Influence of Thermal Manipulation of Banana Husks on Ethanol Production

Abstract

This study attempts to produce ethanol from thermally manipulation banana husks using the microwave prior to fermentation operation using Saccharomyces Cerevisiae yeast. The short wave was provided using microwave at three different levels of 140, 160 and 180 Watt, and three different exposure times inside the microwave 3, 5 and 7 minutes. Sugar contained (sucrose and glucose) were measured in pre-treated samples under bio-concentration conditions. The fermentation operation of banana peel was carried out through seven successive days and the ethanol production was continuously measured once a day (every 24 hours). The optimal temperature of pre-treated banana husks fermentation was taken as 35°C from the previous study. The high level of ethanol production was achieved at 180 Watt and 5 minute of exposure time. Experimental results also clarified that, the thermally manipulated by microwave thereby significantly increased the glucose contained and lowered the sucrose contained, which being developed strategies for expanding the suitable use of different applications of banana husks in the foodstuffs industry.