Redistillation of wood vinegar from peat swamp species

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the characteristics of wood vinegar (WV) from 3 native peat swamp forest species: gerunggang (Cratoxylon arborescens), mertibu (Dactylocladus stenotachys), and meranti bunga (Shorea teysmanniana) after redistillation. The redistillation was carried out in a laboratory by heating 550 mL of wood vinegar in the distillation flask at a temperature of 100 °C for 7 hours. The parameters observed were the yield, the density, the acetic acid content, the pH, and the percentage of hydroxyl scavenging. The results showed that WV of D. stenotachys had the highest values of yield (%), pH, and, percentage of hydroxyl scavenging among other WV types. However, its acetic acid content was the lowest when compared with that of S. teysmanniana WV and C. arborescens WV. Besides, both S. Teysmanniana WV and C. arborescens WV were considered to have better potential as an antioxidant, an antimicrobial, and a food preservative. The pH levels of all purified WV in this study were classified as very acid indicated by the high quality of WV. Furthermore, D. stenotachys WV and C. arborescens WV fulfilled the requirement of Japanese WV standard. The redistillation of WV from the three species of peat swamp forest successfully produced WV with a clearer, transparent, and pale-yellow color.