CHAPTER 1

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

It all started when the researchers went to MOA, they walked at the sea
side to see how beautiful the sunset is, while waiting for it. One boat caught their attention, that
boat was spilling an oil. Since the researchers are students they are concern about the nature so
they conducted a study on how to separate an oil from bodies of water and Oil –water separator
was created. This study is all about a simple device that has a power or ability to separate from
bodies of water.
Kaushik G. and Suratwala R. (2014) states that the effect of human hair as an absorbing
medium for the separation of oil from water, both in free as well as in emulsified form. Effects of
various parameters on the phenomenon are studied and interferences drawn which is showing an
unexpectedly high efficiency of the process. It is seen that at laboratory scale. The method is
very efficient. It is really 100% efficient for true oil. The statement implies that human hair is
very efficient when it comes on absorbing oil from water. It’s proven and tested in this statement.
A.s Jadhav, M.Y Naniwadekar said that human hair it can be used to cleanses the affected
area absorb the oil then utilized as an effective feel derivation, the oil absorption of potential
wasted hair fibers could produce valueable slot for our present modern society. we have tried
different hair colors and feel that overall black gave the best result for absorbity the most oil. It
means that the used of human hair is not only absorbing oil from water it also cleanses the area
where the oil spill occur and also natural or black hair is more effective rather than those hair
with colors
The researchers goal is to separate oil from bodies of water and prove
that oil can be separated through the use of human hair and banana barks.

` STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

As the researchers go on with their experiment about the oil and water separation they are
aiming to answer the following question:
1. How many used oil can be absorb from a one liter of water in just 15 minutes?
2. What is more reliable in absorbing the used oil, banana barks or the human hair?
3. Is the cloth used can affect the absorption of oil from water?

1
 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study is expected to help the following group of people.

TO THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS
This project can help them to revive the bodies of water by removing the spilled oil. This
would also give them ideas about the machine itself and how to use it. This may remind them
that there is a solution to the said problem

TO THE GOVEERNMENT
This will help them lessen the waste that can be found on bodies of water and also this
project will help the economy when it comes to fishery.

TO THE FISHERMEN
This project can help them by catching more fish to sell and lessen their problem when it
comes on fish kill. This will broaden their mind on how to save the sea water and the fishes.

TO THE SCIENCE EDUCATORS

This project can help them to have a knowledge and idea about the separation of oil and
water using hair or banana barks. They can also teach this to their future or current students.

TO THE STUDENTS
Their mind will be opem to about this project. Other students will invent similar ideas
about this project, and as a stem student they can also use this to their investigatory project.

TO THE FUTURE RESEACHERS

They can invent something related to this study/project. They can get an idea on how the
water and oil is separated. They can also use this as a basis to their study.

HYPOTHESIS
Most of the oil can not be absorbed by the hair and banana barks. It can also comes out
from the fabric. It only means that this study doesn’t work.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

The research is limited to prove that the spilled oil can be separate from the water. This
will also cover how the machinery created.
It will not focus the separation of the other waste on the bodies of water. The research is
focus only to people who need this project. Lastly this will not cover the things that will happen
to the separated oil.

2
 CHAPTER 2

RELATED STUDIES
Kaushik G. and Suratwala R. (2004) states that the effect of human hair as an absorbing
medium for the separation of oil from water,both in free as well as in emulsified form. Effects of
various parameters on the phenomenon are studied and interferences drawn which is showing an
unexpectedly high efficiency of the process. It is seen that at laboratory scale. The method is
very efficient. It is really 100% efficient for true oil. The statement implies that human hair is
very efficient when it comes on absorbing oil from water. It’s proven and tested in this statement.
A.s Jadhav, M.Y Naniwadekar (2011) said that human hair it can be used to cleanses the
affected area,absorb the oil then utilized as an effective feel derivation, the oil absorption of
potential wasted hair fibers could produce valueable slot for our present modern society.we have
tried different hair colors and feel that overall black gave the best result for absorbity the most
oil. It means that the used of human hair is not only absorbing oil from water it also cleanses the
area where the oil spill occur and also natural or black hair is more effective rather than those
hair with colors
P.A. McCrory (1995) states that human hair surface has a high affinity for oils much
higher than its affinity for water. This property is very useful in oil-water separation. After the
pioneering work of Philip A. McCrory from Albama, USA,booms and mats of human hair have
been used to clean up coastal oil spills in the Philipiines and the USA. In this method, oil can be
recovered by wringing out the hair, which then can be reused up to 100 times- advantages not
present in other oil spill remediation methods. With this method, up to 98% of the spilled oil can
be recovered. The oily hair can then be used to grow oyster mushrooms, which decompose the
oil. The hair then left can be composted . Human hair can also separate emulsified oil in water,
which is very expensive to clean by other methods. This property can greatly help in cleaning
effluent from industries such as oil refineries. Any kind of hair can be used in these applications.
It means that hair is proven that it can absorb oil but it also can be used to grow oyster
mushrooms.
Nittin W. Ingole (2014) states that the removal of oil from waste water using human hairs
was investigated in batch process . Column experiments were also done to evaluate the
continuous removal of oil. In batch studies the behavior of the adsorption was investigated
through studying the influences of pH, contact time and adsorbent doses. It means that because
of human hair the pH of an oil decreases.
Archita B. (2014) states that Fibre from the stem of the banana plant can efficiently
absorb oil spills that pollute coasts and threaten marine life says a new study by Indian
researchers. Banana fibre, when treated with certain chemicals, can absorb up to 18 times their
weight of oil, according to the study published last month (16 September) in the online
journal, Carbohydrate Polymers.Scientists at the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT),
Mumbai, who carried out the study, said the absorptive properties of banana fibre were known.
The problem was that it absorbed both oil and water, reducing effectiveness.

