Undergraduate Theses
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Item The adsorption capacity of silica gel and rice hull ash on phenol and anilineBulatao, Ben Fermin P. (Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, 2011-04)Chemical waste has been a problem here in the University of the Philippines Visayas, Miagao, Iloilo. Various methods of removal have been utilized. Extraction of silica gel from rice hull and rice hull ash was used to remove organic compounds (phenol and aniline). In this study, silica gel and rice hull ash adsorption on phenol and aniline were investigated with varying contact time and initial concentration. Silica gel reaches its optimum adsorption of both phenol and aniline at 60 minutes contact time. Silica gel was the basis for rice hull ash’s contact time because rice hull ash is 90% by weight silica gel.. Silica gel-phenol system decreases it adsorption capacity as the initial concentration is increased from 25 ppm to 100 ppm. Rice hull ash- phenol system, on the other hand, shows that the adsorption capacity increases as the initial concentration is increased. Both on silica gel-aniline system and rice hull ash- aniline system have increasing adsorption as initial concentration is increased. As the contact time is increased, adsorption increases only until it reaches its optimum adsorption which is 60 minutes contact time where saturation is reached. Increasing initial concentration however has different effect on adsorption on all system explained by the adsorption isotherms. The isotherms show that phenol has the fastest rate to form a monolayer (K and Q°) with the greatest binding strength (b) on silica gel. It is also observed that phenol and aniline formed a monolayer (1/n) on the surface of the silica gel and rice hull ash.Item A quantitative and qualitative analyses of phytoplankton in Lamentao, Barotac Nuevo, IloiloBoglosa, Jescel B. (Division of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, 2000-03)The study was conducted to identify the different genera of phytoplankton in Lamentao, Barotac Nuevo, to determine the distribution and composition of phytoplankton both near shore and offshore and to determine the physico-chemical characteristics in both sampling sites. The samples were obtained near shore (10m) and offshore (15m) for 10 minutes. Towing was done at 12 noon for 200 m. Sampling was done once a month for three consecutive months starting October to December. Each sample was allowed to stand for at least 24 hours. Then these were decanted to have a concentrated sample. Then 1ml sample was introduced in a sedge wick counting chamber for identification and counting under the microscope. The study gave the following findings: There are 32 genera identified in the surface water of Lamentao. Offshore has a higher abundance than the near shore. There are some genera that significantly differ in 2 sampling area shown by the t-test. Density offshore were generally significantly higher than density nearshore. Relative abundance, Leucosolenia sp. and Rhizosolenia sp. have the higher one. There is a higher diversity in off shore than in near shore. Most of the genera is present in both sites and month as shown by the index of similarity.Item Photodegradation of methylene blue in aqueous media using TIO2 -based heterogeneous photocatalysts under natural lightBernido, Julidyn P. (Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, 2015-06)This study developed two heterogeneous TiO2-based photocatalysts: pure TiO2 and Fe-doped TiO2 (Fe-TiO2). Heterogeneous catalysts were prepared by coating TiO2 and Fe-TiO2 powder on glass beads. The photocatalytic activity of both heterogeneous photocatalysts were studied by photodegradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution under two pH conditions (6 and 9) and two ionic concentration conditions (0 and 38 ppt). The Fe-TiO2 powder contained minimal amount (2.245%) of Fe as expected. However, surface functionality and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) profile of both TiO2 and Fe-TiO2 powder were very similar indicating that doping did not alter these properties. Between the two heterogeneous catalysts prepared, the amount of Fe-TiO2 catalyst coated on glass beads was lower compared to pure TiO2. The removal of methylene blue was significantly affected by ionic concentration which removal is higher at lower ionic concentration (0 ppt). Although it appeared that the removal of methylene blue was higher at pH 9, statistical analyses revealed that the effect was not significant. In addition, the removal of methylene blue by the two catalysts were significantly different. Heterogeneous photocatalyst based on pure TiO2 showed higher removal of methylene blue in all pH and ionic concentration. Moreover, no interactive effects between variables were observed. Lastly, the blank showed no significant difference on the removal of methylene blue with the heterogeneous photocatalysts which suggest that degradation by direct photolysis from sunlight could be the reason for this result.Item Moss (Brachythecium sp.) and a filamentous green algae (Oedogonium sp.) as bunker oil sorbentsBautista, Norwell Brian C. (Division of Physical Sciences and Mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, 2007-04)Oil spills are very catastrophic and very destructive events. One way of controlling the dispersion of oil from these spills is by the use of sorbents. The procurement of commercial sorbents can be very costly. Thus, this study analyzed and evaluated the efficiency and effectivity of moss (Brachythecium sp.) and a green filamentous algae Oedogonium sp. as substitutes for commercial sorbents. Brachythecium sp. can grow in any moisture—rich environment and Oedogonium sp. algae grow freely in fish ponds and in any body of stagnant, oxygen-poor