Microcrystalline celluloses (MCC) were prepared from α-celluloses obtained from fluted pumpkin stalk and pod. The substrates were subjected to treatment with 2% (w/v) NaOH, 3.5% (w/v) NaOCl and 17.5% (w/v) NaOH solutions respectively to obtain alpha celluloses. Acid hydrolysis of the alpha-celluloses using 2.5 N hydrochloric acid were carried out. The study evaluates and compares the physicochemical properties of microcrystalline cellulose obtained from the pod and stalk of fluted pumpkin. Composition of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin were also determined. Results showed cellulose; hemicellulose and lignin content of the pod husk and stalk were 49%, 26%, 9% and 41%, 24%, 26%, respectively. The morphology of the hydrolyzed MCCs’ were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the results revealed the stalk (FS-MCC) to have an individual rod-like shaped fiber when compared with flat-shaped large aggregated forms of the pod (FP-MCC). The particles sizes were also uneven with FP-MCC (6.689 µm) having larger particle sizes than FS-MCC (5.538 µm). The high cellulose content of the pod husk shows that the applications may be extended in the production of other cellulose derivatives while the high lignin content of the stalk reveals other alternative source of producing lignin in the making of textile dyes, coating and other agricultural chemical. Pod MCC (FP-MCC) had better physicochemical properties than the stalk MCC (FS-MCC).
This study evaluates the physicochemical, tableting and spectroscopic properties of microcrystalline cellulose obtained from the African breadfruit seed hulls. The seed hulls were dried, pulverized, sieved and digested with 2% w/v aqueous sodium hydroxide solution. The resultant pulp was further treated with 17.5% w/v NaOH solution and 2.5N hydrochloric acid to produce α-cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose (BH-MCC), respectively. The prepared BH-MCC was characterized by studying their functional groups (using FT-IR), thermal stability using (TGA) and crystallinity index using (XRD). The results showed the composition of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin contents of the seed hulls were 39, 38 and 17%, respectively. The percentage yields of the isolated α-cellulose and BH-MCC were 15.5 and 86.8%, respectively. The bulk, tapped and true densities were 0.33, 0.50 and 1.57 g/ml, respectively. Moisture content, angle of repose and swelling index were 5.3%, 28° and 29%, respectively. Tablets were produced by direct compression using BH-MCC and their analyses showed that the weight uniformity, hardness test, friability and disintegration time values were 190.3±4.2%, 4.95±0.83 kg/cm 2 , 0.04% and 31 s, respectively. The BH-MCC's tablets showed good compliance with the British Pharmacopeia (BP) specification, and can thus be considered useful as a binder and disintegrant in drug formulation.
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