Developing Cost-Effective and Efficient Drinking Water Treatment Technology for the Removal of Salinity and Suspended Solids

Abstract

Although a variety of economical water treatment options are available, rural residents struggle to have safe drinking water. Therefore, developing cost-effective and efficient drinking water treatment technology for the removal of selected ionic compounds and suspended solids is necessary. The present study aims to establish a cost-effective water treatment method by employing the following adsorbents Graphene Sand Composite (GSC), GSC with Moringa Oleifera seeds, Phyllanthus emblica seeds, Strychnos potatorum seeds, tea waste, sawdust, coal, coconut charcoal, and clay pot (an indigenized filter). X-ray diffraction of GSC confirms SiO2 nanoparticles, a broad peak centred at 22.5°, Graphene peaks are found at 26.73 (200), 45.8 (110) and 54.959 (222). In FT-IR, graphene oxide has a strong and wide O-H/ Si-OH stretching vibration peak at 3444 cm-1. In the Raman spectrum, the graphitic vibration band from its first-order scattering of E2g photons using sp2 carbon appeared at 1589 cm-1. Moreover, the graphitic vibration band contributes to the presence of stretching C-C bond; which is common in all sp2 carbon systems. Water’s pH, TDS, hardness, and chloride content also increased considerably in a few adsorbents. Fabricated pots with an indigenous filter using GSC and Moringa oleifera seed as filter disc has also been designed and evaluated in the present study. In this research, 100% salinity removal is achieved using GSC as an adsorbent. While there is an interesting rise trend in fluoride and calcium content to 33% and 39%, respectively. The reason for the rise in fluoride and calcium can be studied further.