This paper discusses the design of an activated carbon filter made in Kyebi, Ghana to remove mercury pollution caused by small-scale gold mining. The paper elaborates on the health and safety information regarding exposure to mercury while discussing the collaboration effort with the government and miners of the region. We studied alternative approaches to artisanal mining and interviewed miners to identify the health risks of the process. In collaboration with Kyebi Senior High Technical School, we created a prototype of the filter with a three layer design: bleach activated carbon heated with an LPG oven, a clay-sawdust filter made with a 1:1 ration of clay and sawdust and a locally sourced woven cloth. The paper concludes with recommendations to expand the water filter project.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Antoine, Jessica
• Tadesse, Meron Y.

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-032620-164940

Advisor

• Rao, Pratap M.
• Krueger, Robert

Year

• 2020

Sponsor

• Kofi Gyimah Amokao-Gyimah

Date created

• 2020-03-26

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Chemical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright