Corncob (Zea Saccharata) as an Effective Crude Oil Adsorbent

than Coir

Alija May P. Apego

IX Curie

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of

Research 2

Agusan National High School

A.D. Curato St., Butuan City

Mrs. Marie Lou S. Paler

July 23, 2015Chapter 1

Introduction
In this study, the purpose is explained. It consists of
importance, hypothesis, the problem, limitations, and the
variables.

Background of the Study

Oil spills are environmental disasters (Dave & Ghaly,
2011)

currently

lives

are

at

destroying
stake.

bodies

Oil

spills

of

water

are

where

liquid

marine

petroleum

hydrocarbon released to different bodies of water due to

human activity.
The unintentional or negligent release of used gasoline
solvents, crankcase lubricants by industries and individuals
(Encyclopedia Britannica, 2015) and pipe-line vandalization
(Ndimele,

2010)

may

also

be

classified

as

acute

anthropogenic sources of oil. (Wang & Stout, 2010) The oil

spill is a problem for the livelihoods of the population who
depend on fishing and tourism. (World Organization et al.,
2013)

Statement of the Problem

This

study

aims

to

identify

if

corncobs

can

help

decrease oil spills in polluted bodies of water in the

community. It answers the question: Is a corncob, on its
natural

state

an

effective

adsorbent

for

oil

spills

in

polluted bodies of water?

Statement of the Hypothesis

Yes, corncobs on its natural state can be an effective
oil adsorbent or has potential to decrease the amount of
used oil from contaminated bodies of water.

Significance of the Study

The outcome of the study may be an implication to help
communities whose bodies of water are contaminated by used
oil. The corncobs being experimented to be as an adsorbent
may decrease current or possible oil spills from bodies of
water where factories or industries are being planted on
have no proper waste disposal. It may also help ensure the
protection of public health and marine life.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

The research and experiment is only limited to corncobs
on its natural state an oil adsorbent. It does not include
corncobs

with

floating

devices,

wrapped

in

its

husks,

cooked, or without kernels. Also the study is limited to

contaminated bodies of water, specifically on oil spills. To
have an accurate observations, the experiment was done three
times with precise measurements.
Conceptual Framework

Independent
Variables

Intervening
Variables

Corn Cobs
Liquid

Water

Petroleum

current
Amount of

Oil
Weather

Hydrocarbon
Salt Water

Dependent
Variables

Corn Cobs

adsorbs oil
Petroleum is
less toxic

Review of Related Literature

Various studies related to corncobs as an absorbent for
oil spill have been conducted so for many of which are
partly similar to this study. The Gulf Study was conducted
on June 2010 as a feedback after the explosion of the Deep
Water

Horizon

drilling

Rig,

resulting

to

the

most

devastating oil spill in the United States. The Gulf study

aims to determine both physical and mental effects (Sandler,
2010) and the long-term effects. (Petri, 2015) Both studies
are gathering information as a benefit for the public to be
more aware of the dangers of health and the environment by
hazardous substances when not managed properly. (LaGrega et
al., 2010)
Similar studies had created solutions with the use of
image processing and computer vision (Radhika & Padmavathi,
2011) such as the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) an image
segmentation which is already used for medical purposes and
detects floating oil on the surface (Hess et al., 2013) to
permit

effective

environment.

satellite

(Bhogle

&

surveillance

Patil,

2012)

in

the

marine

Desulphurization

of

liquid fuels by adsorption with the use of mineral clays

(Shakirullah et al., 2012)

According to the International Tanker Owners Pollution

Federation (ITOPF), the effects of an oil spill will depend
on a variety of factors including the quantity and type of
oil spilled, (Fingas, 2012) and how it affects the marine
environment. The other key factors include the biological
and

ecological

attributes

of

the

area;

the

ecological

significance of key species and their interaction with oil

pollution as well as the time of year. (ITOPF, 2010) The
similarities of the studies are that both have intervening
variables, including the type of oil that has been spilled
to the body of water and on how the chemical substance to be
used interacts with the marine environment.
Oceanic oil spills became a major environmental problem
in the 1960s, mainly as a result of transporting more than
500,000 metric tons of oil. (Britannica, 2015)

It

doesnt look like its going to be catastrophic. But that

doesnt mean theres not going to be a damage, said Pete
Raimond of the University of California Santa Cruz (The
Guardian, 2015)
Corncobs have been used as oil absorbent after the
wreckage of a ship, releasing 220,000 tons of heavy crude
oil

in

Recovery

1978.
I

Adria

Inc.,

Brown,

has

founder

developed

of

Browns

product

cold

Company,
Golden

Retriever that is experimented to absorb oil from water.

