Characterization and Utilization of Gunungkidul Natural Zeolite for Bioethanol Dehydration

Bioethanol purification process after the fermentation process was done in two stages, namely distillation and dehydration. The dehydration can be carried out with molecular sieves, one of them by using natural zeolite. Therefore, the activity tests and characterization of Gunungkidul natural zeolites and commercial zeolite (import) were conducted. It was observed that the vapor phase dehydration using modified Gunungkidul natural zeolite has the ability to purify ethanol relatively similar to the commercial zeolite (purity more than 99%) but has lower yield. Relatively much ethanol was absorbed by natural zeolite, as evidenced by the addition of adsorbent weight more than 20%.