3
Led by Mangesh D. Teli, professor of fibre and textile processing at the ICT,
the researchers developed a means to treat banana fibres chemically so that they repel water
while absorbing oil, a fossil fuel.Their experiments showed that when banana fibres were
'acetylated' with acetic anhydride, their oil absorption capacity improved dramatically. The
acetylation process was catalysed using N-Bromosuccinimide."Banana fibre’s water absorbing
property is because of the hydroxyl groups in the chemical structure of cellulose. When treated
with acetic anhydride, the hydroxyl groups get converted into acetates, which do not attract
water," Teli told SciDev.NetThe authors claimed that acetylated banana fibre being
biodegradable it will have no adverse environmental impact.
Bhaskar Rao, a natural fibre scientist at Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad,
told SciDev.net that chemical treatment not only improved the oil absorption capacity of
banana fibre but also increased its durability.Rao added, however, that banana fibres may not be
effective in dealing with oil spills that contain certain chemical pollutants. "Banana fibres will
not be able to withstand the corrosive effect of some chemicals," Rao explained.
Prashant Kumar Bhattacharya, professor of chemical engineering at the Indian Institute of
Technology, Kanpur, told SciDev.net that the fact that there was no organised collection of
banana fibre could prove to be a deterrent in its use. At present, organic chemical compounds
like polypropylene and polyurethane form the bulk of sorbents or large sponges used in
removing oil spills. However, such synthetic materials are non-biodegradable and pose problems
of safe disposal. On the other hand, oil soaked up by sorbents made of acetylated banana fibre
can be recovered for use, the scientists said. It only implies that using the fibre from the stem of a
banana , it can possible to absorb an oil.

4
RELATED LITERATURE
Niktilesh (2015) wondered if human hair could help separate oil from water. He
borrowed a beaker from his school lab and went to a barbershop to get a waste hair. He mix a
motor oil and lubricant with water and saw a layer oil from on the surface of the water. He then
used hair absorb oil from the water to his surprise that within 30 seconds 90% of the oil was
removed in the first attempt. It only implies that hair can absorb different types of oil and its very
efficient to use.
N.h Shinde (2011) states that the paper uses elaborate technique to purify contaminated
areas in different environment after oil spills rather than discarding at the human hair it can be
used to help cleanses the affected area absorb the oil then utilize as an effective fuel derivation.
The oil absorption of potential water hair fibers could produce valueable slot for modern society
we have investigated the ability of human hair to absorb a variety of potential hazardous oils.
Including motor oil, and crude oil that have possibilities of being spilled in terrestrial or aquatic
environment. It only implies that human hair is more reliable to absorb spilled oil.
S. Valia ( 2013) Oil spill leaves detrimental effects on the environment, living organisms
and economy. In the present work, an attempt is made to provide an efficient, easily deployable
method of cleaning up oil spills and recovering of the oil. The work reports the use of banana
fibres which were acetylated for oil spill recovery. The product so formed was characterized by
FT-IR, TG, SEM and its degree of acetylation was also evaluated. The extent of acetylation was
measured by weight percent gain. The oil sorption capacity of the acetylated fibre was higher
than that of the commercial synthetic oil sorbents such as polypropylene fibres as well as un-
modified fibre. Therefore, these oil sorption-active materials which are also biodegradable can be
used to substitute non-biodegradable synthetic materials in oil spill cleanup. It means that using
fibre of banana barks can help to lessen the problem like the oil spill from bodies of water.

