Ethyl Alcohol from Banana Peelings as a Biofuel

Lidelyn Jane Q. Cañalita, Regine D. Labajo

San Pablo National High School, Poblacion, San Pablo, Zamboanga del Sur
*Email: lidelynqc@gmail.com, labajoregine333@gmail.com

Introduction
food industry and do not compete with food
The world is facing challenges related to production. Banana peelings contain high
resource scarcity, environmental degradation, levels of fermentable sugars, making them a
and increasing energy demand (Global viable and sustainable feedstock for biofuel
Resources Outlook 2024). Secure, sustainable, production (Jensen et al., 2016). The
and cost-effective energy sources are crucial significance of this study lies in its potential to
for general welfare, industrial competitiveness, offer a sustainable solution to the challenges
and societal function (Grebesemati, 2016). faced in biofuel production, such as food
Energy plays a crucial role in various aspects of security, land use, and environmental impact.
society, including cooking, heating, lighting, By utilizing banana peelings as a biofuel
health, food production and storage, education, feedstock, this study has the potential to reduce
mineral extraction, industrial production, and greenhouse gas emissions, promote sustainable
transportation (Gebregergs, 2016). However, waste management practices, and contribute to
the global energy demand is rising steadily, the development of renewable energy sources.
leading to significant environmental risks,
particularly from the consumption of fossil The research aims to explore the potential of
fuels (Kour et al., 2019). Musa acuminata, via fermentation processes, to
serve as a viable source for biofuel production
According to Paulova (2015), one strategy to or the generation of biofuel-derived
tackle these difficulties involves utilizing commodities.
biofuels like ethanol, which can be derived Methodology
from agricultural, fruit, municipal, and
industrial waste materials through the process For the research design, we will follow a
of fermentation. Ethanol, also known as ethyl sequential experimental approach. This
alcohol or bioethanol, is a widely used liquid involves collecting ripe banana peelings (Musa
biofuel that serves as both a fuel and a gasoline Acuminata) as the primary material for ethanol
enhancer (Badawy, 2016). It has a higher extraction through fermentation. The process
oxygen content compared to other liquid will include preparing the banana peel extract,
biofuels, which allows for more efficient fermenting it with yeast and sugar, distilling the
oxidation of gasoline hydrocarbons, resulting fermented mixture to obtain ethanol, and
in reduced emissions of CO and aromatic produce biofuel.
compounds (Thangavelu, 2014).
Research Design
However, the production of ethanol from
This study made use of Quasi-Experimental
traditional feedstocks, such as corn and Design. This method of research design was
sugarcane, has drawbacks such as low ethanol
used in the presentations and interpretations of
yield and high production costs, leading to
results. The results were presented in the forms
greenhouse gas emissions and environmental
of tables. Photographs were presented to
degradation (Li et al., 2018). This underscores
support the results.
the need for alternative feedstocks and
production methods to improve the Materials and equipment
sustainability and efficiency of biofuel
production. The materials and equipment needed for this
experiment includes 1kg ripe banana peelings
One potential alternative feedstock is ripe from Musa Acuminata, 2 liters water, 10g yeast,
banana peelings, which are a byproduct of the and 200g sugar for the fermentation process.
Additionally, you will need a 1 fermentation undergoes purification, such as fractional
vessel, such as 1 glass jar with an airlock, to distillation, to obtain pure ethanol suitable for
contain the fermentation use as a biofuel. Finally, Hexane, Penicillin G
and Methanol are added for the complete fuel
mixture. For the distillation process, you will production (Gül, Ö., & Özen, S. 2018).
need a distillation apparatus consisting of a 1
distillation flask, 1 condenser (plastic bottle), Statistical Analysis Tool
and 1 receiving flask. Other equipment needed
includes a thermometer to monitor temperature, Our statistical method uses a descriptive
and 1 funnel for transferring liquids, 1 filter analysis tool to explain the concentrations of
paper for filtration, and a heat source, such as a different components in our biofuel. This
hot plate, for heating the mixture. approach involves systematically describing
the concentration levels of various components
Procedure until the precise concentrations required for
optimal biofuel production are identified.
The process begins with the preparation of
banana peel extract by collecting and Results
thoroughly washing the peelings to remove any This part includes the presentation, analysis,
contaminants. The peelings are then cut into
and interpretation of data gathered with regards
small pieces and blended with water to create a
to the effectiveness of Ethyl Alcohol Extracted
slurry (Alvarez and Reyes et al., 2018). Next,
the banana peel slurry is transferred into a from Ripe Banana Peelings through
fermentation vessel, where yeast and sugar, Fermentation as a Biofuel.
sodium hydroxide are added to initiate I. Physical Characteristics of
fermentation. The vessel is sealed with an
Experimental Ethyl Alcohol
airlock to allow the release of gases produced
during fermentation. Throughout the
fermentation process, the temperature is
monitored regularly, and the mixture is gently
stirred to ensure uniform fermentation. After
fermentation is complete, typically lasting 1-2 Physical Experimental Ethyl
weeks, the fermented mixture is transferred into Characteristics Alcohol
a distillation apparatus. The mixture is heated
to boil off the ethanol, which has a lower Color Clear
boiling point than water, and the
Volatility Slow

