USE OF ACTIVATED CARBON OF COCONUT SHELL (COCOS NUCIFERA) FOR REDUCTION OF CHLORIDE AND HARDNESS OF WATER

Abstract: Water purification is indeed a challenging issue for all sections of the society especially the poor and deprived people, who mostly rely on groundwater sources as their source of drinking water. Cocos nucifera fruit can be used as a source of activated carbon which is relatively cheap and easily available. It improves the taste of drinking water and also makes water safe to drink by removing most toxic organic compounds in water like pesticides and heavy metal organic compounds. Cocos nucifera Shell Activated Carbon or Coconut Shell Activated Carbon (CSAC) also removes smells in water and makes cloudy water clear by removing colour causing compounds in the water. Coconut Shell Activated Carbon (CSAC) can be used as a natural way of removing contaminations from the water source .The present study aims to reduce hardness and chloride present in water .CSAC is used at varying concentrations and time intervals to decrease hardness and chloride present in the water sample .CSAC also reduces the colour and odour of the water sample. So, CSAC can be categorized as a very efficient purifier of water.

Keywords: Cocos nucifera, Coconut Shell Activated Carbon (CSAC), Total Hardness, Chloride, Odour, Water purification.