Stabilization of Johor Peat Soil using Sugarcane Bagasse Ash (SCBA)

Peat soil have been categorized as a problematic organic soil, because they have a high settlement rate when placed any structure on it. Therefore, the peat soil must first be stabilized using cement before it can be used. However, massive use of cement can lead to environmental pollution. Therefore, this study intends to use sugar cane bagasse ash as a substitute for cement in peat soil stabilization. The mix ratio of 5% to 20% was used to find the optimal mix ratio. Various tests were carried out on samples such as basic properties tests, Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). After all the tests, the 5% replacement SCBA mix ratio gave the highest unconfined compressive strength if compared to the other mixtures ratio. Therefore, it is selected as the optimum mix ratio. The soil strength achieved by the SCBA 5% replacement ratio was found to be higher than cement stabilization alone due to the presence of secondary pozzolan reactions. The microstructure result from the SEM test had shown that the 5% replacement SCBA mix ratio filled in the hollow left by the peat soil. Hence, able to improve its soil structure and thus increasing its strength.

Effect of Calcination on the Chemical and Microstructural Properties of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash (SCBA)

This research study is for the evaluation of the effect of the burning temperature on the chemical and microstructural properties of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash. The Sugarcane Bagasse Ash (SCBA) is a byproduct of sugarcane which is dumped without proper handling and causing environmental issues because of the burning on dump site and loss of the area due to dumping in the commodity. The current research study is conducted for burning of SCBA on different temperatures and duration for finding the optimum burning temperature and duration of burning. The chemical and microstructural properties of SCBA evaluated at burning temperatures of 800°C for the duration of 01 hour, at temperature of 600° for the duration of 03 and 06 hours by conducting the tests of FTIR, XRD and XRF on the samples. The test results show that the burning temperatures of 800°C for the duration of 1 hour contains amorphous silica and also fulfilling the requirement of pozzolanic material (Composition of Silica, alumina and iron oxide is greater than 70%) as compared to other ash samples of sugarcane bagasse.

Removal of Lead by Merlinoite Prepared from Sugarcane Bagasse Ash and Kaolin: Synthesis, Isotherm, Kinetic, and Thermodynamic Studies

This study introduces a merlinoite synthesized from sugarcane bagasse ash (SBA) and kaolin and evaluates its application as an adsorbent to remove lead from wastewater. The synthesis was performed via the hydrothermal method, and optimal conditions were determined. The adsorption of Pb by merlinoite was also optimized. Determination of the Pb2+ remaining in the aqueous solution was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Adsorption isotherms were mainly studied using the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The Langmuir model showed the highest consistency for Pb adsorption on merlinoite, yielding a high correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9997 and a maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of 322.58 mg/g. The kinetics of the adsorption process were best described by a pseudo-second-order model. Thermodynamic studies carried out at different temperatures established that the adsorption reaction was spontaneous and endothermic. The results of this study show that merlinoite synthesized from kaolinite and SBA is an excellent candidate for utilization as a high-performance adsorbent for lead removal from wastewater.