Adsorption Capacity of Ca2+ by Hydrochloric Acid Activated Kaolin

Abstract A high concentration of calcium ions in water is a problem as it can cause blockages in engine pipes. Adsorption is a relatively cheap and straightforward method that can be used to reduce the calcium ion content in water. Kaolin is a mineral that has a potential as an adsorbent and whose adsorption capacity can be increased by activation. This research studied the adsorption capacity of activated kaolin by hydrochloric acid against Ca2+ ions. Kaolin was chemically activated using 6 M HCl solution for 24 hours. The adsorption contact time in batches was varied with time variations of 30, 90, 150, and 180 minutes. The maximum adsorption capacity of activated kaolin to the Ca2+ was determined by varying the initial concentrations of water samples, namely 4, 7, 10, and 13 mg/L. The concentration of Ca2+ was determined by a titration method using ethylene diamine tetraacetate (EDTA). The results showed that the activation of kaolin with 6 M HCl at the optimum contact time of adsorption, namely 150 minutes, increased the percentage of adsorbed Ca ions to 2 times of that of natural kaolin, from 33.3% to 68.3%. Based on the Langmuir equation, the maximum adsorption capacity of calcium ions by activated kaolin HCl 6 M increased 1.7 times from natural kaolin to 0.346 mg/g.