PENGEMBANGAN GEOPOLIMER SEBAGAI MATERIAL SOLIDIFIKASI DAN STABILISASI BERBAGAI JENIS LOGAM BERAT

Subaer Subaer, Hamzah Fansuri, Muharram Muharram, Abdul Haris

Abstract


This research was aimed at developing geopolymers as material for solidification and stabilization of heavy metals from industrial waste. Geopolymers were produced by using alkali-activation technique of aluminosilicate minerals enriched with rice husk ash (RHA). RHA contains high concentration of silica mineral and behaves similar to zeolite in encapsulating heavy metals through ionic exchange. Heavy metals obtained from different sites were characterised by means of Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) method and showed the presence of Pb, Cr, Co, Ag, Mg, and Al in high and dangerous concentration. Mechanical characterisations as well as results from X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) showed that the resulting geopolymers were excellent and safe materials for solidification and stabilization all heavy metals.