EFFECT OF ACIDITY ON FURFURAL PRODUCED FROM RICE HUSK AND GROUNDNUT SHELL
Asmau A.B Umar1, Garba, U2 Bagna, E.A4, Ibrahim S3 and Abdulmumin, U5
1 House No 20 Wurnoroad Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria
2-5Department of Chemistry, Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, Nigeria
Email: asmauab01@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
This research work aimed to produce furfural from Rice husk and Groundnut shell and compare the effect of acid concentration on the yield of furfural produced which are lignocellulosic biomass consisting of pentosan which undergoes acid hydrolysis to yield furfural. The effect of acid concentration on the yield was investigated. The optimum furfural yield obtained was 9.48% and 36.78% for Groundnut-shell and Rice Husk respectively at 7.5% acid concentration. Thus it is concluded that the most favorable Sulphuric acid concentration for furfural yield is 7.5%, and that Rice husk shows a high optimum increase in % furfural yield than Groundnut-shell. Also the furfural obtained was characterized using FTIR and GC-MS spectroscopic techniques. The IR spectrum observed exhibited a very strong absorption at 1669 cm-1 indicating the presence of the conjugated carbonyl (C=O) group. The presence of the aldehyde was proven by two peaks at 3134 cm-1 and 2812 cm-1. Also the result of the Gas chromatography-Mass spectrophotometer was in agreement with the target molecule (Furfural) for which the observed molecular weight and the empirical formula was 96.05 g/mole and C5H4O2 respectively.
Keywords: Furfural, rice husk, Groundnut shell, FTIR,