Impact of surfactant-aided subcritical water pretreatment process conditions on the reducing sugar production from oil palm empty fruit bunch

Abstract Oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB), waste produced from the oil mills, has not been intensely utilized while its abundant availability in tropical countries such as Indonesia. It is one of potential lignocellulosic material sources which can be to produce sugar. The subcritical water process known a promising lignocellulose-to-sugar conversion process. This study examined effects temperature, surfactant types, and concentrations on sugar yield OPEFB through In this research, was conducted at varied temperature 140-180 °C, constant pressure time 60 bar, minutes, respectively. types surfactants studied were non-ionic, anionic, cationic (Tween 80, SDS, CTAB). Reducing concentration analyses solid characterizations using SEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA carried out research evaluate impact variables. experiments showed that Tween 80 addition significant yields 140 °C. CTAB shows adverse effects, SDS support production yields. may caused by hydrophobic hydrophilic interactions between functional groups lignin unit ionic surfactants. run 180 °C assisted best scenario highest reducing 4.034%.