CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODS

3.1 Location and Time

This study used two samples, namely snail shells and chitosan. Snail shell
sampling was carried out around the Diponegoro University Semarang campus.

3.2 Research Design

3.2.1 Research Design Scheme
The mindset of this research can be seen from the flow chart below:

Raw Process Result

Materials
Stirring Water samples that
Water
contains microplastics
Microplastic
s

Initial Optical Density

Drying and
Snail Snail shell flour
crushing
shell

Water sample
Mixing Process mixture, Primary
HCL 0.1 N Coagulant, Secondary
FeCl3 coagulant

Coagulated microplastics

Chitosan Sample Mixture of Water,

Tannic acid Stirring (Flocculation) Chitosan and Tannic Acid

Filtration Microplastic Degradation

Microplastic-Free Water
Calculation of
Microplastic
Elimination Final Optical Density
Efficiency
Microplastic removal
efficiency

Figure 3.1 Research Design Schematic

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3.2.2 Variable Assignment
a. Fixed variables:
o pH: 7
o Stirring speed: 250 rpm
o Temperature: room temperature (27°C)
o FeCl3 concentration: 0.15 g/ 100 mL water sample
b. The variable changes:
o Snail shell concentration: 1.5; 2.5; 5; 7.5; and 8.5 g shell/ 100 mL
water sample
o Tannic acid concentrations: 3; 5; 10; 15; and 17 mg/ 100 mL water sample
o Chitosan concentrations: 1.5; 2.5; 5; 7.5; and 8.5 g/ 100 mL of water samples
Table 3.1 Variables in Snail Shell Coagulants
-a -1 0 +1 +a
Snail shell 1,5 2,5 5 7,5 8,5
Tannic acid 3 5 10 15 17

Table 3.2 Variables in Chitosan Coagulants

-a -1 0 +1 +a
Snail shell 1,5 2,5 5 7,5 8,5
Chitosan 3 5 10 15 17

Table 3.3 Experimental Design on Chitosan Coagulants

Run Chitosan Tannic Acid Response

(g/100 (mg/100 Efficien
mL) mL) cy
(%)
1 2.5 5 70
2 7.5 5 72
3 2.5 15 79
4 7.5 15 76
5 1.5 10 88
6 8.5 10 82
7 5 3 92
8 5 17 87

Table 3.4 Experimental Design on Snail Shell Coagulants

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 Run Snail Shell Tannic Response
(mg/mL) Acid Efficienc
(mg/mL) y
(%)
1 2.5 5 71
2 7.5 5 83
3 2.5 15 79
4 7.5 15 94
5 1.5 10 70
6 8.5 10 89
7 5 3 76
8 5 17 88

3.3 Materials and Tools Used

In this study, the materials used were water samples in the form of
seawater taken from Marina Beach, Semarang City, snail shells, chitosan,
tannic acid, FeCl3, and microplastics. While the tools used in this study are
magnetic stirrers, Whatman filter paper, cuvettes, and UV-Vis
spectrophotometers.

3.4 Suite of Tools

Figure 3.2 Stirrer circuit

3.5 Trial Procedure

1. Making Water Samples Containing Microplastics
a. Take 100 mL of seawater and put it in a container
b. Put 1 g of microplastic, then stir so that the microplastics are evenly
distributed.

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 c. Take water samples of up to 3/4 cuvette and test using a
spectrophotometer. Record the transmittance value (%T) before
coagulation.
d. Calculates the initial optical density (ODi).
e. Calculating optical density
Optical density = A = −log %T
Snail Shell Coagulant Making
f. Collect enough snail shells, then wash them thoroughly so that the dirt
disappears and is separated from the epidermis
g. Next, the dried snail shells are put in the oven with a temperature of 105
°C for 30 minutes so that the water content in the snail shells is
completely lost
h. Puree the snail shell, then store the flour Snail shell in a closed and dry
place.
2. Determination of coagulation kinetics
a. Put the snail shell flour first with 10 mL HCl 0.1 N.
b. For chitosan coagulant, dilute 100 g chitosan first with 10 mL HCl 0.1 N.
c. Put chitosan solution and also 10 mg tannic acid into the water sample,
then stir.
d. Add 0.15 g of FeCl3 to the solution and stir for 5 minutes.
e. The coagulated plastic is filtered using filter paper.
f. Take a water sample after coagulation process up to 3/4 cuvette and test
using a spectrophotometer. Record the transmittance value (%T) after the
coagulation process.
g. Calculate the final optical density (ODf).
h. Calculating optical density
Optical density = A = −log %T
i. Calculate the separation efficiency with the equation:
Coagulation efficiency = Wt/W0 x 100
W0 = Mass of initial microplastics
Wt = Mass of microplastics clumped (after filtration)

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