Effect of Sulfuric Acid and Fermentation Time on Bioethanol Production from Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB)

Abstract

The limited stock of non-renewable fuels has caused the necessity of finding alternative renewable and substitute fuels such as bioethanol. However, the high cost of the raw materials and the risk of transferring agricultural lands are the main obstacle to production and loss in food supplies. Therefore, the utilization of palm oil waste, empty fruit bunches (EFB), can solve this problem. This study aims to determine the optimum fermentation condition of bioethanol production by using NaOH and H2SO4 for degrading the lignin and converting cellulose to glucose. Three concentrations of H2SO4 were used in the fermentation process. In addition, refractive index, pH, and ethanol content were analyzed to measure the bioethanol.