Efficacy of Cattle Manure Cellulose Pulp and Kapok (Ceiba pentandra) Seed Hair Fibers for Paper Production

• Main Authors: Bumanglag, Chris Jhon V., Araga, John Manuel B., Vaño, Glory B., Aguinaldo, Jacklynne Vee Vien R., Valiente, Erich Mikyla D., Barroga, Dexie Shane V., Camacho, Keith Jasmine F., Obispo, Jhansen Rey M.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2023
• Subjects: Cattle manure cellulose pulp; Kapok seed hair fibers; paper production; commercial paper; quality
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_shsrescon/2023/paper_see/8; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/conf_shsrescon/article/1752/viewcontent/_EDITED__PP_SEE_Bumanglag_Araga_Vano_Aguinaldo_Valiente_Barroga_Camacho_Obispo___Chris_Jhon_V._Bumanglag.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

Paper is an indispensable product due to its versatility and convenience. However, the production of paper contributes to deforestation and increased carbon emissions. For this reason, the researcher ventured into using cattle manure as an alternative source of cellulose for paper production because of its high cellulose content and abundance. This study aimed to determine the quality and the significant difference between the paper made from cattle manure cellulose pulp and Kapok (Ceiba pentandra) seed hair fibers and the commercial paper in terms of scent, texture, writability, foldability, thickness, tensile strength, and tensile index. Observation and evaluation sheets (with the use of a 5-point Likert scale) were used as research instruments to gather data on the experimental and commercial papers’ scent, texture, writability, and foldability. Thickness, tensile strength, and tensile index were measured using Dial Caliper, Salter Scale, and TAPPI/ANSI T494 om-01 equations. T-test was used to determine the differences in the quality of the paper made from cattle manure cellulose pulp and Kapok seed hair fibers and commercial paper. Results showed that the means of scent, texture, writability, and foldability of the product were comparable to that of commercial paper, leading to acceptance of the null hypotheses. The product’s thickness was 0.60 mm, obtained 0.23 kN/m tensile strength, and a tensile index of 927.25 N-m/g (reject null hypotheses). In conclusion, the product has a huge potential as an alternative source of cellulose for paper production.