THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PEEL OF BANANA (Musa acuminata) AS AGENT OF

WATER FILTRATION

In partial fulfillment of the requirement for Practical Research

of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics students on Southernside Montessori

School. Sy. 2019-2020

Submitted by:

Elejido, Danah Reigne Anne

Lorica, Zenryc Matthew

Sanchez, Paul Xyrus B.

Simon, Diana Anne G.

Villafuerte, Mark Daniel F.

2019
 Chapter 2

Introparagraph

Each and every day in our lives, we can’t deny that we need water especially in a serious survival

situations. You can live for a while without food, but the body cannot function well without water for

more than a couple of days. It is needed not only for drinking, but also in cooking, sanitizing and

cleaning. The problem is that even if water is always available in some situation, it might not be clean or

filtered in order for us to be sure that it is safe. Fortunately, there is an easy way and unique idea for

cleaning and filtering your water supplies that you can do this. A water filter provides clean, healthy

water for cooking, as well as drinking, at the convenience of tap water. Water filters reduce the risk of

gastrointestinal disease by more than 80 percent by removing cryptosporidium, e-coli and giardia from

drinking water. Drinking pure water is especially important for children.

Foreign Literature

Three filtration setups were fabricated using banana peels as primary filtering medium using

polypropylene bottles as cases. Fruit peels of three (3) different banana species were considered in this

study known for their local names in Eastern Samar, Philippines as “tu-onon, lakosta and pinakol”. Using

the experimental research design, the Physical and chemical tests were done and it was found out from

the study that the color turns milky after filtration, odor was still odorless, a 0 mg/Kg salinity, having

alkali taste and turbidity of 24.5 to 25.5. It was found out that color and turbidity was affected the

filtration process regardless of banana peel samples, whereas in chemical properties, pH and hardness

are slightly affected. Furtherresults revealed that heavy metal ions are taken out by the filtration setup,

regardless of banana peel species as supported by the statement of Castro (2011). This results concludes

that banana peels can be used as filtration medium in all filtration processes, furthermore, it is
concluded that a similar study be conducted concerning on other banana species available in the market

today and further study concerning on limiting the effect of banana peels filtration setup to the color of

water samples, conduct a similar study to further back up or oppose the current study and add to the

study the effect of banana peels filter against bacteria, and add banana peels as a component of modern

filtration setups and perform a study on how to maximize the shelf life of banana peels while being used

as a filtering medium

Water is needed not only for drinking, but also cooking, cleaning, and sanitizing. But it might not

be clean or filtered because of many pollutants present in water. Fortunately, there is an interesting idea

for helping filter and clean available water supplies.

Yes, in a pinch banana peels can be used to filter water. Banana peels contain sulfur, nitrogen, carboxylic

acid and other atoms that function pretty much the same way magnets do in terms of attracting heavy

metals. These molecules are not affected human health. This is great news since heavy metals are one of

the biggest problems in terms of water contamination. Some of these metals that can be found in

unpurified water include lead, copper, mercury, and iron. These are lethal to humans, building up slowly

in our bodies and eventually leading to brain and nervous system damage. Heavy metals in water are

generally positively charged and the carboxylic acid ions in the banana peels become negatively charged.

The two compounds are drawn towards each other just like with a magnet.

Past research had shown that coconut fibers, peanut shells and other plant materials could

remove potentially toxic heavy metals such as lead and copper from water. Mines, factories and farms

can all generate such waste, with the potential to harm one's health and the environment. And current

methods for purifying water of heavy metals are expensive, with some materials used in the process

being poisonous themselves.

also act as water purifiers. This material already has a surprising number of potential uses, including

polishing items like silver and leather shoes.

"I was at home eating some bananas when I had the idea, 'Why not make something with this?'" said

researcher Gustavo Castro, an environmental chemist at São Paulo State University.

Compounds in banana peels contain atoms of nitrogen, sulfur and organic compounds such as

carboxylic acids. These acids are charged such that their negatively charged electron pairs are exposed,

meaning they can bind with metals in the water that usually have a positive charge, Castro explained.

