Skip to main content

Utilization of Core Oil Palm Trunk Waste to Methyl Levulinate: Physical and Chemical Characterizations

Waste and Biomass Valorization volume 10, pages 655–660 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Core oil palm trunk (COPT) is a lignocellulosic waste that poses as an alternative carbon source in bio-chemical and bio-fuel production. The bulk of free sugar present in its sap renders COPT as a potential starting material in the synthesis of methyl levulinate (ML). In this study, the effect of different sap extractions on COPT and synthesised methyl levulinate respectively was analysed. COPT sap was extracted using two different methods of blending and pressing, followed by the methanolysis reaction. The high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) results for both extraction methods have revealed that glucose is the primary sugar found in the sap. However, the total sugar concentration obtained from the pressing extraction method was found to be higher at 22.14 g/L, compared to blending extraction method at 20.23 g/L. Meanwhile, synthesized methyl levulinate was identified from the methanolysis of COPT sap in all type of catalysts (i.e. 0.5 M HCl, 1 M HCl, 0.5 M H2SO4 and 1 M H2SO4). It is worth noting that the isolated and highest concentration of methyl levulinate was obtained when catalysed by 1 M H2SO4 and can be clearly seen on the NMR spectrum.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

References

  1. Aristizbal, M.V., Garcia, V.C.A., Cardona, A.C.A.: Integrated production of different types of bioenergy from oil palm through biorefinery concept. Waste Biomass Valorization. 7, 737–745 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Jaafar, S.N.B.S., Haimer, E., Liebner, F., Böhmdorfer, S., Potthast, A., Rosenau, T.: Empty palm fruit bunches-A CO2-based biorefinery concept. J. Biobased Mater. Bioenergy. 5, 225–233 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Zulkarnain, A., Bahrin, E.K., Ramli, N., Phang, L.Y., Abd-Aziz, S.: Alkaline hydrolysate of oil palm empty fruit bunch as potential substrate for biovanillin production via two-step bioconversion. Waste Biomass Valorization, 1–11 (2016)

  4. Economics & Industry Development Division, M: Distribution of oil palm planted area by category as at december 2015. 2015 (2015)

  5. Awalludin, M.F., Sulaiman, O., Hashim, R., Nadhari, W.N.A.W.: An overview of the oil palm industry in Malaysia and its waste utilization through thermochemical conversion, specifically via liquefaction. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 50, 1469–1484 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Klaarenbeeksingel, F.W.: Greenhouse gas emissions from palm oil production: literature review and proposals from the RSPO Working Group on Greenhouse Gases, p. 36. Brinkmann Consultancy, Hoevelaken (2009)

  7. Abdullah, C.K., Jawaid, M., Khalil, Abdul, Zaidon, H.P.S., Hadiyane, A.: A.: Oil palm trunk polymer composite: morphology, water absorption, and thickness swelling behaviours. BioResources. 7, 2948–2959 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hashim, R., Saari, N., Sulaiman, O., Sugimoto, T., Hiziroglu, S., Sato, M., Tanaka, R.: Effect of particle geometry on the properties of binderless particleboard manufactured from oil palm trunk. Mater. Des. 31, 4251–4257 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Sulaiman, O., Salim, N., Nordin, N.A., Hashim, R., Ibrahim, M., Sato, M.: The potential of oil palm trunk biomass as an alternative source for compressed wood. BioResources. 7(2), 2688–2706 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Salim, N., Hashim, R., Sulaiman, O., Ibrahim, M.: Improved performance of compressed oil palm trunk prepared from modified pre-steaming technique. J. Indian Acad. Wood Sci. (2015)

