FUW TRENDS IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(A Peer Review Journal)
e–ISSN: 2408–5162; p–ISSN: 2048–5170
keywords: Batch reactor, biomass, composition, hemicellulose, NaCl
This paper reports a study on the production of furfural from microalga biomass, specifically investigate the effect of sodium chloride (NaCl) on furfural yield from microalga by varying the amount of NaCl (0 to 60 g) at constant reaction temperature, time and acid concentration. Furfural production was carried out by hydrolysis of Pentosans to Pentoses; Pentosans in hemicelluloses is hydrolyzed with dilute mineral acids with NaCl as a promoter with heating to pentoses. Subsequent pentoses are dehydrated to furfural in a single stage process. The proximate analysis of the microalgae biomass shows high percentage content of hemicellulose (54.13%). Results obtained indicated that furfural yield increase with increase in NaCl up to an optimum after which yield dropped. The highest furfural yield of 60.3% was recorded at 30 g of NaCl. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) result confirm the presence of carbonyl and aldehyde functional groups at wave length of 1674.27 cm-1 and 2924.18 cm-1, respectively while Gas Chromatogram Mass Spectrum(GC-MS) analysis of the sample confirms the presences of furfural (50.86%).
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