Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 21 No 1 (2017): 188 - 196

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2017-2101-22

 

 

 

CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF OIL PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCH

 

(Pencirian Kimia dan Fizikal Bagi Tandan Kosong Buah Kelapa Sawit)

 

Nurul Suraya Rosli¹, Shuhaida Harun^1,2*, Jamaliah Md Jahim^1,2, Rizafizah Othaman³

 

¹Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

²Research Centre for Sustainable Process Technology (CESPRO), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

³School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: harun.shuhaida@ukm.edu.my

 

 

Received: 21 October 2015; Accepted: 14 June 2016

 

 

Abstract

The interest in Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB) as a promising feedstock for bioconversion into value added products is growing fast, thus a thorough analysis of its component becomes necessary. In this study, the biomass chemical composition and physical feature of OPEFB was analysed to explore and understand the potential of OPEFB as bioconversion feedstock. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) standard protocols were used to characterize and determine the chemical composition of OPEFB. Through this protocol, the structural and non-structural constituents and their compositions were determined based on unextracted and extracted native OPEFB. Structural constituents include the carbohydrate, such as the glucan, xylan and arabinan, and lignin accounted for 31.2%, 18.7%, 2.7%, and 27.7%, while the non-structural constituents mainly refer to ash and extractives accounted for 0.10% and 11.87%. In addition, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis were also used to further characterize the chemical structure of OPEFB. The FTIR spectral peaks representing the functional groups cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin were observed. Through XRD analysis, the crystallinity index of native OPEFB fiber was calculated around 40%, while it was 37% for the powder form OPEFB.  Nevertheless, the physical feature or surface morphology of the OPEFB fiber has been study by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). It shows a rigid strand’s surface and the presence of silica bodies which commonly found in woody plant.

 

Keywords:  lignocellulose, composition, morphology, spectroscopy, crystallinity

 

Abstrak

Minat terhadap tandan kosong buah kelapa sawit (OPEFB) sebagai bahan mentah secara penukaran bio telah menjanjikan hasil produk tambah nilai yang berkembang pesat, oleh itu suatu analisis yang menyeluruh komponennya menjadi keperluan. Dalam kajian ini, komposisi kimia biomas dan ciri-ciri fizikal OPEFB dianalisis untuk meneroka dan memahami potensi OPEFB sebagai bahan mentah untuk penukaran bio. Protokol piawai National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) telah digunakan untuk mencirikan dan menentukan komposisi kimia OPEFB. Melalui protokol ini, juzuk struktur atau bukan struktur dan komposisi mereka telah ditentukan. Juzuk struktur termasuk karbohidrat, seperti glukan, xilan dan arabinan dan lignin menyumbang kepada 31.2%, 18.7%, 2.7%, dan 27.7%, manakala juzuk bukan struktur terutamanya merujuk kepada abu dan ekstraktif menyumbang kepada 0.10% and 11.87%. Di samping itu, analisis Spektroskopi Inframerah Transformasi Fourier (FTIR) dan belauan sinar-X (XRD) juga digunakan untuk mencirikan lagi struktur kimia OPEFB. Puncak spektrum FTIR yang mewakili kumpulan berfungsi daripada selulosa, hemiselulosa dan lignin telah diperhatikan. Melalui analisis XRD, indeks penghabluran gentian OPEFB asli dikira sekitar 40%, manakala ia adalah 37% untuk OPEFB berbentuk serbuk. Walau bagaimanapun, ciri atau permukaan fizikal morfologi serat OPEFB asli yang telah dikaji dengan menggunakan Mikroskopi Imbasan Elektron (SEM). Ia menunjukkan permukaan helaian yang tegar dan kehadiran badan-badan silika yang biasa ditemui dalam tumbuhan berkayu.

 

Kata kunci:  lignoselulosa, komposisi, morfologi, spektroskopi, penghabluran

 

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