Waste is a term that is quickly associated with landfills, pollution

and domestic garbage. Nowadays, however, waste streams are

increasingly regarded as renewable sources for materials and chemicals.
Crop residues in particular are globally abundant and potentially rich
in added-value functionalised components e.g., fibres, oils, proteins,
waxes, dyes, and flavonoids [1-3]. Obtaining residues with constant
quality and composition is challenging though, for instance due to
decentralised harvesting and seasonal influences.
Food processing facilities could offer a well-defined waste stream,
since they have to deliver products that constantly meet quality
standards. Orange peels (OPs) are an excellent example of processing
residues that contain many potential products [4]. In Table 1 the
composition of OPs is shown, highlighting the currently commercially
exploited compounds. Roughly 71 Mton of oranges were produced
worldwide in 2013 [5]. Approximately 40% of all harvested oranges are
treated by the juicing and canning industries, of which 40-50 wt.% ends
up as processing peel waste [6].
Despite its great potential [7], OP waste is often still used as lowvalue
animal feed additive [8], digested, incinerated or even dumped
[9]. Prevailing OP valorisation processes focus on the subsequent
recovery of essential oils (mainly d-limonene) and/or pectin. Essential
oils are traditionally recovered by cold pressing, steam/hydrodistillation
or solvent extraction. Cold pressing and distillation require
high mechanical and thermal energy inputs, respectively. Additionally,
the elevated temperatures applied (distillation) and the presence of air
at elevated pressures (cold pressing) can alter the chemical composition
of the oils [10,11]. Depending on the quality of the remaining solids
after essential oil isolation, pectin recovery is performed in series or as
a separate process. For pectin production, OP is commonly subjected
to a mineral acid hydrolysis step followed by ethanol precipitation [12],
causing unwanted salt formation upon waste water neutralization.

Many new techniques have evolved for OP treatment, aiming

at decreased energy usage, orange oil/pectin quality improvements
and process intensification [4]. Among them are ultrasound [13-15],
microwave [14,16], supercritical fluid [17] and ionic liquid [11] (IL)
extraction. Ultrasound and microwave processes modify biomass cells,
accelerate mass transfer rates and the latter are able to heat samples
rapidly and accurately [3,16]. These physical treatments are therefore
often used to complement affinity extractions with solvents like ILs
[18]. ILs can be roughly defined as (organic) salts that melt below
100°C. By designing combinations of cations and anions, new taskspecific
solvents can be synthesized. The ILs that proved to dissolve
lignocellulosic biomass [19,20] were also screened for OP processing [11].
Following this strategy, the deep eutectic solvents (DESs) that
showed biopolymer dissolution in our previous study [21] were
selected for OP treatment in this work, see Table 2. DESs are mixtures
of two or more components that exhibit (extreme) eutectic behaviour
due to self-association, resulting in a liquid at temperatures below the
melting temperatures of its individual components [22]. This allows the
utilization of their functional groups at mild temperatures without an
additional solvent. In 2004, DESs were presented as an alternative to ILs
[23], mainly because they display similar physicochemical properties
but are prepared more easily. By mixing the components under mild
heating, a clear DES can be formed without further purification.

The issue of wastewater is becoming more and more

important today because of the new European Union laws
leading to even stricter norms. Heavy metals belong to
some of the negative elements present in wastewater. Their
occurrence in wastewater caused by different industrial
processes, such as electroplating, metal finishing,
metallurgy, chemical production, mining, and production
of paper or batteries, raises many questions because of
their toxicity even in small concentrations [1].
Sorption of heavy metals is one of the most promising
technologies used for the removal of contaminants from
water. It is a potential alternative to conventional procedures
for its low cost, easy availability, and no nutritional
requirements. Sorption minimizes the volume of chemical
and/or biological sludge, which must subsequently be
disposed of. It is also effective for detoxifying dilute
wastewaters. Great attention has recently been paid to
sorption of heavy metals from solutions using biological

