Pectin and cellulose extraction from passion fruit peel waste

Abstract

Pectin and cellulose were successfully extracted from passion fruit peel waste. The maximum pectin yield of the process was 12.60% at pH=2 for 1.5 h. The pure cellulose obtained from the passion fruit peel waste was prepared by refluxing of the passion fruit peel powder with 1 M NaOH and 1.25 M HNO₃, solutions at 90°C for 1 h and 1.5 h, respectively. The passion fruit peel cellulose was converted to carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) by etherification. The pure cellulose was soaked in a mixed solution of isopropyl alcohol and NaOH for 1.5 h. After that, it was reacted with cholroacetic acid at 70°C for 1.5 h. The optimum conditions for carboxymethylation were 5 g cellulose, 2.0 g cholroacetic acid, and 15 ml 20%w/v NaOH. The optimised product had a degree of substitution (DS) of 0.78 and was used as constituent in a biopolymer.