THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LANZONES (Lansium domesticum) FRUIT

PEELINGS AS A BIOETHANOL FUEL

A Scientific Research
Presented to the Senior High School Department of
Pampanga High School, City of San Fernando, Pampanga

In Partial Fulfillment of
the Requirements for the Senior High School 12
Research/ Capstone Project
STEM Strand

FRANCES CARLA C. GATBONTON

GIANNA KRISTEN P. MIRANDA
ALYZZA P. MORALES

March 2020
 INTRODUCTION

Throughout the years, there has been an over usage of non-renewable energy

resources such as fossil fuels: coal, petroleum, and natural gas. With the over usage of

non-renewable resources, comes the ever-growing concerns about the environmental

consequences of greenhouse gas emissions. Fossil fuels produce a great amount of carbon

dioxide, the carbon emissions trap heat in the atmosphere and these events lead to climate

change. In the United States, the burning of fossil fuels, for power and transportation

sectors is about three-quarters of carbon emissions. [1] In addition, the rise of petroleum

and other fossil fuel prices are concerning.

Despite of this, renewable energies have emerged as an alternative eco-friendly

source. According to International Energy Outlook (2013), renewable energy is expected

to be the fastest growing sources of global electricity production, with an average annual

increase of 2.8% per year during the period 2010-2040. In addition, the global electricity

production will increase by 18% in 2007 to 23% in 2035.[2]

Biofuel is an example of a renewable source of energy. Biofuel is any fuel

produced directly or indirectly from organic materials or biomass (e.g. plant, algae
[3]
material or animal waste). Biofuels can be in a solid, gaseous or liquid state but

generally biofuels are liquid for transport. It may be derived from agricultural crops,

forestry products, fishery products, municipal wastes, or food wastes.[4]

1https://www.nrdc.org/stories/fossil-fuels-dirty-facts#sec-disadvantages
2International Energy Outlook, 2013. U.S. Energy Information Administration. U.S.Department of Energy,
Washington, DC.
3 https://www.britannica.com/technology/biofuel
4
https://www.greenfacts.org/en/biofuels/l-2/1-definition.htm
 Producing biofuels involves chemical reaction, fermentation, and heat to break

down the sugar, starches, and other molecules in a plant. One of the most common

biofuels is ethanol or bioethanol fuel. Bioethanol fuel is an alcohol made by fermentation,

mostly from carbohydrates produced in sugar or starch crops such as corn, sugarcane, or

sweet sorghum. It is also known as ethylic alcohol or ethanol.

Bioethanol fuels in the United States are made by fermenting sugars from plants

like corn and sugar cane which are commonly used as sources of ethanol. However, there

has been a debate whether ethanol that came from corn is actually more beneficial

because of the expenses and it consumes a lot of energy when it comes to processing.

That’s why scientists are looking for new materials that can be utilized in making

biofuels that will greatly benefit the people and will also have the potential to be used

without any arising problems when it comes to the environment and food supply. [5]

Lanzones, also known as Langsat (Lansium domesticum) is a species of tree in the

[6]
mahogany family and is native to Southeast Asia. It is widely popular because of its
[7]
small brown round fruits with sweet flesh and bitter tasting seeds. Lanzones is a

seasonal fruit, its harvest months are on March, April, October, November, and

December. In the Philippines, Lanzones is used for deworming and ulcer medication by

pounding the seeds and mixing it with water. The fruit peels are used as arrow poison, or

5
6
Eufrocinio C. Marfori, Shin Ichiro Kajiyama, Ei-Ichiro Fukusaki and Akio Kobayashi, “Lansioside D, a new
triterpenoid glycoside antibiotic from the fruit peel of Lansium domesticum Correa,”Journal of Pharmacognosy and
Phytochemistry 2015; 3: 140-143
7
Tilaar, M., Lip, W., Ranti, A., Wasitaatmadja, A., Suryaningsi, H. and Junardy, F. (2008). Review of
Lansium domesticumLansium domesticum and its use in cosmetics. BoletinLatino Americano y del Caribe de
PlantasMedicinalesy Aromaticas, Vol. 7, No. 4, pp 183-189.
dried, then burned to drive away mosquitoes but other than that the peelings are just

agricultural waste.