S.Sabir (2015) The hazard of oil pollution has increased with the growth of industrial
development and exploration, production, and refining of oil. Due to the recent increase in the
volume of oily wastewater worldwide, the outcome and effect of discharging contaminated water
into the environment have become significant issues of environmental concern. Thus, the
treatment of oily water is critical for environmental protection. Oily water is conventionally
treated through different physical, chemical, and biological methods. However, most of the
conventional treatment technologies fail to remove small suspended oil content and dissolved
elements; moreover, many chemical treatments involve high initial and/or running costs and lead
to the production of hazardous sludge, which is released into offshore platforms because of space
constraints. This highlights the need for compact physical and chemical systems. Among the
various methods proposed for the treatment of oily water, adsorption is an attractive option
because of its excellent oil-removing ability, eco-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, easy
availability, feasibility, universal applicability, and relieves operation. The present article
describes the effectiveness of hydrophobic adsorbents, their application to oil-spill cleanup, and
the toxic effects of oily water on human health and the environment. In addition, we have also
attempted to elucidate the available cost-effective adsorbent techniques and future perspectives
of economical adsorbents for oily water treatment.It only implies that using hair cant harm other
living things. Its very eco-friendly and efficient to use.

5
 E.valdez(2013) states that With the oil spill Gulf of Mexico threatening the ecology,
people worldwide are watching wishing they could help. Perhaps they don’t realize just how
much they can. Human hair and animal fur can be used to help clean up the oil and stop its
spread. That’s right – human hair. Hair collects oil. That’s why you have to wash it. Just as it
collects oil from your skin, it also collects oil from an environmentally threatening oil slick.
After the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, a hairdresser in Alabama named Phil McCrory
noticed how the photos of the otters showed the water right around them to be cleaner that the
surrounding areas. He recognized that their fur had collected the oil out of the water. Hair, after
all, has a natural tendency to collect oil. He went to work inventing the hair mat, using human
hair clippings and a kiddie pool in his yard. He soon realized that one pound of hair can soak up
about one quart of oil, and when formed into a sturdy mat, it can be rung out and reused over a
hundred times. It implies that human hair is not just a waste but it can help to absorb the oil..

6
 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS
The figure 1 shows the following steps on how the researcher’s accomplish their project
regarding the separation of spilled oil from the bodies of water
INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

 Preparation of the
sample.
 Checking the
 Hair quality of  Resulting to a
 Banana barks materials oil and water
 Cloth  Making plan separator
 Analyzing the
procedure
 Making Product

FIGURE 1
The input shows the materials needed to make the machine, the process shows the steps
that will be conducted by researchers through out the experiment. The output shows the final
product of the device.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Filter - a device that is used to remove something unwanted from a liquid or gas that process
through it.
Machine - a piece of equipment that it used to filter something
Spilled oil – a wasted that is being run over the edge of a container.
Disperse - to go or more on different directions to spread apart
Utilized -To use something for a particular purpose.
Lubricant -A substance (such as grease or oil) that causes something to be slippery and to move
more smoothy.
Hazardous -Involving risk or danger

7
 CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter shows the method used by the researcher and also the procedure that is
conducted through out the whole study.

METHOD OF RESEARCH
The researchers made use of descriptive method. Which is used to obtain valid
information through observing their experiment this is to know how the oil and water can be
separated through the use of hair and banana barks.
Best and Khan (2007) states that the descriptive research has often been used incorrectly
to describe three types of investigation that are different. Perhaps their superficial similarities
have obscured their difference. Each of them employs the process of disciplined inquiry through
the gathering and analysis of empirical data, and each attempts to develop knowledge . To be
done competently , each requires the expertise of the careful and systematic investigator. A brief
explanation may serve to put each one in proper perspective.
Dr. Y.P. Aggarwal (2008) descriptive research is devoted to tne gathering of information
about prevailing conditions or situation for the purpose of description and interpretation. This
type of research method is not simply amassing and tabulating facts but includes proper analyses,
interpretations, comparisons, identifications of trends and relationships.

