Gamma radiation pretreatment for enhanced cellulose extraction from date palm waste

Date palm waste, abundant in lignocellulose, presents a sustainable and promising source of cellulosic material for various applications. This study explores an innovative approach to cellulose extraction from date palm fibers by introducing gamma radiation into the separation process. The effects of gamma radiation on the biomass's chemical composition and the quality of the extracted cellulose were thoroughly examined. Characterization techniques, including fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Differential Thermal analysis and Thermogravimetric analysis (DTA-TGA), were employed to assess the material. The findings demonstrate that gamma irradiation enhances the biomass's degradability, resulting in a notable increase in alpha cellulose content following delignification. However, a decline in alpha cellulose content was observed following bleaching, which is likely attributable to a post-irradiation effect. Physico-chemical analyses confirm that gamma radiation improves the quality of the extracted cellulose, indicating its potential as an effective pre-treatment method. This approach could produce cellulose of competitive quality and cost, compared to cellulose derived from other biomass sources.