Pembuatan Bioetanol Dari Limbah Tongkol Jagung (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Indonesia is one of the largest energy-consuming countries in the world. Therefore, alternative energy sources are needed to meet the energy demand. One of the alternative energy sources is bioethanol. Bioethanol can be derived from biomass that contains high levels of sugar, fiber, and starch, which can be treated through processes such as hydrolysis, fermentation, and distillation. Corn cobs, for example, contain significant amounts of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, with cellulose comprising 44.9%. The objective of this research was to analyze the influence of acid volume on the glucose content produced, as well as to determine the ethanol content based on fermentation time variations. The research results indicated that the highest average glucose content is founded in 600 mL HCl volume, which is 13.34%, while the lowest average glucose content is observed in 700 mL HCl volume, which is 7.2%. The highest average ethanol content is produced on the fifth day of fermentation with a volume of 600 mL, reached 14%. On the other hand, the lowest average ethanol content is observed on the seventh day of fermentation with a volume of 700 mL, which is 8.33%. Based on these found, it can be concluded that higher acid volumes result in lower glucose content, and vice versa. Additionally, the highest percentage of ethanol content is found on the fifth day of fermentation with a volume of 600 mL, reaching 14%. Keywords : Energy, Corn cob, Bioethanol, Hydrochloric acid (HCl).