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Merck

Cellulose extraction from orange peel using sulfite digestion reagents.

Bioresource technology (2011-09-07)
Ioan Bicu, Fanica Mustata
ABSTRACT

Orange peel (OP) was used as raw material for cellulose extraction. Two different pulping reagents were used, sodium sulfite and sodium metabisulfite. The effect of the main process parameters, sulfite agent dosage and reaction duration, on cellulose yield was investigated. A central composite rotatable design involving two variables at five levels and response surface methodology were used for the optimization of cellulose recovery. Other two invariable parameters were reaction temperature and hydromodulus. The optimum yields, referred to the weight of double extracted OP, were 40.4% and 45.2% for sodium sulfite and sodium metabisulfite digestions, respectively. The crude celluloses were bleached with hypochlorite and oxygen. The physicochemical characterization data of these cellulose materials indicate good levels of purity, low crystallinities, good whitenesses, good water retention and moderate molecular weights. According to these specific properties the recovered celluloses could be used as fillers, water absorbents, or as raw materials for cellulose derivatives.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium sulfite, BioUltra, anhydrous, ≥98% (RT)
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium metabisulfite, tested according to Ph. Eur.
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium metabisulfite, ACS reagent, ≥97.0%
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium sulfite, BioXtra, ≥98%
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium sulfite, anhydrous, Redi-Dri, reagent grade, ≥98%
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium metabisulfite, puriss. p.a., ACS reagent, reag. Ph. Eur., dry, 98-100.5%
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium metabisulfite, anhydrous, free-flowing, Redi-Dri, ReagentPlus®, ≥99%
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium metabisulfite, puriss., meets analytical specification of Ph. Eur., BP, NF, FCC, E223, dry, 97-100.5%
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium sulfite, puriss., meets analytical specification of Ph. Eur., BP, NF, anhydrous, 95.0-100.0% (iodometric)
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium sulfite, ≥98%
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium metabisulfite, ReagentPlus®, ≥99%
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium metabisulfite, reagent grade, 97%
Supelco
Sodium metabisulfite, analytical standard
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium sulfite, puriss. p.a., reag. Ph. Eur., anhydrous, 98-100.0% (iodometric)
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium sulfite, ACS reagent, ≥98.0%