Preparation of Cellulose-Citral Fiber from Fabric Waste Using the Encapsulation Method

Abstract

The significant increase in fabric waste each year has the potential to become a source of environmentally friendly cellulose raw materials. Cellulose extracted from this textile waste can be utilized with active compounds found in essential oils. This study aims to synthesize cellulose-citral compounds based on cellulose extracted from textile waste and citral from lemongrass oil (Cymbopogon citratus) using an encapsulation method to enhance stability and extend the shelf life of citral with the assistance of environmentally friendly natural H-zeolite catalysts. The cellulose extraction process uses the acid hydrolysis method with a 1M HCl solution. Natural zeolite is activated using the acid method with HF, HCl, and NH4Cl. Subsequently, cellulose-citral synthesis is performed using the reflux method at 70 0C for 10 hours The synthesized product was encapsulated with gum arabic coating using the spray drying method to protect and extend the shelf life of citral. The results of cellulose-citral synthesis showed that the best synthesis was the 10-hour cellulose-citral synthesis, characterized by the formation of carbonyl bonds and C-O-C bonds in the synthesis product from the reaction of the hydroxyl group (-OH) of cellulose with the aldehyde group (-CHO) of citral at a peak of 1738,54 cm-1 with the lowest transmittance of 93.59% and a GC area of 1.5%. The particle size of cellulose-citral microcapsules increased to 3717.27 ± 416.84 nm. The encapsulation method using gum arabic was less effective in improving the stability and shelf life of cellulose-citral. Based on the characterization results, only a small amount of citral was encapsulated.