Pemanfaatan Arang Aktif Cangkang Kelapa Sawit Sebagai Adsorben Zat Warna pada Biodiesel

Abstract

Adsorption of biodiesel dyes using palm shell activated charcoal was studied in this research. The charcoal was activated physically with high temperature at 800 °C for 1 hour. Characterization of the activated charcoal involved water content, ash content, adsorption of iodine, adsorption of methylene blue, showed a good result if compared with SNI, and surface topographic by scanning electron microscope. The results showed optimum condition of adsorption at 0.5 g of adsorbent weight for 45 minutes adsorption with the adsorption capacity and efficiency value were 103.64 mg/g and 20.80%, respectively. Concentration of the biodiesel dye decreased from 10 000 ppm to 7 919.72 ppm, where as the cetane number of biodiesel increased 9.85% from 51.2 to 56.8. The adsorption showed a Freundlich isotherm type, which assumed that multilayer adsorption was occurred.

Adsorpsi zat warna pada biodiesel menggunakan arang aktif dari cangkang kelapa sawit dikaji dalam penelitian ini. Arang diaktifkan secara fisik pada suhu 800 °C selama 1 jam. Pencirian arang aktif yang dilakukan meliputi kadar air, kadar abu, daya adsorpsi terhadap iodin, daya adsorpsi terhadap biru metilena, memberikan hasil yang cukup baik bila dibandingkan dengan SNI, dan topografi permukaan menggunakan mikroskop elektron payaran. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan arang aktif memberikan kondisi optimum pada bobot adsorben 0.5 g selama 45 menit dengan nilai kapasitas dan efisiensi adsorpsi berturut-turut sebesar 103.64 mg/g dan 20.80%. Konsentrasi zat warna biodiesel turun dari 10 000 ppm menjadi 7 919.72 ppm, sedangkan angka setana biodiesel meningkat sebesar 9.85% dari 51.2 menjadi 56.8. Adsorpsi cangkang sawit menunjukkan model isoterm Freundlich sehingga diasumsikan terjadi secara multilayer atau banyak lapisan.