  11. Singh, P., Sulaiman, O., Hashim, R., Peng, L.C., Singh, R.P.: Using biomass residues from oil palm industry as a raw material for pulp and paper industry: Potential benefits and threat to the environment. Environ. Dev. Sustain. 15, 367–383 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Daud, W.W.R., Law, K.: Oil palm fibers as papermaking material: potentials and challenges. BioResources. 6, 901–917 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Yamada, H., Tanaka, R., Sulaiman, O., Hashim, R., Hamid, Z.A.A., Yahya, M.K.A., Kosugi, A., Arai, T., Murata, Y., Nirasawa, S.: Old oil palm trunk: a promising source of sugars for bioethanol production. Biomass Bioenergy. 34(11), 1608–1613 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Kosugi, A., Tanaka, R., Magara, K., Murata, Y., Arai, T., Sulaiman, O., Hashim, R., Hamid, Z.A.A., Yahya, M.K.A., Yusof, M.N.M., Ibrahim, W.A., Mori, Y.: Ethanol and lactic acid production using sap squeezed from old oil palm trunks felled for replanting. J. Biosci. Bioeng. 110(3), 322–325 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Komonkiat, I., Cheirsilp, B.: Felled oil palm trunk as a renewable source for biobutanol production by Clostridium spp. Bioresour. Technol. 146, 200–207 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Jahar, N.A., Mostapha, M., Wong, J.C., Jaafar, S.N.S., Pua, G., Zakaria, S., Chia, C.H.: Methanolysis on extracted sap from inner and outer part of core oil palm trunk using phosphomolybdic acid and aluminium sulphate. AIP Conf. Proc. 1784, 040025 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Khosnan, A.A.A., Jahar, N.A., Jaafar, S.N.S., Zakaria, S., Hua, C.C.: Conversion of different part core oil palm trunk into methyl levulinate & hydroxymethylfurfural production. AIP Conf. Proc. 1678, 040004-040001-040005 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Peng, L., Li, H., Lin, L., Chen, K.: Effect of metal salts existence during the acid-catalyzed conversion of glucose in methanol medium. Catal. Commun. 59, 10–13 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Xu, X., Zhang, X., Zou, W., Yue, H., Tian, G., Feng, S.: Conversion of carbohydrates to methyl levulinate catalyzed by sulfated montmorillonite. Catal. Commun. 62, 67–70 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Deng, W., Zhang, Q., Wang, Y.: Catalytic transformation of cellulose and its derived carbohydrates into chemicals involving C-C bond cleavage. J. Energy Chem. 24, 595–607 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Wu, X., Fu, J., Lu, X.: One-pot preparation of methyl levulinate from catalytic alcoholysis of cellulose in near-critical methanol. Carbohydr. Res. 358, 37–39 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Feng, J., Jiang, J., Xu, J., Yang, Z., Wang, K., Guan, Q., Chen, S.: Preparation of methyl levulinate from fractionation of direct liquefied bamboo biomass. Appl. Energy. 154, 520–527 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Peng, L., Lin, L., Li, H.: Extremely low sulfuric acid catalyst system for synthesis of methyl levulinate from glucose. Ind. Crops Prod. 40, 136–144 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Wise, L.E., Murphy, M., D’Addieco, A.A.: Chlorite holocellulose, its fractionation and bearing on summative wood analysis and studies on the hemicelluloses. Paper Trade. 122(2), 35–43 (1946)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Khor, K.H., Lim, K.O., Alimuddin, Z.A.Z.: Laboratory-scale pyrolysis of oil palm trunks. Energy Sources Part A. 32, 518–531 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Hashim, R., Nadhari, W.N.A.W., Sulaiman, O., Kawamura, F., Hiziroglu, S., Sato, M., Sugimoto, T., Seng, T.G., Tanaka, R.: Characterization of raw materials and manufactured binderless particleboard from oil palm biomass. Mater. Des. 32, 246–254 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Nguyen, D.V., Rabemanolontsoa, H., Saka, S.: Sap from various palms as a renewable energy source. Chem. Ind. Chem. Eng. Q. 24, 1–39 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Darwis, A., Nurrochmat, D.R., Massijaya, M.Y., Nugroho, N., Alamsyah, E.M., Bahtiar, E.T., Safe’i, R.: Vascular bundle distribution effect on density and mechanical properties of oil palm trunk. Asian J. Plant Sci. 12, 208–213 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by research grants FRGS/1/2014/SG01/UKM/02/3 and GGPM-2014-037. Thanks to the Ministry of High Education of Malaysia by providing scholarship under program MyBrain15.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bioresources and Biorefinery Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    Noorhasmiera Abu Jahar, Wong Jia Chyi, Marhaini Mostapha, Sarani Zakaria, Chin Hua Chia & Sharifah Nabihah Syed Jaafar

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Fei-ling Pua

Authors
  1. Noorhasmiera Abu Jahar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fei-ling Pua
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wong Jia Chyi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Marhaini Mostapha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sarani Zakaria
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Chin Hua Chia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Sharifah Nabihah Syed Jaafar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sharifah Nabihah Syed Jaafar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Abu Jahar, N., Pua, Fl., Chyi, W.J. et al. Utilization of Core Oil Palm Trunk Waste to Methyl Levulinate: Physical and Chemical Characterizations. Waste Biomass Valor 10, 655–660 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-017-0085-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-017-0085-9

Keywords

  • Cellulose
  • Extraction
  • Free sugars
  • Methyl levulinate