Development of Luminescent and Photosensitive Cellulose Microfibers From Palm Sprout Fibers: Antibacterial Efficacy and Dye Adsorption Potential

A key contemporary challenge is enhancing the value of agro-industrial byproducts. Cellulose, the most abundant renewable resource, offers significant industrial potential due to its versatile properties. Produced in its pure form by various bacteria, cellulose is increasingly utilized in microscale and nanoscale fibers for composite reinforcement. In this study, cellulose microfibers were derived from palm sprout fibers through a series of treatments like pretreatment, high-pressure hydrolysis in an autoclave, and bleaching. These fibers were then characterized using techniques such as UV spectroscopy, FTIR, SEM, and XRD. The study evaluated the antibacterial properties of the treated cellulose microfibers against both gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (07%) and gram-negative Escherichia coli (10%), finding higher effectiveness against E.coli. Additionally, the microfibers exhibited a lower EC₅₀ value of 0.101 mg/mL, suggesting that although the microfiber extract is effective, the standard antioxidant is somewhat more potent. Adsorption studies revealed that the cellulose microfibers followed the Langmuir isotherm model, with a high determination coefficient of 0.998, and reached maximum dye adsorption for RB 160 within 120 min. In this adsorption study, 50 mg of dye was removed. These results indicate that the treated cellulose microfibers are a promising biosorbent for improving dye removal processes.