Banana peels show promise as superior water purification materials.

Banana Peels Studied As Effective, Cost-Efficient Water Purifier

Banana peels show promise as superior water
purification materials.

The inventive uses for banana
peels which include polishing
silverware, leather shoes, and
the leaves of house plants are
fascinating. Now scientists have
added purification of drinking
water contaminated with
potentially toxic metals as an

important use for banana peels.

Scientific reports show minced

banana peel performs better
than an array of other purification materials and appears
in the American Chemical Society's journal Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research.

The researchers note that mining processes, runoff
from farms, and industrial wastes can all put heavy
metals, such as lead and copper, into waterways.
Heavy metals can have adverse health and environmental

effects. Current methods of removing heavy metals from

water are expensive, and some substances used in the
process are toxic themselves. Previous work has shown

that some plant wastes, such as coconut fibers and

peanut shells, can remove these potential toxins from
water. In this report, the researchers wanted to find out

whether minced banana peels could also act as water

purifiers.

The researchers found that minced banana peel could

quickly remove lead and copper from river water as well
as, or better than, many other materials. A purification
apparatus made of banana peels can be used up to 11
times without losing its metal-binding properties, they
note. The research team conducting the study adds
that banana peels are very attractive as water purifiers
because of their low cost and because they don't have
to be chemically modified in order to perform effectively.

Story Source: American Chemical Society.

Journal Reference: Banana Peel Applied to the
Solid Phase Extraction of Copper and Lead from
River Water: Pre-concentration of Metal Ions with
a Fruit Waste. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry
Research, 2011

Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice,

diagnosis or treatment.