SOURCES OF DATA
The researchers made a device that has an ability to separate an oil from
bodies of water . The device is composed of hair, banana barks and cloth . These three material
are the reason behind the absorption of oil. And also in this study the researchers used oil,
measuring cups, water , aquarium and tongs. Measuring cups helps the researchers to measures
the amount of oil that has been absorb.
The researchers start to prepare the given samples or material. They
check the quality of the materials by observing on it .For example, if the hair has a color it will
not going to use because the chemicals used to color on hair can affect the absorption of oil and
they conclude the plan that they are going to do. In order for them to make a good product, they
analyze the procedures before making a product and the result was oil and water separator

8
 DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE
To start the study, the researchers identify the factors that will affect the separation of oil
and water. To identify the factors they conduct a research regarding their study and asked a
person with authority . To be specific the researchers asked Dr. Franco of Arellano University.
After that the researcher’s come up with 5 tests which is testing it with hair, banana barks, and
banana barks less than hair, and more banana barks than hair, lastly more hair than banana barks.
They get the exact measurements to know which is more reliable in separating oil and water.

DATA GATHERING INSTRUMENT

One of the data gathering instruments used by the researchers was measuring cup to get the
accurate measurments of the oil and water. The researchers also use a weighing scale to measure
the weight of the hair and banana barks.Aside from that, they also use the device they made to
know the amount of oil that can be separated from the water.

9
 CHAPTER 4

140
Amount of separated oil by using human hair
120

100
Amount of Oil

80 Amount of Oil Poured on Water

60 Amount of Absorbed Oil from

Water
40

20

0
Hair only

Figure 2

The figure 2 shows amount of separated oil by using human hair . The Blue column
represents the amount of oil poured on water while the red column represents the amount of
absorbed oil from water. As you can see 100ml of oil was absorb by using human hair. In
percentage, 80% of Oil was absorb. It means that using human hair is more efficient in absorbing
oil.

10
 140
Amount of separated oil by using banana bark

120

100
Amount of Oil

80 Amount of Oil Poured on Water

60 Amount of Absorbed Oil from

Water
40

20

0
Bark only

Figure 3

The figure 3 shows amount of separated oil by using banana bark. The Blue column
represents the amount of oil poured on water while the red column represents the amount of
absorbed oil from water. As you can see 85ml of oil was absorb by using human hair. In
percentage, 68% of Oil was absorb. Compared to the previous figure , this figure shows that
using banana bark can absorb less oil than using hair as the main material.

11
 Amount of separated oil by using higher amount
140
of human hair than banana bark

120

100
Amount of Oil

80 Amount of Oil Poured on Water

60 Amount of Absorbed Oil from

Water
40

20

0
Hair > Banana Bark

Figure 4

The figure 4 shows amount of separated oil by using higher amount of human hair than
banana bark . The Blue column represents the amount of oil poured on water while the red
column represents the amount of absorbed oil from water. As you can see 90 ml of oil was
absorb by using human hair. In percentage, 76% of Oil was absorb. Compared to the previous
figure , this figure shows that using higher amount of human hair than banana bark can absorb
less oil than using hair as the main material.

12
 Amount of separated oil by using higher amount
140 of banana bark than human hair

120

100
Amount of Oil

80 Amount of Oil Poured on Water

60 Amount of Absorbed Oil from

Water
40

20

0
Hair < Banana Bark

Figure 5

The figure 5 shows amount of separated oil by using higher amount of banana bark than
human hair . The Blue column represents the amount of oil poured on water while the red
column represents the amount of absorbed oil from water. As you can see 80 ml of oil was
absorb by using human hair. In percentage, 64% of Oil was absorb. Compared to the previous
figure , this figure shows that using higher amount of banana bark than human hair can absorb
less oil than using hair as the main material.

13
 Amount of separated oil by using an equal
140 amount of human hair and banana bark

120

100
Amount of Oil

80 Amount of Oil Poured on Water

60 Amount of Absorbed Oil from

Water
40

20

0
Hair = banana Bark

Figure 6

The figure 6 shows Amount of separated oil by using an equal amount of human hair and
banana bark . The Blue column represents the amount of oil poured on water while the red
column represents the amount of absorbed oil from water. As you can see 85 ml of oil was
absorb by using human hair. In percentage, 72% of Oil was absorb. Compared to the previous
figure , this figure shows that using an equal amount of human hair and banana bark
can absorb less oil than using hair as the main material.

