PHILIPPINE ACADEMY OF SAKYA (DAVAO) INC.

Back Part of Long Hua Temple, J.P. Cabaguio Ave.,

Rivera Village, Bajada, Davao City

UTILIZING BANANA PSEUDO-STEM SAP AND ACTIVATED CHARCOAL AS AN

ALTERNATIVE INK

A Capstone Project submitted

Work Immersion

Presented to

JUMARIE JAN E. RANEZ

Work Immersion Teacher

By

Aringo, Christine J.
Bacasnot, Felmie B.
Cayetano, Angel D.
Cerna, Princes Ledely C.
Cordero, Leah Nathalie A.
Dalire, Mia M.
Guerrero, Hannah C.
Pantillo, Chunsy L.
Peligrino, Marie Allysa T.
Pepito, Bea Bianca P.
Quintanilla, Angela May C.
Rebosura, Junel Vince D.
Sajili, Darhyll Jake M.

May 2023

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 Acknowledgment

Table of Contents

Page

Title Page i

Table of Contents ii

List of Tables iii

List of Figures iv

Abstract v

CHAPTER

1. Introduction

Purpose of the Study

Statement of the Problem/Research Objectives

Significance of the Study

2. Review of Related Literature/Study

Theoretical Basis

3. Project Description

Research Design

Research Locale

Participants of the Study

Procedural Description

Materials

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 4. Results and Discussions

Results

Discussion

Conclusions

Recommendations

Appendices

A. Curriculum Vitae

B. Documentation

List of Tables

ABSTRACT

This capstone project is a qualitative research-based science investigatory study.

The technique of inquiry for this study is experimental research within a qualitative

research design. The main goal of this study is to develop an alternative ink using

activated charcoal and banana pseudo-stem sap. This capstone project aimed to

create an alternative ink easily obtained by vulnerable groups who frequently use

pens to save money by using readily available, affordable, and recyclable materials.

Also, to reduce the environmental waste caused by banana pseudo-stem and fossil

fuels.

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 CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Ballpoint pen is a very convenient and valuable means of human life. Ballpoint

pen sticks with us from school to work. It can be said that a ballpoint pen is a close

friend who is intimately attached to us throughout life. It is used for various needs,

including writing, drawing, and printing. No doubt, one of the best ways of

communicating is through writing. But as much as we appreciate writing as an

effective means of communicating, we cannot ignore the instrument used to bring

the writing into reality. The ink of a pen is made up of some chemicals which are

toxic to the environment. When we think that we have exhausted the ink, there are

still traces here and there, which, when disposed of to the landfills, can leach into the

soil or even the groundwater and pollute it. This capstone project will accommodate

the vulnerable sectors. It will look into more cost-efficient, organic, and nature-

friendly ink using easily acquired and inexpensive materials, which can help the

vulnerable sectors look for more cost-efficient ink that is not harmful to the

environment.

According to Ideal Response (2022), ink and toner that are used in cartridges

are carcinogenic; they are considered to be hazardous materials that are harmful to

humans and the environment. The Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) (2023)

supported this claim in their article, saying that there is a misconception that ink is

harmless. However, ink can be hazardous and can cause headaches, skin rashes,

and damage to the nervous system. Many chemicals in inks can harm the

environment, the ozone layer, and groundwater. To combat this problem to some

degree, a cost-efficient alternative ink that uses less resources and can be readily

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available to even the poorest of the vulnerable sectors can be accomplished by

utilizing banana pseudo-stem sap and activated charcoal as ink.

The pseudo-stem is part of the banana plant that looks like a trunk that

provides and transports nutrients from the soil to the fruits. This pseudo-stem will be

cut and become waste biomass after the banana fruit is ripe and harvested because

the banana plant is unusable for the next harvest. For every ton of banana fruit

harvested, about 100 kg of the fruit is rejected (i.e., rotten fruit), and approximately 4

tons of biomass wastes (e.g., leaf, pseudo-stem, rotten fruit, peel, fruit-bunch-stem,

rhizome, etc.) are produced. This means, for every cycle of banana fruit production,

four times biomass wastes are also produced. Based on other literature, it can be

estimated that one hectare of the banana farm could produce approximately 220

tons of biomass waste. These wastes are usually disposed of by the farmer into

lakes and rivers or burned. The banana tree wastes, if not properly managed, can

cause problems to the environment because if they are dumped in wet conditions or

burned can produce greenhouse gas, which can cause harm to the environment

(Subagyo and Chafidz, 2018).

