Characterization of Microcrystalline from Pineapple Leaf (Ananas comosus L. Merr)

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is a cellulose derivative obtained by treating the alpha cellulose contained in fibrous plants using acid solutions. Types of natural fibers from plants obtained from the pineapple leaf. Chemical composition of pineapple leaf showed that the content of cellulose is high at 69.5 to 71.5%. This research was conducted through the isolation of alpha cellulose with a NaOH solution, then hydrolyze with HCl solution, then crushed mechanically to obtained microcrystalline cellulose. Characterization of microcrystalline cellulose include, organoleptic test, loss of drying test, color identification reagents test, water solubility test, starch test, pH test, analysis and identification of functional groups microcrystalline cellulose by spectrophotometry Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR). Microcrystalline cellulose obtained is fine powder, white, odorless, pH 6.1, loss of drying 3.3%, giving a positive result in a identification test with iodized zinc chloride, solubility in water 0.16% and there is no starch in microcrystalline cellulose. The results of the analysis of functional groups microcrystalline cellulose obtained from pineapple leaf compared with Avicel using FT-IR showed similar wavenumber in the functional groups region and the fingerprint region. It was concluded that the pineapple leaf contain alpha cellulose and can be made into microcrystalline cellulose. (paper)