Corn Stalk (Zea Mays L.) Ability on Copper Removal in Continuous

Column (Down Flow)

B. Haryanto

, D. A. Fithry

, Anita M. H.

, Puteri K.

, Azhari B. G.

, Ashabi S.

, Walid A. A.

and

Michael J. B.

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Sumatera Utara, Medan 20155, Indonesia

Keywords: Corn-stalk, Continus-column, removal-ability.

Abstract:

Corn stalk was used as an adsorbent to observe removal metal ions (Cu

). The loading time and channeling

effect in continuous adsorption column with down flow direction was investigated in concentration 50 ppm

of Cu with variation influent flow rates (5, 10, 15 mL/min) and shape/size adsorbent (1/4 round shape, 50

mesh, and 70 mesh). Kinetic of corn stalk adsorption ability has been observed at influent flow rate 5

mL/min for adsorbent size 70 mesh. The adsorption was applied in the column and down flow direction.

The effluent samples were collected in every interval 28 mL. The results showed that the % removal

efficiency was obtained 98,30; 62,78; 34,74 (%) for with sampling volume 84 mL was reach equilibrium.

The highest removal efficiency obtained 34,74 % at flow rate 5 mL/min with adsorbent size 70 mesh.The

shortest loading time obtained at 15 mL/min with corn stalk adsorbent shape at 1/4 round. Phenomenon of

channeling effect was clearly exist in adsorbent shape at 1/4 round.

1 INTRODUCTION

Copper (Cu

) is known as dangerous heavy metals

which are usually found in wastewater in industrial

activities such as mining, plating, smelting, and on

agriculture such as fertilization, pesticides and so on.

Source of drinking water contaminated with excess

copper can cause various diseases in the body of the

organism (Hui, 2015) (Wang, 2016) (Rehab, 2016).

Recommendation from WHO (World Health

Organization) for safe amount of Cu

ions is 2

mg/L in drinking water and 3 mg/L in industrial

waste disposal (Rifaqat and Umra, 2017).The

adsorption method is a commonly used method

because it is effective and also economical to

remove various metals from waste water. The key to

the success of the adsorption method is the selection

of adsorbents. Adsorbents used can be derived from

agricultural waste and industrial solid waste (Malihe,

2015).

The adsorption process can be operated with two

systems: batch system and continuous system

(column) (Martin, 2016). The column system is an

effective and economical method for large volume

capacity, simple design and scale up of system

(Shahram, 2016). In the column system can be done

with two-way flow of the flow from top to bottom

(down flow) and flow from bottom to top (up flow)

(Maksudur, 2015).

Corn stalks have good potential to be used as

bioadsorbents, due to their presence in abundant and

untapped environments. Corn stalk has been

investigated to remove copper metal by using batch

method in solution with concentration 50 ppm and

pH 4,5 (Haryanto, 2017). The utilization of corn

stalk as an adsorbent to absorb Cu2+ metal ions has

been done by previous researchers (Haryanto, 2017).

The study was conducted in a batch system by

varying the form of adsorbent, contact time and

stirring speed.

This research is a continuation of the above

research is to know the ability of corn stalks

adsorbent on Cu2+metal in the adsorption column is

continuous (down flow). Down flow flow direction

is used because it provides ease of operation and

also ability as a filter simultaneously. This stream

Haryanto, B., Fithry, D., M. H., A., K., P., B. G., A., S., A., A. A., W. and J. B., M.

Corn Stalk (Zea Mays L.) Ability on Copper Removal in Continuous Column (Down Flow).

DOI: 10.5220/0010093903230327

In Proceedings of the International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches (ICOSTEERR 2018) - Research in Industry 4.0, pages

323-327

ISBN: 978-989-758-449-7

323

can be operated with the help of gravity (Sunil and

Jayant, 2015).

2 METHODOLOGY

The material used in this research is corn stalk

obtained from corn garden in Padang Bulan Village-

Medan Selayang Sub-district Medan, Indonesia.

Corn stalk used in this study is ¼ round shape with a

thickness of ± 0.5 cm, then the size of 50 mesh and

70 mesh. The solution used is CuSO

. 5H

hydrochloric acid (HCl) was purchased from

Mallinckrodt Baker, Inc., Paris, sodium hydroxide

(NaOH) was purchased from Merck KgaA,

Darmstadt, Germany, as a pH and water regulator of

the Aquadestilator model: SMN BIO, as a solvent.

The equipment used in this study includes

adsorption columns (diameter 1.5 cm and 7.5 cm

high) and peristaltic pumps. Analyzes used AAS,

FTIR and SEM.