On a global scale, approximately one hectare of banana cultivation produces

about 220 tonnes of waste per year (Ingale et al., 2014). After harvest, almost 60%

of banana biomass is left as waste. Worldwide, about 114.08 million metric tons of

banana waste-loss are produced, leading to environmental problems such as the

excessive emission of greenhouse gases (Acevedo et al., 2021).

On a national scale, the Philippines is one of the world's top producers of

bananas and, therefore, one of the leading generators of banana fruit stalk wastes.

Dole (2022) stated that nearly 15 million bananas are grown in the Philippines yearly

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for consumers worldwide, but the banana stems are left behind. While some of the

stems are used to regenerate the soil they are grown in, more than 4.4 million

banana stems are wasted yearly.

On a local scale, the Banana Export Industry is not spread around the

country; instead, it is concentrated in Mindanao, the southernmost island among the

three main islands of the Philippine archipelago. In Mindanao alone, some 1.35

billion kilos of these stems are produced yearly and left in the fields to rot.

Purpose of the Study

This study aimed to use banana pseudo-stem sap and activated charcoal as

alternative ink. The uniqueness of this mechanism allowed the use of cheap and

recyclable materials, amounting to fewer resources used. Having a cost-efficient pen

ink did not only help reduce the expenses but was convenient and friendly to

vulnerable sectors, especially the environment, by reducing the environmental waste

of the banana pseudo-stem and fossil fuels.

Research Objectives

This section presented the aims of the capstone project. This summarized the

accomplishments the study worked to achieve:

• Promote science and education.

• Use banana pseudo-stem sap and activated charcoal as alternative ink.

• Create an alternative ink with cost-efficient materials.

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 • Introduce the method to vulnerable sectors and communities.

• Contribute to society and the STEM field.

Significance of the Study

This section presented the importance of the study for the broader scope,

including the target groups and their contributions. This study contributed to the

following target beneficiaries:

Students. The study benefits them as they are one of the many recipients

who can acquire knowledge and introduce them to STEM and its applications to

solve specific problems.

Companies. This study will also benefit the industry and the companies by

learning that there is a significant possibility that other natural resources can be used

as alternatives, not just for pens alone but for other products that use inks as well.

School Sector. This study benefitted the school sector in promoting research

for education and critical thinking.

Future Researchers and Innovators. This study benefitted future

researchers conducting a similar study with this as a basis.

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 CHAPTER 2

Review of Related Literature

This chapter presented the review of related literature, which is the review of

findings and knowledge of existing literature related to the study. This specifically

reviewed the literature on the variables involved in the study.

Banana Pseudo-stem Sap

Banana plants, which belong to the family of Musaceae, are native to the

Malaysia-Indonesian region of South-East Asia. Bananas are widely produced and

abundant natural resources in tropical and subtropical countries in the world. The

banana plants are considered one of the world’s most valuable plants. Almost all the

parts of this plant, for example, fruit, peel, leaf, pseudo-stem, stalk, and inflorescence

(flower), can be utilized. They are used in several food and non-food-related

applications, for example, as a thickener, colorant and flavoring, macro- and micro-

nutrient source, livestock feed, fibers, bioactive compound source, and organic

fertilizers. The banana pseudo-stem sap can be orally or externally applied for stings

and bites (Subagyo and Chafidz, 2018). Banana sap is used as a medium to dye

fabrics in Indonesia and the Philippines. The color of banana sap is brownish, and its

substance is on the materials well. Dried banana peel contains 30 to 40% tannin

content. The ash from the dried peel of bananas and plantains is rich in potash and

used for making soap. Burned peel of unripe fruits of certain varieties is used for

dyeing. In the Philippines, the Pinatubo Negritos cut off a banana plant close to the

ground and make a hollow in the top of the stump, which then fills with watery sap

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and is drank as an emergency thirst quencher. Central Americans obtain the juice of

the red banana in the same manner and take it as an aphrodisiac (Study Moose,

2016). BPS has been used as an active ingredient for natural dye, mordant, UV

protective, and flame-retardant formulations. Connected with the mordanting action

of BPS on the cotton fabric, the 50% BPS (mordant) was combined with the 50% B.

micratha (natural dye) to get a level-deep brown shade on the cotton textile (Basak

et al., 2016). Banana pseudo-stem sap has tannin that can be used for dye fixation.

