CHARACTERIZATION OF HEMICELLULOSES FROM OIL PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCHES OBTAINED BY ALKALINE EXTRACTION AND ETHANOL PRECIPITATION

Abstract

Hemicelluloses from oil palm empty fruit bunches were extracted using alkaline extraction and fractionated by ethanol precipitation. Extraction of hemicellulose from oil palm empty fruit bunches were carried out with different KOH concentration (1 M, 3 M, 5 M), temperature (30 °C, 40 °C, 50 °C) and time (2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours). The alkaline extraction produced two hemicellulosic fractions namely precipitate (HA) and alkali soluble hemicelluloses (HB). The alkali soluble hemicelluloses were then sub-fractionated by precipitation in 0.2 and 4 volumes ethanol for obtaining HB1 and HB2, respectively. Three hemicellulosic fractions (HA, HB1 and HB2) were further characterized in the form of total sugar, monosaccharides and Klason Lignin content. The optimal alkaline extraction was obtained at temperature of 40 °C, 3 M KOH concentration and extraction time 4 hrs. It was found that the alkaline extraction and ethanol precipitation is the suitable method to maximize the hemicelluloses yield.