers that can resist the damage brought

about by salt water. The individual fiber cells are narrow and hollow, with thick walls

made ofcellulose. They are pale when young but later become toughened and yellowed

as a layer oflignin is deposited on their walls. The polysaccharide components of plant

cell walls are highly hydrophilic and thus, it is permeable to water whereas the lignin is

more hydrophobic or afraid of water.

The husk has traces of beta-carotene, an antioxidant, on it. This pigment is

responsible for producing orange color.

Corn bran

The corn bran, a form of starch, refers to the husk or leafy outer covering of an

ear of maize or corn and contains aleurone and pericarp. They are milled or removed

from the maize. It is rich in dietary fibers and contains significant quantities of starch,

protein, fat, vitamins and dietary minerals. The husk or psyllium husk is also known as

8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulosehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligninhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulosehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignin


9/10

plantago-seed mucilage which is a white fibrous material that is hydrophilic. Like the

coconut husk, it has a lignin which is also hydrophobic.

1.6 Operational Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined depending on how they were used in this study.

The definition of terms is for the readers benefit.

ceruloplasmin- a copper-transporting protein present in the blood.

chloramine- an unstable colorless liquid with a strong odor for manufacture of

hydrazine.

Copper - a metallic, reddish metallic element that is a good conductor of electricity and

heat. Its source is ores such as chalcopyrite. It is used as wirings, coatings and

alloys.

cyanosis- a c bluish skin condition because there is not enough oxygen in the blood.

cytochrome- a protein belonging to a group that contains iron and plays a role in cell

respiration.

hemoglobin- an iron-containing protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen around

the body.

hydrophilic- having affinity for water: dissolving in, absorbing or mixing easily with water.

hydrophobic- not dissolving in, absorbing, or mixing easily with water

lead- a heaving bluish gray metallic element that bens easily. Its sources are galena

and cerussite. It is used car batteries, pipes, solder and radiation shields.

9


10/10

lignin- the complex polymer in plant cell walls that gives the plant rigidity and strength

and is the major component of wood.

oxidase- an enzyme that catalyzes oxidation.

silver- a shiny grayish white metallic element that has the highest thermal and electric

conductivity of any substance. It used as coins, ornaments, jewelry, dental

materials, solders, photographic chemicals, conductors.

Superoxide - an inorganic chemical compound containing O2- ion, an oxygen molecule

with an extra electron.

uricase- an enzyme occurring in the liver and kidneys that breaks down uric acid.

1.7 Scope and Limitations

This study is limited and focused only on the removal of the heavy metals

copper, lead and silver concentration from the water through the use of corn bran and

coconut husk as the agents. The study was conducted from July 28- August 4, 2007 in

the laboratory (in vitro) of General Santos Christian School. This study is also based on

qualitative observation or observation with the use of the five senses only. Therefore,

this will not attempt to deal with problems answered by quantitative observation or

observation in terms of measurement.

10

phytoremediation potential chapter i

Documents