Addressing water pollution using tahong shells

MANILA, Philippines – A group of researchers may just have found a way to recycle mussel (tahong) shells and help minimize water pollution at the same time.

A group of Filipino researchers, comprised of college students and faculty members of Adamson University and De La Salle University, used ultraviolet light and mussel (tahong) shells to speed up the decomposition of water pollutants.

Emmanuel Jay Edralin, a 22-year-old chemistry student at Adamson University and the lead author of the study, told Rappler that it is more effective to degrade or decompose dye discharge on water under ultraviolet light with a catalyst made from tahong shells than without it. 

The study published in international peer-reviewed journal Materials Letters, hit two birds in one stone – what to do with discarded tahong shells, and found a way to address water pollution.

At first, the team collected tahong shells. They heated them up to produce calcium oxide, a white powder commonly used in making porcelain and glass and in preparing bleaching powder. From there, they produced hydroxyapatite, a chemical also present in human teeth and bones, acting as a catalyst – speeding up chemical reaction.

Then they used hydroxyapatite in a series of experiments to decompose dye, one of the most common water pollutants in the world.

The idea is nothing new as other countries have long been doing and improving waste water treatment research and development. But what makes this study novel is that the team used a new technique where they used sound and vibration and waste mussel shells to produce the chemical for the decomposition of dye in wastewater.

Edralin, who also plays the synth for Filipino indie band Autotelic, said that he also wanted to connect his study with his love for music. It was one of his biggest motivations in performing this study. Edralin joined the band in 2014 and is Autotelic’s youngest member.

“Gusto ko ikonekta ang thesis ko sa tunay kong hilig o interes, ang musika. Ang proseso kasi kung paano ko ginawa ang hydroxyapatite is via sonochemical method. Isa itong chemical synthesis method na kung saan gumagamit ng vibration or sound,” said Edralin.

(I want to connect my thesis to my real interest, music. The process by which I did hydroxyapatite is via the sonochemical method. Its a chemical synthesis method that uses vibration or sound.)

But ultimately, Edralin and the rest of his team wanted to take part in addressing environmental problems the country is facing like water pollution. He also sees that other researchers could further explore what they have studied to promote green energy or biofuel from food waste.

In the future, Edralin said, “Ang magiging challenge lang is kung may magpa-fund pa. Ang pwedeng maging follow up dito ay pag-explore sa kung paano pa improve ang performance ng catalyst na ginawa namin, tulad ng pag gamit na lang ng visible light instead of UV light.”

(The challenge will now be funding. The possible follow-up for this is to explore how to improve the performance of the catalyst we used, like using visible light instead of UV light.) – Rappler.com