Cellulose from Renewable Materials: Isolation, Characterization and Antimicrobial Studies

Abstract

The present study reported the isolation of cellulose from various plant biomass sources such as jackfruit peel, pineapple leaf, corn cob and hemp. The selected plant materials were treated with sequence of chemical and mechanical methods to remove non-cellulosic components such as lignin, pectin, holo-cellulose and hemi-cellulose. The lignin present was safely removed by treatment with peroxide and acetic acid and then isolated cellulose materials were characterized by various physico-chemical techniques. The peaks observed in the FTIR spectral analysis shows the presence of α-cellulose and absence of other biomass fractions. The morphology and average crystallinity of cellulose were examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The inhibitory effect of isolated cellulose against certain bacteria and fungi indicated good antibacterial and antifungal activities.