(Siegel, 2010) The development of the study is stated to be
economical for its use of dried corncobs that have gone
through a process for agricultural uses and is very useful
for

cleanups

since

it

is

buoyant

and

while

adsorption

occurs, it remain afloat. (Harrison, 2010) Adria Brown said

she has about 34,000 tons of properly dried material to help
the system of waste management (Czarnik, 2010) and the oil
soaked corn cobs could either be burned for fuel or the oil
from the corn cob is separated from the corn cob for future
use. (Walker, 2010)
In a study where the absorbents being experimented are
coconut husks and corncobs, aims to compare the absorption
capability of coconut husk, grounded and ungrounded corn cob
and also to discover which of the absorbents is more capable
and effective at removing oil from the water. The outcome
indicated that the surface area is a factor in absorption.
(Omoniyi et al., 2012) The difference of both the studies is
that the independent variable of the study is grounded and
ungrounded corn cob while the researchers variable to be
used are corncobs on their natural state.
An experiment was performed with crude oil and its
fraction only and a mixture of crude oil and its fraction on

water. The result of the study reveals that the synthetic

absorbent mat absorbed oil more than the corn cob and it did
not absorb water while absorbing the oil while the corn cob
did. (Kelli et al., 2013)
According to Fox News, in the latest oil spill, workers
shoveled tar balls that were carried away for disposal. They
had to be careful not to disturb populations of Westering
Snowy Plovers that were in the middle of their breeding
season. (Associated Press, 2015) The abundant production of
aquatic organisms in aquaculture depends on its environment
but those organisms live in water and the environmental
problem

is

water

quality

(Boyd

&

Tucker,

2012)

and

groundwater quality (Nwachukwu & Osuagwu, 2014)

An

article

entitled

Novel

Sustainable

Oil

Spill

Control Technology revise oil spill control techniques, its

components

and

disadvantages.

chemicals,
(Al-majed

et

and

their

advantages

al.,

2012)

The

study

and
also

suggests natural sorbents which may also be an indicator of

the level of air pollution (Sandu et al., 2012) and on soil.
(Gonzlez et al., 2010) The spill of crude oil affect the
factors: nutrients, soil type, humidity, temperature, pH,
the

type

and

the

metabolism

of

the

microorganisms,

(Pecingin & Crn, 2013) chemical properties and plant

composition. (Tanee & Albert, 2015)
Similarly, a study in the Philippines about a massive
oil spill at the Guimaras Strait Philippines studies the
effect of the oil spill on the lifestyle of the fishermen in
the

coasts

(Aliren,

2013)

and

marine

sanctuaries

and

mangrove expanses. (AGODRAOSC, 2013) The coastal villages

were told to put oil spill booms made from bamboo poles and
other sorbents. (Burgos Jr., 2014) Similarly, this study
provides

basic

information

about

the

effects

of

an

oil

spill.
A report entitled Oil Spill in Entancia by the Joint
United

Nations

humanitarian

Environment

response

network

Programme

(UNEP)

coordinated

by

and
the

the

United

Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

(OCHA), most of the spilled oil was washed at the shores of
the Estancia during the height of typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan),
the

containment

booms

deployed

are

not

sufficient

to

effectively contain all of the free phase oil in the water.

(UN et al., 2013)

Chapter 2
Methodology

Sampling
In this study, the researcher gathered adsorbent entire
corncobs, crude oil and simulated saltwater. The researcher
gathered adsorbent entire corn cobs in their natural state
without the need of an expensive process or costly process
to turn the corn cobs in granular form. The researcher
gathered ten (10) dry corn cobs. The corn cobs used is the
sweet kind (Zea Saccharata or Zea Rugosa). The researcher
visited a farmland where freshly-harvested sweet corn is
produced

and

as

gathered,

it

is

placed

on

basin

and

labeled. The oil gathered is used oil or crude oil where the
researcher visited a gasoline station to get 2 liters of
crude oil or used oil and then placed in a closed container.
The water used is salt water. The researcher will made a
salt water simulation. Since water at standard conditions
weighs 1000 grams/liter then we can say that sea water has

35g of salt per liter. (OPENROV, 2014) 5 liters of water was

used in each 3 containers so, each container with 5 liters
of water are mixed with 75 grams of salt.
Treatment Proper
The corncobs were labeled as corncob A, B, C ... J. The
researcher

weighed

the

corncobs

on

weighing

scale

to

determine their current weight before the experiment will be

done. After weighing and recording the corncobs current
weight, the corncobs were dropped 2 feet above from the
container. The basins were also labeled as container A, B,
and C. Three corncobs were dropped on each basin 2 feet
above

and

observed

for

1-

hours.

While

observing,

recording was currently done. After recording observations,

corncobs A, B, and C were retrieved by using plastic gloves.

