The Effect of Cilantro Preparation Method on Contaminant Removal and Flow Rate in a Gravity-Based Water Filtration Syste

Overview

Access to clean drinking water remains a major global public health challenge, particularly in developing regions where affordable filtration systems are limited. In parts of northern India, often referred to as the “Cancer Belt”, long-term exposure to contaminated groundwater has been associated with increased health risks. Limited access to advanced treatment infrastructure in these regions highlights the need for low-cost and locally accessible water purification solutions. Motivated by this issue, this study investigated whether cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) could serve as a low-cost, plant-based biosorbent to remove contaminants from polluted water. In addition, the experiment compared different physical forms of cilantro to determine which morphology provided the most effective filtration. Three cilantro morphologies—fresh chopped, dried and chopped, and powdered—were tested in two experimental setups: fixed mass (same quantity of cilantro) and fixed bed depth (same cilantro height). Each gravity-based filter contained gravel and sand for support, with cilantro acting as the main filtration medium. A sand-and-gravel-only control was first tested to establish a baseline. A synthetic pollutant solution was prepared using distilled water, kaolin clay, calcium chloride, and methylene blue to simulate turbidity, dissolved solids, and organic contamination. Water quality was measured across three trials using turbidity, organic R-value, total dissolved solids (TDS), hardness, pH, and flow rate. Results showed that powdered cilantro achieved the highest adsorption of contaminants but significantly reduced flow rate due to increased resistance within the filter. Fresh cilantro maintained the highest flow rate but showed lower contaminant removal efficiency. The dried morphology provided the best balance between contaminant reduction and hydraulic performance. Overall, the results support the hypothesis that cilantro can function as an effective biosorbent for water treatment. While not all dissolved contaminants were removed equally, significant improvements in turbidity and organic content were observed. These findings suggest that cilantro-based filtration may offer a practical and low-cost supplementary treatment option for contaminated drinking water.

Competition history

• CSEF 2026 Environmental Engineering (Senior Division) · Entry S-11-41

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