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Table V
Test Results of Water Samples
Parameter Unit Water Samples
Unfiltered Filter 1 Filter 2
pH - 6.98 6.87 8.88
(Class I) (Class I) (Class I)
TSS mg/l 83 17 22
(Class III) (Class I) (Class I)
COD mg/l 47 22 20
(Class III) (Class II) (Class II)
Oil & Grease (O&G) mg/l 1920 44 44

Table VI shows the percentage reduction of the water samples. The percentage reduction was
calculated to get the efficiency of the filters.

Table VI
Percentage of Reduction
Parameter % Reduction
Filter 1 Filter 2
pH 1.6 -27.0
TSS 79.5 73.5
COD 53.0 57.5
Oil & Grease (O&G) 97.7 97.7

Results from Table V and Table VI show that filter 1 and filter 2 have the same efficiency of 97.7% in
removing oil and grease. Both filters have efficiently reduced the oil and grease content from 1920
mg/l to 44 mg/l. However, the value is still fall short from meeting the 5 mg/l required value given by
the guideline [11]. Perhaps, a second filtration may help to reduce further the O&G value to meet the
requirement. The unfiltered sample is slightly acidic with a pH value of 6.98. After filtration, pH
value of filter 1 and filter 2 samples are 6.87 and 8.88 respectively. The pH value of samples from
filter 1 is more acidic whilst from filter 2 is more alkali. Total suspended solid was reduced from 83
mg/l in unfiltered sample to 17 mg/l in Filter 1 and 22 mg/l in Filter 2 samples (see Table 5). The
initial value of COD is 47 mg/l; after treatment, the value for filter 1 is 22 mg/l and filter 2 is 20 mg/l.
The percentage of oil and grease decrease by 98%, while COD and TSS decreased by 57% and 73%,
and pH increased by 27% respectively.

Conclusion and Recommendation
This study has shown that banana fiber has a potential to be used as an adsorbing medium for a
removal of oil and grease in wastewater. Filter 1 is effective in the removal of suspended solids and
oil and grease but slightly lower performance in the COD removal of the wastewater compared to
filter 2. Filter 2 shows higher pH than filter 1 probably due to calcium carbonate. However further
investigations is needed on performance of banana fiber as an absorbent to achieve higher percentage
of removal for oil and grease to satisfy Design Effluent Values [11]. A repeat or second filtration is
recommended to be tested to achieve the required O&G removal.

References
[1] I. A. F. Husain, F. Alkhatib, M. S. Jammi, M. E. S. Mirghani, Z. Bin Zainudin, and A. Hoda,
“Problems , Control , and Treatment of Fat , Oil , and Grease ( FOG ): A Review,” vol. 752, no. 8, pp.
747–752, 2014.
[2] A. M. Z. Alade A. O., Jameel A.T., Muyubi S. A., Abdul Karim M. I., “Removal of Oil and
Grease As Emerging Pollutants of Concern ( Epc ) in Wastewater Stream,” IIUM Eng. J., vol. 12, no.
4, pp. 161–169, 2011.
[3] S. J. Kulkarni, “An Insight into Oil and Grease Removal from Wastewater from Petroleum and
Refinery Industries,” vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 12–15, 2016.