materials as adsorbents [2]. The potential use of some

low-cost materials, including agricultural products and
waste from fishing (such as rice husks, sawdust, peanut
shells, pumpkin waste, Nypafruticans, shrimp and crab
shells, chitin and chitosan) has been studied. Some of
the mentioned materials showed exceptional adsorption
properties [3-4].
Processed solid waste orange peel has been used as an
adsorbent before. It has been verified that it has a great potential
to adsorb harmful pollutants, including heavy metals.
However, this study evaluates orange peel used to remove
three selected metals – Cu, Fe, and Mn – from the
water matrix, as they have not been tested so far based on
the available literature. The effects of various operating
parameters, such as the initial pH value of solution, the
amount of sorbent, particle size, contact time, thermodynamics,
and sorption equilibrium are observed.

1. ŠPALDON T., VIDLÁŘ J., HEVIÁNKOVÁ S. The

potential of eliminating of sulphates from mine water. In:
Actamontanistica Slovaca. Košice: Technická univerzita
[Košice]., 1996-, 406-409. 9 (2004), 4. ISSN 1335-1788 [in
Slovak].
2. FENG B., Ningchuan , GUO X., LIANGA S., ZHUB Y.,
LIUB J. Biosorption of heavy metals from aqueous solutions
by chemically modified orange peel. In: Journal of Hazardous
Materials. January Volume 185 (1), 49, 2011 DOI: 10.1016/j.
jhazmat.2010.
3. KAMARIA A. W.S., WAN NGAHB. Isotherm, kinetic and
thermodynamic studies of lead and copper uptake by H2SO4
modified chitosan. In: Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces.
October, –266. 73 (2), 257, 2009. ISSN 0927-7765. DOI:
10.1016/j.colsurfb.2009.
4. VIJAYARAGHAVAN, Yeoung -Sang YUN. Bacterial
biosorbents and biosorption. Biotechnology Advances. 26
(3), 266, 2008 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2008.02.002

The heavy metals and

chemical contaminants are effectively removed by fruit
peel (Wanna et al., 2009; Okieimen and Oneenkpa,
1989)

The Formaldehyde washed orange peel has

removed nearly 80% of Alkalinity with an optimum

dosage of 8gm/lit. Effectiveness of herbs in community water

treatment
R. Sowmeyan*, J. Santhosh and R. Latha

Water pollution causes a serious problem in India. Recently people were infected with many
diseases due to polluted water. Vaigai River is one of the most important rivers in South India.
Recently it was highly polluted by domestic, agricultural and industrial wastes. Presence of
ammonia, nitrate, phosphate in large quantities and high BOD levels makes the river water
unsuitable for consuming. In biological method of water treatment, use of sorbent materials
derived from plant has been shown to be more effective for the removal of pollutants from waste
water (Grath et al., 2001). In this study, the effectiveness of banana peel and orange peel as natural
adsorbents to reduce BOD and chemical pollutants of Vaigai river water were determined. Five
different concentrations (0.5mg, 1g, 1.5g, 2g & 2.5g) of both the biological sample powders were
used. Physical and chemical parameters of polluted river water were tested in TWAD, Madurai. BOD
of river water before and after treatment with fruit peel powder was estimated. Result of the study
showed that at maximum concentration of 2.5g of banana peel efficiently reduced BOD compared
to orange peel. But both the biological samples showed higher efficiency in the reduction of
ammonia, nitrite and phosphate in water at maximum concentration of 2.5g. From this study it was
revealed that banana peel and orange peel could be used as an alternative to treat waste water.
This study also helps to reduce the dumping of biological waste as trash in the environment.

BANANA PEEL AND ORANGE PEEL AS ALTERNATIVE BIOSORBENTS FOR BOD

REDUCTION AND REMOVAL OF CHEMICAL POLLUTANTS FROM VAIGAI RIVER
WATER K. SUDHA1, S. GEETHA2, S. SHEELA KUMARI2 AND R. THASLIMA NASRIN2

Orange peel (OP), banana peel (BP),

pomegranate peel (PP), and garlic peel
(GP) were effectively used for removal
of pollutants (metal, dyes, and organic
pollutants) from wastewater. Natural productsusually considered waste, such as sugar cane
bagasse, peanut shells, and apple waste,
have been employed to extract metals from
water.

