The Difference in Effectiveness of Arabica and Robusta Coffee Grounds as Adsorbent Raw Materials for Reducing COD and TSS Levels in Tapioca Wastewater
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70182/jca.v3i1.2129Keywords:
spent coffee grounds, Arabica coffee, Robusta coffee, adsorption, tapioca wastewater, chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solidsAbstract
Tapioca wastewater contains high concentrations of organic matter and suspended solids that may adversely affect aquatic environments when discharged without adequate treatment. Initial characterization of the wastewater showed a Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) concentration of 2,546 mg/L and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) of 406 mg/L, indicating the need for an effective, economical, and environmentally sustainable treatment approach. This study aimed to determine and compare the effectiveness of carbonized Arabica and Robusta spent coffee grounds as adsorbents for reducing COD and TSS concentrations in tapioca wastewater. An experimental batch adsorption system was employed using 16 g of adsorbent per 1 L of wastewater, with contact times of 10, 20, 30, and 40 min and a constant stirring speed of 100 rpm. The spent coffee grounds were carbonized prior to adsorption, and COD and TSS concentrations were measured before and after treatment to determine removal efficiency. The results demonstrated that both Arabica and Robusta coffee-ground adsorbents reduced COD and TSS concentrations, with removal efficiency generally increasing with contact time. At the optimum contact time of 40 min, Arabica coffee-ground adsorbent reduced COD by 6.55%, from 2,546 to 2,379 mg/L, whereas Robusta achieved a 4.59% reduction to 2,429 mg/L. The maximum TSS removal efficiencies were 32.26% for Arabica and 22.66% for Robusta. These findings demonstrate that carbonized Arabica spent coffee grounds exhibited greater adsorption effectiveness than Robusta under the experimental conditions, particularly for TSS removal. Nevertheless, the relatively limited COD removal indicates that further optimization of adsorbent preparation and operating conditions is required before this material can be considered an effective standalone treatment for tapioca wastewater.
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