Nilam (Pogostemon cablin) merupakan salah satu jenis tanaman penghasil minyak atsiri. Dalam SNI kadar patchouli alcohol minimal adalah 30%. Peningkatan kadar patchouli alcohol dapat dilakukan dengan metode pemisahan berdasarkan hidrofobisitas. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh ketinggian adsorben hidrofilik silika-amionosilan (SA) pada proses adsorpsi dan proses kromatografi adsorpsi terhadap karakteristik senyawa minyak nilam. Pada proses adsorpsi digunakan ketinggian adsorben SA 0,5 cm dan 1,5 cm. Sedangkan pada kromatografi adsorpsi digunakan ketinggian adsorben SA 1,5 cm; 3 cm, 4,5 cm; dan 6 cm dengan pelarut fase gerak etanol. Dalam penelitian ini, daun nilam sebanyak 150 gram dan batang nilam sebanyak 50 gram dimasukkan ke dalam dandang distilator. Selanjutnya aquades sebanyak 3 L dimasukkan ke dalam dandang distilator. Proses adsorpsi dilakukan bersamaan dengan distilasi dengan penggunaan ketinggian adsorben SA 0,5 cm dan 1,5 cm. Pada proses kromatografi adsorpsi digunakan ketinggian adsorben SA 1,5 cm; 3 cm, 4,5 cm; dan 6 cm dengan pelarut fase gerak etanol dan perbandingan minyak nilam dengan adsorben sebesar 1,5:1. Minyak nilam yang diperoleh diuji dengan Gas Kromatografi (GC). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kadar patchouli alcohol minyak nilam pada proses adsorpsi dengan variasi ketinggian adsorben SA 0,5 cm dan 1,5 cm tidak berbeda signifikan terhadap kadar patchouli alcohol minyak nilam tanpa perlakuan (kontrol). Kadar patchouli alcohol pada proses kromatografi adsorpsi dengan variasi ketinggian adsorben SA 1,5 cm; 3 cm, 4,5 cm; dan 6 cm dengan pelarut fase gerak etanol juga tidak berbeda signifikan terhadap kadar patchouli alcohol minyak nilam kontrol.

Pogostemon cablin is one of essential oil producing plants. In SNI, the minimum patchouli alcohol content is 30%. Enhancing patchouli alcohol content can be conducted by separation method based on hydrophobicity. The objective of this research were to determine the effect of hydrophilic adsorbent silicaaminosilane (SA) by adsorption process and adsorption chromatography process on characteristic of patchouli oil. On Adsorption process used adsorbent SA height 0,5 cm and 1,5 cm. On adsorption chromatography process used adsorbent SA height 1,5 cm; 3 cm; 4,5 cm; and 6 cm with ethanol as mobile phase. In this research, about 150 grams of patchouli leave and 50 grams of patchouli stem were put into the distillator. The, 3 L of distilled water was added into the distillator. The adsorption process is run same time with distillation used adsorbent SA 0,5 cm and 1,5 cm. On the adsorption chromatography process used adsorbent SA 1,5 cm; 3 cm; 4,5 cm; and 6 cm with ethanol as mobile phase and patchouli oil : adsorbent ratio is 1,5:1. Patchouli oil obtained was then analyzed using Gas Chromatography (GC). The results show that the amount content of patchouli alcohol in patchouli oil adsorption process with height variation of adsorbent SA 0,5 cm and 1,5 cm did not differ significantly on amount content of patchouli alcohol without adsorption (control). The amount content of patchouli alcohol in adsorption chromatography with height variation of adsorbent SA 1,5 cm; 3 cm; 4,5 cm; and 6 cm with ethanol as mobile phase also did not differ significantly on amount content of patchouli alcohol in control.

Kata Kunci : Minyak nilam, patchouli alcohol, adsorben hidrofilik, silikaaminosilan, Gas Kromatografi (GC)