PURIFICATION OF CRUDE GLYCEROL USING KOH-ACTIVATED CORNCOB CARBON AND ITS UTILIZATION AS A MOISTURIZING AGENT IN LIQUID SOAP

Amalia Qurrata A’yun; Adilah Aliyatulmuna; Rosanina Kartika Santana; Felda Mufarrihati

doi:10.21580/wjc.v9i1.28939

Authors

Amalia Qurrata A’yun Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia
Adilah Aliyatulmuna Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia
Rosanina Kartika Santana Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia
Felda Mufarrihati Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21580/wjc.v9i1.28939

Keywords:

Crude Glycerol, Corncobs, Antisolvent Treatment, Adsorption, Liquid Soap

Abstract

The purification of crude glycerol was carried out through an antisolvent treatment process followed by adsorption. The antisolvent treatment was performed using methanol, while adsorption was conducted using corncob biomass waste. Corncob carbon was activated with 20% KOH, followed by calcination at 400°C for 2 hours. The IR spectrum of the activated carbon showed the presence of -C=C and -C-H functional groups. The diffraction pattern of the activated carbon, with peaks at 2θ ≈ 23.3° and 41.3°, indicated an amorphous structure and an imperfect crystalline graphite structure. The antisolvent treatment process involved the addition of methanol to crude glycerol at a ratio of 3:1, followed by vacuum filtration and evaporation. The adsorption process was carried out using 0.5 g of activated carbon for 75 minutes, producing glycerol with a glycerol content of 96.29%, water content of 3.21%, ash content of 6.05%, and free fatty acid content of 0.21%. These results were in accordance with SNI 06-1564-1989 concerning crude glycerol and SNI 06-2570-1992 concerning technical glycerol. The IR spectrum of glycerol showed characteristic peaks corresponding to -O-H and -C-H groups. The obtained glycerol was used as a moisturizing agent in liquid soap. The resulting liquid soap had a pH range of 5.20-5.67 and an FFA content range of 0.57-0.60, which complied with SNI 2588:2017 concerning liquid hand soap.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Amalia Qurrata A’yun, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang

Adilah Aliyatulmuna, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang

Rosanina Kartika Santana, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang

Felda Mufarrihati, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang

References

[1] S. M. Ioannidou et al., "Sustainable Production of Bio-Based Chemicals and Polymers via Integrated Biomass Refining and Bioprocessing in A Circular Bioeconomy Context," Bioresour. Technol., vol. 307, Art. no. 123093, pp. 1–14, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123093

[2] T. Attarbachi, M. Kingsley, and V. Spallina, "Experimental Scale-Up and Technoeconomic Assessment of Low-Grade Glycerol Purification from Waste-Based Biorefinery," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., vol. 63, no. 11, pp. 4905–4917, 2024, doi: 10.1021/acs.iecr.3c03868.

[3] Badan Pusat Statistik, "Luas Panen dan Produksi Jagung di Indonesia 2024 (Angka Sementara)," 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.bps.go.id/id/pressrelease/2024/10/15/2378/pada-2024--luas-panen-jagung-pipilan-diperkirakan-sebesar-2-58-juta-hektare-dan-produksi-jagung-pipilan-kering-dengan-kadar-air-14-persen-sebesar-15-21-juta-ton-.html

[4] B. Haryanto, I. T. Nasution, A. F. Polem, R. Tambun, and V. Alexander, "Natural Adsorbent of Corncob (Zea mays L.) Powder Capability in Purification of Used Cooking Oil with Shaking Operation Based on Turbidity," Results Eng., vol. 19, Art. no. 101233, pp. 1–12, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.rineng.2023.101233.

[5] M. A. Mardiah, Awitdrus, R. Farma, and E. Taer, "Characterization of Physical Properties for Activated Carbon from Garlic Skin," J. Aceh Phys. Soc., vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 102–106, 2021, doi: 10.24815/jacps.v10i4.19571.

[6] R. Nandi, M. K. Jha, S. K. Guchhait, D. Sutradhar, and S. Yadav, "Impact of KOH Activation on Rice Husk Derived Porous Activated Carbon for Carbon Capture at Flue Gas alike Temperatures with High CO2 /N2 Selectivity," ACS Omega, vol. 8, no. 5, pp. 4802–4812, 2023, doi: 10.1021/acsomega.2c06955.

[7] T. Attarbachi, M. Kingsley, and V. Spallina, "New Trends on Crude Glycerol Purification: A Review,” Fuel, vol. 340, Art. no. 127485, pp. 1–19, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.fuel.2023.127485.

[8] U. N. Fairuza, E. B. Corisa, I. K. Kusumaningrum, Y. Utomo, and A. Aliyatulmuna, "Investigating the Kinetics of Dye Adsorption of Methyl Orange (MO) Applying an Activated Carbon Adsorbent from Corncob Activated with ZnCl2," AIP Conf. Proc., vol. 3166, no. 1, pp. 1–9, Apr. 2025, doi: 10.1063/5.0236957.

[9] N. R. M. Aras and M. F. Lestari, "Uji Performa Pengaruh Gliserin dalam Formulasi Sabun Cair Cuci Piring," Maj. Farmasetika, vol. 9, no. 5, pp. 429–442, 2024, doi: 10.24198/mfarmasetika.v9i5.56837.

[10] Y. T. Khok, C. H. Ooi, A. Matsumoto, and F. Yeoh, "Reactivation of Spent Activated Carbon for Glycerine Purification," Adsorption, vol. 26, no. 7, pp. 1015–1025, Oct. 2020, doi: 10.1007/s10450-020-00210-x.

