Pemurnian Minyak Jelantah dengan Karbon Aktif dari Serat Buah Nipah (Nypa fruticans) dan Tepung Maizena

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of activated carbon from nipah fruit fiber and cornstarch in the process of refining used cooking oil. Used cooking oil, which has been damaged by repeated use, requires purification before it can be reused. The method used involves the preparation of activated carbon from nipah fruit fibers, activated with 25% NaOH, as well as the use of cornstarch. The refining process was carried out with variations in the addition of activated carbon, cornstarch, and a combination of both to the used cooking oil. The quality of the refined oil was analyzed through flow rate,density, saponification number, and acid number tests. The results showed that the addition of cornstarch gave the lowest density (0.83 g/mL) and the highest flow rate (0.373 mL/s). The combination of activated carbon and cornstarch produced the highest saponification number (143.67 mg/KOH), while the addition of activated carbon gave the lowest acid number (4.83 mg/KOH). Despite improvements in several parameters, the acid number value still did not meet the SNI standard. This study concludes that the use of activated carbon and cornstarch as adsorbents has the potential to improve the quality of used cooking oil, but still requires further optimization to achieve the desired standard.