Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Kata kunci: Tempurung Pala, Arang Aktif, Adsorben, Merkuri, Spektrofotometri Serapan Atom (SSA).

Telah dilakukan penelitian Pemanfaatan Arang Aktif Dari Tempurung Pala Sebagai Adsorben Logam Merkuri (Hg). Penelitian ini dilakukan di Laboratorium Pendidikan Kimia FKIP USK, Laboratorium Kimia SMK-SMTI Banda Aceh dan Laboratorium Balai Riset dan Standarisasi Industri (Baristand) Banda Aceh. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui efektivitas daya serap arang aktif tempurung pala terhadap logam merkuri. Tempurung pala mengandung hemiselulosa 46,82%, selulosa 21,34% dan lignin 12,93%. Hemiselulosa, selulosa dan lignin merupakan senyawa dengan kandungan karbon yang tinggi. Kandungan karbon inilah yang dapat digunakan untuk menyerap merkuri (Hg). Pembuatan arang aktif dilakukan dengan beberapa tahap yaitu: dehidrasi, karbonasi dan aktivasi. Sampel diaktivasi dengan cara direndam selama 24 jam menggunakan HCl 0,1 M. Arang aktif tempurung pala memiliki karakteristik yang sesuai dengan Standar Nasional Indonesia (SNI) 06-3730-1995 meliputi kadar air 1,56% (SNI ≤ 15%), kadar abu 3,1% (SNI ≤ 10%), kadar zat terbang 17,5% (SNI ≤ 25%), daya serap iodine 1231,6 mg/g (SNI ≥ 750 mg/g) dan kadar karbon 77,84% (SNI ≤ 65%). Kandungan karbon yang tinggi akan menyebabkan daya serap arang aktif semakin baik. Terbukti ketika kandungan kadar Hg mula-mula sebesar 0,02 ppm, ketika arang aktif dimasukkan ke dalam larutan simulasi tersebut lalu diuji menggunakan Spektrofotometri Serapan Atom (SSA) kadarnya turun menjadi 0,0012 ppm. Penurunan jumlah kadar merkuri tersebut disebabkan oleh kadar merkuri yang telah berhasil diserap oleh arang aktif sehingga menyebabkan turunnya jumlah kadar merkuri tersebut. Efisiensi penyerapan arang aktif tempurung pala terhadap penyerapan merkuri adalah 94%.

Keywords: Nutmeg Shell, Activated Charcoal, Adsorbent, Mercury, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Research has been carried out on the Utilization of Activated Charcoal from Nutmeg Shell as Mercury (Hg) Metal Adsorbent. This research was conducted at the Chemical Education Laboratory of the FKIP USK, the Chemical Laboratory of SMK-SMTI Banda Aceh and the Laboratory of the Research and Industrial Standardization Institute (Baristand) Banda Aceh. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the absorption of nutmeg shell activated charcoal against metallic mercury. Nutmeg shell contains hemicellulose 46.82%, cellulose 21.34% and lignin 12.93%. Hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin are compounds with high carbon content. This carbon content can be used to absorb mercury (Hg). The manufacture of activated charcoal is carried out in several stages, namely: dehydration, carbonation and activation. Samples were activated by soaking for 24 hours using 0.1 M HCl. Nutmeg shell activated charcoal has characteristics that are in accordance with the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) 06-3730-1995 including water content of 1.56% (SNI 15%), high levels of ash 3.1% (SNI 10%), volatile matter 17.5% (SNI 25%), iodine absorption 1231.6 mg/g (SNI 750 mg/g) and carbon content 77.84% (SNI 65%). The high carbon content will cause the absorption of activated charcoal to be better. It was proven that when the Hg content was initially 0.02 ppm, when activated charcoal was put into the simulation solution and then tested using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) the levels dropped to 0.0012 ppm. The decrease in mercury levels was caused by mercury levels that had been successfully absorbed by activated charcoal, causing the mercury levels to decrease. The absorption efficiency of nutmeg shell activated charcoal on mercury absorption is 94%.