Odor Like Tuba

Table 1
distillate is collected in a receiving flask. The
distillate contains ethanol mixed with water and Physical Characteristics of Experimental
Ethyl Alcohol
Table 1 Shows the physical characteristics of
experimental alcohol. The experimental
alcohol as reflected in the table has a clear
color. The volatility is slow and the smell is
“tuba”.
II. Fermentation

Fermentation Samples Components Concentrations

1 Banana peel 1 kg

1 Yeast (S. Cerevisiae) 10 g

1 Sugar 21 g

1 Benzathine Penicillin G 22 mL

1 Sodium hydroxide 20 mL

III. Testing the Effectiveness of

The medium was formulated for the Bioethanol as a fuel
fermentation procedure, with two variations: The fermentation process lasted for one week
fermentation solely with S. cerevisiae, and and a half, after which we proceeded to the
fermentation with S. cerevisiae supplemented distillation process. Afterward, we transferred
with benzathine penicillin G. A volume of 22 it into different vial bottles, with five samples
mL from the column was combined with 10 g/L for different concentrations, as we added
of yeast (S. cerevisiae) in a 250-mL flask was Hexane (Methanol) to each.
sealed with cheesecloth to facilitate anaerobic
• Test Samples of Distilled Banana Peel Extract
conditions and prevent the ingress of air.
Daily pH monitoring was conducted on the
samples, with adjustments made to maintain the
pH within the range of 5.0 to 5.5. During this
stage, the pH was adjusted to a range of 5.0-5.5,
which corresponds to the optimal pH for the
enzymatic activity of S. cerevisiae, through the
addition of 20 mL NaOH. Subsequently, the
ethanol produced from the juice of banana peel
was separated through distillation utilizing a
rotary evaporator.
 Trial 1 (Distilled product) Concentration of Hexane Observation

20 mL 10 mL It doesn’t create fire

• Test Samples of Distilled Banana Peel Extract

Trial 2 (Distilled product) Concentration of Hexane Observation

15 mL 15 mL It produced a low-fire flame but

after about 10 seconds, the flame
died

• Test Samples of Distilled Banana Peel Extract

 Trial 3 (Distilled product) Concentration of Hexane Observation

25 mL 18 mL It produced a low-fire flame but

after about 16 seconds, the
flame died

• Test Samples of Distilled Banana Peel Extract

Trial 4 (Distilled product) Hexane Concentration Observation

25 mL 20 mL It produced a moderate high-fire

flame but after about 35
seconds, the flame died

Discussions
The results of this study demonstrate the
potential of using Ethyl Alcohol Extracted from
Ripe Banana Peelings through Fermentation as characteristics of the experimental alcohol,
a Biofuel. The physical such as its clear color and slow volatility,
suggest that it could be a viable alternative to
traditional fossil fuels. The fermentation
process, which involved the use of S. cerevisiae
yeast and benzathine penicillin G, was
successful in producing ethanol from the
banana peel extract.
The testing of the bioethanol as a fuel showed
promising results, with the highest
concentration of hexane (25 mL) producing a
moderate high-fire flame that lasted for
approximately 35 seconds. While this is not as
long-lasting as traditional fuels, it indicates that
the bioethanol has some potential for use in
small-scale applications, such as powering
small engines or generators.
The limitations of this study include the
relatively short duration of the fermentation
process and the limited scope of the testing.
Future studies could focus on optimizing the
fermentation process to increase the yield of
ethanol and exploring the use of the bioethanol
in larger-scale applications.
In conclusion, this study demonstrates the
feasibility of using Ethyl Alcohol Extracted
from Ripe Banana Peelings through
Fermentation as a Biofuel. While there are still
challenges to be addressed, the results suggest
that this could be a viable alternative to
traditional fossil fuels in the future.

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