PENGARUH TINGKAT KEASAMAN PADA KARAKTERISTIK ZEOLIT ALAM SEBAGAI ADSORBEN AMMONIUM HIDROKSIDA (NH4OH)

Abstract

Natural zeolite is a mineral that are widely available in Indonesia. Among many other benefits, the natural zeolite can be used as an adsorbent to reduce water pollutant caused by ammonia compounds and combination of derivatives. This research aimed to study the effect of different acids on zeolite characterizatics as adsorbent of ammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH). The effect of acids addition  on natural zeolite was studied by varying the concentration of H₂SO₄(0,5 N; 3 N and 5 N) and concentration of H₃PO₄ (0,5 N; 3 N and 5 N). In this study, zeolite surface was observed by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). Results were showed that the amount of NH₄OH adsorbed on H- zeolite has a maximum (23,6 mg/gram zeolit) at 5 N H₂SO₄. From the NH₄OH uptake experiment, it was noted that zeolite obtained from H-Zeolite-H₂SO₄ has higher NH₄OH adsorption capacity than that of zeolite obtained from H-Zeolite-H₃PO₄. The adsorption capacity of H-Zeolite-H₂SO₄, H-Zeolite-H₃PO₄, are 23,6 mg/g and 12,9 mg/g, respectively. FTIR analysis was showed that NH₄OH adsorbed on the surface of H- zeolite on Brønsted acid peak.