Phytochemical screening of the fruit peel shows high intensity for sugars and

alkaloids. It is also proven that Lanzones (Lansium domesticum) contains reducing

sugars. Additionally, the simple sugars found was predominantly glucose and sucrose.
[8]
The Philippines, as an agricultural country with a land area of 30 million hectares and

47% of which is agricultural, experiences some problems that arises related to

agricultural wastes. Agricultural wastes pertain to the unwanted waste product that is

caused by agricultural activities (e.g. fertilizer, herbicides, etc.). The production of

biofuel from fruits and vegetable waste has been carried out with the singular aim of

converting the waste to useful material. It should also be noted that bioethanol is

produced from any fodder crop which contains an abundance of simple sugars. [9] Fodder

crops are crops used in animal feeds and fruit wastes (e.g. peels) are considered as fodder

crops.

Lanzones (Lansium domesticum), being native in Southeast Asia, is cultivated for

its fruit in Luzon and also in Mindanao and Basilan. The parts that are usually utilized in

this plant is its bark, fruit, leaves, and seeds. The rind or peelings of the fruit is not

utilized and therefore can be considered as an agricultural problem because of its wastes.

Therefore, the researchers conducted this study to fill the gap which is exploring

the use of fruit wastes which are consumed at higher scales. Fruits are a good source for

8
JudilynSolidum, “Essential Chemicals in Selected Fruit Peels from Manila, Philippines,” International Journal
of Bioscience, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics, 37, (2012): 30
9
SR Hughes, et al., “Automated yeast mating protocol using open reading frames from Saccharomyces
cerevisiae genome to improve yeast strains for cellulosic ethanol Production,” J Assoc Lab Auto, 14, (2009): 190-199.
the production of bioethanol because they are rich in sugars and the amount of waste

produced after consumption can be utilized. This will help with the arising problems

regarding agricultural wastes and producing fuel that will be beneficial to the

environment and economy, the researchers aim to find out if Lanzones (Lansium

domesticum) fruit peelings can be utilized in producing an eco-friendly bioethanol fuel.

Specifically, the research aims to answer the following questions:

1. How effective is the bioethanol made from Lanzones (Lansium domesticum)

fruit peeling as an alternative for bioethanol fuel?

2. How many percent of ethanol can be produced from the bioethanol made

from Lanzones (Lansium domesticum) fruit peelings?

The researchers had the following hypotheses to guide them through this study:

H0 = Lanzones (Lansium domesticum) fruit peelings cannot be utilized in

producing bioethanol fuel.

H1 = Lanzones (Lansium domesticum) fruit peelings can be utilized in producing

bioethanol fuel.

This study aims to provide a global approach on liquid biofuel such as bioethanol.

Bio ethanol has been formerly introduced as an eco-friendly type of fuel but it has been

slowly forgotten through the years. In this generation, there is a need of a cleaner and

more efficient fuel that would serve the daily needs of people.

Specifically, the findings of this research will prove useful to the following

entities:
 Community. The people in the community will be aware that the fruit’s peelings

are very important like the plant’s other parts. As the primary consumers of the fruit, the

people may find the results of this study useful when it comes to utilizing the fruit

peelings into something that may be profitable for them like selling the fruit’s peelings or

producing their own bioethanol fuel.

Market Vendors. As the prime sources of Lanzones (Lansium domesticum) fruit,

the vendors would be informed and made aware that the fruit’s peelings can also be used

instead of disposing it immediately. They would be educated on how the peelings can be

truly useful for our daily needs. They also can educate their customers and thus will also

be advantageous for their business.

Environmental Organizations. The results of this research may benefit these

organizations on how to reduce wastes and how it can be used to help the society on

creating fuel that came from agricultural waste like the Lanzones (Lansium domesticum)

fruit peelings.

Local Government/ Community. This research could help on contributing ideas to

the higher officials on how we can use agricultural waste in producing natural fuel that

will greatly help our environment because it can reduce waste and air pollution. The

study can also help in establishing some actions that will be very helpful to the

community like practicing waste segregation and management.

