Eco-Friendly approach to cellulose recovery: extraction and characterization from salvinia molesta

Abstract

Salvinia molesta is an invasive aquatic weed that poses significant ecological and economic threats by disrupting freshwater ecosystems. Conventional control methods mechanical, chemical, and biological are often costly, labor- intensive, and environmentally unsustainable. In this study, S. molesta is explored as a sustainable feedstock for high-purity micro fibrillated cellulose (MFC) extraction. The process involved Soxhlet extraction, sequential alkaline treatments, bleaching, and ultrasonic fibrillation. Chemical analysis of the dried biomass revealed 25.4% cellulose, 11.9% hemicellulose, 3.3% lignin, and 19.5% ash content, with a high moisture level of 46.8% in the fresh sample. The extracted cellulose was characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Results confirmed the effective removal of non-cellulosic components, enhanced crystallinity, and improved thermal stability, along with a fibrillated morphology indicative of successful cellulose isolation. This work demonstrates a dual benefit: controlling a problematic invasive species while producing valuable bio- based material with potential applications in green composites, biomedical devices, and sustainable packaging.