Rachel Irene C. Buendia, Pauline Gel C. OcceÑola, Grace Anne L. Tinguban (March 2008)
Philippine Science High School Western Visayas Campus – Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PSHS WVC), Brgy. Bito-on, Jaro, Iloilo City 5000, Philippines
ABSTRACT
The main purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of using the fibers obtained from the seagrass, Enhalus acoroides, in papermaking. The seagrass fibers were used to further add to the other possible users of seagrass fibers.
The fibers from the seagrass, Enhalus acoroides, and waste paper were used in this study. Paper was produced under different waste paper and seagrass fiber ratios (0 waste paper: 100 seagrass fiber, 25 waste paper: 75 seagrass fiber, 50 waste paper: 50 seagrass fiber, 75 waste paper:25 seagrass fiber, 100 waste paper:0 seagrass fiber).
The study determined if there is a significant difference between the breaking length, water retention and market appeal among the five different treatments.
There is no significant difference between the breaking lengths of the various ratios.
Results showed that there is a significant difference among the market appeal and the water retention of the paper. The seagrass fiber and waste paper ratio with the highest significant difference in terms of water retention is the 0 waste paper: 100 seagrass fiber. The lowest significant difference in terms of water retention is the 50 waste paper :50 seagrass fiber. The paper which ranked highest in the market appeal is the paper with the 0 waste paper: 100 seagrass fiber ratio and the lowest being the paper with the 75 waste paper: 25 seagrass fiber ratio.
Since it is feasible to create paper with the use of Enhalus acoroides, it is recommended that the follow up studies be conducted on the feasibility of the seagrass Enhalus acoroides leaves as pulp additive using more refined parameters and to test the feasibility of other seagrass species (e.g. Thalassia hemprichii, etc.) as pulp additive.