Jakarta (VNA) – Inorganic chemistry plays a strategic role in transforming industrial waste and local natural resources into high-value functional materials that support sustainable development, said an Indonesian professor.
Professor of Chemistry at Pattimura University Hellna Tehubijuluw said over the past two decades, inorganic chemistry has undergone a fundamental transformation. The discipline is no longer confined to studying compound structures; it has evolved into a practical solution to environmental, energy, and materials challenges.
This shift is particularly relevant for Indonesia—an archipelagic nation rich in natural resources yet still burdened by high levels of industrial waste and the underutilisation of local materials, she said as cited by the Indonesian news agency Antara.
One clear example is red mud, a byproduct of bauxite extraction long regarded as an environmental burden.
From the perspective of inorganic chemistry, red mud can instead be seen as a valuable source of metal oxides with the potential to be transformed into functional materials.
Hellna explained that through inorganic synthesis methods such as hydrothermal processes, sol-gel techniques, impregnation, and coprecipitation, red mud has been successfully converted into synthetic zeolite ZSM-5 and metal oxide-based composite materials.
These materials feature controlled porous structures, high surface areas, and effective adsorption and photocatalytic activity.
They are not only capable of absorbing pollutants but also actively degrading them under light irradiation, making them highly relevant for domestic and industrial wastewater treatment.
The novelty of the research lies in the direct use of waste and local natural materials without complex, costly, and energy-intensive purification processes.
The benefits extend beyond academia, opening opportunities for downstream development of non-metallic minerals, the production of derivative products such as silica gel, zeolites, and wastewater adsorbent materials, as well as empowering local communities./.
Indonesia enacts new Criminal Code
Indonesia officially enacted its new National Criminal Code (KUHP) and Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) on January 2, marking a major milestone in the comprehensive reform of the criminal justice system of Southeast Asia’s most populous nation.