The researchers found that minced banana peel performed as well or better at removing copper and

lead than many other filtering materials, quickly removing both from water in the Paraná River in Brazil.

"The extraction capacity found was superior to many synthetic materials developed in the last decade,"

Castro said.

They noted that a purifier made of layers of minced banana peel could be used up to 11 times without

losing its metal-snagging properties. Synthetic materials can be reused more times, but natural materials

are dramatically cheaper and do not require chemical processing to work.

"The next step is to apply the material in real samples of industrial effluents," Castro said.

Castro noted it's important that people not to try to use banana peels as filters at home.

"Banana peels do not have a proven ability to extract other substances from water," he told Live Science.

"Some poisonous substances may be present."

Research.

The skin of a banana has been used to great comic effects in numerous slapstick routines for

many years. It's also good for the skin and is a traditional cure for warts. You can polish shoes and silver

with it. You can make wine with it and it's even been known to find itself being dried, wrapped in paper

and smoked. Now, research published in the journal of the American Chemical Society claims that

mashed up peel can remove heavy metals from river water. Heavy metals can end up in the waterways of

the world as a result of industrial or agricultural processes and have been linked to a variety of health

problems, ranging from nausea and vomiting to lung, kidney and brain damage. While there are

numerous purification methods are already employed to try and keep the nasties at bay, many involve

significant cost and can carry their own toxic risks.

Adding to other work which has shown the benefits of using coconut fibers and peanut shells, Gustavo

Castro and colleagues from Brazil's Instituto de Biociências de Botucatu at the Universidade Estadual

Paulista have found that minced banana peel could quickly remove lead and copper from river water and

is at least as effective, and in some cases even better than, existing methods.

The team found that the banana skin water treatment apparatus can be used up to 11 times without

losing its cleansing properties. The use of banana skins is seen as very attractive for water purification

because of low cost and the fact that no chemical modification is necessary for the process to work.

On the face of it, this seems to be a very promising use for an otherwise discarded waste product.

Unfortunately, the university didn't get back to us when we inquired about what happens to the minced

banana skin at the end of the process.

Researchers from the Bioscience Institute at Botucatu, Brazil, said that the skins can outperform

even conventional purifiers such as aluminium oxide, cellulose and silica. These have potentially toxic

side effects and are expensive.

The team's method follows previous work that showed that plant parts, such as apple and sugar cane

wastes, coconut fibres and peanut shells, can remove toxins from water.

These natural materials contain chemicals that have an affinity for metals.

De Castro and colleagues dried the peels in the sun for a week, ground them and added them to river

water containing known concentrations of copper and lead. They found that the peels absorbed 97 per

cent of the metals after just one hour.

The peels were tested in the lab and worked perfectly. Eventually their efficiency reduces, at which point

the metals should be removed from the skins so that they can be disposed of safely.

Castro said that, although the peels were tested only on copper and lead, the material could also work

on cadmium, nickel and zinc.

But he warned that this sort of filter is better suited to industrial purposes and cannot be used for water

purification at home as the extraction capacity of banana skins depends on the particle size of the heavy

metals — and this is difficult to measure.

Technical University of Crete, Greece, said: "The results are very promising, and the banana peel process

has proven to be a cost-effective and quick alternative to conventional methods".

"I think that a small automated system to use either at home or at a central point for multiple families

could be developed. The knowledge is there, what we need right now is innovation and construction."

Researchers found that 97% 0f lead was removed from 9 litres of water with 90ml lead

concentrate (100:1) and remained bonded to the banana peels. The results of the study corresponds to

other studies in Brazil, Taiwan and Thailand, wherein banana peels have been used for absorption and

filtration of heavy metal contaminated water.

The group affirm that the results of their research would benefit the people residing in the urban poor

and neglected areas; health sector in providing people more access to health and sanitation in every

community; researchers and future researches.

