Review Article | 

Open Access
Volume 2022 | Article ID 7616452 | https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/7616452
The nutritional value of banana peels varies based on the cultivar and maturity stage, as the
plantain peel contains less fiber than dessert banana peels, and lignin content increases with
ripening (from 7 to 15% dry matter). Dried banana peels contain 6–9% protein and 20–30%
fiber. Green plantain peels contain 40% starch that is transformed into sugars after ripening.
Green banana peels contain much less starch (about 15%) than green plantain peels, while
ripe banana peels contain up to 30% free sugars

It has been shown that banana peel (Musa sapientum) contains many nutrients and
minerals. They found crude proteins in the amount of 1.95 ± 0.14%, crude fat 5.93 ± 
0.13%, and 11.82 ± 2.17% carbohydrate in the banana peel. The mineral composition
of banana peel was phosphorus, iron, calcium, magnesium, and sodium. Zinc,
copper, potassium, and manganese were found in very low concentrations as mg/10
Banana Peels: A Waste Treasure for Human Being (hindawi.com)

Academic Editor: Marinella de Leo

International Journal of Thesis Projects and Dissertations (IJTPD) Vol. 4, Issue 3, pp: (135-
158), Month: July - September 2016, Available at: www.researchpublish.com

F.G.D. Thulu1 , O. Kachaje2 , T. Mlowa3 Department of Climate Change and Meteological

Services, P.O. Box 1808, Blantyre, Malawi
 The study was undertaken to assess the combustion characteristics of briquettes produced
from mixed Banana Peelings and Saw-dust as binder. Combustion characteristics
investigated were volatile matter, ash content, dry matter base, moisture content, ignition
time, burning rate, and water boiling time. The combustion characteristics of banana
peelings fuel briquettes was compared with waste paper fuel briquettes due to its only
presence on Malawian market though available in small scale. The combustion
characteristic of the briquettes produced from these densification (briquetting) variables
competed favourably with firewood which is a main cooking energy means in Malawi and
account for 96 % in the rural areas and 42% in the urban (Census Main Report, 2008 pp 18).
Furthermore, for banana peelings with saw dust and waste paper with saw dust, the
volatile matter of was 90±0.5% and 88.3±2.6% respectively and there was no significance
difference (P-Value=0.426). The ash content both parameters were 10.1±0.4% and 10.3
±2.8% respectively and there was no significance difference (P-Value=0.170). Also the dry
matter base for both parameters were 90±0.3% and 86.3±6.1% respectively and there was
no significance difference (P-Value=0.609). In addition the moisture content for both
parameters were 10±0.3% and 13.2±6.1% respectively and there was no significance
difference (P-Value=0.609). The ignition time for both parameters were 57.1±0.4 seconds
and 39.7±0.4 seconds respectively and there was a significance difference (P-Value=0.000).
It was observed that the burning rate for both parameters was 2.5±0.5grams/minute and
2.4±0.6gram per minute respectively and there was no significance difference (P-
Value=0.084). Lastly the ash water boiling time for 100cm3 both parameters were 12.6±0.4
minutes and 16.6±0.51 minutes respectively and there was a significance difference (P-
Value=0.000 ). The results confirm the possibility of utilizing banana peelings as fuel
briquette of good source that support combustion. Thus banana peelings briquettes possess
the high material strength as well as high value combustible fuel; hence they can be a
compliment energy source to the firewood in Malawi. Keywords: Ash Content (AC), Boiling
Test (BT), Burning rate (BR), Calorific Value (CV), Dry Matter (DM), Fuel Briquette, Ignition
time (IT) and Moisture Content (MC).
 Study on the use of banana peels for oil spill
removal
Alexandria Engineering Journal
Volume 57, Issue 3, September 2018, Pages 2061-2068

Nowadays, oil spill is one of the most serious pollutants that have negative effects on the
ecosystem and marine life. Environmentalists face major challenges in the treatment of
spills and in developing an alternative product with low cost. Among all different sorbents,
agriculture waste is preferred as an oil cleanup technology due to its biodegradation and
buoyancy. This study investigates the oil sorption capacity of crude and gas oils, using
banana peel as a substitutional material from local fruit wastes. The research detected that
the capacity of this sorbent to clean up crude oil from produced water toward different
factors is associated with surface characteristics, oil type, oil film thickness, sorption time,
temperature, in addition to the salinity of crude oil. Analytical techniques of banana peel,
such as microstructure and morphology using FTIR spectrometry and scanning electron
microscopy (SEM) are also studied. Banana peel is tested using gas oil, 1- and 7-day
weathered Almein crude oil. The results explain that the best conditions were established
at 0.3625 mm particle size and temperature at 25 C for 15 min.
 Flame Retardancy and Thermal Property of
Environment-Friendly Poly(lactic acid)
Composites Based on Banana Peel Powder
Received: 1 August 2022 / Revised: 25 August 2022 / Accepted: 25 August
2022 / Published: 29 August 2022

Banana peel powder (BPP) was used to prepare poly(lactic acid) (PLA) bio-based
composites and the flame retardancy was enhanced by introducing silica-gel
microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate (MCAPP). The results showed that the limiting
oxygen index (LOI) of PLA containing 15 wt % BPP was 22.1% and just passed the UL-94 V-
2 rate. Moreover, with the introduction of 5 wt % MCAPP and 15 wt % BPP, the PLA
composite had a higher LOI value of 31.5%, and reached the UL-94 V-0 rating, with self-
extinguishing and anti-dripping abilities. The PLA/M5B15 also had a lower peak heat release
rate (296.7 kW·m−2), which was 16% lower than that of the PLA/B15 composite.
Furthermore, the synergistic effects between MCAPP and BPP impart better thermal stability
to PLA composites. According to the investigation of the char residue and pyrolysis gaseous
products, MCAPP with BPP addition is beneficial to the formation of a higher quality char
layer in the solid phase but also plays the flame retardant effect in the gas phase. This work
provides a simple and efficient method to solve the high cost and flammability issues of PLA
composites.

Yuxuan Xu
Yanan Hou
Dan Zhao
Chao Han
Baisheng Nie
Fanbei Kong
Materials 2022, 15(17), 5977; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15175977
\Mitchell P. Jones