MAHOGANY TREE (Swietenia macrophylla) FRUIT HUSKS AS AN ALTERNATIVE

CHARCOAL
1
Agapito Jose L. Cruz, 1Kirt Noe R. Estrella, 1Kayla Mae M. Bael, 1Marielle A. Piquero, 1Ya-Hsin L. Tsai
1
Jeovanny A. Marticion

Abstract
Charcoal is a hard black material that is made by burning wood with a small
amount of air. There are many types of charcoal such as the coconut shells, woods, and
more. These days, charcoals are very applicable in our daily lives since it has been used
as a household fuel. This study aimed to produce an alternate source of charcoal from
mahogany tree fruit husks and determine the quality of the product by comparing it to
commercial wood charcoal. The researchers used the static group design the procedure
is composed of two groups of charcoal that came from different source of materials.
These two groups were labelled as Group A and Group B that was both post tested.
Group A is the experimental group that is consist of six (6) kilograms of mahogany fruit
husk (MFH) that is accumulated and undergone the process of carbonization. Group B is
consisting of two (2) kilograms of commercial wood charcoal (CWC). These two groups
will then be compared to test the effectiveness of the mahogany fruit husk using
commercial wood charcoal as a comparable group. Result showed that three out of five
variables accepted the null hypothesis. These are the heat duration, moisture content and
carbon content by comparison of the p-value and the level of significance which is 0.05.
The experimental results and statistical analyses supplements the claim that mahogany
fruit husk charcoal is an effective alternate charcoal, since it competes with the
commercial wood charcoal in terms of moisture content, sustains heat in terms of heat
duration, and carbon content even if the commercial wood charcoal is superior in terms
of ash content and volatile content.

Keywords: charcoal, mahogany fruit husk, ash content, heat duration, volatile content,
moisture content, carbon content

Introduction also improved kilns such as cassamance kiln,

brick kiln and steel kiln. Using the steel kiln is
Charcoal is a hard black material that is
made by burning wood with a small amount of
air. There are many types of charcoal such as considered as one basis of modern charcoal
the coconut shells, woods, and more. These production in which steel drums are used as
days, charcoals are very applicable in our daily vessels for the charcoals and the production of
lives since it has been used as a household fuel. charcoal is done inside the steel drum.
[1] There are different ways in making a However, charcoal production is an
charcoal. In the traditional way in making important cause of deforestation. The most
charcoal, they use the Earth Pit kilns in which a commonly cited impact of charcoal production
pit must be dug in the ground and begins by is deforestation [2]. Much of the charcoal in
stacking wood in a pit, sealing it with a layer of tropical countries is commonly made in
grass and soil and starting carbonization by traditional earth and pit kilns with a wood-to-
igniting the wood at one end. But by this charcoal conversion rate of about 20% and in
process ventilation may also be difficult to 2009 the contribution of charcoal production to
control and often carbonization is incomplete, deforestation in tropical countries with the
producing only low quality charcoal. There are highest rates of deforestation is estimated at less
1
Zamboanga del Norte National High School
than 7%. Most charcoal is produced in forests Methods
near urban area, where most charcoal
consumption takes place. The design that utilized in the study was
the Static Group Design. The procedure is
Therefore, the researchers come up with consisting of two groups of charcoal that came
the idea of making mahogany tree fruit husks as from different source of materials. These two
an alternative charcoal. Mahogany trees do not groups were labelled as Group A and Group B
bear flower but grow buds which develop into that were both post tested. Group A is the
brown oblong fruit. The fruits fall when they experimental group that is consist of six (6)
mature, and the dried ones break spreading on kilograms of mahogany fruit husk (MFH) that is
the ground. Mahogany fruit is also known as a accumulated and undergone the process of
hard wood. Mahogany is a fast-growing forest carbonization. Group B is consisting of two (2)
trees commonly made into furniture or used in kilograms of commercial wood charcoal
construction materials. More importantly, (CWC). These two groups will then be
mahoganies effectively prevent soil erosion and compared to test the effectiveness of the
flood. Hence, these are often planted along river mahogany fruit husk using commercial wood
banks. [3] Mahogany fruits are often thrown charcoal as a comparable group.
away. People don't know that the dried pulps are
good substitute of charcoal and firewood. Selection and Preparation of Mahogany Fruit
Mahogany is one of the resourceful in our Husk
environment especially the fruit. It can be used The selection of mahogany fruit husk
as alternative charcoal or fuel. Hence, the was picked from different mahogany tree in
researchers have come to a study on using Zamboanga Del Norte National High School,
mahogany tree fruit husks in the production of Turno Campus. An agriculturist from the
charcoal. Provincial Agriculture Office identified and
validated the collected mahogany fruit husk.
The researchers hypothesized that there The researchers weighed six (6) kilogram of dry
is no significant difference between mahogany Mahogany fruit husk using a weighing scale.
tree fruit husks and the commercial wood The weighing scale was adjusted to zero after
charcoal in terms of: Heat Duration; Ash placing an empty container above it. The
Content; Moisture Content; Volatile Content; measured six (6) kilogram of Mahogany fruit
and Carbon Content. This study also hopes to husk was used for the experimentation.
benefit the environment, local people,
mahogany plantation owners and the
researchers. The study focused only on the
mahogany fruit husks as an alternative charcoal.

