“The Potential of Calcium Carbonate from Mussel Shell (Perna canaliculus) as pH level
neutralizer of the Laterite soil in Claver, Surigao del Norte”
A Research Study Presented to the Faculty of
CARAGA REGIONAL SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL
San Juan, Surigao City
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the
Regional Science Senior High School Curriculum
School Year 2019-2020
__________________________________________________________
JOSE EULO L. NAVIDAD
HAZEL JOYCE B. CRUIZ
SHIELA MAY C. SAJOL
11-Rutherford
Researchers
__________________________________________________________________
Louredil F. Longos
Research Adviser
March 2020
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, the researchers would like to thank God for His spiritual guidance and
for giving them the patience, strength and persistence they need in order to go through with the
study despite the hardships and challenges.
This research study wouldn’t be made possible without the significant contributions of
other people. Thus, the researchers would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the
following:
To Mrs. Louredil F. Longos, for being patient to guide and support the researchers
throughout their study.
To our dear parents, and to all family members involved who were always there for us
and have been, all this time, very supportive. Without them, this study would have never been a
success.
To the authors of the books and the authors of such different websites in the internet that
we have used during this study, we really appreciate the efforts and the things that you have
given meaning to.
To all the fellowmen, who serve as my inspiration and source of courage and made this
study possible, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING and may God bless us always!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE …………………………………………………………………………… i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ……………………………………………………………… ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ……………………………………………………………… ..iii
LIST OF TABLES iv
LIST OF FIGURES v
Chapter 1 THE PROBLEM AND THE REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Background of the Study ………………………………………………… 1
Review of Related Literature ……………………………………………..3
Conceptual Framework ………………………………………………… 6
Statement of the Problem ……………………………………………… 7
Significance of the Study ………………………………………………… 7
Scope and Limitation….………………………………………………… 7
Definition of Terms ………………………………………………………..7
Chapter 2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Methodology …………………………………………………….9
Research Design ……………………………………………………………9
Research Environment …………………………………………………… 9
Research Procedure ……………………………………………………… 9
BIBLIOGRAPHY ………………………………………………………………. .10
LIST OF TABLE
Figures Page
LIST OF FIGURES
Figures Page
1
Chapter I
THE PROBLEM AND THE REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The Philippine green mussel (Perna viridis), also known as “tahong”, is a bivalve
belonging to the family Mytilidae which widely distributed in the Asia-Pacific region. Mussel
shells are consider as waste and usually dump in landfields or are incinerated once the mussel’s
meats consumed. Green mussel shell are not valued by people as they have valued other mussel
shells for their beauty as ornaments (Musico,, 2010).
Tons of solid wastes are generated in the Philippines due also to the contribution of green
mussel shells. The mussels may clog water pipes and accumulate boat hulls, piling buoys and
man made structure. It may also clog crab traps and clam culture bags making the commercial
harvest of these native species more difficult (DeVictor and Knott, UNDATED). There is
a high content of calcium carbonate in mussel and it has several uses. Mussel shell contains
calcium carbonate (from 95 per cent to 99 per cent of the shell weight) and small amounts of
nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, all of which are beneficial to the soil
and plant life. Medicinally, it can be used as an inexpensive calcium supplement, antacid, and/or
phosphate binder. It has also wide application in construction industry and wide range of trade.
Calcium carbonate can also be used as additives and some other application (Dinsdale, 2012).
Green mussel shells can be utilized into something usable by taking advantage of their
inherent calcium carbonate. Consuming calcium carbonate from green mussel shells in wide
range of applications contributes in solid waste minimization. These possibilities are also based
on proper characterization of green mussel shells.
Fertilizers are simply plant nutrients applied to agricultural fields to supplement required
elements found naturally in the soil. A fertilizer is any material of natural or synthetic origin that
is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth
of plants. Many sources of fertilizer exist, both natural and industrially produced.
Its undisputable riches in minerals prove that the agricultural production and sustaining of
plant growth is low due to lack of essential nutrients that plants need in order to grow which are
(N) Nitrogen, (P) Phosphorus and (K) Potassium. The acidity level of the lateritic soil is high
compared to the usual garden soil, which indicated that the laterite has lesser calcium which is
one of the essential nutrient needed by plants to grow strong cellular structures.
