MORINGA OLEIFERA:

AS A WATER PURIFIER

GROUP EC10
TEACHER ASHINIDA
MUHAMMAD AMMAR NAJWA INSYIRAH
MOHAMMAD NAZRI NUR ADMIRA
PROFILE OF OUR PROJECT MEMBERS

DECLRATION

I declare this thesis “MORINGA OLEIFERA AS WATER PURIFIER” is the result of our
own research except as written in bibliography. The thesis has not been accepted for
any SEM project and is not currently submitted in candidature of any other projects.

Signature : ___________________
Name : MUHAMMAD AMMAR BIN ABDUL RAHMAN
Date : 5 JULY 2015

Signature : ___________________
Name : MOHAMMAD NAZRI BIN MOHD YUSOF
Date : 5 JULY 2015

Signature : ___________________
Name : NAJWA INSYIRAH BINTI YUSUF
Date : 5 JULY 2015

Signature : ___________________
Name : NUR ADMIRA BINTI MAZLAN
Date : 5 JULY 2015
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim
In the name of Allah The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful it is with His
bestow that enable us to finish this project
We are truly indebted to many individuals who directly or indirectly, are
responsible for this research coming to reality.
Firstly, we are most indebted to Faculty of Science and Technology of Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaya, Bangi for giving us permission to use its excellent research
facilities. Next we would like to give thanks to our beloved facilitators Cik Rumaisa binti
Nordin and Cik Nurul Izni binti Abdullah Halid for their time, dedication, energy, valuable
guidance and their kind facilitation towards the completion of this thesis.
We are also in gratitude to Mr. Norsuhaily bin Ali for his patience, guidance and
continuous support to all our struggles till now. We also would lie to give thanks to Mr.
Zulhakim for his wonderful ideas and brilliant suggestions towards the completion of this
study.
In addition, we would like to express our huge appreciation to the staff of Tun
Ghafar Baba MJSC who guided us towards the success.
Last but not least, to our beloved parents for their love, patience and financial
support throughout the study. Thank you very much sincerely from our heart.
 ABSTRACT

Heavy metal plays a very important role in the industrial economy. Examples of heavy
metal such as mercury, lead, aluminium and zinc are widely used in industrial factories.
Waste of heavy metal which came out of such factories can pollute rivers. Heavy metal
ions can cause harm to the human body when consumed. These ions are invisible to
the naked eye. Therefore, high technology equipment is needed to detect these ions.
For example, methods to detect heavy metal ions nowadays is Graphite Furnace
Atomic Absorption Spectometry(GFAA), Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission
Spectometry(ICP), chromatography, electrochemistry, spectrophotometry and flow
injection . These methods are tedious and highly expensive. The aim of our project is to
create an economical and user-friendly heavy metal ion detector by mixing antharcene
with poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) to produce an antharcene based film. In this
project we have successfully demonstrated the usage of this film by cutting the film into
small pieces. Then, the small pieces are inserted into different solutions of heavy metal.
The solution was then observed under florescent light which was located in the MIMOS
lab, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaya . The solution
containing heavy metal ions gave out a fluorescent glow as an indicator for heavy metal
ion presence. This indicates that flurescent based film can be a detector of heavy metal
ions which is economical and user-friendly compared to those tedious equipment.
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 THE IMPORTANCE OF HEAVY METAL ION DETECTION

Heavy metal such as lead, aluminium, magnesium, zinc and other metal compounds
are widely used in industries. The usage of these metals brings advantages to our daily
routines.
Despite the advantages that could be obtained, heavy metals also bring
disadvantages and could easily harm the lives of many. For instance, waste of heavy
metal which came out of such factories can pollute rivers. Heavy metal ions such as
lead cause convulsions, coma, renal failure, and death at the high end to subtle effects
on metabolism and intelligence at the low end of exposures. Aluminum contributes to
the brain dysfunction of patients with severe kidney disease who are undergoing
dialysis. These ions are invisible to the naked eye. An easy and user-friendly heavy
metal detector is needed now for the stop of heavy metal pollution.
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

Detection of heavy metal ions in rivers normally utilized expensive high technology
equipment and also high setting up cost. Thus, the cost to detect heavy metal ions is
prohibitive and not user-friendly. Furthermore, the usage of these expensive equipment
is also tedious. Therefore, cheap, recyclable and user friendly are in demand for the
detection of heavy metal ions that are polluting our rivers.