water. Thus, both samples are very abundant in the environment. Sorption capacity results showed that the moss Brachythecium sp. and the algae Oedogonium sp. can sorb five times and seven times its weight, respectively. In comparison, Peat Sorb, a commercial sorbent, was recorded to sorb 15 times its weight (Emedco, 2007). The minimum sorption capacity of the moss and algae samples was recorded to be approximately equal to their weight. The adsorption isotherms of both samples follow the Langmuir plot for monolayer adsorption. In the hexane capillary rise experiment, hexane rose significantly in ground moss (72.25 mm in 7 min.) and unground moss (64.80 mm in 7 min.) compared with unground algae (23.52 mm in 7 min.) and (20.70 mm in 7 min.), indicating that moss is more hydrophobic. In water, capillary rise, on the other hand, unground algae is a better medium (5.76 mm in 4 min) compared to the rest (ground algae - 4 mm, unground moss - 5.29 mm, and ground moss — 4.11 mm, all in 4 min.). Results also revealed that the moss Brachythecium sp. and the algae Oedogonium sp. expressed hydrophobic characters in the hexane-water system by remaining in the hexane layer after agitation. The moisture content of the algae (14.85%) is twice that of moss (7.94%). This gives the moss an advantage in oil sorption. The lipid contents of algae (15.58%) and moss (11.47%) do not comprise the majority of their biomass, but the lipids aid in increasing the samples’ affinity for non-polar substances. The samples may not sorb as effectively as the commercial sorbents, but they are abundant in the environment, thus, a cheaper alternative. Like Peat Sorb, which was processed from the biomass of Sphagnum sp. moss, the samples may undergo the same process that increases the hydrophobicity several-fold and gives oil-biodegradation capabilities.Item Bioaccumulation of cadmium, copper and lead by Hydrilla (Hydrilla vericillata)Baniago, Arjay C. (Division of Pysical Sciences and Mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, 2007-04)Bioaccumulation of cadmium, copper, and lead by Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) were tested to 5 different initial concentrations. The water contaminant sample was composed of mixed cadmium, copper and lead metals supplied as nitrate salts. These were analyzed for the decrease in concentrations at 24-hour intervals for 5 days using the SpectrAA 55B Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. Plants exposed only for 5 days were digested and analyzed. The plant growth was normal at lower concentrations and showed higher removal efficiency. H. verticillata showed maximum removal percentage on the 5th day of exposure at 5 mg L-1 for cadmium (90.47%) and copper (95.20%) but for lead was on the 1st day (96.74%). The order of metal ion removal and the actual uptake for the three metals by H. verticillata is Pb>Cu>Cd, but at lower concentration, cadmium was absorbed more than copper. The copper and lead uptakes by H. verticillata are superior as compared to other aquatic plants uptakes. Lead uptake at higher concentrations might be due to physicochemical adsorption of the metal to the plant components and not on metabolism-mediated uptake, because plant condition does not have an adverse effect on the uptakeItem Antioxidant property, total phenolics, manganese and iron content of humic acid obtained from Sta. Barbara, Iloilo artesian well waterBaltazar, Lenmark Anthony M. (Division of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, 2016-06)The town of Santa Barbara in Iloilo is famous for its reddish browncolored well water due to the presence of humic acid which makes up most of the water’s natural organic matter content. Because the well water is used by the local townsfolk for drinking and other domestic activities, it is imperative that a study must be made to assess its potential health benefits and risks. In this study, the DPPH radical scavenging activity of the extracted humic acid was investigated. It was determined that the sample contains antioxidants capable of reducing DPPH with an IC5o of 51.552± 0.652 ppm. Prussian Blue Assay for total phenolic content also showed that a 76.5 ppm humic acid sample has 14.169 ± 1.151 ppm in GAE. Flame-AAS analysis showed that the humic acid sample contains iron (0.8376 ± 0.0581 ppm). The manganese content of the sample was below the detection limit of the instrument. The results suggest that the humic acid extracted from the well water contains potential antioxidants which can be exploited for various commercial and medical applications.Item Determination of the fungal flora in the rearing water, eggs, larvae and post-larvae of Penaeus monodon in a large-scale hatchery systemBaes, Glanee F. (Division of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, 1995-03)The rearing water and homogenized. eggs, larvae, post-larvae of Penaeus monodon were taken front the large-scale hatchery system. These were counted, isolated and identified. Analysis was done by determining the mean, standard deviation and skewness of the data. The result showed that the skewness of the yeast and mold counts in the rearing water were 0.93 and 0.64, respectively 'while that in the homogenized samples were 0.92 and 1.09, respectively. These showed that the data were positively skewed, hence, fungi were greater in the early larval stages than in the later stages. The mean showed that yeast yielded greater counts as compared to the molds. Furthermore, rearing water have also higher fungal count than that of the homogenized prawns. The fungi identified were Aspergillus, Balanium, Bispora, Cladosporium and Phialomysis. In the study, the fungi identified were the normal mycoflora which did not adversely harm the prawn due to favorable hatchery conditions, there being no disease outbreak during the duration of the