Evaluation of Sensory Characteristics of Rubber Tree (Hevea Brasiliensis) Sawdust and Leaves as Alternative Biofuels

Abstract

In the face of rising fuel costs and environmental concerns, the need for alternate energy sources is growing. Charcoal, generated from animal and vegetable sources, has emerged as a viable alternative fuel. Briquetting, which compresses organic materials into compact briquettes, offers an environmentally responsible solution for waste management and energy production in the Philippines. Basilan, noted for its agricultural methods, generates a substantial amount of agricultural waste, including rubberwood sawdust (RBS) and Rubber Tree Leaves which is perfect for briquette production due to its lignocellulose content. Charcoal briquettes, made of charcoal fines and binder, are an economical, smokeless, and long-lasting fuel option which may poses sustainable solution as the conventional method of charcoal manufacture, which involves tree felling, poses ecological concerns. This exploratory experimental design study investigates the viability and possibility of utilizing biocharcoal from dried leaves of rubber trees and rubberwood sawdust (Hevea brasiliensis) as an environmentally benign and cost-effective option. This study intends to create a sustainable cooking fuel alternative to standard charcoal by reusing agricultural trash. The study aims to developed briquettes and assesses their physical characteristics such durability, efficiency, kindling time, burning time, and heating quality to three identified evaluators. Overall, the positive responses from those who were interviewed shed light on the promising potential of rubber sawdust charcoal briquettes (x̄=4.8 (liked very much)) and rubber tree leaves (x̄=4.23 (liked very much)) as a viable and environmentally friendly energy source for applications involving heating and cooking. Due to limited laboratory apparatuses, researchers recommended for a further evaluation of the developed briquettes such doing proximate analysis (e.g. measuring the moisture and ash content) established strong data to support the existing data.