Abstract:
Oil palm shells can be used as adsorbents because they have chemical compositions
such as cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin which are able to adsorb adsorbate. This
study aims to test the ability of activated carbon from oil palm shells to adsorption of
mercury ions in Batang Kuantan river water. Palm shell activated carbon is made
through a carbonization process at 600oC for 1 hour, then activated using NaOH with a
ratio of 1:0, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4 (w/w) to carbon and NaOH. Palm shell carbon with the
best quality is found in a 1:4 ratio. The effect of the contact time adsorbent with the
simulation solution was carried out with time variations (10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30
minutes, 40 minutes, 50 minutes and 60 minutes). The mercury ion concentration of the
Batang Kuantan river water in the upstream, middle, and downstream parts was
0.635 μg/L, 1.410 μg/L and 1.937 μg/L, respectively. Activated palm shell carbon with
activated NaOH 1:4 was contacted with Batang Kuantan river water for 50 minutes
(time optimum), the mercury ion concentration measured in Batang Kuantan river water
was 0.200 μg/L (upstream), 0.441 μg/L (middle) and 0.602 μg/L (downstream). The
mercury ion adsorption efficiency at each sampling point of river water was 68.50%,
68.72% and 68.92%. From the research data, it can be concluded that the activated
carbon of oil palm shells is able to adsorbtion mercury ions in the water of the Batang
Kuantan River.