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Researchers aims to use mussel shells to develop fertilizer for it has a component of
calcium carbonate which helps in neutralizing the pH level of laterite soil and to supply calcium
(Ca) for plant nutrition.
Review of Related Literature
Removal of dissolved humic acid from water by coagulation method using polyaluminum
chloride (PAC) with calcium carbonate as neutralizer and coagulant aid
According to Ryou Sudoh, Md Saiful Islam, Kazuto Sazawa, Takuya Okazaki, Noriko
Hata, Shigeru Taguchi, Hideki Kuramitz, Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 3 (2),
770-774, 2015. Coagulation experiments were performed to find out the optimum coagulant and
alkaline chemical for the removal of humic acid (HA) from environmental water. This research
clearly indicates the effectiveness of coagulation method using polyaluminum chloride (PAC)
with calcium carbonate as neutralizer and coagulant aid to remove HA. The removal of HA was
evaluated from absorbance at 260 nm and concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The
highest removal ratio was found to be 96.6% for the absorbance of HA and 91.6% for DOC
concentration when 30 mg/L of PAC with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) was used as an alkaline
reagent. In this method, the sludge volume (SV) was reduced about half compared with the PAC
method using NaOH as neutralizer. Ca2+ which is derived from CaCO3 makes HA colloid size
bigger and easier to form flocks because of the compression in the electrical double layer (EDL)
between HA colloids. The adsorption of HA onto porous CaCO3 particles also plays an
important role. Effect of slag and calcium carbonate addition on the development of geopolymer
from indurated laterite According to Patrick N Lemougna, Kai-tuo Wang, Qing Tang, E Kamseu,
N Billong, U Chinje Melo, Xue-min Cui, Applied Clay Science 148, 109-117, 2017. This paper
reports the development of inorganic polymers from laterite, for a potential use at least as non-
load bearing building materials. The effect of blending laterite with Ground Granulated Blast
Furnace Slag (GGBS) and calcite (CaCO3) was investigated. Laterite was substituted by calcite
at 2 to 20% in mass and by GGBS at 5 to 50% in mass. X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform
Infrared spectroscopy and differential thermal analysis evidenced the presence of kaolinite,
hematite, and quartz minerals in the laterite. Sodium silicate solutions of modulus ranging from
1.6 to 2.2 were used to prepare inorganic polymers from laterite that had been thermally treated
at 700 °C. The strength increased with the reduction of the modulus of the activating solution,
achieving a 28 days maximum compressive strength of 36 MPa at 25 °C. The substitution of
laterite by calcite was found to have little effect on the compressive strength meanwhile the
substitution of laterite by slag was beneficial for strength development, mainly from 20%
substitution, achieving a 28 days compressive strength of 65 MPa at 50% slag. Mercury Intrusion
Porosity and Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis evidenced a better refinement in
microstructure with slag addition in the system. The results of compressive strength were found
to be in agreement with ASTM C216–17 standard for building bricks, suggesting a potential
interest for the valorization of laterite and blended laterite/slag in the development of at least
non-load bearing building materials, using geopolymer technology.
From waste to commodity: transforming shells into high purity calcium carbonate
According to MC Barros, PM Bello, M Bao, JJ Torrado Journal of Cleaner Production 17
(3), 400-407, 2010. A facility that manages mainly mussel shell waste as input in its productive
process is considered. A comprehensive detailed description and analysis of the process
developed, as well as their environmental aspects associated are described. The procedure
performed is an eco-friendly solution to the problem of disposal of the shell by-products, since
turning waste into a high value-added product like calcium carbonate is enabled. Chemical
analysis and diverse applications of the final product obtained are presented. Finally, clean
production and pollution control measures adopted by the company have been recorded in order
to ensure that waste is recovered using processes or methods without endangering human health
or harming the environment.
Bringing nutrients from sea to land - Mussels as fertiliser from a life cycle perspective
According to Spångberg, Johanna & Jönsson, Håkan & Tidåker, Pernilla. (2013). Journal
of Cleaner Production. 51. 234–244. Mussels can be used as fertiliser in organic farming,
particularly on stockless farms, which need external nutrients but have limited access to fertiliser
products. Mussels are filter feeders and accumulate nutrients bound in e.g. phytoplankton. When
harvested and used onshore, their accumulated nutrients are removed from the water, thus
decreasing eutrophication. This LCA study assessed the environmental impact of mussel farming
on the Swedish coast of the Baltic Sea for subsequent use as agricultural fertiliser. The functional
unit was related to the agronomic value of the mussels, including plant-available nitrogen,
phosphorus and liming effect. Flow of cadmium to soil was also assessed. In one scenario the
mussels were composted and in another they were inertly stored to avoid nitrogen losses and
other emissions from storage. Use of mussels on agricultural land fulfils three functions:
fertilisation, liming and a reduction in eutrophication. The results clearly showed the importance
of integrated assessment of these three functions. Due to significant nitrogen losses from the
composting process, the compost scenario resulted in a higher impact on acidification, global
warming potential and energy use than the inert storage scenario. Alternative techniques to
composting for handling mussels should thus be developed, for example direct use of the
mussels as fertiliser without prior storage, or inert storage. Energy use was strongly related to
production of materials for mussel cultivation, so choice and life length of materials is important
when introducing mussel farming. The cadmium content of mussels is relatively high, but they
often supply less cadmium to the field than the fertiliser and liming products they replace.
Reducing eutrophication by cultivating mussels for fertiliser proved more energy-efficient than
reducing eutrophication in wastewater treatment plants.
Promoting sustainability in the mussel industry: mussel shell recycling to fight fluoride
pollution
According to Ana Quintáns-Fondo, Gustavo Ferreira-Coelho, Remigio Paradelo-Núñez,
Juan Carlos Nóvoa-Muñoz, Manuel Arias-Estévez, María J Fernández-Sanjurjo, Esperanza
Álvarez-Rodríguez, Avelino Núñez-Delgado Journal of cleaner production 131, 485-490, 2016.
Taking into account a background situation where some industrial activities greatly influence
fluoride pollution, while other industries generate by-products that could be effective as fluoride
bio-sorbents, and bearing in mind sustainability and environmental concern, batch-type
experiments were performed to study fluoride sorption/desorption on individual (un-amended)
and mussel shell-amended soils and materials. Specifically, the research focused on a forest soil,
a vineyard soil, pyritic material, granitic material, and ground mussel shell, as well as on both
soils and the pyritic and granitic materials amended with mussel shell. The main findings of the
research indicate that the shell amendment clearly increased fluoride sorption in the pyritic
material (reaching more than 90%), showing no effect as regards fluoride desorption from this
material. The amendment caused a slight increase in fluoride sorption on forest soil, as well as a
slight decrease in fluoride desorption from it. The un-amended vineyard soil and the un-amended
granitic material had lower fluoride-retention capacity than the forest soil and pyritic material,
and it did not change after amending with mussel shell. The mussel shell by itself showed the
lowest fluoride-retention potential among the tested materials. As a conclusion, and focusing on
applicability, these results can be useful to program the correct use of mussel shell amendment
on soils and even on degraded environments with the aim of increasing fluoride retention or
removal, thus decreasing risk of environmental pollution due to excessive fluoride concentrations
in solid and/or liquid media, also facilitating recycling, sustainability and cleaner production in
the mussel shell industry.
6
Conceptual Framework
Experimental Set-up
Number of shells in particular
sample size
Dependent Variable
pH level of Laterite soil
7
Statement of the Problem
This study aims to prove the effectiveness of Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) found in mussel shells
in neutralizing the pH level of the soil in Claver, Surigao Del Norte, for it to become beneficial
for plants. Specifically, this study aims to seek the answers of the following questions:
1. How much is this study going to cost?
2. Will Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) able to neutralize the acidity level of soil?
3. Is there a significant difference among the number of shells?
4. Determine the quantity of pulverized shells needed in a given soil sample.
Significance of the Study
With an economical point of view, the effectiveness of mussel shells as pH level
neutralizers of soil in Claver, Surigao Del Norte can help in reducing the release of funds by the
local government and the neutralized soil will be used as an expansion for the plantation of any
plants that may help boost our economic state.