After the tools and materials are prepared, it is

determined first loading time on each variation and

observed the channeling effect that is formed. The

adsorption ability was obtained from the analysis of

metal solutions at 28 mL intervals. Figure 1 shows a

series of adsorption equipment.

Process description: A 50 ppm metal solution in

beaker glass (1) is pumped with a peristaltic pump

(2) with an X mL / min flowrate to a column

containing corn stalk (3). Then the effluent of the

contamination results is accommodated on a

measuring cup (4) and is determined as a sampling

point which is then analyzed by AAS to examine

how much of the absorbed Cu

metal and the ability

of the corn stalk to absorb Cu

metals.

Figure 1: Adsorption equipment set (Dalia, 2015).

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Corn Stalk Removal Efficiency

Kinetic Adsorption (Size 70 mesh)

The highest corn stalk adsorbent capability in

absorbing copper metal ions occurs at the beginning

of the adsorption process, but with increasing

absorption time decreases until equilibrium

conditions are achieved. This condition is caused,

the adsorbent active site which absorbs metal ions

has saturated (Guyo, 2015).

In Figure 2 shows kinetics removal efficiency

based on the accumulation of sampling volume.

Removal efficiency increases with the accumulated

volume of sampling. From the data obtained it can

be concluded that 1 gr of corn bar adsorbent able to

absorb Cu2+ metal ions of 92.2634 ppm.

Figure 2: Removal efficiency kinetics on corn stalk

adsorption volume accumulation.

3.2 Effect of Flow Rate and Adsorbent

Shape/Size on Removal Efficiency

The result data of the influence of the flow rate and

the shape/size of the adsorbent on removal

efficiency on corn stalk adsorption are presented in

Figure 3.

In Figure 3 removal efficiency increases with

increasing surface area of corn stalk adorbent. At a

flow rate of 5 mL with the shape and size of a 1/4

round; 50 mesh; 70 mesh obtained removal

efficiency 9.77; 25,47; 34.74 (%). At a 10 mL flow

rate with the shape and size of a 1/4 round; 50 mesh;

70 mesh obtained removal efficiency 2,46; 17,36;

22.50 (%). At a flow rate of 15 mL with the shape

and size of a 1/4 round; 50 mesh; 70 mesh obtained

0.84 removal efficiency; 7.40; 9.53 (%). On the

adsorbent size of 70 mesh obtained higher removal

ICOSTEERR 2018 - International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches

324

efficiency when compared with the size of 50 mesh

and 1/4 round.

Figure 3: Influence adsorbent shape/size on removal

efficiency.

The removal efficiency decreases with increasing

flow rate. In the Flow rate is an important parameter

as a metaphor of contact time of solution with

adsorbent in adsorption column. With increasing

flow rate then removal efficiency will decrease. At

high flow rates the contact time of the inlet solution

with the adsorbent is ineffective to exclude the metal

ion as the solution leaves the column before the

equilibrium is reached, resulting in a high effluent

solution concentration (Kumar, 2015). High flow

rates cause limited intraction between the pores and

the inlet solution resulting in low removal

efficiency. In this study the best flow rate is 5

mL/min.

As the particle diameter increases, the stagnant

film thickness around the particles increases

resulting in the kinetics of the process decreasing as

the time for the adsorbent absorbs the short ionic

molecule (Ensar and Muhammed, 2014). Increased

absorption rate is affected by small particle size,

since small particles have large surface of

adsorbents. The breaking of large particles becomes

smaller aims to open the gaps on the surface of the

adsorbent so that the diffusion process is more easily

achieved (Kartthikeyan, 2004). In this study the best

adsorbent size is 70 mesh.

3.3 Effect of Loading Time and

Channeling Effect

Loading time is the time required for the solution to

penetrate the pores of the adsorbent until it exits

from the adsorption column. Determination of

loading time can also be affected by channeling

effect (Haryanto, 2018) The effect of loading time

and channeling effect is shown in Figure 4.

In Figure 4 with variation of adsorbent size at

increasing flow rate obtained loading time

decreasing. In the shape of 1/4 round with flow rate

5; 10; 15 (mL / minute) obtained loading time 0,32;

0.11; 0.08 (minutes). At the size of 50 mesh with a

flow rate of 5; 10; 15 (mL / min) obtained loading

time 2.09; 1.08; 0.50 (minutes). At size 70 mesh

with flow rate 5; 10; 15 (mL / min) obtained loading

time 2.12; 1.32; 1.20 (minutes).

