Hydrothermal pretreatment optimization of hemicellulose dissolution of sugar palm starch industrial waste

Lignocellulosic biomass is a renewable source containing three main components: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. The three main components can be processed into products that have high added value. Sources of lignocellulosic biomass includes wood, grass, industrial waste, and agricultural residu. Compared to other source, industrial wastes have a higher potential to be utilized without competition for other needs and assist industry in waste treatment. The production of sugar palm starch generate biomass waste which is disposed into the environment which disturbs the surrounding community and is not utilized. To utilize lignocellulosic biomass, pretreatment is a very important step. Hydrothermal is an environmentally friendly pretreatment, without using harmful chemicals in the process. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of solubility of hemicellulose in the hydrothermal pretreatment process of sugar palm starch industrial waste. The hydrothermal method used is liquid hot water with temperature and time parameters, optimization analysis using response surface methodology (RSM). The result obtained is that the liquid hot water pretreatment method is effective in dissolving the hemicellulose from the sugar palm starch industrial waste. The relationship between variables on hemiselulosa response is modeled Y = 7.7-3.04 X1 – 5.67X2 + 0.4250 X1X2 + 1.06 X1 2 + 3.61 X2 2. The optimization results showed the optimum temperature at 195.91°C for 36.725 minutes, with a hemicellulose dissolution of 81.59% and the level of desirability is 0.852.