Compositional and structural characteristics of residual biomass from tropical plantations

Many products and abundant wastes from tropical plantations. such as latex, palm oil, and coconut production due to replantation, are waiting effectiv e utilization. Nonutilized tropical biomass - oil palm (Elaeis guneensis Ja cq.), coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) coir dust and coir fiber, and rubber (Hev ea brasiliensis) wood - were analyzed for chemical and structural character istics of wail polysaccharides and lignin. Coconut coir dust is mostly comp osed of middle lamella and is separated from coir fiber, which is composed of secondary walls. These were supported by lignin content, and structural characteristics of wall polysaccharides and lignin. The chemical and spectr oscopic characteristics of walls of rubber xylem were similar to those of t ypical temperate angiosperm woods. Oil palm frond was significantly rich in arabinoxylan, and numerous acetyl groups were substituted to the arabinoxy lan. Lignin of oil palm frond and wall polysaccharides of coconut coir dust are substituted with hydroxybenzoic acids with ester and ether linkages. S ome p-hydroxybenzoic acid substituted to the wall polymers of coconut coir dust would contribute to the formation of associations between polysacchari des and lignin. Based on the above results it is suggested that coconut coi r fiber and rubber wood are suitable resources for chemical pulp production for paper-making, but oil palm frond is not.