Utilization of Mendong Plant Activated Charcoal as SO2 Gas Adsorbent: Preliminary Study

Abstract

This study aims to find alternative low-cost, easy and environmental-friendly adsorbent materials to eliminate SO2 gas, by utilizing Mendong plants as activated charcoal. Therefore, need to know the ability of this low-cost adsorbent in term of optimum concentration, adsorption efficiency, and the adsorption capacity of the charcoal to eliminate SO2. Mendong plants were prepared with a modified tool and macerated with ZnCl2 2.5% (w/v) for 24 hours. Then, the adsorption process with artificial SO2 waste was conducted for 1 hour. UV-Vis Spectrophotometer was used to determine the gas concentration. The results showed that the highest concentration of absorbed SO2 gas (Ct) is at the initial gas concentration 4.4006 µg/mL (mass Na2S2O3 0.015 g), with 3.008 µg/mL of gas is absorbed. The gas adsorption efficiency is 70.53% at the variation of initial gas concentration of 4.1400 µg/mL. While, the adsorption capacity of activated ZnCl2-Mendong stem charcoal is 92.1123 (µg/g). The results of the characterization by FTIR showed that the Mendong plant ZnCl2- activated charcoal is polar and aromatic, verified by the absorbance of hydroxyl group and aromatic skleleton of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin.