Adsorption of Mercury (Hg)

using Milkfish Chanos chanos

Scales

RENGEL D. ARCONADO
Researcher

WILMA OLIVAR
COACH

WESTLY ROSARIO REGGIE REGPALA

BFAR-NIFTDC, Center Chief LIMNOLOGIST
-Consultants-

i
Adsorption of Mercury
(Hg) using Milkfish
Chanos chanos
Scales

ii
 ABSTRACT

The Investigatory Project entitled: “The Adsorption of Mercury (Hg) using Milkfish Chanos
chanos scales” is a cheap and effective method in the adsorption of Mercury in water and is
beneficial in aquaculture. This is a great help to the environment for it can solve cases of
Mercury pollution which poses great danger to all life forms. The researcher is focusing on water
pollution especially that the Philippines face a creeping water pollution problem due to rapid
urbanization and industrialization. To fight pollution, the greatest enemy of the environment
today, we need to provide solutions which are effective and useful and not merely for the sense
of just suggesting ways to lessen its effects. This research study was conducted to determine the
potential value of Milkfish Chanos chanos scales in the adsorption of mercury in contaminated
waters. The scales were collected at the fish section of the San Fabian Public Market. The said
scales are sun dried for three (3) hours to remove the moist and odor and is placed at a dry
environment until the conduct of the experiment. Six (6) liters of distilled water was diluted with
0.5 g of Mercury (Hg) resulting to a concentration of 10 mg/mL. The researcher placed 10 grams
of scales to the first treatment and 20 g to the second treatment. No scales were placed on the
control. From the results of the average concentration of the treatments on the adsorption of
Mercury in water, the scales are very effective. From the lights of the findings, the percentage of
the volume of mercury adsorbed from treatment 1 (T1) with respect to the control is 97%. From
an original average concentration of 11.55 mg/L down to the average concentration of the first
treatment which is 0.26 mg/L. And for Treatment 2 (T2), 98% of mercury was adsorbed, from
11.55 mg/L down to 0.215 mg/L. Therefore, milkfish scales as a treatment in mercury
contaminated waters and is much more affordable, cheaper and simpler than other methods. This
research study is beneficial because it lessens the dependency on highly technical methods of
water treatment solutions and it simplifies the work of the researcher in heavy metal adsorption
using Milkfish scales which could be done by the people nearby rivers.

iii
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study 1

Statement of the Problem 4

Hypothesis 4

Significance of the Study 5

Scope and Delimitation of the Study 5

Definition of Terms 6

Chapter 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Milkfish Chanos chanos 8

Heavy Metals 9

Mercury (Hg) in water 9

Sources of Mercury (Hg) 10

Health hazards in processing Mercury (Hg) 11

Heavy Metal pollution in the waters of Pangasinan 13

Heavy Metal Testing 14

Chemical Precipitation 18

Sodium Iodide (NaI) 19

Related Study 20

Chapter 3: METHODOLOGY

iv
 Materials and Equipment used in the Study 22

Procedures 22

Chapter 4: Results and Discussion 28

Chapter 5: Conclusion, Summary and Recommendations
Conclusion 36
Summary 37
Recommendations 38
Appendices
Plates
Raw Data for computing the amount of Mercury adsorbed
Budgetary Requirement
Curriculum Vitae
Other attachments and documentations…

v
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Conceptual Framework 3

Figure 2: Experimental flowchart of the Study 25

Figure 3: Preparation of Milkfish Chanos chanos scales 26

for the adsorption of Mercury (Hg)

Figure 4: Application of Milkfish Chanos chanos scales 27

for the removal of mercury (Hg)

Figure 5: Results of Analysis of the Control 28

Figure 6: Results of Analysis for the treatments 29

Figure 7: Results of Analysis for the treatments (AVERAGE) 30

Figure 8: Comparison of the Control with the two treatments 31

(Average)

Figure 9: Trend of the amount of mercury (Hg) accumulated with varying amounts

of Milkfish Chanos chanos scales

Figure 5.5: Cost Analysis between Milkfish scales and Sodium 33

Iodide (NaI) in Chemical Precipitation

vi
 LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Research Design 21

Table 2: ANOVA table of the amount of Mercury (Hg) 33

adsorbed by the Milkfish Chanos chanos scales

Table 3: T-Test Table of the amount of Mercury (Hg) Adsorbed by the 34

Milkfish Chanos chanos Scales (Control and Treatment 1)

Table 4: T-Test Table of the amount of Mercury (Hg) Adsorbed by the 34

Milkfish Chanos chanos Scales (Control and Treatment 2)

Table 4.3: Cost Comparison of Milkfish scales and Potassium Iodide 35

vii
 LIST OF PLATES

PLATE 1: Collection of Milkfish Chanos chanos scale

PLATE 2: Washing and cleaning of the scales

PLATE 3: Sun drying the scales to remove the moist

PLATE 4: Mercury (Hg) sample bought from a heavy metal dealer

PLATE 5: Disposable petri-dishes where the weighed scales are placed

PLATE 6: Weighing the Desired Amount of Scales

PLATE 7: Weighed Milkfish scales ready for experimentation

PLATE 8: Weighing the Mercury to be diluted in a 500 mL distilled water to produce a solution
of 1000 mg/L

PLATE 9: Mixing the mercury to 490 mL distilled water to produce the needed solution

PLATE 10: Shaking the solution to dilute the Mercury sample

PLATE 11: Putting Mercury to the treatments and the control from the original solution to
produce a solution of 10 mg/L

PLATE 12: Placing the Scales to the Treatments

PLATE 13: The Control Bottles Where no Scales Placed

PLATE 14: Treatment 1 containing Ten (10) grams of Milkfish Scales

PLATE 15: Treatment 2 with Twenty (20) grams of Milkfish Scales

PLATE 16: Subjecting the Control and the Treatments to Heavy Metal Testing in the Research
and Analytical Services Laboratory

PLATE 17: The Laboratory of RASL where the Testing is conducted

PLATE 18: Dr. Charita Kwan Discussing the Result of the Test

viii