Pyrolysis and Characterization of Liquid Smoke from Cacao Pod Husks

Abstract

Cacao pod husks were treated by the pyrolysis process to produce liquid smoke. Cacao pod husks can be utilized to produced their useful chemicals by pyrolysis. The reactor of pyrolysis used is made from cylindrical stell reactor with a small capacity, rust resistant and portable. A sample was pyrolyzed for 5 hours. The parameters measured to determine the quality of liquid smoke are the yield of pyrolysis products, pH, the concentration of acetic acid and phenol concentration. The quality of liquid smoke also tested by looking at the chemical components of liquid smoke by using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The pyrolysis process produced products in the form of liquid smoke, charcoal, tar, and gas. The yield of pyrolysis products are 14.77; 40.43; 1.67; and 43.13%, respectively. Liquid smoke obtained has a pH of 3.2 levels, acetic acid 9.306 ppm, and phenol levels 1.688 ppm. GC-MS measurement result showed that methanol, acetic acid, and acetol are the highest concentration of chemical obtained in liquid smoke.