The Effect of Activated Carbon Filtration Treatment for Water Quality Assessment

Abstract

Activated carbon has been identified as one of the major favoured water treatment technique because of its multifunctional nature without further detriment to the treated water. In this study, varying masses of the activated carbon from palm kernel (PK) shells were weighed at intervals to treat the water samples obtained at different locations. Location A is Otamiri River, in FUTO community while location B is Umuariagha River, in Ikwuano Local Government area of Abia state. The water samples collected were then analyzed using standard equipments. Results of the analyses revealed that the water quality parameters in the samples were highly reduced after treatment except for parameters like Nitrate ,with values 24.17 mg/L to 27.3 mg/L in location A; 4.73 mg/L to 7.9 mg/L in location B, Iron with values 1.0 mg/L to 0.42 mg/L in location A; 0.75 mg/L to 0.38mg/L in location B, and total bacteria coliform count with values 30 to 26 cfu/ml in location A; 28 to 24 cfu/ml in location B, showed little effect but confirm to standard for agricultural uses. Furthermore, these values are within the ranges recommended by FAO for irrigation uses. In conclusion, these water samples should be subjected to further treatment processes such as boiling before being used for drinking.

Aktivni ugalj je identifikovan kao jedna od glavnih tehnika prečišćavanja vode zbog svoje multifunkcionalne prirode bez daljnjeg oštećenja tretirane vode. U ovoj studiji su izmerene mase aktivnog uglja dobijenog od ljuski palminog ploda (PK) u intervalima da bi se tretirali uzorci vode dobijeni na različitim lokacijama. Lokacija A je reka Otamiri, u zajednici FUTO, dok je lokacija B reka Umuariagha, u oblasti lokalne samouprave IKVUANO u državi Abia, Nigerija. Uzorci vode su analizirani standardnom opremom. Rezultati analiza pokazuju da su parametri kvaliteta vode u uzorcima posle tretmana visoko smanjeni, osim za parametre poput nitrata, sa vrednostima od 24,17 mg/L do 27,3 mg/L na lokaciji A; 4,73 mg/L do 7,9 mg/L na mestu B, i sadržaj gvožđa ima vrednosti od 1,0 mg/L do 0,42 mg/L na lokaciji A; 0,75 mg / L do 0,38 mg / L na mestu B. Ukupan broj koliformnih bakterija sa vrednostima 30 do 26 cfu/ml na lokaciji A; 28 do 24 cfu / ml na lokaciji B, pokazuje male efekte filtracije, ali potvrđuje kao standard za poljoprivrednu upotrebu. Pored toga, ove vrednosti su u granicama koje preporučuje FAO za upotrebu za potrebe korišćenja kod navodnjavanja. Zaključno je, da ove uzorke vode, treba podvrgnuti daljim postupcima obrade filtracije, i zagrevanja (ključanja), pre upotrebe za piće.