Orange peel principally consists of cellulose,

pectin, hemicellulose, lignin, chlorophyll
pigments and other low molecular weight
hydrocarbons. These components contain
various functional groups, such as carboxyl
and hydroxyl groups which make the orange
peel to be a potential adsorbent material for
removing metal ions from aqueous solutions.

Orange peels as natural coagulant helps to

form a low cost coagulant agent for
coagulation process in water treatment plant
and act as an important environmental friendly
product.The optimum pH is at 5.0 and the
optimum dosage of 60 mg/L, were the highest
turbidity removal reached at 88.40% and 84%
respectively. The results proved that the use
of orange peels as new composite coagulant

in water treatment is a feasible option in

enhancing the reduction performance of
turbidity.26-35
Orange peel is mostly composed of cellulose,
pectin, hemicellulose, lignin, chlorophyllpigments
and other low molecular weight
hydrocarbons. Many of these contain several
hydroxyl functional groups, which make the
orange peel a potential substrate for the
synthesis of xanthates. Application of orange
peel xanthate for the adsorption of Pb2+ions
from aqueous solutions was investigated by
Liang et al. in batch experiments.
Coagulation was a relatively effective single
treatment method, removing 99.7% of the
colour and 86.9% of the organic substances
(TOC) from the printing ink wastewater
samples. The adsorption treatment with ground
orange peel achieved efficiencies comparable to
those of the granular activated carbon
treatments. Orange peel and neem36-40 leaf

powder were added in different doses (1g, 2g,

4g, 6g, 8g and 10g) as coagulants to assess the
effectiveness and dosing level. This study
proved that natural material have the potential
of adsorption and removal of higher
concentration of chemical constituents from
the dairy industrial wastewater.41-45
Lemon peel waste
Lemon peels are the fruit waste, which are
easily available can be used as coagulant for
the turbidity removal. As is non-toxic and noncorrosive
material, can be used in
water treatment plants will decrease the
volume of toxic sludge and minimize the
sludge handling and management. Zuraisah
Dollah et al., tested46 his coagulant by using
JAR test apparatus for the turbidity removal.
They have noted 89% of turbidity removal
at an optimum dosage of 60 mg/L and at a pH
of 4.

3.2 Carbonization Method:

The collected peels were cut into small pieces, washed with distil water to remove dirt and suspended impurities and
then dried for 48 hours in an oven at 100oC to remove the moisture content from the peels. After the drying process,
the peels were removed from the oven and kept in the desiccators for 30 minutes and then the dried peels kept in the
furnace for 3 hours at 200oC to convert it into carbon. After that the peels were removed, cooled and ground to fine
powder and sieve through 600μm, 425μm, 300μm for different particle size.

Water is one of the basic needs for survival, in addition, to food, shelter and
clothing. Nowadays there were no appropriate low-cost technologies available for
the treatment of water. In rural areas those people who were living in extreme
poverty are presently drinking contaminated water, because of lack of knowledge
of proper drinking water treatment and they cannot afford costly chemical
coagulants. Therefore, this present study is carried to provide information on low
cost household treatment using natural coagulants like Thethankottai (Strychnos
Potatorum), Tulsi leaves (Ocimum sanctum), orange peel. In the present study,
the efficiency of natural coagulants to treat the raw water has been studied. The
raw water sample collected and treated with Thethankottai (Strychnos
Potatorum), Tulsi leaves (Ocimum sanctum), orange peel (Citrus sinensis (L.))
which is a natural coagulant and analyzed for Colour, pH, turbidity, TDS, total
hardness and alkalinity. There was reduction of concentration of all the
parameters with increase in coagulant dosage. In present study dose of
Thethankottai (Strychnos Potatorum), orange peel powder 0.1 & 0.2 g/l were
taken and Tulsi leaves (Ocimum sanctum) powder 0.5 & 0.6 g/l were taken and
checked for the efficiency dose on raw water.
Holy basil has a rich and fanciful
history known since the Vedic age for its
immense curative and multi-purpose utility.
It has been the ‘Herb royale’ to the French, a
sign of love by Italians, and a sacred herb in
India. In the first century A.D. Roman
naturalist Pliny reported that basil relieves
flatulence, which had been subsequently

