SERDANG, June 2 – Research has found that 53% of the river’s water quality in Malaysia is classified as slightly polluted or polluted, and this is indirectly connected to the water supply disruptions and deterioration of the quality of drinking water.
A high adsorption method is essential to produce activated carbon that is used in the process of purifying contaminated water for daily use.
Thus, Head of the Laboratory of Biopolymers and Derivatives (BADs), Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products (INTROP), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Prof. Dato' Dr. H'ng Paik San, developed AquaPod, an ultra-portable water filter derived from oil palm kernel shells to supply pure water for daily usage.
AquaPod is an eco-friendly innovation made from oil palm kernel shells. The microporous structured activated carbon produced from oil palm shells contributes to this ultra-portable water filter's extremely high adsorption properties and is suitable for all types of piping.
According to Prof. Dato' Dr. H'ng Paik San, the use of microporous activated carbon synthesised from palm biomass can remove heavy metals, chlorine and microorganisms from water and contribute both directly and indirectly to enabling the community to enjoy a clear and odourless tap water supply.
The innovation integrates two methods in its processing, namely the two-stage continuous physical activation and ultrasonic treatment to remove the silica content in high quantities and produce activated carbon consisting mainly of micropores.
The innovation of AquaPod will significantly contribute to Malaysia as a more efficient and waste-free resource management as well as improve the quality of waste management.
Through this innovation, oil palm kernel shells that are commonly seen as low-quality products (charcoal as well as fertilisers) can be converted into high-quality products that ultimately contribute to the social economy.
This novel integrated treatment process approach was found to produce commercial-grade activated carbon with a high surface area and contains a total of 80% of the microporous surface, indicating high adsorption using low activation temperatures.
The invention of this intellectual property was registered under the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO). The project received funding through the Environmental and Green Technology Small Grant 2021/2022 by the Selangor State Government, Fundamental Research Grant (FRGS), Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE) and the International Funding Grant under EVC Management Pty Ltd (Australia) that offer benefits not only to the agriculture industry but also to the oil palm industry. - UPM
