Karakteristik Arang Aktif dari Tandan Aren (Arenga longipes Mogea) serta Formulasinya sebagai Sabun Cair Cuci Tangan Ramah Lingkungan

Abstract

Activated charcoal is a carbon material with excellent absorption capacity towards anions, cations, and molecules in the form of organic and inorganic compounds, both in the liquid and gas phases. This study aims to characterize activated charcoal from a sugar palm bunch and formulate it as liquid hand soap. The charcoal powder used is derived from sugar palm bunch (Arenga longipes Mogea) subjected to physical activation processes at various temperatures: 0°C, 500°C, 600°C, 700°C, and 800°C and cleaned using a 1% HCl solution.. The activated charcoal powder is analyzed to determine changes in weight, moisture content, ash, volatile matter, and fixed carbon. The research results show that the changes in weight range from 0.16% to 0.23%, moisture content from 0.12% to 0.20%, ash content from 0.06% to 0.25%, volatile matter content from 0.39% to 0.64%, and fixed carbon from 98.99% to 99.32%. The activated charcoal powder obtained at 700°C can be formulated into liquid hand soap after chemical activation using a 1% NaOH solution with concentrations of 1%, 3%, and 5%. Characterization testing of the liquid hand soap shows a pH value of 6.7, insoluble matter in ethanol with the lowest value of 0.06%, and free fatty acids with the lowest value of 0.07%. The bacterial inhibition test at the control treatment level shows higher values compared to the 1% level, with values of 17.7 mm for Staphylococcus aureus and 24.1 mm for Escherichia coli bacteria. Based on this research, it can be concluded that the characterization of activated charcoal meets the quality specifications set by SNI No. 06/3730/1995 and the characterization of liquid hand soap meets the quality standards established by SNI No. 2588/2017.