Activated Carbon from Plantain Stems as NO2ˉ and Mn2+ Adsorbent on Well Water

Abstract

Waste contamination in the environment can not be avoided in water, even though water is the main necessity for living things. Contaminants that are too high such as nitrites and manganese will have a negative impact if consumed continuously. In this research, the synthesis of activated carbon from Plantain stems as an adsorbent for nitrite (NO 2 ˉ) and manganese (Mn 2+ )contaminants has been carried out. Synthesis of activated carbon from Plantain stem (ACPS) was carried out with a carbon: H 3 PO 4 impregnation ratio of 1:6 (w/w) and heating using a furnace at 600 o C for an hour. Characterization of ACPS using an Infrared Spectrophotometer showed the presence of functional groups C-H, C = H, C≡C, C-O, P-O, and C-NH 3 + or P-H bonds. The results of characterization by XRD showed that the ACPS was amorphous but little crystalline. In the adsorption study, the adsorption isotherms of ACPS on NO 2 ˉ and Mn 2+ ions followed the Redlich-Peterson isotherm with R 2 values of 0.9968 and 0.4753, respectively. The adsorption kinetics of ACPS on NO 2 ˉ and Mn 2+ ions followed the Diffusion Intraparticle model with R 2 values of 0.8585 for NO 2 ˉ ions and Pseudo Second Order with R 2 values of 0.9482 for Mn2+ ions. In the study of the adsorption efficiency of NO 2 ˉ and Mn 2+ ions using ACPS on well water in the Guyangan Jepara villages, it was found that the reduction efficiency was 15%, only at NO 2 ˉ ion levels.