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Journal of Biological Sciences

Year: 2006 | Volume: 6 | Issue: 6 | Page No.: 1047-1052
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Authors

B.O. Ogunsile

M.A. Omotoso

M.A. Onilude

Keywords

Research Article

Comparative Soda Pulps from the Mid-Rib, Pseudostem and Stalk of Musa paradisiaca

B.O. Ogunsile, M.A. Omotoso and M.A. Onilude
The fiber morphology, chemical properties and soda pulping of the mid-rib, pseudostem and stalk of Nigeria grown Musa paradisiaca were investigated as potential raw material for pulp and paper making. The lignin contents were desirably low and varied as follows: mid-rib, 12.4%, pseudostem, 7.4% and stalk, 11.2%. The cellulose contents were relatively tolerable ranging from 40.8 to 53.1%. The sampled parts were characterized with high values of ash and extractive contents. Their fiber lengths were relatively long ranging from 2.9 to 4.2 mm. At the best operating conditions, soda pulping of the sampled parts resulted in pulp yields of 49, 34.0 and 40.0% and residual lignin of 6.2, 4.1 and 2.1%, corresponding to the mid-rib, pseudostem and stalk, respectively. Prolonged cooking at a very low temperature resulted only in a small increase in the total yield over that obtained at a high temperature for the same degree of pulping for all the sampled parts.
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