Environmentally Friendly Odor Absorbing Product Engineering Based on Banana Peel Waste

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FORMOSA NEWS - Jakarta - Banana Peel Waste Transformed Into Eco-Friendly Household Odor Absorber. Indonesian researchers have successfully engineered an environmentally friendly, low-cost household odor absorber using discarded banana peels. The study, conducted by Alif Gita Arumsari, Abdul Halim, and Teguh Ardiyansyah from the Institut Sains dan Teknologi Al-Kamal, was published in June 2026. This innovation addresses the growing problem of organic accumulation in Indonesia by converting agricultural waste into a high-value sustainable commodity. The findings offer a natural alternative to commercial synthetic air fresheners, which frequently rely on non-renewable resources and leave behind chemical residues.

The Search for Sustainable Air Purification
Unpleasant odors in confined spaces like bathrooms, trash cans, and storage cabinets are typically caused by volatile compounds from microbial activity and organic decomposition. While synthetic odor absorbers effectively mitigate these smells, they present environmental drawbacks and increase dependence on synthetic chemicals. As one of the world's top consumers and producers of bananas, Indonesia generates massive quantities of banana peel waste that usually ends up in landfills. However, these peels naturally contain robust lignocellulosic compounds such as cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and pectin that are highly capable of binding with pollutant molecules. While past scientific literature extensively highlights agricultural biomass for liquid waste treatment, the team at Institut Sains dan Teknologi Al-Kamal focused on developing a simple, consumer-ready product designed for household air purification.

Simple Activation and Formulation Methods
The research team utilized a straightforward laboratory experimental design to process the organic material. Ripe banana peels were collected from West Jakarta households and local fruit vendors using purposive sampling to ensure fresh, mold-free raw materials. The production process involved several simple steps:

• Cleaning and Cutting: The banana peels were thoroughly washed under running water and sliced into small pieces.
  
• Thermal Drying: The sliced pieces were oven-dried at temperatures between 60°C and 80°C for 4 to 6 hours to minimize moisture content.
  
• Grinding and Sifting: The dried material was pulverized in a blender and sieved to achieve a uniform powder particle size.
  
• Thermal Activation: The powder underwent a secondary heating process to maximize surface area and increase internal porosity.
  
• Product Molding: The activated powder was blended with water, tapioca flour as a binding agent, and a 5% concentration of essential oil for aroma.
  

To find the optimal balance between physical durability and structural porosity, the team tested three distinct material ratios:

• Formulation 1 (F1): 70% banana peel, 25% tapioca flour, 5% essential oil.
  
• Formulation 2 (F2): 80% banana peel, 15% tapioca flour, 5% essential oil.
  
• Formulation 3 (F3): 90% banana peel, 5% tapioca flour, 5% essential oil.
  

Key Findings: High Odor Reduction and Stability
The activation process successfully transformed the raw material, causing it to change from a rough, brownish-yellow state to a fine, dark brown powder. This phase cut the internal moisture content nearly in half, dropping from 15.2% to 7.8%, which effectively cleared the material's microscopic pores to maximize its gas-binding capacity. The final molded products were placed in sealed test chambers alongside organic waste and ammonia solutions. Odor reduction performance was tracked using a standardized sensory scale ranging from 1 (very weak) to 5 (very strong):
Odor Absorption Performance by Formulation

Formulation	Initial Odor Score	Final Odor Score	Total Odor Reduction (%)
F1 (70% Peel)	5.0	1.8	64.0%
F2 (80% Peel)	5.0	0.9	82.0%
F3 (90% Peel)	5.0	1.4	72.0%

Formulation F2 achieved the highest ambient odor reduction at 82%. A 14-day storage assessment also confirmed that Formulation F2 maintained excellent physical stability, preserving its structural shape, color, and aroma without showing signs of decay or structural cracking. The data indicates that adding too much tapioca binder (as seen in F1) blocks the active pores, whereas using too little binder (as seen in F3) weakens the structural integrity of the product.

Real-World Impact and Circular Economy Benefits
This processing method offers clear advantages for waste valorization and environmental management. By replacing synthetic household chemicals with biomass-based technology, this innovation decreases chemical pollution and aligns directly with global circular economy paradigms. Because the production process requires minimal specialized machinery and utilizes inexpensive, abundant raw materials, it presents a viable commercial blueprint for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in developing regions. The finished blocks can be easily deployed in everyday settings, including home wardrobes, residential bathrooms, shoe racks, and public waste disposal points.

Author Profil
Alif Gita Arumsari holds an academic degree in engineering and serves as a researcher and faculty member within the Chemical Engineering Study Program at the Institut Sains dan Teknologi Al-Kamal, specializing in biomass valorization and sustainable product design.
Abdul Halim is a researcher affiliated with the Institut Sains dan Teknologi Al-Kamal, focusing on green product engineering and environmental technology solutions.
Teguh Ardiyansyah is a chemical engineering researcher at the Institut Sains dan Teknologi Al-Kamal, with expertise in eco-friendly adsorbent development and agricultural waste recycling systems.

Sources

Alif Gita Arumsari, Abdul Halim, Teguh Ardiyansyah. Environmentally Friendly Odor Absorbing Product Engineering Based on Banana Peel Waste. Formosa Journal of Sustainable Research (FJSR). Vol. 5, No. 6, Hal. 440-456
DOI : https://doi.org/10.55927/fjsr.v5i6.45
URL: https://journalfjsr.my.id/index.php/fjsr