Synthesis of Activated Carbon from Rice Husk as A Filter For Iron (Fe) And Copper (Cu) In Well Water

Abstract This study focuses on the synthesis of activated carbon through the calcination method, designed as an absorber for iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) metals in well water previously investigated. The raw material utilized for activated carbon production is rice husk waste, with variations in calcination temperatures set at 700°C, 800°C, and 900°C. The characterization of the activated carbon involved XRD testing for phase analysis, SEM-EDX analysis on rice husk to discern the morphology and composition of the activated carbon components, and absorption performance analysis using AAS. The XRD testing results revealed an amorphous shape in samples calcinated at 700°C and 800°C. However, the 900°C samples exhibited the formation of the tridymite phase. SEM-EDX results showcased an increased surface area and a more compact pore structure, attributed to high-temperature calcination. AAS testing results indicated an improvement in the absorption capacity of iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) metals. In this research, each 4 g activated carbon sample proved most effective at reducing the initial iron (Fe) metal content from 8.06 mg/L to <0.009 mg/L, achieving an impressive 99.88% absorption. Furthermore, with every 2 g sample, copper (Cu) metal was efficiently absorbed, reducing the initial content from 3.99 mg/L to <0.006 mg/L, achieving a notable 99.85% absorption.