Enhancing the Quality of Cellulose Isolated from Banana Peels by Incorporating the Use of Microwave Radiation over the Conventional Method

Cellulose, a renewable biopolymer, can be sustainably extracted from agricultural residues such as banana peels, which are plentiful yet often discarded as waste. Traditional extraction methods are laborious, require prolonged heating, and consume large quantities of chemicals, posing environmental and economic concerns. In this study, a microwaveassisted technique was explored for cellulose extraction from banana peels and compared with conventional thermal treatment under identical chemical conditions. The process involved sequential liquefaction, delignification, and bleaching, with microwave radiation applied at 600 W. Results showed that microwave-assisted extraction significantly improved efficiency, yielding 86.43% cellulose compared to approximately 83% with conventional methods, while reducing processing time from 455 min to just 22 min (excluding 14 min for cycle repetition). FTIR analysis confirmed effective removal of lignin and hemicellulose, XRD indicated preservation of cellulose structure with a crystallinity index of 56.8%, and SEM images revealed smoother, cleaner, and similarly textured cellulose in microwave-treated samples compared to conventional ones. These findings demonstrate that microwave radiation not only enhances cellulose purity and structural quality but also offers significant benefits in energy savings and process sustainability. The resulting cellulose is suitable for applications in packaging, composites, and nanocellulose production. This research establishes microwave-assisted treatment as a scalable, eco-friendly, and time-efficient alternative to traditional methods for converting banana peel waste into high-value cellulose.