Speakers - 2026

Title: Potentials and utilization of pineapple crowns (wastes) for sustainable paper production: climate change mitigation and wastes to wealth approach

Abstract

The paper industry has raised environmental concerns on multiple fronts from deforestation to climate change, CO2 emissions, loss of biodiversity and soil erosion to various degrees of health issues as a result of removing forest trees for pulp and paper production.  However, to address the environmental challenges posed by the paper industry, there is need to focus on alternative non wood fibre sources such as pineapple crowns.

This study investigated the potentials and suitability of pineapple crowns (wastes) for pulp and paper production with soda pulping method. The chemical composition of the pineapple crowns was determined following TAPPI standards. The mean values of the chemical constituents were lignin 5.67 %, cellulose 31.43 % and hemicellulose 15.25 %.  Extractives were found to be 5.49 %, ash content 4.00 %. Hot water solubility, cold water solubility and 1% sodium hydroxide solubility were found to be 25.10 %, 11.55 % and 63.87 % respectively. Fibre dimensions of the pineapple crowns were also determined by putting a strand of the pineapple crowns in a test tube containing the solution of acetic acid (75ml) and hydrogen peroxide (150ml) in ratio 1:2 (v/v), the test tube was subsequently placed in a water bath at 100OC for 2hrs. The action of heat and solution of acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide caused the strand to bleach and disintegrated into slivers of fibres (loose, slender fragments), after the hot maceration, the fibre dimensions were investigated under a micrometer mounted on an Olympus light microscope (Standard 25). Fibre length, fibre diameter, lumen width and cell wall thickness were found to be 2.54 mm, 35.19 µm, 36.67 µm and 5.75 µm respectively.  500g of pineapple crowns were dried, chipped and pulped through soda pulping method using a 15L vertical digester with 10% sodium hydroxide concentration, solid: liquor ratio 1:5, at  140OC, for  60min. Handmade paper was produced with the resulting pulp using a handmade sheet former (mold and deckle) with netted sieve (400 - mesh). The tensile strength of the paper produced was determined using a universal tensile testing machine (Model No: BS903, M500-25KN, OL11 INR, Roshdale) and was found to 223.333 N/m2. The fibre dimensions, chemical composition and tensile strength exhibited show that pineapple crowns have great potentials and are suitable for paper production.

Key words: lignin, cellulose, hemicelluloses, pulp, paper, fibre, pineapple crowns

The audience will benefit from presentation:

Audience will know that alternative non wood fibre sources such as agricultural wastes can replace forest woods in the production of quality pulp and paper and those agricultural residues with long fibre length of 2.534 mm as exhibited by pineapple crowns are recommended for pulp and paper production. Soda pulping method (pulping with sodium hydroxide) is recommended for the pulping of pineapple crowns and other fibre based agricultural residues.

The audience will be informed that, through proper legislation, we can collectively seek successful transition to the paper industry that is part of the solution to deforestation and climate change mitigation. There should be legislation to stop the indiscriminate disposal of fibre based agricultural wastes. This innovative idea will be transferred to stakeholders in the paper industry and it will create job opportunities for farmers and unemployed youths across the globe.