The surprising effects of banana peels on the environment
Brazilian scientists have discovered a powerful aid in the fight against polluted water: banana peels that can filter out metal impurities in water.
Scientists conducted an experiment by dropping ground and dried banana peels into containers of water containing positive copper and lead ions, then stirring them. A few minutes later, when re-tested, the metal content in the water was lower than at the beginning of the experiment. Thus, it can be concluded that the banana peels have absorbed the metal.
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In the search for environmentally friendly ways to remove metals from drinking water, many research groups have experimented with pineapples, coconut fibers, apple peels, and other materials. Castro and his colleagues were the first to experiment with banana peels, which contain proteins that can bind to metals.
Heavy metals such as copper and lead are common contaminants in agricultural and industrial wastewater. Even at very low concentrations in drinking water, these metals can have adverse effects on human health. The concern is that these metals are difficult to detect at low concentrations.
The study showed that banana peels were effective even in water with high pH levels, meaning that the technique could also be used in industrial wastewater treatment. Notably, after 10 times of testing, banana peels were still able to absorb metals.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the maximum allowable level of lead in drinking water is 15 parts per billion, a level that can slip through many filters. However, in the study, banana peels increased the concentration of copper and lead by 20 percent, making these metals easier to detect, even with simple instruments.
The discovery from this study by Brazilian scientists brings new hope to developed countries where the quality of domestic water is still low and the most advanced water filtration technology has not been applied.
According to VNA