Sains Malaysiana 49(9)(2020): 2323-2333

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2020-4909-29

Empty Fruit Bunch Cellulose based Sorbent for Oil Sorption in Palm Oil Mill Effluent

(Penjerapan Selulosa Tandan Kosong Kelapa Sawit untuk Penjerapan Minyak daripada Efluen Kilang Minyak Kelapa Sawit)

NORAISAH JAHI¹, RIZAFIZAH OTHAMAN^1,2, AZWAN MAT LAZIM^1,2 & SURIA RAMLI^1,2,3*

¹Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²Polymer Research Center (PORCE), Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

³Center for Water Research and Analysis (ALIR), Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Diserahkan: 15 Oktober 2019/Diterima: 8 Mei 2020

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to develope hydrophobic biodegradable cellulosic sorbent materials from empty fruit bunch (EFB) for oil sorption in palm oil mill effluent (POME). EFB cellulose was modified using acetic anhydride (AA) and the effect of ratio of EFB cellulose mass to AA volume (1:20, 1:30, 1:40, 1:50 g/mL) at 3 h reaction time with 5% (w/v) pyridine catalyst. The acetylation process was quantitatively determined using the weight percent gain (WPG) and modified EFB cellulose (1:40) showed the highest WPG (13.0%) compared to the other ratios. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrum shows that after the modification, the intensity of –OH peak at 3329 cm^-1 decreased and the new peak at 1728 cm^-1 of C=O ester emerged. This implied that acetylation process was successful when AA volume increased except for 1:50 ratio. Sample 1:40 also showed good hydrophobicity characteristic with the degree of hydrophobicity (DH) of 87.7%. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows that crystallinity index for 1:40 is the lowest which indicated that the sample become amorphous due to acetylation. The result is in agreement with scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrograph that shows the surface morphogy of EFB cellulose after the modification became rougher. Moreover, the modified EFB cellulose 1:40 was able to absorb oil from POME up to 98.5%. Thus, it is proven that cellulose from EFB can be modified to a certain ratio to make it an extremely promising natural source oil sorbent in treating POME.

Keywords: Cellulose; chemical modification; oil adsorbent; palm oil mill effluent

ABSTRAK

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk membangunkan selulosa hidrofobik biodegradasi bahan penyerap daripada sisa tandan kosong kelapa sawit (TKKS) bagi penyerapan minyak efluen kilang kelapa sawit (POME). Selulosa EFB telah diubah suai menggunakan asetik anhidrida dan kesan nisbah berat selulosa daripada TKKS kepada isi padu asetik anhidrida (AA) (1:20, 1:30, 1:40, 1:50 g/mL) dalam masa tindak balas 3 jam dengan 5% (w/v) pemangkin piridina. Proses pengasetilan ditentukan secara kuantitatif menggunakan peratus pertambahan berat (WPG), dan selulosa TKKS terubah suai (1:40) menunjukkan WPG tertinggi (13.0%) berbanding nisbah yang lain. Spektrum teknik inframerah transformasi Fourier (FTIR) menunjukkan selepas pengubahsuaian, keamatan puncak –OH pada 3329 cm^-1 berkurang dan puncak baru pada 1728 cm^-1 daripada C=O ester telah muncul. Ini menunjukkan bahawa proses pengasetilan telah berjaya apabila isi padu AA meningkat kecuali pada nisbah 1:50. Sampel 1:40 juga telah menunjukkan ciri hidrofobik yang baik dengan darjah kehidrofobikan (DH) pada 87.7%. Analisis pembelauan sinar-x (XRD) menunjukkan peratus indeks kehabluran untuk 1:40 adalah terendah yang menunjukkan sampel berkenaan menjadi amorfus disebabkan oleh asetilasi. Hasil keputusan adalah seiring dengan mikrograf analisis morfologi dan keratin rentas (SEM) yang menunjukkan morfologi permukaan selulosa EFB selepas pengubahsuaian menjadi lebih kasar. Tambahan lagi, selulosa EFB termodifikasi 1:40 berupaya untuk menyerap minyak daripda POME sehingga 98.5%. Oleh itu, ini membuktikan bahawa selulosa daripada EFB boleh diubah suai kepada nisbah tertentu untuk menjadikannya sumber penyerap minyak semula jadi dalam merawat POME.

Kata kunci: Efluen kilang minyak kelapa sawit; pengubahsuaian kimia; penjerapan minyak; selulosa

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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: su_ramli@ukm.edu.my