This study investigated the development and application of banana peel for the remediation of

heavy metals (Pb, Zn and Cr). Batch experimental processes as well as conditions that might influence

the sorption of the metals were investigated. These conditions include effects of pH, contact time,

adsorbent dose, and particle size. The applicability of the sorption process was tested on wastewater.

The adsorbent activated with 0.5 M H2SO4 showed the highest percentage removal of chromium ion

(88.9%) at a pH of 6. It has been found that particle size has no effect on the removal of zinc ion and it

has also been found that the removal efficiency of lead and chromium ion decreased with increase in

contact time and particle size. Also, it can be seen from the results that untreated banana peel waste

increases the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) values of

wastewater. The results from the optimized method revealed the applicability of the method to
environmental water samples. This study therefore confirms that banana peel is a promising adsorbent

for the removal of chromium from industrial effluent

To the surprisingly inventive uses for banana peels — which include polishing silverware, leather

shoes, and the leaves of house plants — scientists have added purification of drinking water

contaminated with potentially toxic metals. Their report, which concludes that minced banana peel

performs better than an array of other purification materials, appears in ACS’s journal Industrial &

Engineering Chemistry Research.

Gustavo Castro and colleagues note that mining processes, runoff from farms, and industrial wastes can

all put heavy metals, such as lead and copper, into waterways. Heavy metals can have adverse health

and environmental effects. Current methods of removing heavy metals from water are expensive, and

some substances used in the process are toxic themselves. Previous work has shown that some plant

wastes, such as coconut fibers and peanut shells, can remove these potential toxins from water. In this

report, the researchers wanted to find out whether minced banana peels could also act as water

purifiers.

The researchers found that minced banana peel could quickly remove lead and copper from river water

as well as, or better than, many other materials. A purification apparatus made of banana peels can be

used up to 11 times without losing its metal-binding properties, they note. The team adds that banana

peels are very attractive as water purifiers because of their low cost and because they don’t have to be

chemically modified in order to work.

Saba banana, Musa ‘saba’(Musa acuminata x Musa balbisiana) peel is an underutilized waste from

processed banana manufacturing in the Philippines. The feasibility of saba banana peel pectin for use

in food processing was assessed. Pectin from saba banana peel was extracted under two different

extraction conditions. Pectin extraction was carried out using hydrochloric acid (0.5N, pH 1.5) and citric

acid (0.5N, pH 1.7). Pectin from the acidified fruit peels were extracted at 90±5°C for 1, 2, 3 and 4 hours.

Highest pectin yield was obtained using HCl extracted for 4h (17.05% dry basis). Effect of stage of

maturity of saba banana on pectin yield was also determined. Higher yield was obtained in saba

banana peels at the unripe stage. Chemical characterization of saba banana peel pectins revealed

that moisture content of pectin from ripe and unripe saba banana peels were comparable while ash

contents were much higher (11.15 and 13.83% respectively) compared with commercial citrus pectin

(1.76%). Equivalent weight of pectin from ripe peels (953.89) is near that of commercial citrus pectin

(893.00). Methoxyl content and anhydrouronic acid (AUA) values were significantly lower than those

obtained from commercial citrus pectin while degree of esterification (DE) did not vary significantly for

both ripeness stages compared with commercial citrus pectin. The extracted pectin was used in the

processing of strawberry jam in order to assess its potential as a gelling agent. Sensory evaluation using

Triangle test was conducted to compare strawberry jam with saba banana pectin and commercial

citrus pectin. The samples were evaluated for color, flavour, cloudiness, consistency, mouth feel and

overall acceptability. No statistical difference in all the attributes were observed between the two

treatments.
Researches concerning the extraction methods and characterization of fruit pectin have been

reported elsewhere (Fissure et al., 2009; Kurita et al., 2008; Mollea et al., 2008; Yapo et al., 2007).

The yield and quality of pectin depends mostly upon the source as well as the method employed for

extraction of pectin (Rehman et al., 2004). In the present study, saba banana fruit peel waste was

utilized as the source of pectin. It aimed to optimize the acid extraction method in terms of

extraction time, type of acid and ripeness stage of the peels; and to chemically characterize the

extracted pectin. The extracted pectin was also utilized in strawberry jam processing to determine

whether it is comparable in terms of sensory characteristics with the commercially used citrus

pectin.

