Indonesian Journal of Chemistry (Jun 2010)
STUDY ON THE RATE OF REDUCTION OF Cr(VI) TO Cr(III) BY HUMIC ACID USING CONTINUM MULTICOMPONENT MODEL
Abstract
The objective of this study is to develop a rate equation for reduction of Cr(VI) by humic acid (HA) using a continuum multicomponent model. HA was extracted from peat soil samples in Gambut Subdistrict, South Kalimantan. Parameters influencing the rate of reduction, i.e., medium acidity ([H+]), as well as initial humic acid concentrations ([HA]o) and initial Cr(VI) concentrations ([Cr(VI)]o) were critically evaluated. Experiments were performed in triplicate tests. Aliquots of stock solution containing 100 mg/L HA were equilibrated for 24 h at pH 1.5, 2.05, 3.2, 5.6, and 6.5 before being spiked with 0.02 mM of Cr(VI). [Cr(VI)] was determined by 1,5-diphenylcarbazide spectrometric method. A similar set of rate experiments was conducted at a fixed pH of 1.5 and an [Cr(VI)]o of 0.02 mM and with [HA]o of 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, and 250 mg/L. A third set of batch experiment was performed at pH 1.5, an [HA]o of 100 mg/L, and [Cr(VI)]o 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.10, and 0.20 mM. The results showed that the rate of reduction cannot be adequately modeled by either a simple first- or second- order rate equation. A continum multicomponent model adequately describes the effect of solution parameters on the rates of Cr(VI) reduction.