ECO-FRIENDLY EXTRACTION, CHARACTERIZATION AND MODIFICATION OF MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE FROM OIL PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCHES

There is a widespread availability and massive generation of oil palm agro-wastes in
Malaysia, that can be exploited for value-added products. This however requires coordinated
effort to manage the wastes in an integrated manner whilst benefiting from
its downstream development. Our study described the utilization of Malaysian agro-wastes
such as Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB) for the development of green
products via green techniques. Eco-Friendly methods for MCCs extraction,
development of polypropylene (PP) bio-based composites, and modified MCCs for Pb
(II) metal ions sorption and desulphurization of diesel were explored. This study
opens avenue for the development of new economic model based on oil palm
industry. OPEFBs arc conventionally pre- and post-treated with toxic solvents and
chlorites at elevated temperatures. generating toxin chloro-organic pollutants. Our
study addressed the eco-friendly extraction of microcrystalline celluloses (MCCs) at
low concentration of hydrogen peroxide (1 0% v/v) and formic acid (20% v/v) with
ultrasound and heat assistance. Ultrasonic extraction (SONO-CHEM) carried out with
hydrogen peroxide at 40 kHz and room temperature. yielded 49% MCC with a cellulose
content of 91.3%. and crystallinity of 68. 7%. Autoclave extraction (AUTOCHEM)
with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and formic acid at 120°C and further
bleached with hydrogen peroxide at 80°C yielded 64% of MCC with a-cellulose
content of 93.7% and crystallinity of 70%. Physical and chemical characteristics
including density. average molecular weight, degree of polymerization and FESEM,
TEM, XRD and TGA analysis showed similarity with the commercially available
MCC that suggesting the purity and efficacy of developed methods.