Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 26 No 2 (2022): 370 - 383

 

 

 

 

CHEMICAL CHARACTERISATION OF BIOCHAR FROM OIL PALM FROND FOR PALM OIL MILL SECONDARY EFFLUENT TREATMENT

 

Analisis Sifat Kimia Biochar Daripada Pelepah Kelapa Sawit Untuk Rawatan Air Sisa Sekunder Kilang Pemprosesan Kelapa Sawit

 

Nadia Razali and Nurhanim Zulaikha Kamarulzaman*

 

Section of Environmental and Polymer Engineering Technology,

Malaysian Institute of Chemical and Bioengineering Technology (MICET,

Universiti Kuala Limpur, 78000 Alor Gajah, Melaka, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author:  nurhanim.kamarulzaman@s.unikl.edu.my

 

 

Received: 15 September 2021; Accepted: 3 February 2022; Published: 28 April 2022

 

 

Abstract

The oil palm frond (OPF) biomass contains chemical characteristics, which makes it a potential alternative adsorbent in wastewater treatment applications. In this study, the OPF sample was produced as biochar by using a top-lit updraft (TLUD) gasifier. The maximum temperature of this process was 750 ^oC and it yielded 20% w/w of biochar. The Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) surface area for the OPF biochar was 248.08 m²/g with an average pore size of 4.3 nm and categorised as mesoporous adsorbent. The OPF biochar had a high carbon content of more than 70%, which was desirable for the alternative adsorbent. It was discovered that the aromatic ring and aliphatic functional group was detected in the biochar based on the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis which was commonly found in biochar produced at temperatures above 500 ^oC. Based on the result obtained from the adsorption test, the OPT biochar could provide a maximum removal of 64.65% of COD, with an initial COD of 3960 mg/L. This study has found that the OPF biochar is suitable to be used as an alternative adsorbent for wastewater applications.

 

Keywords:  biochar, oil palm frond, adsorption, palm oil mill effluent

 

Abstrak

Pelepah kelapa sawit (OPF) mempunyai sifat kimia yang berpotensi sebagai bahan penjerap alternatif dalam aplikasi rawatan air sisa. Dalam kajian ini, sampel OPF digunakan sebagai bahan mentah untuk menghasilkan biochar dengan menggunakan gasifier top-lit updraft (TLUD). Suhu maksimum process ini adalah 750 ^oC dan 20% w/w biochar telah dihasilkan. Luas permukaan Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) untuk biochar OPF adalah 248.08 m²/g dengan ukuran purata saiz pori 4.3 nm dan diketagorikan sebagai penjerap mesoporos. Biochar OPF mempunyai kandungan karbon yang tinggi melebihi daripada 70%, yang merupakan ciri-ciri yang dikehendaki untuk penjerap alternatif. Berdasarkan analisis spektroskopi inframerah transformasi Fourier (FTIR), kumpulan organik alifatik dan cincin aromatik dikesan didalam bahan ini. Kumpulan organik ini biasanya ditemui dalam biochar yang dihasilkan pada suhu melebihi 500 ^oC. Berdasarkan hasil kajian yang diperolehi daripada ujian penjerapan, biochar OPT mampu memberikan menyingkirkan 64.65% COD daripada air sisa kilang kelapa sawit yang mempunyai COD awal sebanyak 3650 mg/L. Kajian ini mendapati bahawa biochar OPF wajar digunakan sebagai penjerap altenatif untuk rawatan sisa pepejal.

 

Kata kunci:  biochar, pelepah kelapa sawit, penjerapan, sisa efluen kilang kelapa sawit

 

 

 

Graphical Abstract

 

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