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Using Biodegradable Materials to Remove Harmful Substances

Description: Heavy metals are often a factor in water pollution, risking harm to human and environmental wellbeing. This study targets chitin, alginate, egg shell membrane and activated carbon as heavy metal biosorbents. After 24 hours of resting in the solution, the average reduction of heavy metal ions in the samples was 22.61%. On the other hand, considering the stability and accuracy of our results, a colorimetric test was conducted, which found that the chitin membrane with added activated carbon had the best adsorption capacity (reduction of 40.09% of heavy metal ions after 24 hours). In contrast to current methods for removing heavy metals, which are costly and unsustainable, our proposal can be expected to be implemented in the future to provide clean water to the world.

Water pollution is a serious issue that affects both human health and the environment. Heavy metals are among the most common pollutants found in water, and they can have harmful effects on living organisms, causing a range of health problems and environmental damage. Heavy metals can accumulate in the food chain, leading to bioaccumulation and biomagnification, which can have long-lasting effects on the ecosystem. In recent years, there has been growing interest in developing sustainable and cost-effective methods for removing heavy metals from water. One promising approach is the use of biosorbents, which are materials that can bind to and remove heavy metals from water. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of four different biosorbents: chitin, alginate, egg shell membrane, and activated carbon. These materials were chosen because they are abundant, biodegradable, and have been shown to have good adsorption properties for heavy metals. To test the effectiveness of these biosorbents, we conducted a series of experiments in which we exposed the materials to solutions containing heavy metal ions. After 24 hours of resting in the solution, we measured the amount of heavy metal ions that had been removed from the solution. Our results showed that all four biosorbents were effective at removing heavy metal ions from the solution, with an average reduction of 22.61%. However, we wanted to identify the most effective biosorbent, so we conducted a colorimetric test to determine the adsorption capacity of each material. The results of the colorimetric test showed that the chitin membrane with added activated carbon had the best adsorption capacity, with a reduction of 40.09% of heavy metal ions after 24 hours. This is a significant improvement over the other biosorbents tested and suggests that chitin and activated carbon may be a promising combination for removing heavy metals from water. One of the advantages of using biosorbents for removing heavy metals from water is that they are sustainable and cost-effective. Unlike traditional methods such as chemical precipitation or ion exchange, which can be expensive and produce hazardous waste, biosorbents are biodegradable and can be easily disposed of without harming the environment. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that chitin and activated carbon are effective biosorbents for removing heavy metals from water. This approach has the potential to be a sustainable and cost-effective solution for addressing the problem of water pollution, and we hope that our findings will inspire further research in this area.

Organisation: Macau Pui Ching Middle School

Innovator(s): CHANG CHI LOK, QI CHAN ON, NG I CHON, FONG IAO NAM, LUO CHON TENG

Category: Chemistry

Country: China

Silver Award