ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF BIO-OIL FROM OIL PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCHES AGAINST STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS AND ESCHERICHIA COLI

Abstract

 Empty fruit bunches (EFB) rich in lignocellulose are produced as waste in the palm oil processing industry. Although abundant, they have not been fully utilized.  EFB waste has the potential to be used as a chemical feedstock for bio-oil production through pyrolysis. Bio-oil contains phenolic compounds that are antimicrobial and have economic value. This study aimed to investigate the effects of variations in pyrolysis temperature and time on the phenol content in bio-oil, evaluate the antimicrobial activity of bio-oil against bacteria, and qualitatively identify the chemical compounds that make up bio-oil using GC-MS. The pyrolysis process was varied at temperatures of 300, 350, and 400°C, with times of 45 and 60 min. The highest bio-oil yield was obtained at 400 °C for 60 min (33.51±7.18%), whereas the highest total phenolic content was obtained at 300 °C for 45 min (15.06±4.90%). Antibacterial activity varied with pyrolysis conditions and bio-oil concentration. Pyrolysis at 400°C for 45 min and 60 min were identified as the potential conditions, as they produced bio-oil with the largest significant antimicrobial activity against E. coli (inhibition zone of 8.08 mm) and S. aureus (inhibition zone of 8.56 mm). GC–MS analysis identified phenols, alcohols, esters, ketones, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, and ethers as major compound groups. These findings demonstrate that pyrolysis conditions strongly influence the yield and chemical composition of EFB bio-oil and its antibacterial activityKeywords: antibacterial, bio-oil, gc-ms, phenol, pyrolysis