Future Researchers. The results of the study could be used as a reference by the

future researchers that will also tackle or study about related or similar topics. It could
serve as a guide for them to have a better understanding about bioethanol fuel and how it

can be helpful to our society.

This research attempts to know if the fruit peelings of Lanzones (Lansium

domesticum) can be an effective alternative bioethanol fuel. Primarily, the focus of this

research is on determining the ethanol percentage of the extract made from the produce

product. The ethanol concentration of Lanzones (Lansium domesticum) fruit peelings

bioethanol would be tested at Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI).

It should be noted that the present study did not cover the comparison and

determining which is more effective between the produced bioethanol from the fruit

peelings and a commercially available fuel. The study excluded the said areas to narrow

down the topic to focus on the topic at hand. The main focus of the study is to determine

if Lanzones (Lansium domesticum) fruit peelings can be utilized in producing bioethanol

fuel and the determining the ethanol percentage that will be produced from its extract.

The study will be conducted with the duration of four months starting from November

2019 until February 2020. The experimentation process will be done during the month of

December while the paper works will be done from January-February 2020.

The topic focuses on determining if Lanzones (Lansium domesticum) fruit

peelings can be utilized in producing bioethanol fuel. As an experimental research, it

strictly adheres to scientific research design. One of the types of experiment that are
[10]
considered experimental research project is product effectiveness. The paradigm

shows the study’s framework which is an IPO (Input-Process-Output) chart.

10
https://cemast.illinoisstate.edu/downloads/hsrs/types_of_research.pdf
 An IPO (Input-Process-Output) chart was used for it is the most suitable for the

study. Input is something from the external environment that is fed into the system. In an

information system, the inputs may be raw data captured in some way. In either case, the

data input is provided by an external entity. The process accepts inputs into the system

and performs some type of operation on it which transforms it into some other state. In

the simplest of terms, the process is at the heart of any system. The process is the most

important element of a system. Output from the system is the result of processing the

input. Without output, a system has no link back into its external environment. The

output of a study may be reports generated by an information or even data that is fed into

another external environment.[11]

The researchers used an IPO chart because it is a simple way to describe and

show how the study processes information. It will help in understanding what to expect

of what will be the result of the data that will be gathered and processed. The paradigm

shows the study’s framework.

11
https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/janilosarmiento/the-ipo-model
 Input Process Output

The researchers aim to

answer the following
questions:

1. How effective is the The researchers will

bioethanol made from follow this methodology
Lanzones (Lansium to conduct this study:
domesticum) fruit peeling
as an alternative for 1. Experimentation According to the results
bioethanol fuel? 2. Testing of Ethanol of the study, here are the
answers to the statement
Percentage
of the problem:
2. How many percent of 3. Collection of Data
ethanol can be produced 4. Interpretation of the
from the bioethanol made
from Lanzones (Lansium Results
domesticum) fruit
peelings?

Figure 1. Paradigm of the Study: IPO Model of the “The Effectiveness of Lanzones

(Lansium domesticum) Fruit Peelings as a Bioethanol Fuel”

 METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents an overview of the methodology and research design, and

the procedures.

In this study, the researchers will employ quantitative research method and

experimental research design. Bhat (2019) defined quantitative research as a systematic

method of investigating a particular phenomenon by gathering quantifiable data and

performing statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques to analyze the gathered

data. It collects information from existing customers using sampling methods. The results
[12]
from this type of research are in numerical form. Bhat (2019) also defined

experimental research as any research conducted with a scientific approach. It is one of

the founding quantitative research methods. In this study, experiments are conducted to

discover facts and may gather data that can be used to help in making better decisions.[13]

The changes will be measured by manipulating the independent variable to determine any

possible effect in the independent variable in order to discover the efficacy of Lanzones

(Lansium domesticum) to bioethanol fuel.[14]

Safety Precautions

For safety and to reduce risks during the experimentation, the researchers will

keep safe at all times. They will utilize laboratory gowns, face masks and rubber safety

gloves during the distillation process. The proper use for each laboratory apparatus will

also be reviewed.

