Eggshell Powder as an Effective Low-Cost Adsorbent for Neutralization of Acidic

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Water is life; God made it so. in fact, the human body is composed of 72 % water. Acid rain is harmful, and a large amount of eggshells waste are disposed of in landfills annually (N. K. Mondal, 2011). Our school disposes 1.800 eggs per week. This drove us to neutralize acid rain using an adsorbent eggshells powder as environmentally friendly and cost-effective wastewater treatment. Huang, Yuming, 2011 had applied the calcined eggshell treatment of electroplating wastewater. in contrast, we used untreated powdered eggshell. The efficiency of the study was acknowledged as a champion on Division and National Competition (October 2, 2018 & November 15-18, 2018).

METHODS

A simple experimental method was used on the mixture of water and vinegar for controlled setup, as an alternative for acid rain to prove the viability of the eggshell powder wastewater treatment on an acidic solution. Eggshells were collected, washed, membrane peeled, dried under the sun, ground from coarse to a fine size. Improvised sieve four layered funnel from recycled bottles was the water treatment apparatus. An acidic solution was poured to the water treatment apparatus with eggshell powder in every layer.

RESULTS

The study obtained the result that eggshell powder as an adsorbent for neutralization of acidic solution was effective. The compound of eggshell powder reacts with acetic acid wherein it yields calcium acetate hydrate and carbon dioxide that result to neutralize filtrate. The changes on the end product from acidic to neutralized filtrate were determined by the use of litmus paper and PH meter. in acidic solution, the color of the paper became red, in filtrate no change. in Ph meter, the solution on the first trial was 3.1, second 3.1, and on third 3.2. in filtrate, on first trial 6.5, second 6.6, and third 6.6 Three trials on the same set of eggshell powder proved that it can be used up to three times. The potential uses of eggshell powder for a larger scale neutralization of acidic water is expected.

DISCUSSIONS

The eggshell powder as an effective low-cost adsorbent for neutralization of acidic solution was proven; it conformed to the study did by Muhammad Ali Zulfikar et al.2013 using shell as an adsorbent of congo red. Studies can study its application in neutralizing acid rain for agricultural irrigation.