Researchers found that 97% 0f lead was removed from 9 liters of water with 90ml lead concentrate

(100:1) and remained bonded to the banana peels. The results of the study corresponds to other studies

in Brazil, Taiwan and Thailand, wherein banana peels have been used for absorption and filtration of

heavy metal contaminated water.

The group affirm that the results of their research would benefit the people residing in the urban poor

and neglected areas; health sector in providing people more access to health and sanitation in every

community; researchers and future researches.

The study won 3rd place in the Student Research Competition during the 7th Philippine National Health

Research System (PNHRS) Week last August 7-9, 2013 at the Plaza del Norte Hotel and Convention

Center, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

Generally, this study aimed to characterize the peel wastes of Musa sapientum var. compressa or Saba in

preparation for recycling. Specifically, it aimed to identify the presence or absence of vitamin C,

potassium, pectin, reducing sugars, tannins among others in the peels of Saba. It also aimed to

determine the median lethal concentration of Saba peel wastes. Further, to explore the formulation of

preparations from Saba peel wastes with pharmacologic/medicinal, nutritive and energy values and

determine consumer acceptability of the formulated preparations with nutritive value.

Robert Nelson Leung, 11, recently placed fresh banana peels in a container filled with water

taken from the community of Balatoc in Itogon town in Benguet province, host to many of the

country’s oldest mines.

After a full day, the Grade 6 pupil of Baguio Achievers Academy here discovered that the
polluted water became much cleaner because the peels had absorbed the lead, copper and iron
that had contaminated the liquid.

In November, Leung presented the results of his experiment at the Cordillera Regional Science
Fair in Apayao province, where he was awarded the top prize for providing the latest evidence
yet that plants can be harnessed to clean the environment.

“Phytotechnology” (using plants to solve engineering problems) and “bioremediation” (use of

The mining industry has, in fact, embraced phytotechnology.

During this year’s National Mine Safety and Environment Conference, held in Baguio City last
month, experts said plants were providing the industry a cheap way of detecting soil toxicity to
help companies rehabilitate mined-out areas.
Professor George Bañez of De La Salle University (DLSU) identified plant species that react
strongly to metals in soil, part of the university’s study with the Philippine Council for Industry,
Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) of the Department of
Science and Technology (DOST).

Heavy metals do not disintegrate, are not diluted by water and do not lose toxicity over the years,
said Julius Ceasar Sicat, DOST Cordillera director.

“Heavy metals accumulate in our water. We need to remove or collect the heavy metals from our
water systems to preserve the plants, animals and even people, who rely on these water
sources,” he said.

Advanced industries use chemicals to separate heavy metals from water, but bioremediation is a
far better option, Sicat said.

Leung said he had been reading about fruits being used to clean water and was inspired to
undertake the science project in April after realizing bananas were abundant in the Philippines.

The banana has been known to provide us vitamins and is said that the peel can be used as a home

remedy for numerous afflictions. This study aims to confirm if the Musa sapientum (Banana) peel truly

has an antibacterial property against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, particularly, the most

common ones, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli respectively. This would be beneficial as an

alternative treatment to minor and manageable diseases with the use of readily available supplies and

ingredients which are commonly used. The study employed an experimental design. The study was

conducted in the Microbiological Department of the University of the Visayas- Gullas College of

Medicine and Vicente Gullas Memorial Hospital Laboratory, a medical institution located at Banilad,

Mandaue City. Filter paper disks were impregnated with Musa sapientum (Banana) peel crude extract

(experimental group) and NSS were prepared. Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method was performed using

ampicillin disks for the positive control, disks impregnated with Musa sapientum (Banana) peel crude

extract for the experimental group and NSS-impregnated disks as the negative control on cultures of

Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coil. The plates were incubated at 35C and the zones of

inhibition were read after 24 hours. Musa sapientum (Banana) peel extract has no antibacterial effect on
in vitro culture of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.