Data Gathering
Corncobs A, B, and C were carefully weighed on the
weighing scale. The researcher recorded the number of grams
of

each

corn

cob

after

they

were

retrieved

from

the

containers. The weight of the oil-absorbed corncobs were

compared to their weight before the experiment was done. The

researcher did experiment three times for the researcher to

know that the experiment wasnt done by chance.

Data Analysis
The researcher then compared and contrasted the outcome
of the controlled and experimental group by using the table
below:

Trials

Weight of
corn cobs
before
experiment

Weight of
corn cobs
after the
experiment

Weight of
coconut
husk
fibers
before
experiment

Weight of
coconut
husk
fibers
after
experiment

W grams

X grams

Y grams

Z grams

W grams

X grams

Y grams

Z grams

W grams

X grams

Y grams

Z grams

Table 1.0 The weight of each group before and after the
experiment began
The researcher used T-test on the significance of the
difference between two correlated means. The null hypothesis
was: There is no significant difference on the potential of
corncobs as an oil adsorbent. The alternative hypothesis
was: There is a significant difference in the potential of
the corncobs as an oil adsorbent. The significant level or

the alpha level used is 5%, the degree of freedom used will
be N 1 which is 2 and the test used was one-tailed. In
solving the test, first done was to compute the mean of
group 1 (X1) and group 2 (X2):

x 1=

X 1 147.91
=
=49.30
N1
3

x 2=

X 2 214.36
=
=71.45
N2
3
X1 and X2 are the summation of the data in each group

while N symbolizes the number of trials and

is the

mean. The summation of the group 1 was divided by the number

of trials which was also done for group 2. Next was to
compute the standard error (S) of the difference between
means:

x 1x 2=

x1
2

][

( X 1 )2
( X 2 )2
+ x2
N1
N2
N 1 + N 22
2

][

1 1
+
N1 N2

Then compute for the t or the calculated value:

t =

( x1 x2 ) ( 12 )
S x 1x 2

The tabulated value the researcher used to compare the

computed value is 2.776. If the computed value is greater
than

the

tabulated

value

then

accept

the

alternative

hypothesis and reject the null hypothesis. If the tabulated

value is greater than the computed value, accept the null
hypothesis and reject the alternative hypothesis. Whatever
the answer computed may be, it will be written as the final
answer.

Disposal
The researcher used a separating funnel to separate the
oil from the water that has been used.

The oil that has

been separated from the water was used as an extra oil or

oil for the car or any machinery at home. The water that has
been

separated

was

poured

over

the

plants

in

the

researchers home. The experimented corncobs and coir are

burned for fuel or separated for future use.

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APPENDICES
Appendix A

Statistical Tool
T - test
H0

There

is

no

significant

difference

between

the

adsorption of oil by corn cobs and coconut husk fibers

H1

There

is

significant

difference

between

adsorption of oil by corn cobs and coconut husk fibers

Level of significance: = 0.05
X1

X12

X2

X22

50

2,500

73.21

5,359.70

47.91

2,295.37

70

4,900

50

2,500

71.15

5,062.32

the

X12 =
7,295.37

X1 = 147.91

X22 =
15,322.2

X2 = 214.36

Table 2.3:
a. Computing the mean of group 1 (X1)and group 2 (X2)

x 1=

X 1 147.91
=
=49.30
N1
3

x 2=

X 2 214.36
=
=71.45
N2
3

b. Computing the standard error of the difference between

means
S

x 1x 2=

x1
2

][

( X 1 )2
( X 2 )2
+ x2
N1
N2
N 1 + N 22
2

[ [

7,295.377,292.45 ] + [ 15,322.215,316.73 ] 2
4
3

[ [

2.92 ] + [ 5.47 ] 2
4
3

7,295.37

][

21,877.36
45,950.20
+ 15,322.2
3
3
3+32

][

][ ]

][ ]

1 1
+
3 3

][

1
1
+
N1 N2

[ ][ ]
8.39
4

2.09

2
3

[]
2
3

[ ][ ]
2.09
1

2
3

1.39
1.180

C. Computing for t

t =

( x1 x2 ) ( 12 )
S x 1x 2

( 49.3071.45 ) 0
1.180

22.15
1.180

18.77

Finding the critical value or the tabular value of t.

df = 4

= 0.05

ttab = 2.776
Since the tcalc is greater than the ttab, reject the null
hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis.
H1

There

is

significant

difference

between

the

adsorption of oil by corn cobs and coconut husk fibers

Raw Result

Trials

Weight of
corn cobs
before
experiment

Weight of
corn cobs
after the
experiment

Weight of
coconut
husk
fibers
before
experiment

Weight of
coconut
husk
fibers
after
experiment

125

250

75

280

125

240

75

250

125

250

75

260

Table 2.3 : The weight of each group before and after the
experiment began in grams.

Appendix B