Effect of pretreatment concentration on pulp blending between oil palm empty fruit bunch and citronella leaf fibers in terms of pulp and paper properties

Papers are one of the most used materials in food packaging industries. Additives need to be added in order to improve and prolong sensory properties of food. This is to maintain the food quality level before reaching to the end users. A preliminary study has been conducted to produce antimicrobial paper by blending the pulps of Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) with oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB). The papermaking was done according to TAPPI Standard Method. Morphological observation using Scanning Electron Microscope was carried out for all samples while physical, optical and mechanical paper properties were also determined. A simple antimicrobial test was also done by using 3 types of fungus namely as Aspergillus brasiliensis ATCC 16404, Gram positive Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Salmonella choleraesuis (subtype enterica). The morphological observation showed the difference between EFB paper and paper made of blended pulps. Citronella was found to affect the physical, optical and mechanical paper properties as expected. To be specific, the paper opacity was improved while the mechanical properties especially tensile and tear indices were dropped tremendously. However, the presence of Citronella in the paper sheet seems to have good potential as an antimicrobial agent as shown by the antimicrobial test.