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ABSTRACT:

The purpose of the experiment was to determine a cost efficient and accessible way of water filtration using only natural Colombian products. There were two products used, cheesecloth and corn husks, and two controls, granular activated carbon and sand with gravel. The experiment was conducted through using a breakthrough column filtration system in which the water with residual chlorine enters the top and glass wool hold the item of choice at the top and bottom. The water runs through the system and exits through a valve at the end into a volumetric beaker where the residual chlorine is tested. The water started out with chlorine levels of 5 ppm but the safe level of chlorine for consumption is 3 ppm or below. The control of granular activated carbon reduced the chlorine levels to 0 ppm in all 3 trials while the sand only reduced it to between 3 and 4. This is because the sand was too fine. The corn husks ended up working very well, reducing the chlorine level to 0.5 ppm to 1 ppm in the trials. The cheesecloth worked but not as well as the corn husks, reducing chlorine levels to 2 to 3 ppm in the trials. Overall the corn husks seem like a very promising water filtration device for those who don’t have money or access to clean water.