Yield Of Microcrystalline Cellulose Research Articles

The Effect of Enzyme Concentration and Hydrolysis Time on the Yield of Microcrystalline Cellulose from Rice Straw

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of enzyme concentration and hydrolysis time on the yield of microcrystalline cellulose, and to determine whether the results of microcrystalline cellulose examination met the requirements of the British Pharmacopoeia and the United States Pharmacopoeia . The pretreatment process was carried out chemically using 96% alcohol, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide. The hydrolysis process was carried out enzymatically using the cellulase enzyme produced by the fungus Trichoderma viride , with variations in enzyme concentration of 5, 10 and 15% v/v for 0.5, 1 and 1.5 hours respectively. The highest yield of microcrystalline cellulose was produced from the hydrolysis process with a cellulase enzyme concentration of 5% v/v for 1.5 hours. Based on the two-way ANOVA test, it is known that the enzyme concentration and hydrolysis time have no significant effect on the yield of microcrystalline cellulose. Examination of organoleptic, identification, pH, water solubility, drying shrinkage, and starch absence test showed that the resulting microcrystalline cellulose complied with the requirements of the British Pharmacopoeia and the United States Pharmacopoeia.

Synthesis and Optimization Study of Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) through Acid Hydrolysis from Confiscated Cigarette

Tobacco is a type of plant which is used to make some products such as cigarettes and cigarettes are known to have a lot of harmful effects. There are few factors which causes the Royal Malaysian Custom Department to confiscate cigarettes which are white smuggled cigarette, contraband and false while storing the confiscated cigarettes for long time does not give any benefits. Therefore, cigarette butts which are chosen for this research study come from these confiscated cigarettes to utilize the waste. The tobacco was first undergoing alkaline pretreatment followed by bleaching process. Finally, hydrolysis process was done to synthesize microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). In this research, various acids (hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid, and nitric acid) were used for the hydrolysis process. It was found that the best acid to synthesize MCC was nitric acid where the highest percentage of MCC yield was 76.83%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows the surface morphology of MCC which is observed to be like rod-like structure, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicate that the crystalline and crystalline size of MCC was 74.28% and 4.61nm, respectively. FTIR spectra shows a successful removal of lignin structure from raw cigarette butts after hydrolysis process. Besides that, optimization of acid hydrolysis using Design of Expert software (DOE) were conducted where three independent variables were chosen which are hydrolysis time, hydrolysis temperature and acid concentration (nitric acid). Through this study, the highest yield of MCC obtained was 78% and the optimum conditions of parameters are 60 minutes, 60°C and 1.25M of nitric acid. The results of this study can be used to eliminate the hazards of the cigarette butts scattered in the environment and create the added value for the overall process.

THE ISOLATION OF α-CELLULOSE & THE PREPARATION OF MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE FROM SOURSOP LEAVES (Annona muricata L.)

Powder characteristics are very important to consider in the tablet manufacturing process because they can affect the characteristics of the resulting tablets. This study aims to determine the characteristics of microcrystalline cellulose powder isolated from soursop leaves. This research method includes preparation of soursop leaves raw material, isolation of α-cellulose using 17.5% NaOH solution with 3.5% nitric acid (containing 20 mg sodium nitrite), manufacture of microcrystalline cellulose using 1 M HCl solution, and characterization of microcrystalline cellulose including quality checks. powder (organoleptic, identification, solubility), and pH testing. The results showed that the yield of microcrystalline cellulose (MCCDSr) was 96.59% against α-cellulose. The results of the characterization of microcrystalline cellulose powder including organoleptic, identification, solubility, melting point, and pH showed similar characteristics with Avicel® PH 101 as a comparison. Based on the research that has been done, the characteristics of microcrystalline cellulose powder from soursop leaves are similar to Avicel® PH 101.

