Journal of Pure and Applied Chemistry Research (May 2017)
Absorbtion Activity of Cassava Peel (Manihot utilissima) as Chromium (VI) Metal Biosorbent in Electroplating Waste
Abstract
Electroplating is a process of metal veneering with another metal using the electric energy. The water waste of electroplating industry contains many kinds of heavy metal ions, especially chromium (Cr6+) which might cause pollutions if it's not processed and it presents above the threshold allowed . The use of cellulose can be a solution, because it has the functional groups which form bonding with the metal ions. Cassava peel is one of the sources of cellulose which contains 80-85% of cellulose. This proves that cassava peel (Manihot utilissimaI) has the potential as the heavy metal biosorbent of chromium metal in electroplating waste. The methodology of the research is conducted in a series including analysis of heavy metal concentrations of chromium (VI) in electroplating waste, biosorption treatment of cassava peel (Manihot utilissimaI) biosorbent activated by HNO3 1.5 M in electroplating waste with batch method, and analysis of heavy metal concentrations of chromium (VI) in electroplating waste after biosorbtion process. Variation of biosorbent’s mass are (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) grams, and variation of biosorbent’s contact time are (10, 20, 30, 40, 50) minutes. The result of the AAS (Atomic Absorbtion Spectrophotometry) shows that the level of total chromium in electroplating waste reaches 2.0777 ± 0.2785 ppm, so the chromium test solution used in this research is 2 ppm to know the optimum conditions of % chromium (VI) absorbed with variation of mass and contact time. From the results of this research, the optimum mass and contact time of cassava peel biosorbent activated by HNO3 1.5 M in % chromium (VI) absorbed are 0.1 gram and 40 minute. Finally, the optimum mass and contact time of cassava peel biosorbent activated by HNO3 1.5 M is applied to electroplating waste. The average of % chromium absorbed in electroplating waste with the addition of cassava peel biosorbent activated by HNO3 1.5 M is 61.72%.
Keywords