1.3 HYPOTHESIS

Heavy metal ions can be detected by the use of expensive and tedious equipments. In
our experiments, anthracene based film is able to detect the presence of heavy metal
ions by exposing the solution containing heavy metal ions dipped with the film under
fluorescent light which is cheaper and user friendly.
1.4 TERMINOLOGY DEFINITION

PMMA : Poly(methamethylcrylate)
DCM : Dichloromethane
GFFA : Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectometry
ICP :Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectometry

1.5 OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this research is to introduce an economical and user friendly
heavy metal ion detector by using anthracene based film. Example of heavy metal ions
that can be detect by this approach are Zinc, Lead, Mercury, Tin and Copper. In order to
conduct activities towards the above objective, first there is a need to understand about
the fatalities cause by the heavy metal ions to the human body and ecosystem.
Therefore, other objectives of this research are also to understand the procedures
involved in making the anthracene based film.
 CHAPTER 2
METHODOLOGY
Materials required for preparation of anthracene based film:
1. Poly(methamethylcrylate) 0.16g
2. Dichloromethane 10ml
3. Anthracene 0.008g

General Apparatus :
 Measuring cylinder
 Beaker
 Magnetic stirrer
 Magnetic bar
 Petri dish
 Reagent bottle

FLOW CHART

PROCEDURE
1. Insert a magnetic bar into a beaker.
2. Pour 10ml DCM into the beaker containing the magnetic stirrer.
3. Insert 0.16g PMMA into the beaker.
4. Place the beaker on a magnetic stirrer and switch on the equipment.
5. Set the rotation to 700rpm
6. Stir for about 15 minutes until the PMMA is dissolve.
7. Reduce the rpm and Insert 0.008g anthracene.
8. Set the rpm back to 700rpm and continue stirring for about 15 minutes
9. Pour the mixture onto a clean petri dish.
10. Leave the mixture to dry on the petri dish.
11. After the mixture has dried, pour water into the petri dish.
12. Gently slide the film out from the petri dish.
CHAPTER 4
RESULTS
 CONCLUSION

After our group has done doing research, we conclude that anthracene based film are
able to detect heavy metal ions without spending to many time and expenses. We also
discovered the best way to dry a film is by leaving it to dry in closed area with low
humidity and air flow which was in our experiment was the drawer. This research has
proved that anthracene based film cost less expenses and user friendly.
This project is indeed bring benefits to all. The use of the anthracene based film
will alsoenable new entrepreneur to invest in production of anthracene based film as the
cost of producing the film is now affordable.
We would highly recommend that the film could be improved further by
experimenting using different ratio and compounds that can give different reactions
towards different metal solution. We also would like to recommend further research
should be conducted to find a replacement for materials that can contribute to
pollutions especially chemicals. We believe that the effectiveness of the film can be
maximized when the necessary chemicals are used.
 DISCUSSION
Detection of heavy metal ions is very tedious. Furthermore the cost in spending
a machine like Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectometry(GFAA), Inductively
Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectometry(ICP), chromatography,
electrochemistry, spectrophotometry and flow injection to detect a slight amount of
heavy metal ions is very high. Therefore, an alternative method to detect these heavy
metal ions is needed. The antharcene based film is an easy, cheap and user friendly
detector to detect the presence of heavy metal ions.
The process in making an antharcene based film is not difficult. We only took
about a day to complete the process. There were no problems in obtaining our results.
The major implication of our project, is a significant cost saving and user friendly
detector to detect heavy metal ions. Another implication, we believe any entrepreneur
can start their business to produce antharcene based films like litmus paper, in mobile
and moveable packets.
 REFERENCE

 Paul,S.,Halle,O.,Einside,H.,Menges,B.,Mullen,K.,Knoll,K.,Smitter-Ncher,S. 1996-
Anantharcene-containing PMMA derinativeforphotoresist and channelwaveguide
applications. Journal of thin solid films, 288; 150-154.

 Capan,I.,Tarimci,C.Erdogen,M.,& Hassan A.,K,2009. Characterisation and vapour

sensing properties of spin coated thin films of an antharcene labeled PMMA
polymer. Journal of Materials Science and Engineering C.29:114-117.

 Lin, J., S, 2003. Interaction between dispersed photochronic compound and polymer
matrix. European polymer journal.39:1693-1700.