The innovative simple water filter for producing utility water using activated carbon from rubber tree branches

This study presents the development of a cost effective and an innovative household water filtration system utilizing activated carbon derived from locally sourced rubber tree branches. Aimed at improving tap water quality in the Ban Kut Saeng Community, Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand, the research promotes sustainable material use and simple technology to enhance the availability of clean water in underdeveloped and developing regions. Activated carbon was produced through a dry activation process using NaOH, yielding high adsorption capacity 687.24 mg I₂/g for iodine and complete (100%) methylene blue removal at 100 ppm. BET surface area analysis indicated a value of 833.06 m²/g, with the pore structure exhibiting both microporous and mesoporous characteristics. The filtration performance was evaluated by comparing raw and treated water quality based on the standards of the American Public Health Association (APHA), American Water Works Association (AWWA), and Water Environment Federation (WEF), covering physical, chemical, heavy metal, and microbiological parameters. The raw water has shown high turbidity and bacterial contamination. Following two-stage filtration, Sample D exhibited the tap water quality standards, with turbidity of 9 NTU, apparent color of 2.1 Pt-Co, total dissolved solids (TDS) of 151 ppm, pH of 6.8, total hardness of 30 ppm as CaCO₃, and chloride ion concentration of 9.8 ppm. Total coliforms and E. coli counts were observed below the detectable limits (<1.1 CFU/100 mL), and heavy metals or other harmful ions found to be absent. The results have confirmed the system’s high efficiency in contaminant removal and water quality improvement, underscoring its potential as a low-cost, community-driven solution for household water treatment in the resource-limited areas.