Also, tannin is a molecule that binds proteins and organic compounds. It binds with

the paper because it is made from the bark of a tree, which makes them an organic

compound (Barhanpurkar et al., 2015).

Activated Charcoal

According to Healthline (2021), activated charcoal is a black, odorless,

flavorless powder that has been used since ancient times to treat various ailments.

QQ Studio (2023) states that charcoal is an old method of cloth dying that dates

back to when poor peasants in medieval Europe dyed their cloth black using the ash

and charcoal from cooking fires. Lallensack (2019) added that Ink is a powerful

medium to connect with people. A book has black ink. In art, you use black ink.

Fashion and textiles use black ink. The technical term for the substance is “carbon

black,” another term for charcoal, and it is the powder that remains after burning coal

or oil. Hughes (2023) also stated that activated charcoal is a highly porous form of

carbon with a unique ability to absorb toxins, making it an excellent choice for

various DIY projects. With the right ingredients and effort, you can make vibrant ink

from activated charcoal that can be used to add a unique finishing touch to any

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project. From creating beautiful calligraphy to adding a special touch to paintings,

activated charcoal ink offers much to any crafting enthusiast.

Ink Vehicle

Ink Vehicle is the liquid component of ink that holds the colorant and binds it

to the substrate after drying. The vehicle is the carrier element, where the carrier in a

label carries the adhesive and face material until the label is applied to a substrate.

The car in ink facilitates the use of colorants by carrying the pigment or dye until it is

applied to a surface (Label Planet, 2019). The vehicle responsible for transferring the

coloring ingredients from the ink fountain to the typeform can be either a vegetable

base (linseed, rosin, or wood oils), which dries by penetration and oxidation and at

the same time ensures fixation or a solvent base derived from kerosene, in which

case drying takes place by evaporation (Britannica, 2023).

Coloring Agent

According to Britannica (2023), the coloring agents come in several forms:

pigments, which are fine, solid particles manufactured from chemicals, generally

insoluble in water and only slightly soluble in solvents; agents made from chemicals

but soluble both in water and in solvents; and lacquers, obtained by fixing a coloring

agent on powdered aluminum. Colorants or coloring agents are the dyes, pigments,

or substance that imparts color used by cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and food

industries to achieve the desired quality of their final products. They come in powder,

paste, and gel and can either be produced synthetically or naturally (Studious Guy,

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2023). Orion Engineered Carbons (OEC) (2021) denotes carbon black as the most

widely-used pigment for making black printing inks. Compared to other coloring and

tinting materials, carbon black provides higher efficiency and excellent fastness

against light, temperature, and various chemical substances.

The researchers have chosen to utilize the banana pseudo-stem sap as an

ink vehicle as it contains tannin, which can bind protein and organic compounds, and

the pigment from the activated charcoal as the coloring agent. Banana pseudo-stem

has proved beneficial to people in the sectors of health, medicine, textiles, fibers,

and other raw materials. Moreover, activated charcoal also provides numerous

benefits in our daily life, mainly in health, cooking, and other natural materials. This

time, it will be utilized as an alternative to chemical-based inks. It will significantly

benefit vulnerable sectors, especially the environment, by reducing the

environmental waste caused by banana pseudo-stem and fossil fuels.

Review of Related Studies

According to the study entitled Banana Sap as Natural Ink (2016), a banana is

a fruit that varies in different characteristics such as firmness, color, and size. An

average banana is curved in shape, and the inside of this fruit, which is the edible

part, is soft and rich in starch or sugar. A banana is covered by a skin or peel-like

structure called a rind. This rind has different colors, which indicate whether the

banana is ripe or not. It may be green, yellow, red, purple, or brown. They do not

grow one by one; instead, they grow in groups and hang from the top of the banana

tree. These plants have different parts, including leaves, the trunk, flesh, and more.
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But the only element this experiment needs is the sap found in fruit peelings or the

pseudostem. This sap can be an alternative to adhesives because of its stickiness.

On the other hand, ink is used to imprint words or photos on any writing surface

using a printer, ballpen, marker, or anything that holds and releases ink. This

research was done to find a cheaper alternative to regular manufactured ink. It is

said that today, the price of ink has increased compared to before. A cloth thread, a

casserole, a wooden stick, powdered dye, water, an empty pen, and especially the

banana sap, which will be extracted from the banana stalk, were the materials used

in the study. These materials were all collected from the houses of the members.

