Comparison between Water-Retted and Enzyme-Treated Decorticated Banana Fibres

BackgroundBanana is one of India's most cultivated crops, with an estimated area of 880 thousand hectares. Thebanana pseudo stems, which are the residue of banana cultivation (accounting for approximately 30tonnes per acre in one crop season), are generally left in fields or taken to open dumps or burnt alongthe roadside, where they produce greenhouse gases. Banana fibres extracted from a pseudostem withalpha-cellulose and low lignin content are underutilized for use in different applications.MethodThe present study aimed to optimize the removal of tissues on fibres using the pectinase enzyme at variousconcentrations and to compare the diameter and strength of the fibres with those of water-retted fibres.The fibre diameter was determined through scanning electron microscopy. The tensile strength wasevaluated using a universal tensile tester.Result & ConclusionThe results indicated the potential of using enzyme-treated banana fibres for textile applications.