THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MUSA ACUMINATA COLLA BANANA PEELS AS

PURIFYING AGENTS FOR WATER

An Experimental Research
presented to the Faculty of Academy Department
Adventist University of the Philippines

in partial fulfillment of the requirements in

Castro, Joey Anne D.

Grade 12- STEM (Pearl)

Michelle Dulay, MAEd

December 2020
 Chapter One

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

This chapter presents the background of the study. It presents the statement of the problem,

hypothesis, significance of the study, as well as its scope and limitations.

Introduction

According to statistics from the World Health Organization (2019), at least 2 billion people

around the world drink from contaminated sources of water. This is often due to a lack of a proper

filtration or purification service or facility. This phenomenon is often referred to as the global

water crises. Intake of contaminated water can lead to contraction of diseases such as diarrhea,

dysentery, polio, cholera, and even the invasion of foreign agent such as parasites (National

Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2020).

Henson et al. (2013), assert that this stark and apparent lack of clean drinking water is not

a result of water scarcity. Rather, many drink from contaminated sources because they simply are

too poor to drink otherwise. The results of case studies around the world showed that there is a

direct relationship between lack of drinking water and poverty. According to Henson et al., in order

to address the water crisis, researchers and humanitarian organizations need to address the needs

and rights of the impoverished.

The primary solution to the water crisis presented in Henson et al.’s book is political and

macroeconomic reform. However, because reform often takes years to fully enact, researchers

have been attempting to contribute microeconomic solution. In a review paper by Singh et al.

(2015), researchers outline the many microeconomic solutions to the water crisis in India.
Generally, these solutions attempt to provide low-cost clean drinking water that is readily

available. These solutions include bamboo charcoal filtration devices, methods including bone

char, and even solar sterilizers.

However, these solutions are not readily available across the globe. Generally speaking,

poverty-friendly solutions to unclean drinking water are scarce, at best. In order to solve this,

researchers must investigate methods of water filtration, distillation, and purification that are both

performatively adequate and economically viable across all classes.

Statement of the Problem

This study’s main objective is to know the effectivity of Musa acuminata Colla banana peels

as purifying agents for water; to be able to reuse Musa acuminata Colla banana peels, and find a

solution in reducing wastewater in our country.

The quality of water is usually characterized through one of a kind, physical and chemical

parameters; Those parameters are tormented by the numerous varieties of pollution, agriculture,

seasonal fluctuation etc. Several technologies have been proposed to deal with wastewater infected

with numerous pollutants. The feasibility of use of banana peel as in elimination of Turbidity, TDS

from the consuming water. (Patil, N. & Mane, V., 2016)

These waste peels are low cost, non-hazardous and environment friendly bio-substances

which can be used as adsorbents in wastewater treatment. (Nagaraj S., et al, 2017)

This study is anchored on determining the effectivity of Musa acuminata Colla banana peels

as purifying agents.

More specifically, this study aimed to:

terms of:

a) Color

b) Clarity

2. Determine the chemical properties of water filtered by Musa acuminata Colla banana peels in

terms of:

a) Total Alkalinity

b) pH Level

c) Water Hardness

d) Metals (Cu, Fe, Pb)

3. Determine the difference in physical and chemical properties of water treated before and after

filtration using Musa acuminata Colla.

Hypotheses

Ha: There is a significant influence in Musa acuminata Colla banana peels as Purifying

Agents for Water.

H0: There is no significant influence in Musa acuminata Colla banana peels as Purifying

Agents for Water.

Significance of the Study

This study will provide definite contribution to human development and biological studies

and will also give importance to upholding the effectiveness of reducing the impacts and risks to

the environment of the accumulating wastewater and banana peel. This experimental research is

significant to the following:

adjust their usual daily routine that can help save the environment such as, saving banana peel and

to recycle the wastewater. This will also promote a healthy and productive activities while staying

at home.

Community. The findings of the study will help the community to recycle the wastewater

and can use it as reserve water for the community. This study will also help the community to have

a specific knowledge on how we can save water and what is the other purposes of the banana peel.

Government. The findings could help disseminate information and mass produce the

product to become accessible to the community especially in high-risk areas. And Promote its use

as a more affordable and practical alternative in safer disposal of lead containing water wastes

from factories and the like.

Parents. The findings of the study will serve as a knowledge to allow parents realize the

potential of banana peel wastes as a helpful water agent and encourage proper waste management

with the family to assure that their children under their guidance would be disciplined and will be

able to follow proper environmental protocols.

Educators. The observation and results of this study can act as the students’ input and

apprise them about the circumstances of the environment. And they can use it as an activity for the

students and help to promote the use of the banana peel for wastewater treatment.

Researchers. People who will be researching about the same topic or related topic can use

this study. This will be a great help for them.

This study is an experimental research that focuses on determining the effectiveness of Musa

acuminata Colla Banana peels as purifying agents for water. The subject of this study is limited to

Musa acuminata Colla or Lakatan Bananas that are locally sourced in the Philippines. This study

will be conducted in the researchers’ homes throughout the academic year, 2020 – 2021.