After preparing the materials, the dye was mixed with diluted water and banana sap.

This was followed by putting the mixture into an empty pen and observing the

results. The results were not bad for a natural material. Though genuine ink looks

paler than commercial ink when applied to a piece of paper, the ink will last because

of its stickiness. Furthermore, it shows positive results because it did not have any

adverse effects on the person, thus indicating that it cannot cause an allergic

reaction.

Boateng and Dzomeku (2013) probed how banana sap can be a possible

substitute mordant when mixed with B. microdata dye to produce ink in the Adinkra

Industry in Ghana. Banana sap was considered a material for ink production

because of its affordability. As a result, people demand more since they are

consciously concerned about their health and the global environment (Ali et al.,

2008).

The study of Celis et al. (2017), entitled "Banana and Santan Leaf as

Alternative Ingredients for Ink Production," intends to maximize the use of sap

because it is less expensive than the inks produced. It also focuses on the marketing

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advantages and disadvantages of banana sap as an alternative ink. The findings

revealed that banana saps were a viable natural alternative anywhere. However,

because it is easily accessible, banana pseudostem helps to reduce tree loss

because it contains biodegradable components. The researchers also made some

recommendations for future research projects. The researcher suggested using

banana tree subtypes and tools on various paper types as ink. Ordinary ink is more

watery than commercial ink, which makes it easier to remove.

The study discovered that the newly developed ink was properly marked on

paper with no indication of wet sections when printed. Even though secondary

characters were not entirely black, the researcher concluded that charcoal could be

used to make ink. Furthermore, the study found that the quality of charcoal ink is

comparable to that of permanent ink. They also backed up previous claims that they

are using charcoal.

The Danger of the Expo Marker found that markers are more dangerous

because the non-permanent ink emits xylene. This petroleum chemical can cause

skin irritation, headaches, nausea, and dizziness. Attempts were made to address

the issue of commercialized ink by developing innovations that used charcoal ink as

an alternative. In one study, it took two working days to create an invention that used

charcoal added to used engine oil. The results revealed that the quantity of used oil

affects the color intensity and product quality of the newly developed ink (Jolly and

Waiss, 2018).

A local study was conducted to determine the feasibility of charcoal and

waste engine oil as alternative raw materials for whiteboard printer ink production.

The methods used in this study involve the pulverization of charcoal, which serves

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as the primary pigment source. They also affect the filtration of used engine oil,

which serves as the vehicle for the ink. Also, an oil-miscible solvent was added to the

ink solution to reduce its viscosity. Different formulations were determined and

experimented with by mixing all ingredients, such as charcoal, waste engine oil, and

the oil-miscible solvent. The various prepared ink formulations were tested on a

whiteboard using empty cartridges. The two experimented printer inks had different

color intensities with each other and with the commercialized ink. The research

findings showed that charcoal, used engine oil, and cooking oil could be used as an

alternative whiteboard printer ink (Cruz, 2014).

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 Theoretical Basis

According to Ink Theory, the first form of ink utilized during the early stages

of DPN development printed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) onto a gold

surface. DPN can be developed further and improved by comprehending the

mechanism by which the ink is transmitted from the AFM tip to the surface. This

process, officially known as "tip-substrate molecular transport," is affected by several

factors. A few examples include the ink's chemical composition and surface purity,

the tip's shape, how much ink is distributed on it, and the temperature at which the

experiment is ongoing. The humidity of the environment and the ink's water solubility

are two other crucial elements that impact how well the DPN can transfer ink to a

surface. The "water meniscus" at the tip of the AFM, which is necessary for the DPN

process, will collect moisture. Therefore, the experiment must be conducted in a

humidity-controlled environment so that changes in the water concentration will not

affect the outcomes. However, it is also important to note that the effect of

temperature and humidity on DPN molecular transfer depends on the specific

chemical properties of the ink used (Mirkin et al., 1999)

Another theory to back up this study is the Natural Ink Theory, which states

that plants may create natural inks. Avocado pits with a creamy tint may be dyed

pink or red. The red shiso plant's magenta-colored leaves produce a magenta liquid,

but when they oxidize on paper, they turn into blue ink. Even the blue-colored black

raspberry ink gradually becomes purple over a few weeks. Some plants make an

impact more quickly. While some take longer to simmer, the color shows within a few

minutes (Lehnhardt, 2015).

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