Potential Peat Clay for Minerals Source Utilized as Adsorbent and Catalyst

Chemical Engineering Department, Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarmasin 70123, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: agusmirwan@ulm.ac.id

Abstract

The existence of peat clay is scattered in many parts of the world with the huge amount. The high compound of minerals in the peat clay can be potentially used as adsorbent and catalyst. This research aims to study the composition of peat clay and functional group of the compound in the peat clay. The characterization of x-ray fluorescence (XRF), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive x-ray (SEM- EDX) were assigned to compare the sample before and after calcination process at 700 oC 120 min. FTIR analysis showed the presence of quartz, kaolinite, hematite, illite in peat clay. The results of XRF analysis showed that chemical composition of peat clay was dominantly in the form of silica oxide (18%), aluminum oxide (7%), and iron oxide (15%). The amount of compounds was observed to increase to be 32%, 18% and 11%, respectively after calcinations. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of this mineral in the peat clay. SEM analysis showed flake structure of peat clay with EDX which indicated composition of the dominant element namely the presence of Al, Si, and Fe before and after calcination. This high amount of minerals in peat clay led to potential source to be utilized as adsorbent for removing the pollutant or as and catalyst for chemical process.