proven true. In the Far East, the herb had

been used as a cough medicine, and in
Africa, it has been used to expel worms.
American colonists considered holy basil is
the essential ingredients in a snuff used to
ease headaches. The plant grows all over
India up to 2000 meters height. It is grown
in houses, temples and gardens. An erect
annual grows 0.5-1.5 meters in height and
has red or purple quadrangular branches.

The leaves are opposite, about 2-4 cm long,

margins entire or toothed, hairy on both the
surfaces, dotted with minute glands and are
aromatic. The flowers are tiny, purple and
inflorescence is a long spike or 12-14 cm in
length. The fruits are small, smooth nut lets,
reddish grey in color. Botanically, Tulsi is
known as Ocimum sanctum and it belongs
to family Laminacea. The leaves contain an
essential oil, which contains eugenol,
eugenal, carvacrol, methylchavicol, limatrol
and caryophylline. The seeds contain oil
composed of fatty acids and sitosterol. The
roots contain sitosterol

In a major relief to millions of people living in

fluoride-hit areas, it has been found that the leaves and
stem of Tulsi can detoxify water with high-fluoride
content, and make it safe for human consumption. The
quality of water one gets will be on par with the norms
prescribed for fluoride content by the Bureau of Indian
Standards (ISI).
Tulsi or Ocimum sanctum has natural bioadsorbent
properties i.e. the leaves and stem of this
Indian herb serve as natural magnet to adsorb (attach) the
fluoride molecules in water. All one has to do is to take
a few leaves or stem pieces of Tulsi and dip them in a

glass of water for 20 minutes. Remove the leaves or stem

pieces and drink the water.
Defluoridation of water using Tulsi as a bioadsorbent
is successfully tested process. Fresh and dried
Tulsi leaves, stem pieces is the content used to remove
fluoride content from water. Both boiling and shaking
methods can be followed. In the boiling method, first
water has to be boiled with Tulsi, and in shaking method,
Tulsi has to be kept in water and glass has to be shaken
gently.
“With initial fluoride concentration of 5 ppm, it
was observed that maximum 94 per cent of fluoride can
be removed at a dose of 75 mg of fresh basil leaves for a
sample of 100 ml for a contact period of 20 minutes”.
Fresh basil stem with a dose of 100 mg/100 ml
had a removal efficiency of 75 per cent, whereas for dry
leaves and dry stem at a dose of 250 mg/100 ml, the
removal efficiency was 78 per cent and 74 per cent
respectively.
“This makes the fluoride concentration within
the permissible limit of Indian standard for drinking
water (IS 10500:1991, Fluoride 1.0-1.5 ppm). The
efficiency of adsorption of fluoride ion was affected by
PH, quantity and size of Tulsi parts used. This technique
is cost effective, environment friendly and easy to
understand and can be adopted in rural as well as urban
background throughout the year”.

3. RGNDWM, Prevention and control of fluorosis

in India. Health aspects, Ministry of rural
development, CGO complex, 1993.
4. IPCS International Program on chemical safety,
environmental Health Criteria 227, Fluoride,
2002.

