Development of a Water Purifier Made from Green Coconut Fiber: Application of an Innovative Product

Abstract

The green coconut shell (endocarp) can cause damage to the environment if it is discarded incorrectly, mainly due to its weight and because it takes approximately eight years to decompose in nature. In Brazil, approximately 2.8 million tons of coconut are produced per year, of which 70% are improperly disposed as solid waste. The consequences of this are the release of methane gas, the proliferation of diseases and visual pollution, observed mainly on the Brazilian coast. On the other hand, in Brazil more than 35 million people live without treated water, with the aggravating fact that 7.5% of children and adolescents do not have access to drinking water. In this context, this article presents a study regarding the production of a high impact and low cost water purifier, which operates through the recycled use of coconut fiber. The study relied on extensive market research, including queries in the INPI (National Institute of Industrial Property) database, to certify the exclusivity of the product. Some product development tools such as Quality Function Deployment (QFD), financial viability analysis, and Product Life Cycle Evaluation were applied in the development process. A study of the effectiveness of the water filtration level was also applied.