Project Overview
Team Name: Heavy Metals, Light Water
João Pedro Gomes
Patrícia Cruz
Maria Castro
Age Group: 2 (15-20)
Country: Portugal
Heavy Metals, Light Water
Topic: Clean Water
Media Type: Video
Our project consists of the production of biofilters, from natural materials, namely banana and pumpkin peel, to reduce the concentration of heavy metals, mercury and cadmium, in solution.
This was achieved by dehydrating and crushing. The resultant granulate was placed in a black lycra stocking containing the amount of 0.5 g and 1.0 g of banana and squash. Several bags were formed, which were inserted into the Cd and Hg solutions. Samples were collected at 0h, 1h, 2h, 6h and 24h intervals to ascertain their ability to remove heavy metals.
The results obtained were very positive. For example, relative to 1.0 g of banana, there was a significant decrease in the concentration of mercury and a very considerable increase in the percentage of removal (0h-0.00%, 1h-65.70%, 2h- 02%, 6h-90.32%, 24h-93.99%).
The use of these filters, low cost and easy to apply by industry, would be very beneficial to avoid the propagation of these metals in Nature. After being properly treated from industrial effluents, water could then be could reused in other economic activities. As a result industrial costs would be significantly lower.
This was achieved by dehydrating and crushing. The resultant granulate was placed in a black lycra stocking containing the amount of 0.5 g and 1.0 g of banana and squash. Several bags were formed, which were inserted into the Cd and Hg solutions. Samples were collected at 0h, 1h, 2h, 6h and 24h intervals to ascertain their ability to remove heavy metals.
The results obtained were very positive. For example, relative to 1.0 g of banana, there was a significant decrease in the concentration of mercury and a very considerable increase in the percentage of removal (0h-0.00%, 1h-65.70%, 2h- 02%, 6h-90.32%, 24h-93.99%).
The use of these filters, low cost and easy to apply by industry, would be very beneficial to avoid the propagation of these metals in Nature. After being properly treated from industrial effluents, water could then be could reused in other economic activities. As a result industrial costs would be significantly lower.
.%0D%0AThe%20use%20of%20these%20filters%2C%20low%20cost%20and%20easy%20to%20apply%20by%20industry%2C%20would%20be%20very%20beneficial%20to%20avoid%20the%20propagation%20of%20these%20metals%20in%20Nature.%20After%20being%20properly%20treated%20from%20industrial%20effluents%2C%20water%20could%20then%20be%20could%20reused%20in%20other%20economic%20activities.%20As%20a%20result%20industrial%20costs%20would%20be%20significantly%20lower.){kind=link}