Valorization of Textile Waste into Cellulose-Citronellal Fiber Using Natural H-Zeolite Catalyst: Toward a Circular Bioeconomy Approach

Mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika remain major global health threats, while the rapid growth of the textile industry generates large volumes of waste largely disposed of in landfills due to limited recycling pathways. This study explores the valorization of cotton-based textile waste into functional biomaterials within a circular bioeconomy framework, using Indonesia as a case study due to its abundant textile waste, citronella biomass, and natural zeolite deposits. Cellulose was extracted from textile waste through acid hydrolysis, citronellal was isolated from citronella oil by fractional distillation, and natural zeolite was activated through acid treatment, ion exchange, and calcination to produce an H-Zeolite catalyst. The recovered cellulose was subsequently reacted with citronellal through a condensation-impregnation process using the H-Zeolite catalyst to synthesize cellulose-citronellal fibers. All materials were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Acid activation and ion exchange significantly increased zeolite acidity to 1.382 g NH₃ g⁻¹ sample, indicating the formation of Brønsted acid sites suitable for catalytic reactions, while the zeolite crystalline framework remained stable after activation. Cellulose recovered from textile waste exhibited morphological and functional group characteristics comparable to commercial cellulose. FTIR analysis indicated the incorporation of citronellal into the cellulose matrix, suggesting the formation of cellulosecitronellal fibers with potential bioactive properties. However, FTIR evidence alone cannot confirm covalent bond formation, and further analyses including solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and direct bioassay testing are recommended to fully validate functional performance. Overall, this study demonstrates a potential pathway for converting textile waste into higher-value bio-based materials using renewable biomass and a natural mineral catalyst, offering a circular bioeconomy model relevant for tropical countries facing similar biomass availability and vector-borne disease challenges.