12
https://www.questionpro.com/blog/quantitative-research/
13
Adi Bhat, “Experimental Research- Definition, Types of Designs” Accessed March 2017.
https://www.google.com.ph/amp/s/www.questionpro.com/blog/experimental-research/amp/
14
Same ref as above
Gathering of Materials

a) Lanzones (Lansium domesticum)

The researchers will buy four (4) kilograms of Lanzones (Lansium

domesticum) fruits at the local market in Mexico. The fruits will be brought to the

Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) in City of San Fernando, Pampanga for

verification and authentication.

b) Laboratory Apparatus

The laboratory apparatus will be provided by the researchers’ chosen

laboratory. The researchers will use the following instruments for the succeeding

procedures:

b.1) Fermentation

Before fermenting, the researchers used a weighing scale to measure their

dry materials such as 100g of active dry yeast (ADY), and 1000g of peels. Active

Dry Yeast (ADY) allows commercialization of specific yeast strains with

attributes appealing to specific industries. Active dry yeast can be used to fuel

ethanol industry and even into brewing.

For their liquid materials, they will use a graduated cylinder. They will

also be crushing the peels using a mortar and pestle and utilizing a stirring rod to

stir solutions.

b.2) Distillation

The researchers will be distilling the fermented peels, therefore needing a

distillation set-up. In a distillation set-up, there are thermometer, distillation flask,

 wire gauze, iron ring, burner, jaw clamp and clamp fastener, condenser, and

graduated cylinder.

c) Laboratory Clothing and others

The researches will purchase rubber safety gloves, masks, and lab coats

from a local drug store near Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital (JBL).

The researchers will also go to their local market in San Fernando to

purchase a pack of active dry yeast (500g) and 10L of distilled water. They will

also provide a large sterile container for fermentation.

Procedures

The following procedures are based from a study entitled "Utilization of Banana

(Musa balbisiana) Peel as Bio-Ethanol” by the researcher Martha B. Bernaldez. Their

study was about finding a cheaper and accessible source of ethanol production. They used

banana wastes to produce the said bioethanol. [15]

a) Preparation of Lanzones (Lansium domesticum) fruit peels

The researchers will only use the fruit peelings of Lanzones (Lansium

domesticum) for this study. They will separate the flesh from the peels and collect

1000g of fruit peels from the gathered 4kg of fruits. The peels will be cut into

small pieces. The lanzones peels must be used right away to ensure that it will not

rot. Fill the container with lanzones peels and put 70ml of distilled water. Start

mashing it until it turns into fine mash.

b) Fermentation

15
D. Borah and V. Mishra., “Production of Bio fuel from Fruit Waste,” International Journal of Advanced
Biotechnology Research, 1, (2011): 71-74.
 After mashing the fruit peelings, the fermentation process will start by

putting the mash inside a container filled with ____L of water and then combining

it to 100g of Active Dry Yeast (ADY) then mixing it for 10 minutes or more.

Afterwards, the container will be sealed and the fruit peelings will be left to

ferment for one (1) week. The yeast will consume the sugar and it will release

wastes in the form of alcohol and carbon dioxide.

c) Distillation

After two weeks of fermentation, the fruit peelings will now undergo

distillation. Most of the water from the mixture is removed by distillation process.

In this process, the two components (ethanol and water) have different boiling

points. The ethanol will boil first (BP 78° C) compared to water (BP 100° C). The

mixture will undergo distillation using normal lab distiller to collect the

concentrated ethanol.

d) Testing of Ethanol Percentage

To prove that Lanzones bioethanol is an effective bioethanol fuel, the

researchers will go to Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) located

at Taguig, Metro Manila. The produced bioethanol will be tested to determine its

ethanol percentage using ethanol- gas chromatography.

Data Collection

~~~~~

Ethical Considerations

Ethical considerations is one of the most important parts of a research. In this

study, there is no deception or exaggeration about the objectives of the study. Avoidance
of altering or giving any misleading or false information about the findings in the study

that may be bias in any way with the research study or objectives can also be ensured
BIBLIOGRAPHY