The students of this generation are given the opportunity to use and further develop their
skills such as critical thinking, logic, design, technology, information, and analysis that are
applied in finding alternative factors and ways to obtain beneficial researches.
Scope and Limitation of the Study
This study entitled “The potential of calcium carbonate from Mussel Shell (Perna
canaliculus) as pH level neutralizer of the soil in Claver, Surigao del Norte” focuses the plant
growth in laterite soil using the potential of calcium carbonate from the mussel shell. The soil
will be taken in Claver, Surgao del Norte. The researchers will gather the variables and will
conduct the experimentation of this study in Surigao City.
Definition of Terms
To facilitate better understanding of the study, the following terms are defined according
to its operational use:
Mussel shell- protect mussels from predators and support the soft tissue found inside.
Calcium carbonate- is a chemical compound and widely used amendment to neutralize soil
acidity and to supply calcium (Ca) for plant nutrition.
8
pH – is a scale that measures the acidity of a substance.
Laterite soil– is abundant in iron and aluminium which makes it acidic and can affect the growth
of the plant.
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Chapter II
METHODOLOGY
This chapter includes the processes in conducting this research. In more details, in this
part the researchers will present the research method, the methods of data collection, and the
research process.
Research Design
A quantitative approach will be followed. Burns and Grove (1993:777) define
quantitative research as a formal, objective, systematic process to describe and test relationships
and examine cause and effect interactions among variables. Surveys may be used for descriptive,
explanatory and exploratory research.
The study entitled “The potential of calcium carbonate from Mussel Shell (Perna
canaliculus) as pH level neutralizer of the soil in Claver, Surigao del norte” uses experimental
method. Experimental method of research provides systematic and logical method of answering
questions and objectives of the study under carefully controlled conditions. Experiments
manipulate stimuli, treatments or environmental conditions and observe how the condition or
behavior of the subject is affected or changed.
The researchers believe that the use of experimental method is the most suitable method
for it provides the best application for setting up variables and relationship among all as well as
the results in the efficacy of calcium carbonate from Mussel Shell (Perna canaliculus) as pH
level neutralizer of the soil in Claver, Surigao del Norte.
Research Environment
The collection of soil sample is to be held at the area of _ Claver, Surigao del norte.
Mussel shells will be collected at the seafoods restaurants in surigao [Link] sample will be
collected, tested, and observed under the care of the researchers.
Research Procedure
Gather the laterite soil that will be taken in Claver, Surigao del Norte
Gather all the materials needed and conduct the experimentation method
Observe the pH level of the soil 10
Determine if the mussel shell is capable in decreasing the pH level of the laterite soil
Bibliography
[Link], [Link], "From waste to commodity: transforming shells into high purity
calcium carbonate." Journal of Cleaner Production. Volume 17, Issue 3, (February 2010): 400-
407. [Link]
[Link]ångberga, [Link]åkerb, "Bringing nutrients from sea to land – mussels as fertiliser from a life
cycle perspective." Journal of Cleaner Production. Volume 51, (15 July 2013): 234-244.
[Link]
Ana Quintáns-F., Avelino Núñez-D., "Promoting sustainability in the mussel industry: mussel
shell recycling to fight fluoride pollution." Journal of Cleaner Production. Volume 131, (10
September 2016): 485-490. [Link]
Ryou S., Hideki K., "Removal of dissolved humic acid from water by coagulation method using
polyaluminum chloride (PAC) with calcium carbonate as neutralizer and coagulant aid." Journal
of Environmental Chemical Engineering. Volume 3, Issue 2, (June 2015): 770-774.
[Link]
Patrick N.L., Xue-min C., "Effect of slag and calcium carbonate addition on the development of
geopolymer from indurated laterite." Applied Clay Science. Volume 148, (November 2017):
109-117. [Link]
Yvonne M., "The Potential of Calcium Carbonate from Philippine Green Mussel Shells as
Extender in the Manufacture of Flat Latex Paints." TIP Research Journal Quezon City. vol. 4, no.
1: (2010). [Link]