Due to the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic, the researchers are unable to make use of

laboratories and Water Research Facilities, therefore, the assessment of the parameters of this

study will be limited to the use of Reagent Water Testing Strips. The water samples used in the

study will be obtained from nearby rivers that are easily accessible. Furthermore, the researchers

will not be able to meet therefore they will use video conferencing platforms to be able to monitor

the process and progress of the experiment. It will also not be possible to authenticate the banana

species that will be used in the study. Authentication will be limited to appearance and market

labelling.
 Chapter Two

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents the review of related literature. It includes the discussion of the

variables, the theoretical and conceptual framework, the research paradigm and the definition of

terms used.

Banana peel

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica (2020), the banana is among the most important

fruit crops in the world. Bananas, in general, refer to the fruit of the plants of the family Musaceae,

of the order Zingerberales. The fruits were first cultivated in the region of Southeast Asia. Through

conquest, the fruit spread throughout the world.

According to Heuzé & Tran (2016), the banana is the tallest herb in the world. The colors

of the fruit can vary from yellow, brown, green, or even red. Because the term is extremely general,

the shapes and sizes can vary drastically. However, all banana fruits have an outer skin that

envelopes the meaty fruit. This skin is referred to as the peel.

Banana peels contain sulfur, nitrogen, and carboxylic acids. Researchers at Sao Pãulo State

University in Brazil have found that when dried banana peels are ground, pressed into a tablet, and

added to water (or used as a filter), they can remove copper and lead, making the water a lot purer

than it was before. Consuming heavy metals like these can have devastating side effects; lead has

been proven to affect the brain and nervous system. Banana peel is rich in organic compounds
such as pectin substances, chlorophyll pigments cellulose, hemicellulose, and other compounds of

low molecular weight.

The banana peel is a very versatile substance. Researchers have been using banana peels

for various uses for years. Zhang et al. (2016) investigated the uses of banana peels for the making

of supercapacitors and batteries. The key to the versatility of the peel is its porous structure. The

researchers claimed that the banana peel is one of the most abundant and accessible bio-wastes.

Banana that is one of the maximum sizable and famous fruit withinside the global are being

used for plenty functions however its peels are commonly tossed away. Banana is ample because

of the fact that it may develop all year lengthy and any wright here throughout

the global. Normally, banana peels are disposed in municipal landfills which later contributed to

the present environmental problems (Huzaisham & Marsi, 2020).

Wastewater

In their book about sanitation systems and technologies, Tilley et al. (2016), describe

wastewater as water that human use has tainted. This can come in a variety of forms and from

various sources.

According to an article by the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University

of Nebraska-Lincoln (2020), wastewater can be classified into two broad categories, gray water,

and black water. Gray water is the water that has been used in showers, sinks, dishwashers, etc.

Alternatively, black water is the wastewater that has been used in toilets or any other human

biological waste receptacles.

commercial. Domestic wastewater stems from commonplace practices by individuals. This may

include cooking, dishwashing, laundry, and bathroom use. The word domestic signifies that this

type of wastewater is usually a result of household activities. Commercial wastewater, on the other

hand, is distinctly non-domestic. This includes wastewater produced by businesses and

corporations. Because businesses engage in activities that are not always commonplace,

commercial wastewater requires unique processes because it may contain higher levels of

hazardous or toxic materials than domestic wastewater.

According to Häder (2017), commercial wastewater is starkly more toxic than domestic

wastewater. Unlike domestic wastewater, commercial wastewater requires to be pre-treated before

being collected and treated at a water treatment plant. Failure to pre-treat commercial wastewater

could lead to dysfunction within the treatment plant. The ecotoxicity of wastewater, both

commercial and domestic should be monitored and recorded before and after treatment. This

ensures that the wastewater will not surpass the required pre-treatment, and also helps to monitor

the efficiency of the treatment plant.

The combination of both domestic and commercial wastewater may be referred to as

municipal wastewater. Specifically, municipal wastewater is the wastewater generated by a

community of people (Pettygrove, 2018). The boundaries of this community are usually

geographical. The collective wastewater of both residents and business owners within a single

place is referred to as the municipal wastewater or sewage. This can contain both gray and

blackwater and can have various levels of toxicity and hazardous materials. This collected

wastewater is usually collected into one place, the sewage facility or treatment plant, where the

wastewater is treated.
 The responsibility of maintenance, funding, and upkeep of municipal wastewater facilities

usually falls to the local government or any governing body in the municipality. Because it is

funded by taxes, the treatment and management of wastewater is an issue of public interest. Many

researchers have investigated the methods of treatment and management of wastewater. Many

communities have pioneered new technologies that benefit both the community and the

environment. According to Qu et al. (2019), China is one of the countries that are foremost in the

innovation of wastewater technology. China not only has become a global leader in the sector but

is still looking to the future. The new generation of engineers and scientists hope to transform

wastewater treatment into a process that not only cleans the water but also retrieves fertilizer and

water for reuse.

Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

This created theory states that the ability of the banana peel as an adsorbent to absorb

impurities from water and make it potable, like heavy metals. The Residues of a banana peel can

be processed and converted to be absorbent because they have large surface areas, high swelling

capacities, excellent mechanical strengths, and are convenient to use and have great potential to

adsorb harmful contaminants such as heavy metals (Pandharipande and Deshpade, 2013).
Research Paradigm

This section of the study is the diagram of the conceptual framework below. It shows the

independent variable and the dependent variable of the study.

Figure 1. Research Paradigm

Definition of Terms

For a better understanding of this study, the following terms are operationally defined:

1. Musa acuminata Colla – also known as Lakatan, is a species of banana native to Southeast

Asia.
2. Banana peel – is the outer covering of the banana fruit. Banana are use in water

purification. It contains atoms of nitrogen, organic compound such as carboxylic acids

these are negative charged so thy bind with positive charge heavy mental which are present

in polluted water.

3. Water Hardness - water that has high mineral content is known as hard water. Hard water

contains bicarbonate, chlorides and sulphates of calcium and magnesium. Hardness of good

quality water should not exceed 250mg/l measured as calcium carbonate equivalent.

4. pH Level – is a measure of how acidic or basic water is.

5. Total Alkalinity – refers to the buffering capacity of a water body; a measure of the ability

of the water body to neutralize acids and bases and thus maintain a fairly stable pH level.
 Chapter Three

METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, the research methodology used in the study is described. It explains every

component involved in conducting the research, which includes the research design, the population

and sampling techniques, instrumentation, the data collection procedure, and the plan for data

analysis.

Research Design

The research design of this study is an Experimental Research. According to Mitchell (2015),

an experimental research pertains to constructing research that is centrally concerned on causal or

internal validity; the accuracy of statements regarding the cause-and-effect relationship of

variables. In this study, the researchers will test the effectiveness of Musa acuminata Colla banana

peels as purifying agents for water.

Instrumentation

The researchers prepared several household instruments to be utilized in the study due to

the restrictions of the pandemic.

The following instruments utilized in the study were:

1. Camera Phone – used to document the experimentation process.

2. Oven – used to heat and roast Musa acuminata Colla banana peels.
 3. Sieve - A fine mesh strainer, also known as sift, used to separate and break up

clumps from the powdered banana peels.

4. Plastic Container – used to store the wastewater.

5. Blender – an appliance used to ground the dried banana peels into powder.

6. Reagent Water Testing Strips – used to test the chemical properties of the water

and the effectiveness of Musa acuminata Colla banana peels as its purifying agent.

Data Gathering Procedures

A proposal defense to conduct this study was presented to the adviser of Inquiries,

Investigations, and Immersions subject. The researchers immediately began the study upon

approval and gathered related literature. Direct observation was enforced. Direct observation is

when the evaluator watches the subject in its normal setting without altering the environment.

Musa acuminata Colla Bananas were purchased from a local market in Cabuyao, Laguna;

and wastewater was obtained from Laguna Lake. To test the quality of the water, the researchers

purchased Reagent water testing strips from Shopee, an online shopping platform in Southeast

Asia.

After the necessary materials were collected which include the Musa acuminata banana

peels, wastewater, and household instruments, the procedure of direct observation will go as

follows: The Banana peels were separated from the fruit manually and washed thoroughly with

distilled water to remove other inorganic impurities. Then, it was dried under sunlight for 4-5 days

and heated/roasted using an oven at 70 °C for 1 hour. The dried banana peels were then cut into

small pieces, ground using a blender, and screened through a sieve to create a fine powder.
The experiments were conducted in a plastic container containing 100ml of wastewater. The

wastewater was then treated with the Musa acuminata Colla banana peel powder. After 10 minutes,

the powder was filtered through a sieve, leaving the purified water in the container. The chemical

properties of the wastewater before and after the treatment was tested through the use of Reagent

Water Testing Strips. Physical properties such as the color and clarity were tested by visually

examining the specimen while holding it in front of a light source contained in a clear container.

A conclusion would then be derived from the primary and secondary data. Wherein, the

primary data would be the findings gathered from the experiment and the secondary data would

be from existing researches.

Analysis of Data

The manner of which the research will be conducted is experimental. The experimenters

believe their device is capable of testing the wastewater if the Musa Acuminata Colla is effective

as purfying agent. Musa Acuminata Colla peel wastes are cheap material and thus it would be

convenient to use it in industrial wastewater treatment plants. Banana Peel are agricultural waste

which is discarded as waste material in all over the world.

The experimenter will provide the data from the results of the experiment and start looking

for the specific or simple observation and variables.

experimenters. As for the result it will be compared with the wastewater before and after being

purified using the Musa Acuminata Colla. And after that the data will be collected. Afterwards

the conclusion will be done. The collected data were documented to obtain the necessary

qualitative and quantitative treatments for interpretation.

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