The Effect of Natural Degradation on the Properties of Three Types of Oil Palm Residue

Abstract

This study aims to investigate natural degradation behavior for three different types of lignocellulosic biomass; oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB), mesocarp fiber and kernel shell. The degradation behavior was investigated by monitoring the change of their physical and chemical properties for 84 days. From the analysis and observation, natural degradation was found to result in a decrease in carbon content and calorific value of biomass but increase in nitrogen and ash contents. From the van Krevelen plot, it was found that carbon and hydrogen were eliminated at almost the same atomic ratio from the biomass during natural degradation regardless of biomass type used in this study.