Sains Malaysiana 41(12)(2012): 1579–1585

 

A Study on Glycerolysis of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Fiber

(Suatu Kajian tentang Gliserolisis Serabut Tandan Kosong Sawit)

 

 

Khairiah Haji Badri*

Polymer Research Center, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

 

Khairiah Haji Badri, Siti Munirah Ibrahim & Osman Hassan

School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

 

Received: 11 June 2012 / Accepted: 6 August 2012

 

 

ABSTRACT

 

Lignocellulose from oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber (EFB) has been identified as another source for conversion into renewable energy or value added products. Cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin were extracted from EFB via a new treatment method using aqueous glycerol as a potential delignification agent. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of treatment time and EFB to solvent ratio on the analytical compositions of EFB with or without further treatment with aqueous glycerol. The cooking time was varied at 3, 5 and 7 h with temperature fixed at 85°C. Three types of EFB were used; untreated fiber (UT-EFB), pretreated fiber with 5% (w/v) sodium hydroxide solution (N-EFB) and pretreated fiber with 5% (w/v) acetic acid solution (A-EFB). The analyses carried out were determination of extractives content, Klason Lignin, α-cellulose, hemicelluloses, holocellulose and ash content based on dry weight of the EFB. An increase in the glycerolysis time resulted in reduced content of Klason lignin and extractives but high percentages of holocellulose and α-cellulose for all EFB samples. Treatment of EFB with alkaline solution prior to glycerolysis resulted in reduction in cellulose content compared with holocellulose.

 

Keywords: Aqueous glycerol; cellulose; lignin; oil palm empty fruit bunch

 

ABSTRAK

Lignoselulosa daripada serabut tandan kosong sawit (EFB) telah dikenal pasti sebagai salah satu sumber berpotensi untuk ditukarkan kepada tenaga diperbaharui atau produk tambah nilai. Selulosa, hemiselulosa dan lignin diekstrak daripada EFB melalui kaedah rawatan baru menggunakan gliserol akues sebagai agen nyahlignin yang berpotensi. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji kesan masa rawatan ke atas komposisi EFB secara analitikal dengan atau tanpa rawatan lanjutan dengan gliserol akues. Masa rawatan dipelbagaikan pada 3, 5 dan 7 jam dengan suhu ditetapkan pada 85°C. Tiga jenis EFB digunakan iaitu serabut tidak terawat (UT), serabut terawat larutan natrium hidroksida 5% (w/v)(N) dan serabut terawat larutan asid asetik 5% (w/v) (A). Analisis yang dijalankan adalah penentuan kandungan ekstraktif, Klason Lignin, α-selulosa, hemiselulosa, holoselulosa dan kandungan abu berdasarkan jisim kering EFB. Dengan peningkatan masa tindak balas gliserolisis memberikan kandungan Klason lignin dan ekstraktif yang berkurangan tetapi peratusan yang tinggi untuk holoselulosa dan α-selulosa untuk semua jenis sampel. Rawatan EFB dengan larutan alkali sebelum gliserolisis memberikan penyusutan dalam kandungan selulosa berbanding holoselulosa.

 

Kata kunci: Gliserol akues; lignin; selulosa; tandan kosong sawit

 

 

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*Corresponding author; email: kaybadri@ukm.my