Characterization of Clay from Merauke Regency and Its Utilization as an Adsorbent of Free Fatty Acids in the Purification of Waste Cooking Oil
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8528-6866
Abraham Laurens Rettob
Lamtiar Ferawaty Siregar
Hendro Hitijahubessy
Abstract
This study investigates the characterization and application of natural clay from Merauke as an adsorbent for the purification of waste cooking oil. The clay was characterized using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) before and after acid activation. XRD analysis revealed quartz as the dominant mineral, while acid activation caused partial dissolution of layered silicates, leading to structural modifications without affecting quartz stability. SEM images confirmed morphological changes from compact aggregates with limited pores to rougher surfaces with larger and more interconnected pores, indicating increased surface area and porosity. Adsorption experiments demonstrated that both natural and acid-activated clays reduced free fatty acids (FFA) in waste cooking oil, with the acid-activated clay consistently showing higher efficiency. Prolonged stirring times (1, 3, and 5 hours) further enhanced adsorption, though the reduction rate decreased over time as adsorption sites approached saturation. In addition to lowering FFA levels, the treatment improved the visual quality of the oil by reducing discoloration. These findings highlight that acid-activated clay from Merauke possesses promising potential as a low-cost and effective adsorbent for oil purification and broader environmental remediation applications.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright and Licensing
For all articles published in Fullerene Journal of Chemistry, Authors retain some copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work. In addition, the article may be reused and quoted provided that the original published version is cited. These conditions allow for maximum use and exposure of the work while ensuring the authors receive proper credit.
Authors are free to:
- Share - copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt - remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution - You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions - You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices: You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation. No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.