study.Item Mud crab (Scylla serrata) shells for the removal of humic acids from Santa Barbara well waterAsdillo, Reina Jean A. (Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, 2010-04)The chemical contamination of drinking water from a wide range of contaminants such as humic acids can potentially lead to health-related in living organisms, especially humans. In rural areas of the Philippines, the use of low cost methods to remove water pollutants is, therefore, of great interest. In this study, osterized mud crab (Scylla serrata) shells or exoskeletons from cooked crab wastes were used to remove humic acids from the Santa Barbara well water. Adsorption experiments were done to evaluate its capacity to remove humic acids from the well water. Adsorption Isotherms and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy were employed to study the characteristics of the adsorption of humic acids onto the OSSE (osterized Scylla serrata exoskeletons). Adsorption experiments showed that at an average 1.0010 g of OSSE and after six hours of agitation, an average 74.95% of humic substances were removed from 50 mL of Montinola, Santa Barbara well water sample. Isotherm experiments showed that the experimental data can be fitted in both Langmuir and Freundlich models with low K values of 0.0235 L/mg and 0.4450 (mg/g)(L/mg), respectively. Based on the results of the above experiments, OSSE is a good adsorbent for humic acids in well waters (although more research need to be done on the removal of the substances remaining in the water after OSSE treatment) and the U-OSSE (used osterized Scylla serrata exoskeletons) can possibly be recycled.Item The growth and yield performance of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus Fries) using fish wastewater as fertilizerArroyo, Karen T. (Division of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, 2000-04)Oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus, is an edible wood-inhabiting fungi that continues to gain popularity in the Philippines, as well as in other tropical countries. With the use of modern technology, this mushroom can be grown in the Philippines, provided sufficient moisture is present. Its present cultivation is limited, perhaps due to insufficiency of planting materials and the limited knowledge about its culture. The main objective of the study was to establish the possibility of the replacement of urea, the commonly used fertilizer for mushroom cultivation by fish wastewater. The study also aimed to compare the effects of different concentrations of fish wastewater on the growth of mushrooms and determine which treatment produced the best results. A total of five groups were used: two control groups (positive and negative - using urea and water, respectively) and three experimental groups, the latter with different concentrations of fish wastewater serving as alternative fertilizer (A: 10%, B: 20%, C: 30%). Fruiting bags were inoculated with oyster mushroom spawn, and after a month of incubation, the growing mushrooms were assessed using the parameters of number, weight, length, and diameter. Results showed that the weight of oyster mushrooms was heaviest when the substrate was sprayed with plain water. However, the number of mushrooms harvested, their length, and the width of the pilei were not affected by spraying the substrate with urea or moistening these with up to 30% fish wastewater. The conclusions reached were: 1) when using sawdust as substrate for oyster mushroom cultivation, it is best to simply use water to maintain the moisture of the material; 2) sawdust used in combination with low concentration of fish wastewater (10%) can result in good production; 3) neither nitrogen nor urea may be a critical factor for the growth of oyster mushroom on sawdust; and 4) high amount of phosphorus and low potassium content of fish wastewater are favorable for oyster mushroom growth.Item Preparation and characterization of chitin-humic acid hybrid and chitin-humic acid hybrid hydrogel as absorbent for Cu(II)Balgos, Blyth Angela C. (Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, 2017-06)Gelatinous chitin was functionalized with humic acid to produce a chitinhumic acid hybrid. The gelatinous chitin was protonated using HC1 and humic acid was deprotonated by using NaOH in separate containers. The protonated gelatinous chitin and the deprotonated humic acid were then mixed to form Hie chitin-humic acid hybrid. A portion of the chitin-humic acid hybrid was used to prepare the chitin-humic acid hydrogel. The chitin-humic acid hybrid hydrogel was then prepared using 1,2,3,4- butanetetracarboxylic dianhydride(BTCA) as crosslinker. The chitin-humic acid hybrid hydrogel was then characterized using FT-IR and swelling test. The degree of swelling of the chitin-humic acid hydrogel was found to be 38.10 ± 3.06. It can also be inferred from the results of the swelling test that the chitin-humic acid hybrid hydrogel has a low crosslink density. Characterization by FT-IR suggested successful immobilization for the hybrid and BTCA crosslinking for the hydrogel. The potential of chitin-humic acid hybrid and chitin-humic acid hybrid hydrogel to adsorb Cu(II) in a solution was then evaluated. The process was done by subjecting the chitin-humic acid hybrid to Cu(II) adsorption. The results for Cu(II) adsorption test was subjected to a Shapiro- Wilk test for normality and was determined to have normally distributed data. One- sample T-test was then used to compare the adsorption capacity of the hybrid and hydrogel. The mean % Cu(II) Removal of the chitin-humic acid hybrid and chitinhumic acid hybrid hydrogel were 41.36 ± 2.35% and 51.21 ± 1.32%, respectively. Results suggested that the chitin-humic acid hybrid hydrogel has significantly higher % Cu(II) Removal compared to the chitin-humic acid hybrid