Current scientific research offers substantial

evidence that tulsi protects against and reduces
stress; enhances stamina and endurance; increases
the body’s efficient use of oxygen; boosts the
immune system; reduces inflammation; protects
against radiation damage; lessens aging factors;
supports the heart, lungs and liver; has antibiotic,
antiviral and antifungal properties; enhances the
efficacy of many other therapeutic treatments;
and provides a rich supply of antioxidants and
other nutrients. Overall, tulsi is a premier
adaptogen, helping the body and mind to adapt
and cope with a wide range of physical,
emotional, chemical and infectious stresses, and
restore disturbed physiological and psychological
functions to a normal healthy state. These general
vitality enhancing and health promoting
properties, in addition to tulsi’s many more
specific therapeutic actions, likely account for
much of the exceptionally broad range of tulsi’s
traditional medical uses, as well as contributing to
its mythological importance and religious
sanctity.
Tulsi Leaf extract have great potential as
antimicrobial agent for the treatment of water.
The treatment is simple, cost-effective, ecofriendly,
reachable for all and the components
present in Ocimum sanctum leaves have no side
effects to human compared to chemical treatment.
More over the water treated with Tulsi extract
serve not only as germ free but also as Medicinal
water.

Turbidity indicates the degree to which the water loses its transparency due to the presence of suspended
particulate matters. Measurement of turbidity also used to provide an appraisal of the TSS (Total Suspended
Solids) concentration. It is essential to eliminate the turbidity of water in order to effectively disinfect it for drinking
purposes. Jar test experiments were performed by varying the coagulant dosage (compared in Table 2 for holy
basil leaf powder) to find the optimum dosage for maximum turbidity

removal at their optimum Turbidity. Veeramalini [16] reported, a maximum reduction in turbidity was found to be
98% and 70% for estuarine and river water respectively, and also Shilpa [14] investigated in their work, a maximum
turbidity removal efficiency of 89.03% was found for lake water when treated with Cactus. From Figure 2, it was
observed that turbidity of collected sewage water sample decreases with increase of coagulant dosage of holy basil
leaf powder gave good results. Optimum dosage of holy basil leaf powder for maximum turbidity removal was
found to be 150 mg/L Above this dosage suspensions showed a tendency to restores [12]. The initial Turbidity
observed was 123.5 NTU in sewage waste water which was beyond the limits of WHO standards. It was observed
that the use of holy basil powder showed decrease in turbidity of sewage waste water with increased dose at 50,
100 and 150 mg/100ml respectively. At 150mg/100ml dose turbidity range is 37.26 NTU and at 200mg/100ml dose
it is partially increase (Figure 2), so 150mg/100ml is the optimum dosage we concluded

Holy basil leaf powder acts as a natural coagulant for the treatment of sewage waste water. It reduces the pH,
Turbidity and chemical oxygen demand. The reduction efficiency of pH, turbidity and COD at 150mg/100ml is
69.82%, 43.11% and 47.85%. Holy basil leaf powder is not giving toxic effect. It is eco-friendly and cheaper method
of water treatment. Holy basil leaf can be used in the rural areas where no facilities are available for the drinking
water treatment. After the treatment the sludge settled at the bottom of tank, can be used as bio-fertilizers is
added advantage of this method in rural areas. Overall, Holy basil leaves as an eco-friendly biomaterial was
revealed to be a very efficient coagulant and a promising option for the removal of pH, turbidity and COD from
sewage waters in waste water treatment plants.

Summer temperatures and water-borne diseases such as hepatitis, typhoid, cholera and gastroenteritis go hand
in hand. So besides maintaining good hygiene, it is also important to monitor and maintain the quality of
drinking water to prevent these diseases.
Drinking water sources
The source of drinking water supply at home is either surface water or groundwater. Unfortunately, most of
these sources are not safe for drinking without proper treatment due to the presence of microbial and chemical
pollutants. Toxic chemicals and harmful bacteria pollute water sources, thereby causing sickness and also
exposing us to long-term health consequences such as liver and kidney damage.
The Water Works Departments in cities treats the water before supplying it but the water comes in contact with
pathogens and certain chemicals during the transportation process through the distribution network. This
means that the water needs to be tested and treated at the point of use as well. For testing the water,  simple
low-cost kits are available in the market and for treating the water, various water filters are also available.
Water purification at home
A good water filter at home is the only way to ensure the quality and safety of drinking water but all filters
have their own advantages and limitations.
There are different methods available to purify water at home. Some are listed below along with their pros and
cons:

