Materials Science Forum Submitted: 2019-08-09

ISSN: 1662-9752, Vol. 981, pp 234-239 Revised: 2019-10-04

© 2020 Trans Tech Publications Ltd, Switzerland Accepted: 2019-10-12
Online: 2020-03-27

Applied Regression Analysis on Study of Biosorption Process of Gold

Using Nanofiber Chitosan/PVA
Dwi Sabda Budi Prasetya1,a*, Ahmadi1,b, Dwi Pangga1,c, Ari Dwi Nugraheni1,d,
Harsojo2,e, Bq. Rika Ayu Febrilia1,f, Edy Supriyanto3,g
1Department of Physics Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, IKIP Mataram,
Jl. Pemuda No. 59A, Nusa Tenggara Barat 83125, Indonesia
2Physics Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, Jl.
Sekip Utara BLS.21, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
3Physics Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Jember, Jl.
Kalimantan No. 37, Jember 68121, Indonesia
adwisabda@ikipmataram.ac.id, bahmadi@ikipmataram.ac.id, cdwipangga@ikipmataram.ac.id,
dari.dwi.n@ugm.ac.id, eharsojo@ugm.ac.id, frika.febrilia@gmail.com, gedysupriyanto@unej.ac.id

Keywords: Nanofiber Chitosan/PVA, Gold recovery, Electrospinning, Langmuir

Abstract. Nanofiber has been widely used in various applications including agriculture,
biomedical, pharmaceutical, and many other industries. In this study, nanofiber chitosan/PVA is
utilized as an adsorbent for gold recovery due to its superior properties to adsorb metal ions from a
solution. Adsorption isotherm was analyzed using the Langmuir and the Freundlich models. These
models were used to evaluate the experimental data. In order to determine the more efficient models
of gold recovery by using nanofiber chitosan/PVA, regression analysis methods were used to
evaluate the data. Based on the result, we found that the Freundlich model was the best model for
this study with parameters. This result also indicates that the biosorption process of gold in the
nanofiber chitosan/PVA is a multilayer in heterogeneous surface and physical process.

Introduction
Nanofiber has attracted the attention of researchers because of its advantages of having a large
surface area and high porosity. In its development, the nanofiber has been applied in many fields
such as semipermeable membranes, nanocomposites, filters, wound dressings, biomedicine, and
drug delivery systems. This research provides novel nanofiber applications in the mining sector.
The success of previous research using chitosan as an absorber of gold ions attracted the attention
of researchers to develop chitosan into a nanofiber. Chitosan/PVA nanofiber has the potential to
become biosorption material because according to the simple definition, biosorption is the
absorption process using biosorbent produced from living organisms or from living organisms [1].
Some things that contribute to the biosorption process are biosorbent, environmental factors,
metabolic processes [1]. Chojnacka (2010) also states that there are several processes that
contribute to the biosorption process such as complex surfaces, chemical precipitation, physical
adsorption, and ion exchange [2]. Chitosan used in this study is anion polyelectrolyte which can
bind heavy metals so that it can become an absorbent to bind heavy metals. The binding mechanism
of chitosan with heavy metals is the principle of ion exchange. Some of the results of the study
explain that what plays an important role in the biosorption process is carboxyl, hydroxyl and
amino groups in proteins and chitosan in the cell wall [3]. The amine group in chitosan will react
and bind the metal in a dilute solution. Chitosan as a cationic polymer that can bind metals can form
covalent bonds. The forces acting are Van der Walls, electrostatic forces, hydrogen bonds, and
covalent bonds. Standardization of absorption of metal waste with chitosan is ≥ 70% [4]. While
chitosan/PVA nanofiber was chosen because a very small size will contribute to the doubled
biosorption capability.

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 Materials Science Forum Vol. 981 235

The biosorption process of chitosan/PVA nanofiber will be studied using two models of
adsorption isotherm, Langmuir and Freundlich models. Two models, the Langmuir and the
Freundlich models, are the models that can be used to analyze isotherm adsorption. These methods
have been widely applied to how the adsorption process occurs [5]. The Langmuir model supposes
monolayer adsorption, which the adsorption only occur at a finite number of definitely localized
sites [6]. Langmuir isotherm describes a homogeneous adsorption [7], with no transmigration of the
adsorbate in the plane of the surface [8]. Different from the Langmuir model, the Freundlich model
used in heterogeneous adsorption and can be applied to multilayer adsorption [5].
The best-fitting model is determined using linear regression analysis [9]. Linear regression can
explain the adsorbates distribution, adsorption performance [10] and analyze the systems of
adsorption [7]. Coefficient determination is one of the value determine the percentage of
variability of the dependent variable [5].

