Isolation and Utilization of Corn Cobs Hemisellulose as Chelating Agent for Lead Ions

Corn cobs is an agricultural byproduct containing polysaccharide composed of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. Hemicelluloses has a hydroxyl and carbonyl functional groups which can be used as chelating agent for metal ions. The purpose of this study was to isolate and evaluate corncobs hemicelluloses as a chelating agent toward lead ion. Graphite furnace spectrophotometry at 283.3 nm was used to determine the residual lead ion in solution. The research's result showed that the highest yield of hemicelluloses (12.04 %) was obtained from delignication with 0,03 M NaOH in 60 % ethanol and 3 % H2O2, hemicelluloses isolation with 500 ml of 0.2 M NaOH, and precipitation with 1:4 ratio of 10 % acetic acid in 95 % ethanol. The 300 mg corn cobs hemicelluloses has chelating effect for 40 mg lead solution at (39.52±0.1350) mg or 98.80 %, that the corn cobs hemicelluloses can be used as a chelating agent for lead. (author)