FEASIBILITY OF BANANA (MUSA

ACUMINATA) AND ORANGE

(CITRUS SINENSIS) PEELINGS AS
CHARCOAL
Ed Samuel A. Bacaltos
John Dale S. Eguna
Ana Preciosa L. Bacalso
Darlene Eleanor A. Bernas
Dianne Katrinne C. Pacquiao
Heshvan Janin L. Sabequil
Merry Jessah S. Torres

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements in Research

II

Talisay City Science High School

Poblacion, Talisay City, Cebu

November 2012

Ms. Memelie E. Villejo

Research Teacher
I. ABSTRACT
The use of trees on making charcoals has been a major factor that contributes to the climate
change in developing countries especially Philippines. Thousands of tones of trees have been
cut and the trend is still going on that result in deforestation due to its production.
Fruit peelings from bananas (musa acuminata) and oranges (citrus sinensis) can save the
country from becoming dry for there are other benefits apart from becoming sources of food.
Banana and orange peels can be used as another sources of making charcoal without causing
much hazard towards the environment. With this, trees will be saved from less as the main
source of charcoal.
In this study, the feasibility of the banana and orange peels as sources of making charcoal was
tested. This includes the processes of sun-drying the fruit peelings until half-burned and then
sheaved. The sheaved peelings was mixed with clay soil and cassava flour to bound.
There are three mixtures held in the experiment: 1 st mixture having banana peelings only
bound with clay soil and cassava flour, 2 nd mixture having orange peelings only bound with clay
soil and cassava flour, and 3rd mixture having both fruit peelings bound with clay soil and
cassava flour. The mixtures were then molded to become briquettes and fully-dried.
After the the mixture briquettes were set in flame, all of them have efficacy to ignite like
common charcoal. Therefore, fruit peelings of oranges and bananas can be used as an
alternative for charcoal.

II. INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The study is conducted to strive for a better sustainable society, considering the limitation of
global threats in the environment. By using fruit peelings as alternative sources for charcoal,
 the production of charcoal and firewood by using trees which is time consuming and not
environment friendly would be lessen making the environment more inhabitable.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The study is all about the feasibility of fruit peeling specifically from bananas and oranges as
alternative sources of charcoal. The difference between ordinary charcoal from trees to the
charcoal made from fruit peelings is also being studied based on their effectivity and durability
in usage.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study aims to have an environment-friendly fuel. This will help obtain a lesser pollution
kind of community because charcoals made from fruit peelings does not have compositions
that will bring catastrophic effects in the environment such as depleting the ozone layer.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The study will try to determine the possibility of using banana and orange peelings to be used
as alternative sources of charcoal. In the experiment we will be using the ripe yellow bananas
and just ordinary orange fruits commonly sold in streets. Generally, the experiment may last
for one to two days until the mixture briquettes will dry and ready to be used as charcoal.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Charcoal is dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other
volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the
heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen. It is usually an impure form of carbon as it contains
ash; however, sugar charcoal is among the purest forms of carbon readily available, particularly if it is not made by
heating but by a dehydration reaction with sulfuric acid to minimise introducing new impurities, as impurities can
be removed from the sugar in advance. The resulting soft, brittle, lightweight, black, porous material resembles
coal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charcoal

Banana is the common name for monocarpic flowering plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. It
is one of the oldest cultivated plants. They are native to tropical South and Southeast Asia, and are likely to have
been first domesticated in Papua New Guinea. Today, they are cultivated throughout the tropics. They are grown in
at least 107 countries, primarily for their fruit, and to a lesser extent to make fiber, banana wine and as ornamental
plants. Its fruits, rich in starch, grow in clusters hanging from the top of the plant. They come in a variety of sizes
and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana

According to Mallimbo (2009), peelings of banana can be used as charcoal without causing too much hazard
towards the nature.

Orange is the citrus and its fruit. As from 1987, it has been the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world. The
orange is a hybrid, possibly between pomelo (Citrus maxima) and mandarin (Citrus reticulata), cultivated since
ancient times. It is an evergreen flowering tree, with an average height of 9 to 10 m, although some very old
specimens can rise to 15 m. Its oval leaves, arranged alternately, are 4 to 10 cm long and have crenulate margins.
The orange fruit is a hesperidium, a type of berry. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_(fruit)

Briquette is a block of flammable matter used as fuel to start and maintain a fire. Common types of
briquettes are charcoal briquettes and biomass briquettes. Some briquettes are compressed and dried brown
coal extruded into hard blocks. This is a common technique for low rank coals. They are typically dried to 12-18%
moisture, and are primarily used in household and industry. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briquette

METHODOLOGY

To fulfill this experiment, we prepared the fruit peelings, fine sand, and the binders (corn starch
and charcoal aggregates).

The fruit peelings from bananas and oranges are collected, cut into tiny pieces, then measured
½ cup to be used in every set-ups. There are three set-ups planned in this experiment: 1 st set-up
has ½ cup mixture of fruit peelings, ¼ cup of fine sand, and ¼ cup of corn starch to act as binder;
2nd set-up has ½ cup mixture of fruit peelings, ¼ cup of fine sand, and ¼ cup of charcoal
aggregates to act as binder; 3rd set-up has ½ cup mixture of fruit peelings, ¼ cup of fine sand, ¼
cup of starch and charcoal aggregates to act as binders.

Each of the mixtures were then mashed in the mortar and pestle one by one. When the mixtures
in each set-ups were thick enough, we molded them into shapes using our hands. After molding
the mixtures, we finally sun- dried them.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Charcoal. Retrieved November 8, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charcoal

Banana. Retrieved November 8, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana

Orange. Retrieved November 8, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_(fruit)

Briquette. Retrieved November 8, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briquette

Mallimbo, P. (2009). Banana peels an alternative way of making charcoal. Retrieved November 8,
2012, from http://mallimbo.wordpress.com/2009/05/18/banana-peels-an-alternative-way-of-
making-charcoal/