Experimentation of sugar extraction from cotton in high school biology

Abstract

Cotton is a natural fiber which does not produce environmental pollutant such as microplastic. Furthermore, it is known that xylose is produced from cottonseed hulls. However, experiments on cotton and sugar have not been well developed in high school biology. Therefore, in this study, we established a method to produce glucose and xylose from cotton fibers and cottonseed hulls. The obtained sugars could be analyzed by various methods such as sugar test strips, Bial’s reaction, thin layer chromatography, and aminocarbonyl reaction. The educational practice of these methods has shown that they can be implemented in high school classes and help students learn about sugars. Thus, this study was the first step in the development of teaching materials for learning about sugars in relation to clothing, the environment, and food, while developing experimental skills.