DLSU Senior High School Research Congress Conference Proceedings
Document Type
Paper Presentation
Research Advisor (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)
Filler, June Ray O.
Abstract/Executive Summary
Considering the need for sustainable and enhanced menstrual hygiene products, this study aimed to assess the absorption capacity and average pH value of varying ratios of onion (Allium cepa) and garlic (Allium sativum) peels in developing an eco-friendly absorbent core for sanitary napkins. Employing a pre-experimental one-shot case design, the experimental group undergoes pH and absorbency tests. The evaluation focused on measures of absorbency and pH levels of the sanitary napkin cores made from three different fiber ratios: 6g onion-4g garlic, 4g onion-6g garlic, and 5g onion-5g garlic, each combined with 10g of organic cotton. Results indicated that Ratio 3 registered the highest mean absorbency of 24.89 mL. Followed by Ratio 1 at 24.11 mL, and Ratio 2 at 22.61 mL, with no significant difference observed (p = .746). However, significant differences were found in pH levels (p < .001). Ratio 2 at 7.69 yielded the most neutral pH among the ratios, while Ratio 3 exhibited an elevated pH (9.95). Thus, changing applications in formulations will bring about the expected differences concerning absorbency and pH, which are critical to keeping environmentally friendly absorbent materials effective in sanitary napkins. This study emphasizes the potential of onion and garlic peels as sustainable materials for sanitary napkins, contributing to the advancement of environmentally friendly menstrual products. Further studies should create a full sanitary napkin while integrating biodegradability and microbial testing for broader testing and evaluation of safety and sustainability; exploring other viable peels and potential methods could enhance the production feasibility.
Keywords
biodegradable; eco-friendly; hygiene products; onion and garlic peels; sanitary napkin