Chemical constituents of the different anatomical parts of the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) for their sustainable utilization

As the worldwide production of palm oil (Elaeis guineensis) is increasing, concomitant wastes of unutilized parts of the oil palm are also increasing. Thus, effective utilization of these wastes is expected. In this paper, therefore, the chemical composition of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and other minor cell wall components was studied for six different anatomical parts of the oil palm such as trunk, frond, mesocarp, endocarp (shell), kernel cake and empty fruit bunch (EFB). As a result, it was shown that cellulose is in a range between 20-40wt% with hemicellulose being 10-35wt%, whereas lignin in a range between 23-52wt%. More in detail, the shell contained the highest lignin about 52wt% but the kernel cake no lignin, while the rest in a range between 23-35wt%, being composed of guaiacyl and syringyl moieties without p-hydroxyphenyl propane residue. This is very similar to the hardwood-type lignin, rather than softwood-type lignin. On hemicellulose, mannan was rich in kernel cake, while glucuronoxylan rich in the other parts, with 1.8-8.5 xyloses per one uronic acid. Consequently, oil palm is not a good material for ethanol fermentation by yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) because of high pentosan and low hexosan contents. As a minor component, inorganic constituents were also studied from the ash by scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDXA). As a result, K, Si, Na, Ca, S, P and Mg were found as elements in all parts of the oil palm studied. Particularly, Si and K were abundant in the trunk, shell, mesocarp and kernel cake, while the frond and kernel cake contained, respectively, K, Ca and P in a large quantity. The elements of Cl, Fe and Al were, however, detected only in some parts. These elements found are important and prerequisite for the healthy growth of the oil palm. Therefore, it may be concluded that, upon the whole utilization of the oil palm, inorganic constituents found in this study must be returned to the plantation site. These lines of information are useful for the efficient utilization of the whole parts of the oil palm which is necessary for the sustainable development of the biomass resources

PVP2011-58032 Study of the suitable pressure vessel for the rice -powder manufacturing using the underwater shock wave

ABSTRACT Self-sufficiency in food is very low (about 40%) in Japan. Therefore, the rice powder is paid to attention, because it can be processed to the udon(noodle) and bread etc.We have already developed the rice-powder disintegrator using the underwater shock wave by the electrode. But it has not been cleared what is the most suitable pressure vessel. The purpose of this study is to investigate the most suitable configuration of the pressure vessels for manufacturing the rice-powder using the underwater shock wave.Experimental conditions to manufacture the rice-powder (particle size is 100µm) is clarified using this device.Moreover, the manufacturing efficiency of the rice-powder, the relation between the number of the shock wave generation and the grain degree of rice-powder is clarified

Direct extraction of polysaccharides from moso bamboo (Phylostachys heterocycla) chips using a mixed solvent system of an amino acid ionic liquid with polar aprotic solvent

Abstract The cellulose-dissolving ability and some physical properties of mixed solvents of an amino acid IL, N-methyl-N-(2-methoxyethyl)pyrolidin-1-ium 2,6-diaminohexanoate ([P1ME][Lys]), with polar aprotic solvents, such as 1,3-dimethylimidazolidinone (DMI), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), and acetonitrile (CH₃CN), have been investigated. The viscosity was significantly reduced by the increasing content of polar aprotic solvents, and a 1:1 mixture (molar ratio) of [P1ME][Lys] with DMF showed 91.5 cP which corresponded to less than 1/10 compared to that of the pure IL at 25 °C (1058 cP). The β values of the mixed solvents, which have the IL contents over 0.1, exhibited β-values similar to that of the pure IL. On the other hand, the π-value was dependent on the ratio of the IL content, and the pure IL had the highest π-value. We found that the mixed solvent of [P1ME][Lys] with DMF (1:1) easily dissolved the cellulose and the mixed solvent could be used to extract cellulose from moso bamboo (Phylostachys heterocycla) powder. The efficiency of the extraction of cellulose from the bamboo powder was significantly increased when a 1:1 mixture of the IL with a polar aprotic solvent was used as the extracting solvent at 60 °C; the extraction ratio of the 1:1 mixture (IL: DMF) reached twice that of the pure IL. We thus obtained cellulose in 18% (w/w) yield from the bamboo powder

Development of the rice-powder manufacturing system using underwater shock wave

Self-sufficiency in food is very low (about 40%) in Japan. Therefore, the rice powder is paid to attention because it can be processed to the udon (noodle) and bread etc. We has already developed the rice-powder disintegrator using the underwater shock wave by the electrode. But it has not been cleared what is the most suitable pressure vessel. The purpose of this study is to investigate the most suitable configuration of the pressure vessels for manufacturing the rice-powder using the underwater shock wave. Experimental conditions to manufacture the rice-powder (particle size is 100 μm) is clarified using this device. Moreover, the manufacturing efficiency of the rice-powder, the relation between the number of the shock wave generation and the grain degree of rice-powder is clarified

Mechanism of the Shock Wave Generation and Energy Efficiency by Underwater Discharge

We are developing the rice powder manufacturing system using an underwater shock wave. The purpose of this study is to research a mechanism of the shock wave generation and energy efficiency by underwater discharge in order to increase energy of the underwater shock wave. We observed the shock wave generation using the visualization device with a high speed camera, and measured voltage current characteristics at the same time. As a result, it was clarified that countless underwater shock waves were generated at the time of water plasma expansion by discharge. But, the shock wave was not confirmed at the time of after a second peak of the damping oscillation. It was clarified that one part of charging energy was used to generation of the shock wave. Therefore, it was clarified that to release energy by the critical oscillation is desirable for efficient generation of the shock wave