1. Boiling

o Kills germs but does not remove heavy metals and minerals
o Method is not fuel-efficient
o Chances of microbial recontamination if water is stored for a long time

2. Candle filters

o Inexpensive
o Can remove bacteria, protozoa, microbial cysts and suspended impurities
o Requires regular maintainance
o Simple and unsophisticated method,  so people do not wish to buy it

3. UV filters

o Purify water by deactivating the bacteria but dead organisms still remain

4. Reverse Osmosis (RO) filters

 o Said to be the most efficient of all
o Can remove 90-99% of all contaminants in water
o Popularity steadily grown over the years

Of the ones mentioned above, RO filters are more popular among urban residents, so let's have a closer look at
its pros and cons.
Efficiency of RO filters
Studies have confirmed that RO systems remove unhealthy contaminants present in water. Unfortunately,
along with removing unwanted chemicals, microbes and compounds, they also remove a significant portion of
the minerals found in water, especially calcium and magnesium. These two elements are among the seven
major dietary elements required by our body for stronger bones, teeth and normal muscular and nerve
functions.
Problems linked with RO water
Reverse osmosis was developed as a water treatment method over 40 years ago. The process was used
primarily to de-salinate water but later on it was used in home filters. There are many problem linked with
drinking RO water:

o The water is demineralized and drinking de-mineralized water (water devoid of essential
minerals) is not healthy. A few of the health risks include gastrointestinal problems, bone
density issues, joint conditions, and cardiovascular diseases.
o Removing the naturally occurring minerals also leaves the water tasteless. One may add some
liquid ionic minerals to the RO drinking water. However, doing so will not be as beneficial as
drinking water that contains minerals naturally.
o Prolonged use of RO water (for several months or years) reduces the body’s immunity and
can make you fall sick more often.
o Removing the minerals makes the water acidic and drinking acidic water on a regular basis
might cause acidosis in the body, which is considered an underlying cause of most
degenerative diseases.
o RO produces more wastewater than purified water, meaning for every litre of RO purified
water, a higher quantity of wastewater is generated.

Water benefits health 

Drinking the right amount of the right type of water improves every function in the body and even slows down
the aging process. It is said that our body can absorb up to 30% of essential elements from the water that we
drink. So it is very important for our long term health that we drink that water which is not devoid of at least
the essential elements like calcium and magnesium.
If your health is a top priority and you don’t want to be drinking de-mineralized water, invest in a water filter
that best suits your needs. The aim should be to minimize microbial and chemical load in water. 
What you can do
Testing the water on a fortnightly basis will tell you the level of different components including the presence
of bacteria in water. If these components are within the permissible limits set by the Bureau of Indian
Standards, then for your own satisfaction you can make use of a simple water purifier like a candle filter or a
silver nano technology based filter.
Simpler and low cost technologies might work better for majority of the people in India. RO water should be
consumed only when you do not have an alternative, for example when you are travelling or when you visit a
new place and you are not sure about the water quality.
Home grown solutions
It has been found that a handful of tulsi leaves can decontaminate about 20 litres of water. The solar water
disinfection method (SODIS) is also a simple procedure to disinfect drinking water. Contaminated water is
filled in a transparent PET-bottle or glass bottle and exposed to the sun for 6 hours. During this time, the UV-
radiation of the sun kills the pathogens in the water.
These renewed water treatment options could provide India’s poorest people an opportunity to remove
contaminants from their drinking water without any side effects. Whether it is tulsi, tomato peels, bio-sand
filter or copper water purifier, more research is needed to identify and validate their effectiveness and to
popularize them.
Future strategy
Some water filter manufacturing companies are distributing their RO filters in rural areas under their CSR
initiative to provide safe drinking water. Are they really concerned about the health of the people in the long
run or is it only their marketing strategy?
What is needed is a water filter which can decide what to remove and what to retain in water, depending upon
the situation and the components of the water in a particular area. Companies should invest in research,
manufacturing and marketing of safe and cost-effective products.
However, till such products are available, there is no need to panic. Just conserve water, be informed and stay
healthy!