Гидролиз целлюлозы с использованием газовоздушных смесей хлористого водорода

Abstract. Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is a common product used in pharmaceutical, food and other industries. MCC is obtained by liquid-phase hydrolysis of cotton or wood bleached pulp with diluted 0.5–10.0 % mineral acids at a temperature of 100–140 °C. This process requires significant consumption of acid, water, and heat energy. Production of MCC in general is very expensive, which determines its high cost and the need to find alternative methods of cellulose hydrolysis. It is proposed to hydrolyze cellulose with concentrated hydrochloric acid produced by absorption of hydrogen chloride. We studied the processes of hydrogen chloride adsorption by bleached wood pulp with 8–18 % humidity. It is shown that adsorption of hydrogen chloride is determined by pulp humidity and is 3–5 % of the dry pulp mass. The sorption of hydrogen chloride leads to the formation of hydrochloric acid with a concentration of 25–40 % in the raw material moisture, significant heating of the mass and rapid hydrolysis of the amorphous cellulose fraction. It has been found that the use of pure hydrogen chloride for saturation causes strong darkening and humification of pulp. We recommend the use of hydrogen chloride gas-air mixtures to saturate the pulp, which will significantly reduce the sorption temperature and eliminate the strong darkening of the pulp during hydrolysis. The adsorption of hydrogen chloride by cellulose proceeds at an extremely high rate and is accompanied by the formation of a clearly visible sorption front at a temperature of 45–60 °C. Hydrolysis occurs for 15–30 min at 40–60 °C until the amorphous cellulose fraction is completely decomposed. A very small amount of monosaccharides is formed (4 % of dry pulp). The yield of MCC is high, more than 95 %. These circumstances are probably related to the recrystallization of a part of the amorphous fragments of cellulose macromolecules, which is a characteristic of hydrolysis with concentrated acids. The product obtained by cellulose hydrolysis is identical to MCC according to the data of IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and viscometry. The article shows the high efficiency of cellulose hydrolysis with hydrogen chloride gas-air mixtures compared to traditional methods of MCC production.

Potentials of microcrystalline cellulose prepared from wood dusts wastes of Ficus Platyphyla, Planatus Occidentalis and Gmelina Aborea

This research aims to prepare microcrystalline cellulose (MCCs) from native cellulosic wastes in order to find potential applications for each of the tree species. The physico-chemical characteristics of the MCCs were studied using physical and spectroscopic techniques. Acid hydrolysis in 2M HCl was used for the preparation of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) obtained from agricultural waste sample, Gmelina aborea (GA) Ficus platyphyla (FP) and Planatus occidentalis (PO) wood dust. The MCCs obtained were off-white and powdery in appearance. The yield of MCCs were 67.55% for Ficus platyphyla, 77.00% Planatus occidentalis and 80% for Gmelina Aborea (GA). The functional groups in the MCC samples were confirmed by the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic method with characteristic absorption bands of ;OH stretching at 3416 cm-1; C-H stretching at 2918 cm-1; -OH bending at1377 cm-1;, 1159 cm-1; and C-O-C pyranose ring skeletal vibrations at 1026-1033 cm-1, with crystallinity absorption bands showing up at 1432 and 850 cm-1 respectively. The thermal stabilities were determined from Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and showed that the MCC samples are thermally stable (50% weight loss at 450OC or PO, 50% weight loss 470OC for FP and 50% weight loss at 590OC for GA). The characteristic morphological features were established by scanning electron micrograph (SEM) and the crystallinity of the microcrystalline cellulose were further confirmed using the X-Ray Diffraction (X-RD) technique which showed three main reflections at 2?=14.70, 22.09 and 34.24, this therefore indicates microcrystalline cellulose were cellulose I type and that acid pretreatment did not affect the structure of the MCC. The crystallinity index values were 69.4, 68.7 and 79.6 for FP, PO and GM MCCs and respectively. The Samples were tested for pH, Moisture content, Hydration and swelling capacities as well. These results showed that the wood dusts form the tree species are good potential sources of high-grade cellulose which can serve as useful starting materials for further processing and applications.

HETEROGENEOUS CATALYTIC FRACTIONATION OF BIRCH-WOOD BIOMASS INTO MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, XYLOSE AND ENTEROSORBENTS

For the first time, it was proposed to fractionate the main components of birch wood into microcrystalline cellulose, xylose and enterosorbents by integrating heterogeneous catalytic processes of acid hydrolysis and peroxide delignification of wood biomass. The hydrolysis of wood hemicelluloses into xylose is carried out at a temperature of 150 °C in the presence of a solid acid catalyst Amberlyst® 15. Then the lignocellulosic product undergoes peroxide delignification in a "formic acid – water" medium in the presence of a solid TiO2 catalyst to obtain microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and soluble lignin. Under the determined optimal conditions (100 °С, Н2О2 – 7.2 wt.%, НСООН – 37.8 wt.%, LWR 15, time 4 h), the yield of MCC reaches 64.5 wt.% and of organosolvent lignin 11.5 wt% from the weight of prehydrolyzed wood. By the treatment of organosolvent lignin with a solution of 0.4% NaHCO3 or hot water the enterosorbents were obtained, whose sorption capacity for methylene blue (97.7 mg/g) and gelatin (236.7 mg/g) is significantly higher than that of the commercial enterosorbent Polyphepan (44 mg/g and 115 mg/g, respectively). The products of catalytic fractionation of birch wood are characterized by physicochemical (FTIR, XRD, SEM, GC) and chemical methods.

Preparation and Characterization of Cellulose and Microcrystalline Cellulose from Sugarcane Bagasse and Assessment of the Microcrystalline Cellulose as a Directly Compressible Excipient

Cellulose, the most abundant biomass material in nature finds wide applications in the pharmaceutical industry. Sugarcane bagasse (SCB) is one of the main agricultural lignocellulose byproducts. The objective of this study was to prepare and characterize native and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) from SCB and evaluate the MCC as a directly compressible pharmaceutical excipient. Cellulose was extracted from SCB by chlorine-free methods with or without dewaxing. MCC was prepared from the cellulose by hydrolysis using hydrochloric acid, and subsequently oven-dried (OD) or spray-dried (SD). The as-obtained cellulose and MCC were characterized in terms of yield, degree of polymerization (DP), chemical functionality, crystallinity, morphology and thermal stability. The chemical composition, particle size, densities and direct compressibility of MCCs were also determined. Cellulose yields on a dry weight basis were found to be 42.8 ± 1.10% and 43.5 ± 0.5% from non-dewaxed and dewaxed SCB, respectively. Dewaxed SCB cellulose (DSCBC) provided higher yield of MCC (DSCB-MCCOD, 83 ± 0.74%) than non-dewaxed SCB cellulose (SCBC) (SCB-MCCOD; 78 ± 1.07%). The DP of SCBC and DSCBC were 580.56 and 592.75, respectively, while the DP of MCC ranged from 230.10 - 251.40. The FTIR spectra of both cellulose and MCC were similar with that of Avicel PH-101. The degree of crystallinity of the dewaxed cellulose (77.34%) and MCCOD (79.56%) and MCC-SD (81.87%) were higher than non-dewaxed cellulose (74.50%) and MCC-OD (78.11%) and MCC-SD (79.62%). Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) showed a fibrous structure for DSCBC and rod-shaped for DSCB-MCC. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed dewaxed products exhibited better thermal stability than non-dewaxed products. All MCC samples exhibited monomodal normal particle size distributions. The Hausner ratio and Carr’s index of DSCB-MCCOD and Avicel PH-101 were not significantly different (p < 0.05) indicating similar flow property and compressibility of the materials, respectively. Also, plain tablets prepared from SCB-MCC showed reasonably high crushing strengths (MCC-SD > MCC-OD), although tablets of Avicel PH-101 showed the highest crushing strengths. Thus, SCB could be an alternative source of cellulose and MCC for pharmaceutical applications.

Extraction and Processing of Pharmaceutical Grade Microcrystalline Cellulose from Dracaena arborea Stem

Cellulose is an abundant renewable biodegradable polymer regarded as a promising feedstock for chemical productions with its versatility evaluated as a useful structural and functional material for pharmaceutical and industrial applications. It is a straight chain polymer which appears in cell walls of most plant and consists of D. glucose units, with absence of coiling or branching and can be derived from variety of sources including: annual plants, microbes, animals etc. Three basic types of cellulose often exist in nature as - alpha (α), beta (β) and gamma (ϒ). Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) sourced from cellulose, occurs as a purified and partially depolymerized alpha cellulose from plant parts such as D. arborea stem possibly by severe acid or alkaline hydrolysis. D. arborea plant is a palm – like tree of 1.5m height with several branches, often used as a boundary mark, a non-selective habitat and belongs to the family Asparagaceae, sub family Nolinoideae. With alkali hydrolysis of the D. arborea stem, the percentage yield of MCC from the alpha cellulose is 54.32%. Physicochemical analysis of the MCC reveals it to have a pH of 7.80 and physicotechnical analysis resulted in values as recommended in the official monogragh. Proximate principles of the extracted MCC, depicted percentage fiber content as 65.78% and low lipid and protein content as 0.6 and 0.4% respectively. Elemental analysis shows the composition of sodium and iron as 41% and 35% respectively but absence of lead and other deleterious materials. FTIR analysis suggests the presence of carbonyl groups, 6- membered cyclic ring (aromatic structure) with ortho and meta - OH substitution and long aliphatic chains. The x-ray diffraction study gave a percentage crystalinity index of 6.02 at 2q = 22 and 2q = 34.

CHARACTERIZATION OF KAPOK PERICARPIUM MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE PRODUCED OF ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS USING PURIFIED CELLULASE FROM TERMITE (MACROTERMES GILVUS)

Objective: This study aimed to increase the yield of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) from kapok pericarpium alpha-cellulose produced by enzymatic hydrolysis using purified cellulase from Termites (Macrotermes gilvus) and to compare the characteristics with the reference product.
 Methods: In this research, MCC was prepared from kapok pericarpium powder through the chemical isolation process of alpha-cellulose, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis with purified cellulase from Macrotermes gilvus. The yield was improved by using purified cellulase in optimized temperature, pH, and hydrolysis time. Identification was carried out by using ZnCl and infrared spectrophotometry, followed by characterization of MCC include particle size analysis (PSA) and diffracto­gram pattern (X-Ray Diffraction). The results were compared with Avicel PH 101 as the reference product.
 Results: Purified cellulase from Macrotermes gilvus showed high cellulose activity. Cellulose in the concentration of 11.743 U/ml formed 49 mm clear zone area with cellulolytic index 7.16 that similar to the formed clear zone area of Trichoderma reesei (50 mm), the optimum hydrolysis condition was achieved at 50 °C, pH 6.0, in 2 h, which produced 80% yield of MCC. Produced MCC was analyzed with ZnCl and FTIR spectrum resulting in positive results, similar to reference. The results of the organoleptic test, particle size analysis, and diffracto­gram pattern (X-Ray Diffraction) showed crystalline characteristics of MCC is similar to the reference (Avicel PH 101).
 Conclusion: Cellulase Macrotermes gilvus yielded 80% MCC and higher enzymatic activity than Trichoderma reesei. Based on the organoleptic test, particle size analysis, and diffracto­gram pattern observation, MCC from kapok pericarpium has shown similar characteristics to reference (Avicel pH 101) and might be potential to be further developed.

Isolasi dan Karakterisasi Selulosa Mikrokristal dari Ampas Tebu (Saccharum officinarum L.)

Microcrystalline cellulose is the result of isolation from alpha cellulose. Woody plants are generally the source of microcrystalline cellulose production. One of the natural ingredients that can be used to make microcrystalline cellulose is bagasse (Saccharum officinarum L.). Bagasse contains 37.65% of cellulose which can be isolated by the delignification stage using a base solution, the process of bleaching and hydrolysis of alpha cellulose by high temperature heating using dilute dilute acid. The yield of microcrystalline cellulose from bagasse 26.03% and fulfilling the characterization based on the literature.

POTENTIAL OF CELLULASE OF CHAETOMIUM GLOBOSUM FOR PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE FROM WATER HYACINTH (EICHHORNIA CRASSIPES)

Objective: This study aimed to increase the yield of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) made from water hyacinth ɑ-cellulose by enzymatic hydrolysis by using purified enzyme and to find it’s characteristics compared to the reference.
 Methods: In this research, MCC was prepared from water hyacinth powder through the chemical isolation process of ɑ-cellulose, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis with purified cellulase from Chaetomium globosum. The yield of MCC was improved by using purified enzyme and optimization of temperature, pH, and hydrolysis time. Identification was carried out by using ZnCl and infrared spectrophotometry, followed by characterization of MCC include particle size analysis (PSA) and diffracto­gram pattern (X-Ray Diffraction) compared to reference Avicel PH 101.
 Results: Purified enzyme from Chaetomium globosum has high activity with a clear zone area of 45 mm with cellulolytic index 6.5 that almost same as Trichoderma reesei (50 mm), with the cellulase enzyme activity of 6.691 U/ml. The optimum condition was at a temperature of 50⁰C and pH 6.0 with the hydrolysis time of 2 h, which produced 95% yield of MCC. Identification with ZnCl and FTIR spectrum showed positive results, similar to the reference. The results of organoleptic test, particle size analysis, and diffracto­gram pattern (X-Ray Diffraction) showed crystalline characteristic similar to reference (Avicel PH 101).
 Conclusion: Enzyme from Chaetomium globosum has a higher activity of cellulase than Trichoderma reesei with MCC obtained was 95%. Based on the comparison of the organoleptic test, particle size analysis, and diffracto­gram pattern, MCC from water hyacinth has a great potential which showed similar characteristic to reference (Avicel pH 101).

Isolation and Characterization of Microcrystalline Cellulose from Bamboo Pulp Through Extremely Low Acid Hydrolysis

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) has a wide range of applications in food, chemical, pharmaceutical industries, etc. In this study, the one-step preparation of MCC from bleached Kraft bamboo pulp (BKBP) by extremely low acid (ELA; acid concentration ≤0.1 wt %) was demonstrated. The experimental data indicate that the crystallinity, degree of polymerization (DP), and yield of MCC were strongly affected by the time and temperature of hydrolysis, as well as the concentration of hydrochloric acid (HCl). Rod-like MCC was obtained with a yield of 76.4% (based on the mass of original BKBP) and exhibited high crystallinity and narrow particle diameter distribution (78.7%, 30–70 μm) under optimal conditions (acid concentration of 0.08 wt%, 165 °C, 40 min). The Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements showed that the resulted MCC maintained cellulose I structure. Thermal analysis demonstrated that the as-prepared MCC exhibited good thermal stability. The ELA hydrolysis process may provide a green alternative for the manufacture of MCC from bleached Kraft bamboo pulp.

Preparation and characterization of microcrystalline cellulose from waste cotton fabrics by using phosphotungstic acid

Recycling of waste cotton fabrics (WCFs) and converting them into high value-added products have not been developed. In this study, a novel and green process was developed for the preparation of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) from WCFs by the catalytic hydrolysis of phosphotungstic acid (H3PW12O40, HPW). The effects of hydrolysis conditions such as HPW concentration, reaction temperature, reaction time, and solid/liquid ratio were investigated. The optimum process conditions were determined as follows: HPW concentration of 3.47 mmol/L, a solid/liquid ratio of 1:40, reaction temperature of 140 °C, and reaction time of 6 h. The yield of MCC prepared was as high as 83.4% and exhibited better performance than commercial MCC such as a higher crystallinity (85.2%), smaller particle size (20.37 μm), and narrower particle size distribution (72.75%, 8.68–31.1 μm). Furthermore, the HPW could be extracted and recycled easily with diethyl ether for five times and used to prepare MCC with a high yield and crystallinity index.

Optimizing Yield of Microcrystalline Cellulose from Empty Fruit Bunch Via Hydrolysis Using Ionic Liquid

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) has been widely recognized as an important material with high potential in contributing to wide range of field including nanocomposite, biomedical applications, electroactive polymers, and many others. MCC has been isolated extensively using conventional method such as acid hydrolysis. However, utilization of hazardous and volatile solvent in acid hydrolysis has raised concern on the impact to the environment and the toxicity level of the as-produced MCC for potential application in biomedical field. In this study, new generation of environmental benign solvent named ionic liquid (IL) was utilized to extract MCC from empty fruit bunch (EFB). The yield of MCC has been optimized by varying three factors, namely temperature, reaction time and solvent concentration. It has been observed that the highest yield of MCC produced using IL is 31.44%, achieved at optimum conditions of 95°C, 129 minutes and 95% solvent concentration. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra have confirmed the absence of absorption bands corresponding to lignin and hemicellulose, suggesting that almost pure MCC has been obtained. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs have further revealed that the MCC had been agglomerated which resulted in micro-size cellulose ranging from 10 – 20 μm, highly probably due to inappropriate drying method.