Methods
Materials Research. The ingredients used are chitosan from NTB local crab shells, Polyvinyl
Alcohol (PVA), Acetic Acid, Aquades, and gold solutions from the mining site in Sekotong, West
Lombok, NTB.
Synthesis Nanofiber Chitosan/PVA
Preparation of PVA/Chitosan Solution. PVA/chitosan solution was prepared with a
concentration of 10% of the weight of PVA mixed with 2% of the weight of chitosan. PVA solution
was prepared by dissolving PVA in distilled water at 80˚C and stirring using a magnetic stirrer for
2 hours. Chitosan solution was prepared by dissolving 2% chitosan into acetic acid and stirring
using a magnetic stirrer at room temperature for 4 hours (until homogeneous). Furthermore, the
PVA solution and the prepared chitosan solution are mixed and stirred using a magnetic stirrer until
a homogeneous solution is obtained.
Preparation of Gold Solution. The gold solution was prepared from 10 kg of rock from the
mine site in Sekotong, West Lombok, NTB. The stone was finely ground and then dissolved in
water and cyanide at pH 10 and stirred for 5 hours.
Electrospinning. Synthesis of nanofiber chitosan/PVA by electrospinning technique was carried
out by filling chitosan/PVA solution into the syringe pump with a volume of 10 ml and metal
capillary size 18 in the form of a blunt needle tip. Metal capillaries are connected to a positive DC
high voltage source. A sheet of aluminum foil is placed opposite the direction of the metal capillary
which functions as a collector. Nanofiber is obtained at a voltage of 20 kV with a distance of 10 cm
from the tip of the metal capillary to the collector.
Bisorption isotherm experiments. The gold absorption experiment was carried out using
chitosan/PVA nanofiber into 10 ml of a gold solution at an initial concentration of 10 ppm. The
gold solution is filtered repeatedly with a variation of 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes,
90 minutes, 120 minutes, and 180 minutes. Absorption data can be seen in an equilibrium graph in
figure 1 for initial concentrations of 5 ppm, 10 ppm, and 15 ppm. The equilibrium graph in figure 1
provides data in table 2 which is then analyzed using the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm model.
236 Industrial Science and Technology

Figure 1. The amount of gold adsorbed by chitosan as a function of time with various initial
concentration
The data were collected in the research was analyzed by the Langmuir and the Freundlich
models. We used linear regression analysis methods in order to determine the more efficient models
of gold recovery by using nanofiber chitosan/PVA and to evaluate the data. We chose linear
regression analysis because the Langmuir and the Freundlich models can we transform in linear
equation form. The best models for this study will show by value which is closest to 1 [5].
The Langmuir Model. Langmuir model represents the isotherm distribution of metal ion
between the solid and liquid phases. Langmuir model describes monolayer adsorbs (adsorbing on
the outer surface of the adsorbent. This model assumes there is uniform energy above the surface
and there is no displacement of the adsorbate in the plane on the surface. From this assumption, the
Langmuir model is written in the equation:

(1)
Absorption parameter of the Langmuir model will be determined from the transformation of
equation (1) to linear equation form (2)
(2)
Where = Chitosan isothermal concentration (mg/L-1), = The amount of metal adsorbed per
gram chitosan in isothermal phase (mg/g), = maximum capacity of monolayer adsorbs (mg/g),
and = Isotherm Langmuir constant (L/mg). The equation (2) will have a straight line with the
slope of and an intercept of when is plotted against .

The Freundlich Model. Freundlich model describes adsorption on heterogeneous surfaces that
stated in the equation (3),
. (3)
Equation (3) transformed into a new shape by taking the logarithm of both sides as shown in
equation (4),
(4)
where = A constant as an indicator to estimate adsorption capacity, = the function of the
adsorption strength in the adsorption process. The equation (4) will have a straight line with the
slope of and an intercept of when is plotted against .
 Materials Science Forum Vol. 981 237

Result
In this section, we will explain the result of linear regression analysis for the Langmuir and the
Freundlich models.
The Langmuir Model. This model represents by the linear form in equation (2). Based on the
result of linear regression analysis, we found that the value of , , and as shown in Table 2.
Based on the table, the value of in the Langmuir model is 78%. It’s mean that this model good
enough to explain the amount of metal absorbed based on the maximum capacity of monolayer
adsorbs. The linear form of the value of against is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. The linear form of the value of against

The Freundlich Model. In another side, the Freundlich model has the value of 81.2%.
Because of value in the Freundlich model more than the value of the Langmuir model, then we
can say that the Freundlich model is the best model analyze the biosorption isotherm. Therefore, the
amount of metal absorbed is on the heterogeneous surfaces. Figure 3 given the linear form of the
value of against .

Figure 3. The linear form of the value of against

238 Industrial Science and Technology

Table 1. Comparison of the linear regression coefficient of determination,

and biosorption isotherm parameters
Langmuir Model Freundlich Model

0.78 50 1 0.81 12.1 0.318

Discussion
Isotherm Langmuir. Langmuir's isotherm model quantitatively describes monolayer adsorption,
which is adsorbing on the outer surface of the adsorbent. So that Langmuir is said to represent the
distribution of the balance of metal ions between the solid and liquid phases [11]. Isotherm
Langmuir is suitable for monolayer adsorbs above the surface with limited space. This model
assumes that there is uniform energy above the surface and there is no displacement of the
adsorbate on the surface, there is no interaction between the adsorbed molecule at the neighboring
site, meaning that the adsorbed atom or molecule is absorbed on certain sites and limited [12].
Freundlich Adsorption Isotherm. Isotherm Freundlich models are empirical equations and
other forms of the Langmuir model, usually used to describe adsorption on heterogeneous surfaces
[13], active sites, and energy distributed exponentially [14]. The results of the plot graph in Figure
3, with a value of 1 / n = 0.318 indicate that Au ion biosorption by chitosan / PVA nanofiber is a
favorable isotherm and occurs on heterogeneous surfaces. Atkin (1996) also states that Freundlich's
isotherm occurs in (1) multiple layers (multilayer), (2) active sites on heterogeneous surfaces, and
(3) involves Van der Walls forces so that adsorbates can move from one surface to another [15].
With a value of R2 = 0.81 indicating that Au biosorption by chitosan / PVA nanofiber also follows
Freundlich's isotherm.

Summary
Chitosan / PVA nanofiber has been successfully synthesized by electrospinning technique. The
results of this study state that chitosan / PVA nanofiber can be used as biosorption material for Au
ions after being tested through experiments and examined using 2 isotherm equilibrium models,
namely from the Langmuir and Freundlich models which show that the process that occurs is more
suitable following the Freundlich model. With this result, it can be stated that chitosan / PVA
nanofiber is an effective and inexpensive material to go to environmentally friendly mining.

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