The Impact of Microwave-Assisted Alkaline Delignification on Cellulose Isolation and Subsequent Carboxymethylation Efficiency of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (OPEFB)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32493/jitk.v10i2.58828Keywords:
Cellulose, OPEFB, Carboxymethyl Cellulose, Microwave-Assisted, DelignificationAbstract
This study aimed to isolate high-purity cellulose from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (OPEFB) using conventional and microwave-assisted heating pretreatments, and to compare their efficiency in Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) synthesis. Delignification was performed using a 3% NaOH solution. Composition analysis (Chesson-Datta) revealed that the Bleaching Microwave method yielded the highest cellulose purity (65%) and the lowest residual hemicellulose content (7%), slightly surpassing the Conventional method (64% cellulose). FTIR analysis confirmed that microwave-assisted delignification was more effective in disrupting the lignocellulosic matrix and resulted in higher carboxymethylation efficiency (indicated by sharper carboxylate peaks in CMC B). Organoleptic tests showed both CMCs met the Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients (HPE) standards for form, odor, solubility, and pH. These findings confirm that Microwave-Assisted Extraction (MAE) technology significantly enhances the efficiency of cellulose isolation and CMC synthesis from OPEFB
References
BPS. (2024). Statistik Kelapa Sawit Indonesia 2023.
Dimawarnita, F., Panji, T., & Faramitha, Y. (2019). Peningkatan kemurnian selulosa dan karboksimetil selulosa (CMC) hasil konversi limbah TKKS melalui perlakuan NaOH 12%. E-Journal Menara Perkebunan, 87(2). https://doi.org/10.22302/iribb.jur.mp.v87i2.339
El Ashhab, F., Sheha, L., Sheltami, R. M., & Feituri, Z. M. (2006). Viscous Behavior of Dilute CMC Salt Solution Before and After Photodegradation. Qatar University Science Journal, 26(1), 23–30.
Fortune Business Insights. (2025, November 3). Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Application (Food & Beverages, Oilfield, Paper & Pulp, Detergents, Coatings, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2025-2032.
Kamal, A. F., Mardawati, E., Purwanto, E. H., & Rosalinda, S. (2023). Optimasi microwave-assisted pretreatment dalam delignifikasi asam oksalat pada kulit kakao menggunakan response surface methodology (RSM). Agrointek : Jurnal Teknologi Industri Pertanian, 17(4), 724–736. https://doi.org/10.21107/agrointek.v17i4.15471
Ma, H., Fu, P., Zhao, J., Lin, X., Wu, W., Yu, Z., Xia, C., Wang, Q., Gao, M., & Zhou, J. (2022). Pretreatment of Wheat Straw Lignocelluloses by Deep Eutectic Solvent for Lignin Extraction. Molecules, 27(22), 7955. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27227955
Mikulski, D., & Kłosowski, G. (2022). Delignification efficiency of various types of biomass using microwave-assisted hydrotropic pretreatment. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 4561. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-08717-9
Nakyp, A., Cherezova, E., Karaseva, Y., Shalmagambetov, K., Aleksandrov, A., Zhapparbergenov, R., Akylbekov, N., & Turmanov, R. (2024a). Extraction of Lignocellulose from Rice Straw and Its Carboxymethylation When Activated by Microwave Radiation. Polymers, 16(22), 3208. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16223208
Nakyp, A., Cherezova, E., Karaseva, Y., Shalmagambetov, K., Aleksandrov, A., Zhapparbergenov, R., Akylbekov, N., & Turmanov, R. (2024b). Extraction of Lignocellulose from Rice Straw and Its Carboxymethylation When Activated by Microwave Radiation. Polymers, 16(22), 3208. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16223208
Nomanbhay, S. M., Hussain, R., & Palanisamy, K. (2013). Microwave-Assisted Alkaline Pretreatment and Microwave Assisted Enzymatic Saccharification of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Fiber for Enhanced Fermentable Sugar Yield. Journal of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems, 03(01), 7–17. https://doi.org/10.4236/jsbs.2013.31002
Noorshamsiana, A. W., Nor Faizah, J., Kamarudin, H., Nur Eliyanti, A. O., Fatiha, I., & Astimar, A. A. (2023). Cellulose Extraction from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch: A Comparative Study on Efficiency of Different Bleaching Reagents. Journal of Oil Palm Research, 32(4), 610–620. https://science.utm.my/procscimath/
Nusbah, S. S., Amir, M. M., Kalsum, U., & Bakhri, S. (2025). Development of a Delignification for Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches Using Microwave Assistance for Lignin Removal Efficiency. OPEN ACCESS, 5(1), 22–32. https://journal.utsmakassar.ac.id/index.php/JSThttps://journal.utsmakassar.ac.id/index.php/JST
Raudhatussyarifah, R., Sediawan, W. B., Azis, M. M., & Hartati, I. (2022). Microcrystalline cellulose production by acid hydrolysis of hydrotropic rice straw pulp. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 963(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/963/1/012055
Sadeghi-Shapourabadi, M., Elkoun, S., & Robert, M. (2023). Microwave-Assisted Chemical Purification and Ultrasonication for Extraction of Nano-Fibrillated Cellulose from Potato Peel Waste. Macromol, 3(4), 766–781. https://doi.org/10.3390/macromol3040044
Schieppati, D., Patience, N. A., Galli, F., Dal, P., Seck, I., Patience, G. S., Fuoco, D., Banquy, X., & Boffito, D. C. (2023). Chemical and Biological Delignification of Biomass: A Review. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 62(33), 12757–12794. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.3c01231
Song, C.-L., & Othman, J. B. (2022). Synthesis and Characterization of Lignin-Incorporated Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) Films from Oil Palm Lignocellulosic Waste. Processes, 10(11), 2205. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10112205
Trisnawita, Y., & Putri, E. (2024). SINTESIS DAN KARAKTERISASI KARBOKSIMETIL SELULOSA (CMC) DARI LIMBAH TANDAN KOSONG KELAPA SAWIT (TKKS) SEBAGAI PENGGANTI CMC INDUSTRI. JURNAL KIMIA SAINTEK DAN PENDIDIKAN, 8(1), 41–48. https://doi.org/10.51544/kimia.v8i1.4656
Vinhas, S., Sarraguça, M., Moniz, T., Reis, S., & Rangel, M. (2024). A New Microwave-Assisted Protocol for Cellulose Extraction from Eucalyptus and Pine Tree Wood Waste. Polymers, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16010020
Widya Fatriasari. (2022). Teknologi Konversi Biomassa Untuk Pengembangan Bioproduk Berbasis Selulosa dan Lignin Sebagai Sumber Energi Terbarukan dan Material Berkelanjutan (M. Perrier, Ed.). Penerbit BRIN. https://doi.org/10.55981/brin.709
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Raida Raudhatussyarifah, Gabriella Providencia Matullessya, Nia Gusti Pandita, Hadistya Suryadri, Nazarudin, Rara Ayu Lestary, Rahma Amalia, Rosmawati Sipayung
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Jurnal Ilmiah Teknik Kimia have CC-BY-SA or an equivalent license as the optimal license for the publication, distribution, use, and reuse of scholarly work.
In developing strategy and setting priorities, Jurnal Ilmiah Teknik Kimia recognize that free access is better than priced access, libre access is better than free access, and libre under CC-BY-SA or the equivalent is better than libre under more restrictive open licenses. We should achieve what we can when we can. We should not delay achieving free in order to achieve libre, and we should not stop with free when we can achieve libre.
Jurnal Ilmiah Teknik Kimia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
YOU ARE FREE TO:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