Preparation and characterization of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) from tea waste

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was prepared from Oolong tea waste by acid hydrolysis in the present study. Based on the single factor experiment results, the hydrolysis conditions were optimized by an orthogonal L9(3)4 experiment. Results showed that the degree of polymerization (DP) and yield of MCC were strongly influenced by the time and temperature of hydrolysis, the concentration of HCl and the ratio of acid to material. Under optimal conditions (acid to materials ratio 1:20, HCl concentration 1.5 mol/L, 65 °C, 90 min), the yield and DP of the tea waste MCC were 86.7% and 145, respectively. Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that tea waste MCC had cellulosic structure and was cellulose I type. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that MCC had shorter fibers with some holes on the rough surface. The MCC prepared from tea waste had good thermal stability.

Optimization of extraction of microcrystalline cellulose from orange peel waste using response surface methodology

This study investigated the optimum processing conditions for obtaining the maximum yield of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) powder from orange peel waste (OPW) by use of response surface methodology (RSM). Central composite design (CCD) was used to evaluate the optimum process conditions for producing MCC from alpha cellulose obtained from OPW. The factors investigated for getting the optimum conditions were temperature (90 – 110 o C) and hydrolysis time (10 - 25 min). Both factors were found to have significant effect on the yield of MCC and the model that described the process had coefficient of determination R 2 ) of 0.9808. The adjusted R 2 was checked to ensure model adequacy, which gave a value of 0.9695. Optimum process conditions o for hydrolysis as ascertained by RSM were 100.53 o C and 16.28 min. Characterization of the optimized MCC obtained showed that it had an angle of repose of 50.08 o , pH of 6.7, moisture content of 6% bulk and true density of 0.346 and 1.48 g/ml respectively indicating a similar degree of crystallinity as that of commercial grade microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel PH101). It was however found to be composed of aggregated fibres at magnifications of 1000 X using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as opposed to the non-aggregated fibres of Avicel PH101 at same magnification. Keywords : Microcrystalline cellulose, Orange peel waste, Alpha cellulose, Response surface methodology

Hydrolysis of Microcrystalline Cellulose to Produce Fermentable Monosaccharides by Plasma Acid

ABSTRACTPlasma acid was obtained by treating distilled water with a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) at atmospheric pressure. The tentative relationship between discharge conditions and pH value of the plasma acid was investigated. In order to optimize the hydrolysis conditions of microcrystalline cellulose with the plasma acid, an orthogonal experiment was carried out and the colorimetric determination of 3,5-dinitro-salicylic acid was applied to measure the concentration of total reduced sugar (TRS). The results showed that the pH value of the plasma acid was related to the discharge time. The acidity of the plasma acid was maintained for several hours and then faded gradually. The microcrystalline cellulose was hydrolyzed effectively by the plasma acid and the optimal hydrolysis conditions were as follows: pH 1.42 of the plasma acid, hydrolysis temperature of 80°C and hydrolysis time of 60 min. Under these conditions, the microcrystalline cellulose with polymerization degree of 200–300 was hydrolyzed completely to produce monosaccharides, including xylose and glucose with the mole ratio of 1:35, as shown by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Moreover, the hydrolysis of luffa cellulose with polymerization degree of 500–600 was also carried out. The luffa cellulose was hydrolyzed completely to produce monosaccharides including xylose, mannose and glucose with mole ratio of 6.7:1:218. Therefore, it could be concluded that the main hydrolysis product of both types of cellulose was glucose. The glucose yield of microcrystalline cellulose was 46%, whereas for luffa cellulose it was 41%. This method was an environmentally friendly and effective method to hydrolyze cellulose.

Synthesis of microcrystalline cellulose from pretreated cotton obtained from Bombax ceiba L. and its characterization

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is an important ingredient in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and other industries. Microcrystalline cellulose was synthesized from the alpha cellulose content of pretreated cotton, Bombax ceiba L. by hydrochloric acid hydrolysis. The prepared microcrystalline cellulose was characterized by determining some physicochemical properties such as pH, angle of response, Carr’s index, Hausner ratio, moisture content etc and compared with commercial-grade microcrystalline cellulose that is used in pharmaceutical industry as excipient. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and FTIR data represented the structure and particle characterization of sample. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) showed the thermal stability of the sample. The results showed that the yield of microcrystalline cellulose was about 85% and compared favorably with the commercial grade microcrystalline cellulose as well as conformed official specifications for microcrystalline cellulose in British Pharmacopeia. It was also found that the duration of acid hydrolysis affected the polymeric form of the processed alpha cellulose.Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 50(3), 199-204, 2015