Collection of Mahogany fruit Husk in

Zamboang del Norte National High School,
Turno, Dipolog City
Production of Alternative Charcoal
In order for charcoal to be produced
Swietenia macrophylla from Mahogany fruit husk, the measured six (6)
kilogram of Mahogany fruit husk undergoes a
process called carbonization. This process was
achieved through intense heating of an organic
1
Zamboanga del Norte National High School
material in the absence of oxygen. An empty Evaluation of Alternative Charcoal
large can with cover serves as storage for Proximate analysis were utilized to test the
Mahogany fruit husk that was used in the effectiveness of mahogany fruit husk charcoal
production of charcoal. Six (6) kilogram of as an alternative charcoal through a comparative
Mahogany fruit husk was placed inside the experimentation with the commercial wood
empty cans in preparation for carbonization. The charcoal.
cans containing Mahogany fruit husk was a. Heat Duration
placed on the ground and sealed. After sealing,
the researchers created small holes on the cover Heat duration is the total time
to enable the release of air inside the can. The it takes for each group of charcoal to be
cans will be surrounded with fire and this is totally burned down without any sign of
where carbonization takes place. The process of fire glow. The measurement of heat
carbonization lasted for 1-3 hours. duration starts after placing each set up on
the alcohol lamp for 10 minutes and then
transferred to burn down the charcoal.
Time will be recorded each for the three
set-ups in mahogany fruit husk charcoal
(MFHC) and commercial wood charcoal
(CWC).
b. Ash Content
The weight of ashes of each
trial was measured in order to attain its
Carbonization Process weight after the experimental process.
Before the evaluation, the researchers
Preparation of Set-ups measured ten (10g) grams of MFHC for
each trial and was heated using an alcohol
After the production of charcoal, the
lamp for 10 minutes and was transferred
researchers weighed certain amount of charcoal
until the sample turns into ashes. To solve
using weighing scale for different analysis
for the percentage of ash content, the
conducted in testing the effectiveness of MFHC
researchers will divide the final weight of
as an alternative charcoal. Ten (10g) grams was
charcoal when it is already in ashes by the
used to determine ash content and ten (10g) for
weight of the charcoal before the
moisture content, each process has two
evaluation and multiply it by a hundred
replications for a total of sixty (60g) grams of
(100). This procedure is the same when
MFHC. Commercial wood charcoal (CWC) was
measuring the percentage of ash content of
also weighed in preparation for the comparative
the commercial wood charcoal.
experimentation. The CWC have the same
number of trials with the MFHC that both will Final mass of Charcoal (ashes)
use a total of sixty (60g) grams of each group of x 100
charcoal. Initial mass of Charcoal

d. Moisture Content
Moisture can be defined as
absorbed water on external surface of coal
or in capillary of pores present in the coal.
To obtain the moisture content of
Mahogany fruit husk charcoal (MFHC)
and commercial wood charcoal (CWC),
the researchers weighed ten (10g) grams
each for both charcoal which will have a
Preparation of Charcoal Samples total of thirty (30g) grams each type of
1
Zamboanga del Norte National High School
 charcoal since it undergo trials. The Results
measured quantity of charcoal was placed
in a tray filled with water and was soaked Heat Duration
for 10 minutes. The final weight was
gathered. Moisture content of MFHC was Table 1 Comparison of Heat Duration between
obtained by getting the difference of the Mahogany Fruit Husks Charcoal and
final and initial weight divided by the final Commercial Wood Charcoal
weight and multiplied by a hundred (100).

Wet weight (Final Weight) – