The effects of EDTA on the isolation of cellulose from banana stem using atmospheric soda pulping / Nurul Amal Nadhirah Mohamad

The pulp and paper industry, which produces various types of papers, packaging materials, and household products, uses over 40% industrial wood traded globally. Non-wood cellulose isolated from agricultural residues, such as banana stems, offers an alternative to the limited supply of wood and environmental impacts of deforestation. Soda pulping using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is the most basic chemical treatment that efficiently removes lignin; however, simultaneous hydrolysis of cellulose cannot be avoided. According to previous studies, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) works as an excellent additive to improve the pulp yield, but its influence on lignin removal and cellulose properties is hardly mentioned. Therefore, the efficiency of NaOH/EDTA for lignin removal, pulp yield, and cellulose content was evaluated in this study. The pulping process was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) and the effects of the anticipated esterification between EDTA and cellulose on the cellulose structure were analyzed.