Advancing Circular Bioeconomy through Date Palm Waste Valorization: Influence of Variety and pH on Fermentation Performance
Akhmad Adi Sulianto*, Elya Mufidah, Bambang Susilo, Dina Aqilla Salsabila, Valensya Shalsabila

Department of Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
*Email: adi_sulianto[at]ub.ac.id

Abstract

The utilization of organic waste with high sugar content offers a sustainable approach to biofuel production. This study investigates bioethanol production from date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) waste via fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, focusing on the effects of pH variation and date variety on ethanol concentration and yield. Five date varieties-Ajwa, Sukari, Bam, Khalas, and Deglet Noor-were fermented at initial pH levels of 4, 6, and 8. Ethanol concentration and yield were evaluated, and the data were analyzed using ANOVA. The results indicated that date variety had a significant effect on ethanol concentration (p < 0.05), whereas pH and the interaction between pH and date variety showed no significant influence. Khalas dates at pH 4 produced the highest ethanol concentration (136 mL), while the highest yields were obtained from Sukari and Ajwa at pH 4 and 8, achieving 37% and 38%, respectively. No factor significantly affected yield (p moe than 0.05- R^2 = 0.315). These findings demonstrate that date variety is a critical determinant of bioethanol production efficiency, while fermentation outcomes may also depend on substrate characteristics, sugar content, microbial strains, and operational parameters such as temperature and fermentation duration

Keywords: bioethanol- date palm waste- ethanol yield- pH variation- Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Topic: Waste and environmental management and engineering