[11] Z. Heidarinejad, M. Dehghani, M. Heidari, G. Javedan, I. Ali, and M. Sillanpää, "Methods for Preparation and Activation of Activated Carbon: A Review," Environ. Chem. Lett., vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 393–415, 2020, doi: 10.1007/s10311-019-00955-0.

[12] A. Sudibandriyo and A. Rizki, "The Influence of Activated Carbon as Adsorbent in Adsorptive – Distillation of Ethanol–Water Mixture," Int. J. Technol., vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 425–431, 2024, doi: 10.14716/ijtech.v15i2.6659.

[13] L. M. Yuningsih, D. Mulyadi, and A. J. Kurnia, "Pengaruh Aktivasi Arang Aktif dari Tongkol Jagung dan Tempurung Kelapa terhadap Luas Permukaan dan Daya Jerap Iodin," J. Kim. Val., vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 30–34, May 2016, doi: 10.15408/jkv.v2i1.3091.

[14] R. S. D. Lestari, D. K. Sari, A. Rosmadiana, and B. Dwipermata, "Pembuatan dan Karakterisasi Karbon Aktif Tempurung Kelapa dengan Aktivator Asam Fosfat Serta Aplikasinya Pada Pemurnian Minyak Goreng Bekas," Tek. J. Sains Dan Teknol., vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 419–430, Oct. 2016, doi: 10.36055/tjst.v12i2.6607.

[15] M. P. Divya et al., "Preparation and Characterization of Activated Carbon from Commercially Important Bamboo Species in North Eastern India," Adv. Bamboo Sci., vol. 11, Art. no. 100148, pp. 1–9, May 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.bamboo.2025.100148.

[16] R. Dungani, S. S. Munawar, T. Karliati, J. Malik, P. Aditiawati, and Sulistyono, "Study of Characterization of Activated Carbon from Coconut Shells on Various Particle Scales as Filler Agent in Composite Materials," J. Korean Wood Sci. Technol., vol. 50, no. 4, pp. 256–271, 2022, doi: 10.5658/WOOD.2022.50.4.256.

[17] S. Alam et al., "Preparation of Activated Carbon from the Wood of Paulownia tomentosa as an Efficient Adsorbent for the Removal of Acid Red 4 and Methylene Blue Present in Wastewater," Water, vol. 13, no. 11, pp. 1–15, 2021, doi: 10.3390/w13111453.

[18] P. J. Wibawa, M. Nur, M. Asy’ari, and H. Nur, "SEM, XRD and FTIR Analyses of Both Ultrasonic and Heat Generated Activated Carbon Black Microstructures," Heliyon, vol. 6, Art. no. e03546, pp. 1–11, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03546.

[19] E. Misran, B. K. S. Sipahutar, E. Sundari, and V. Pramananda, "One-Step Process of Glycerol Purification by Adsorption using Passion Fruit Peel-Based Activated Carbon," Case Stud. Chem. Environ. Eng., vol. 11, Art. no. 101216, pp. 1–10, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.cscee.2025.101216.

[20] Taslim, Iriany, O. Bani, E. Audina, and R. Hidayat, "Preparation of Activated Carbon-Based Catalyst from Nipa Palm (Nypa fruticans) Shell Modified with KOH for Biodiesel Synthesis," IOP Conf. Ser. Earth Environ. Sci., vol. 912, no. 1, pp. 1–6, 2021, doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/912/1/012094.

[21] E. A. Odja, I. Raya, Maming, M. Zakir, A. Karim, and D. N. Basir, "Characterization and Electrochemical Properties Analysis of Reduced Graphene Oxide from Corncob Carbon as an Electrode Candidate: Synthesized using modified Hummers method," Commun. Sci. Technol., vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 25–29, 2024, doi: 10.21924/cst.9.1.2024.1365.

[22] Y. M. Abed, F. Allawi, F. S. Ali, S. J. Alhamd, T. A. Ibrahim, and M. N. Abbas, "Implementing a Sustainability Approach by Converting Plastic Bottle Waste from A Mischievous Substance to A Beneficial Material by Means of Zero Residue Level Concept," Karbala Int. J. Mod. Sci., vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 396–411, 2025, doi: 10.33640/2405-609X.3413.

[23] E. L. Hanry, N. F. M. Redzwan, N. F. A. K. Badeges, and N. Surugau, "Characterization of biofilms developed from alginate extracted from Padina sp. incorporated with calcium chloride (CaCl2)," J. Phys. Conf. Ser., vol. 2314, Art. no. 012022, pp. 1–13, 2022, doi: 10.1088/1742-6596/2314/1/012022.

[24] F. Yang, M. A. Kamarudin, P. Zhang, G. Kapil, T. Ma, and S. Hayase, "Enhanced Crystallization by Methanol Additive in Antisolvent for Achieving High‐Quality MAPbI3 Perovskite Films in Humid Atmosphere," ChemSusChem, vol. 11, no. 14, pp. 2348–2357, 2018, doi: 10.1002/cssc.201800625.

[25] H. Hernando et al., "Impact of Glycerol on Oil Palm Trunk Starch Bioplastics Enhanced with Citric-Acid Epoxidized Palm Oil Oligomers," Case Stud. Chem. Environ. Eng., vol. 10, Art. no. 100839, pp. 1–14, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.cscee.2024.100839.

[26] A. Ruzibayev, A. Abdurakhimov, O. Calvo-Gomez, S. Akhmedova, and S. Kurambayev, "Purification of Crude Glycerol Derived from Hydrogenated Cottonseed," RURAL Sustain. Res., vol. 51, pp. 81–93, 2024, doi: 10.2478/plua-2024-0008.

[27] X. Liu, Q. Yu, A. Song, Dong S., and J. Hao, "Progress in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies of Surfactant Systems," Curr. Opin. Colloid Interface Sci., vol. 45, pp. 14–27, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.cocis.2019.10.006.