Abstract
Banana leaf wax was quantified and assessed to determine the feasibility of its utilization as agricultural residue. Banana leaf wax was extracted using hexane reflux. Musa liukiuensis yielded 0.58% wax, M. acuminata 1.05%, and M. chiliocarpa 1.41% (dry basis) . The melting point of banana leaf wax was determined by differential scanning calorimetry, which indicated higher values than commercial natural waxes. Color evaluation revealed that M. acuminata leaf wax was whiter than commercial natural wax. The banana leaf wax had tolerance against organic solvent systems. Using thin-layer chromatography analysis, we identified the components of the M. chiliocarpa leaf wax as being similar to those of carnauba wax. The M. chiliocarpa leaf wax was analyzed after saponification using gas chromatography. The predominant acid was C22, and the major alcohols were C28 and C30. The results demonstrated that the banana leaf wax is a potential source of natural wax for industrial material and is expected to be used extensively.
