i.

LITERATURE REVIEW:

Nowadays, considering the business cost and energy/environmental concern, the use of
biomass materials to produce activated carbon become one of the hot topics. Until now,
various biomass materials such as dates’ stones, coconut shells, pitch coke, wood,rice husk,
walnut shell, banana peel and fungi, have been used as served as electrode materials ,
catalyst carriers and absorbents [1]. Researchers are also aware of certain compound that are
be potential hazards such as textile manufacturing, leather tanning, cosmetic paper, food
processing, and pharmaceutical industries to the environmental ecosystems and human body
[2],[3]. Although such chemical might exist in very low concentration in water bodies,
bioaccumulation and bio magnification could eventually lead to concentration of these
compound in animals and human body, hence causes noticeable effects, which might be
irreversible [4].

Tea leaves have been renowned for their culinary and herbal use since ancient times it is
the most popular drink after water in the world and it is estimated that somewhere between 18
and 20 billion cups of tea are drunk daily. As a result, tons of spent tea leaves from industry
and household are disposed that doesn’t have any economic value. The utilization of this huge
amount of spent tea leaves could make it a product with good economic value. Although, there
are reports on the use of tea waste and magnetic tea waste based adsorbents for removal of
organic and inorganic pollutants [4]. Tea waste is also gaining grounds due to its potential to
overcome heavy metal pollutants. The cell wall of tea consists of cellulose and hemicelluloses,
lignin, condensed tannins and structural proteins. In short, tea waste has a good potential as
metal scavengers from solution and waste water since its constituents contain functional group
[5].

Food colorants are widely used to enhance the esthetic appeal of food. Colors have
always been a source of attraction for the human society. The art of dyeing dates back various
centuries, with many historical testimonies attached to it. In Europe, dyeing is known to have
been practiced from the Bronze Age, although the most primitive written record, from 2600
BC, was unearthed in China [6]. However, these food colorants can pose potential toxicity to
human beings. The binding of food colorant dyes to proteins can lend valuable insight into the
toxicity aspects and also they influence the mechanism of biomacromolecular functioning in
complex biological systems. Human hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein that carries
oxygen from lungs to various respiring tissues. It has also the capability to reversibly bind a
number of endogenous and exogenous molecules in the blood. Some common food dyes
ingredient like amaranth, carmoisine, and tartrazine [7].
 Chlorine has been successfully used for the control of waterborne infectious disease for
nearly a century. In the 1970s it was found that chlorine reacted with natural organic matter
present in surface waters to produce disinfection by-products. Chlorination of drinking water
has been one of the most effective public health measures ever undertaken. There are a
number of alternatives to chlorination that are in active use in many parts of the world, but the
risks associated with their by-products are even less well established than for chlorination.
The examined of the toxicological and epidemiological data on chemical hazards associated
with chlorination and attempted to measure this hazard against competing microbial risks [8].
As with all human and technological intervention, the use of chlorine-based products to
disinfect swimming water may lead to a number of unwanted effects, in particular the presence
of chlorine-containing compounds in the air. Consequently, chlorination may affect the
respiratory health of either those who work as swimming attendants or instructors, or those
who use the pools as customers, particularly children and the general public, but also
competitive swimmers [9].

Three types of dried tea wastes from one local brands which is original tea, green tea,
and black tea are used in this project to identify their differences as an activated carbon. The
samples are washed with tap water several times with sieves and strainer to get rid of the
traces of milk and any other flavors added to milk by the consumers. The tea waste samples
are oven dried at 50oC for 24 hours Sample from each brand was digested with 1M sulfuric
acid, H2SO4 in 1g:1mL ratio in an oven with 40oC for 12 hours. Each samples are washed 10-
15 times with distilled water to remove acid until the pH is maintained at 7. The whole sample
is taken in a crucible and kept in the muffle furnace at 500oC for 15 minutes. The activated
carbon formed was collected after cooling in air tight packets kept inside the desiccator to
keep it moisture free [5],[10].
 ii. METHODOLOGY
Material and Apparatus

Different types of used tea (BT, OT, GT) were obtained from the same tea brand for the
preparation of activated carbon. Three types of food dyes (green, red and blue) were used to
prepare dyes solution. Green, red and blue commercially available food dyes were used to
check the adsorption activity of the activated carbon produced. The activated carbon also took
place on chlorine.

Preliminary Steps

The tea wastes were soaked and washed several times with distilled water to remove any
colour and impurities. This tea wastes were filtered by using vacuum filtration then dried in the
oven for 24 hours at the temperature 50°C.

Synthesis of activated carbon

Dried TW were digested in 50 ml of 1.0 M of sulphuric acid which is an activating reagent then
being stored at 40°C for 12 hours. Each of three digested tea waste were washed about 10-
15 times with distilled water until neutralised. All the samples were kept in muffle furnace for
15 minutes at the temperature 500°C for carbonization process. The activated carbon was
then collected and cooled in room temperature.

Analysis of activated carbon as an adsorbent for the removal chlorine and dyes.

0.5 ml of each food dyes were poured into three different of 50ml of volumetric flask and being
diluted with distilled water until calibration mark. 10 ml of these stock solution was taken and
mixed with 0.5 g of activated carbon. Filtration process was done to separate the adsorbent
and treated solution.

The steps above were repeated by replacing dyes with 1.0g of solid chlorine. The difference
concentration before and after the filtration of dyes were observed to detect the activity of
activated carbon.
iii. REFERENCES:

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Chlorination: Essential Process or Cancer Hazard?,” Toxicological Sciences, vol. 28,
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respiratory health,” European Respiratory Journal, vol. 19, no. 5, pp. 790-793, May
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