From biomass to clean water: Sustainable integration of low cost ceramic membranes for peat water treatment

This study investigated the application of low cost ceramic membranes produced from rice husk, bamboo, palm shell, coconut shell and empty fruit bunches (EFB) for the treatment of peat water.Ceramic membranes were produced by mixing biomass-derived activated carbon, clay, and iron powder, followed by sintering at 900 °C.The membranes were analyzed using SEM, EDS, XRD, and TGA, demonstrating advantageous thermal stability, mechanical strength, and selectivity.On the basis of the characterization results, the EFB membrane demonstrating the most favorable performance was selected for evaluation in peat water treatment.Filtration experiments demonstrated that the ceramic membranes generated from EFB markedly enhanced water quality, decreasing TDS from 549 mg/L to 170.1 mg/L, turbidity from 8.52 NTU to 2.65 NTU, and color from 64.8 TCU to 8.3 TCU, all conforming to clean water requirements.Subsequent to polishing, the water quality conformed to drinking water regulations, with TDS diminished to 27.9 mg/L, turbidity to 1.50 NTU, and color to 5.3 TCU, while E. coli and coliforms were eradicated.Furthermore, the concentrations of Fe and Mn were diminished by more than 98%.The pH was effectively modified from 4.41 to 7.2, making the water suitable for ingestion.The findings suggest that EFB-based ceramic membranes offer a sustainable and cost-effective alternative for decentralized water treatment in peatland environments.This research advances the circular economy by employing agricultural waste, offering an innovative and scalable alternative for the production of clean and potable water in rural areas with restricted access to safe water.