14
 CHAPTER 5
SUMMARY
This study is all about separating oil from water. This research is useful because it can
help and be used by different people. This research is done by using descriptive method. The
researchers sacrifice time and money to complete this research and make the product work
successfully. They take time, days, and weeks to complete this. The research has many branches.
They find that searching for some source’s details is hard. Our product is like a small pillow that
contains a piece of cloth, banana barks, and hair. When it is on the process the oil will be
separated from the water because of the materials inside the cloth absorbs the oil and then the
water will remain inside the aquarium. The study prove that using human hair in absorbing oil is
more efficient than using banana barks.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
The relevant findings of the study are as follow :
1. Out of 125ml of oil, 100 ml of it was separated using hair.
2. Sixty eight (68) percent of oil was separated using banana barks oil was absorbed.
3. Seventy six (76) percent of oil was separated using higher around of hair than banana
bark
4. Sixty four (64) percent of oil was separated using higher amount of banana bark .
5. Out of 125ml of oil , 90 ml of it was separated using same amount of hair and banana
bark

CONCLUSION
The researchers conclude that this study can be helpful to solve the spilled oil in
the water.
1. Any kind of cloth can be use to put the hair and banana barks together.
2. The researchers study can help the environment when it comes to spilled oil.
3. Hair is more reliable when it comes in absorbing the used oil than the banana
barks.

15
 RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings and conclusions presented, the following recommendations are:

GOVERNMENT
The researchers recommend to the government that they should gave attention to the
spilled oil in the bodies of water and use this concept to resolved the said problem.

ENVIRONMENTALISTS
The researchers recommend to the environmentalists to promote this kind of project to
all who has a water vehicles.

FISHERMEN
The fishermen should have this kind of device in their fishing boat in case they
encounter some spilled oil while fishing

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
The researchers recommend to the school administrators to tell the teachers who
specialized in this kind of topic to make a wider study and improve the final output.

PARENTS
The parents should support their offspring financially and morally for better
performance and to be motivated throughout the whole study.

FUTURE RESEARCHERS
The researchers recommend to them that they should improve the product itself. They
can use this study as a basis to their research.

16
APPENDIXES

17
 COST ANALYSIS

THE LIST SHOWS THE COST SPENT THROUGH OUT THE WHOLE STUDY..

 BANANA BARKS..........10 PESOS PER KILO

 HAIR..................30 PESOS
 CLOTH.................25 PESOS PER YARD

APPENDIX A

The researchers gathered the materials such as banana barks, human hair , cloth , oil ,
measuring cups, aquarium, and tongs to begin the experimen

18
APPENDIX B

After gathering all the materials needed in this study the researchers
follow all the procedures to prove that human hair and banana bark can absorb oil.

APPENDIX C

First the researchers measured the size of cloth using measuring tape.

19
Then, we cut the cloth with correct measurement that suitable for their product.

Next, they sew the clth using high speeds sewing machine .Lastly they put the hair and banana
barks accordingly.

APPENDIX D

After doing all the procedures in this experiment they come up with this product.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Dr.Aggarwal,Y.P.(2008). International Journal of Transformations in Business Management.
April-June. http://www.ijtbm.com/
Best anf Kahn(2007). International Journal of Transformations in Business Management.April-
June. http//www.ijtbm.com/
Jadhav,AS. (2011). Study of absorbtion of oily water using human hair. International Journal of
Advanced Engineering Technology, Vol.11.1
Kaushik,G.(2004). Treatment of oily water with human hair as a medium. A preliminary study.
Indian Journal of Chemical Technology, Vol.11,220-226.
Niktilesh.(2005). Did you know that human hair can be used to treat water pollution? He found
out when he was 13 from https://www.google.com/17888/did-you-know-that-human-hair-can-
be-used-to-treat-water-pollution-he-found-out-when-he-was-13/amp
Snide,N.h (2011). Absorption of oil from waste water by using human hair from
researchgate.net/publication/260433511_Absorption-oil-from-water-by-using-human-hair
B.D. MacCrory and P.A. Mcrory,”Device for containing and absorbing oil spills on water-,” US
Patent 5453191, 1995.
N.W. Ingole . (2014) . “Adsorption of Oil from waste water by using human hair” from
Department of Civil Engineering PRMIT.
A.Bhatta . (2014) . “Banana fibre can fix marine oil spills, says study” .
http://m.scidev.net/global/farming/news/banana-fibre-can-fix-marine-oil-spills-says-study.html .

S. Valia . (2013) . “Acetylation of banana fibre to improve oil absorbency “ .

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233876413_Acetylation_of_banana_fibre_to_improve
_oil_absorbency.

S. Sabir . (2015) . “Approach of Cost-Effective Adsorbents for Oil Removal from Oily Water.” .
pg.1916-1945 .
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10643389.2014.1001143?src=recsys&journalCode
=best20 .

E.Valdez. (2013) . “Hair/Fur As Cheap and Effective Oil Slick Cleanup “ .

http://matteroftrust.org/press/using-human-hair-and-animal-fur-to-clean-oil-spills-april-2013.

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