Comparison of Extraction Methods and Characterization of Cellulose from Sugarcane Bagasse (Saccharum officinarum L.) for Bioplastic Food Packaging

Abstract

Bagasse (Saccharum officinarum L.) is a waste generated from the extraction process of sugarcane in the sugar processing industry that is not optimally utilized. However, the high cellulose content of bagasse can be applied in various. This research aims to identify the properties of sugarcane bagasse-derived cellulose. Delignification and bleaching are chemical processes used to perform extraction. Physical characterization parameters and standards used to view bagasse cellulose include cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, color, and Fourier Transform-Infrared (FTIR) spectrum. Cellulose extraction was carried out using a hotplate stirrer and microwave. The results indicated the amounts of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in sugarcane bagasse cellulose using the microwave method were 85.95%, 3.64%, and 0.26%, respectively, while the amounts using the hotplate stirrer method were 83.25%, 5.01%, and 0.26%. FTIR of sugarcane bagasse cellulose of hotplate stirrer method showed absorption bands at 3335.58 cm-1 for O-H, 2893.99 cm-1 for C-H, 1022.54 cm-1 for C-O, and microwave method showed bands at 3326.43 cm-1 for O-H, 2896.87 cm-1 for C-H, 1024.49 cm-1for C-O. a typical peak of cellulose. The results showed that cellulose isolated from bagasse powder is similar to the standard cellulose. The yields of bagasse cellulose from the hotplate stirrer and microwave methods were 20.07% and 19.60% white powder, respectively. The findings of this study indicate that cellulose from sugarcane bagasse could be an excellent material for producing bioplastics, hence the need for its development as a bioplastics raw material.