IJCEA 2025 Vol.16(1): 11-15
doi: 10.18178/ijcea.2025.16.1.832
Effect of Temperature on Solubilization and Material Selectivity of Cassava Peels via Subcritical Water Treatment
Jane Chizie Ogbonna1,*, Mitsutoshi Nakajima2, and Marcos Antonio Das Neves3
1. Graduate School of Science and Technology, Doctoral Program in Life Science Innovation, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
2. Alliance for Research on the Mediterranean and North Africa (ARENA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
3. Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
Email: s2230323@s.tsukuba.ac.jp (J.C.O.); Nakajima.m.fu@u.tsukuba.ac.jp (M.N.); marcos.neves.ga@u.tsukuba.ac.jp (M.A.D.N.)
*Corresponding author
Manuscript received July 7, 2024; revised August 15, 2024; accepted September 29, 2024; published January 25, 2025
Abstract—Cassava is a climate-resilient, high-yielding food crop, and Nigeria is the largest global producer (59 million tons/year). While the tubers are widely consumed, over 30 million tons of peel waste is generated annually. To valorize this underutilized biomass, cassava peel was subjected to subcritical water treatment at temperatures ranging from 120–200°C for 15 min to analyze the effects on solubilization yields and biomass composition. Treatment at 140 °C for 15 min provided optimal peel solubilization (68%) and carbohydrate recovery. Solubilization effectively converted solids into soluble solids while significantly reducing residual peel cyanide by up to 65% relative to untreated biomass. This study demonstrates that subcritical water treatment can simultaneously extract value-added compounds from cassava peels while advancing food safety goals by removing cyanides. Sustainably processing abundant residues aligns with circular economy principles, adding value to wastes from this expanding crop cultivation.
Keywords—cassava peels, solubilization, subcritical water treatment, valorization
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Cite: Jane Chizie Ogbonna, Mitsutoshi Nakajima, and Marcos Antonio Das Neves, "Effect of Temperature on Solubilization and Material Selectivity of Cassava Peels via Subcritical Water Treatment," International Journal of Chemical Engineering and Applications vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 11-15, 2025.