Increasing the flow rate and down flow flow

direction influenced by the force of gravity causes

the time required by the solution to exit from the

shorter column. Because the time required by the

solution to come out short then loading time will

decrease. Loading time is the time required for the

solution to penetrate the pores of the adsorbent until

it exits from the adsorption column (Haryanto,

2018).

Figure 4: Effect of loading time on shapes variation.

The shape and size of the adsorbent also affects

the time required by the solution to exit the column.

The larger the shape and size of the adsorbent will

result in the formation of a gap that causes the

solution to rapidly exit the column.

Figure 5: Image of channelling effect on shapes variation.

Corn Stalk (Zea Mays L.) Ability on Copper Removal in Continuous Column (Down Flow)

325

In Fig. 5 with different shapes and sizes of

adsorbents showing the presence of an channelling

effect. The phenomenon of channeling effect is

evident in the shape of 1/4 round. In the figure with

the shape of a 1/4 round forming a large gap, so that

when the solution comes in there is a portion of the

surface of the non-wetted adsorbent as a whole. This

can be seen from the color difference in the

adsorbent. At the size of 50 mesh and 70 mesh

channeling effect also occur, but the phenomenon of

channeling effect is not obvious because the gap

formed on the size of 50 mesh and 70 mesh is very

small.

Different shapes and sizes of adsorbents can affect

the porosity of the adsorbent associated with the

fluid velocity that flows in the column. The varying

porosity of the adsorbent may result in a difference

in drag force in the fluid stream which causes the

fluid flow tendency to move freely, resulting in

channeling effect (

Vafai, 1986).

Loading time and channeling effect will affect the

ability of adsorption of corn stalk. With the increase

in flow rate then loading time will decrease. High

flow rates cause limited intraction between the pores

and the inlet solution resulting in low removal

efficiency. Given the phenomenon of channeling

effect resulting in absorption capacity at large

adsorbent size is not maximal because the formation

of a large gap between the adsorbents on the column

resulted in the metal solution out quickly before

interacting on the surface of the adsorbent. In this

study the best flow rate is 5 mL / min and the best

adsorbent size is 70 mesh.

3.4 Results FT-IR and SEM Analyzes

Figure 6: Figure 6 FT-IR Analysis results.

Fourier Transform Infra Red (FT-IR) analyzes of 70

mesh corn stalk adsorbent before and after

contamination of Cu

metal ions were performed to

identify the functional groups present in each

sample. From the functional group analysis using

FT-IR obtained spectrum results are presented in

Figure 6.

Figure 6 shows the increase and decrease of wave

numbers before and after contamination. Increasing

the wave number before and after the contamination

occurred at the wave number 2908.65 cm-1 to

2920,23 cm-1 is the C-H bond wave number; the

wave number 1435.04 cm-1 to 1446,61 cm-1 is the

number of the C-H bond wave; the wave number

1157.29 cm-1 to 1161.15 cm-1 is the number of the

bond wave C-O; the wave number 825.53 cm-1 to

829.39 cm-1 is the number of the C-H bond wave;

the wave number 559.36 cm-1 to 563.21 cm-1 is the

number of the C-X bond wave. The decrease of

wave numbers before and after contamination

occurred at the wave number 3410.15 cm-1 to

3406.29 cm-1 is the O-H bond wave number

(

Skoog, 1998). The shift in wavelength indicates

there is an interaction of adsorption absorption

between functional groups and Cu

ions. Cu

ions

may bind to carboxyl groups and hydroxyl groups

(Rifaqat and Umra, 2017).

The result of Scanning Electron Microscope

(SEM) analysis on 70 mesh corn stalk adsorbent

before and after contaminated Cu

metal ion was

done to identify morphological structure of corn

stalk. From the analysis of the morphological

structure using SEM the results obtained are

presented in Figure 6.

4 CONCLUSIONS

The conclusion that can be obtained is kinetics%

removal efficiency of 98.30; 62,78; 34.74 (%) with

84 mL sampling volume has reached saturation

point. The highest efficiency removal was obtained

34,74% at 5 mL/minute flow rate with 70 mesh corn

stalk adsorbent. The shortest loading time is

obtained at a flow rate of 15 mL/min with a corn

stalk 1/4 round adsorbent. The phenomenon of

channeling effect is evident in the shape of a 1/4

round corn stalk adsorbent.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors wish to express sincere gratitude to

Lembaga Penelitian Universitas Sumatera Utara on

the DRPM Project 2018, No:24/UN5.2.3.1/PPM

ICOSTEERR 2018 - International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches

326

/KP-DRPM/2018, for the financial support for this

research project.

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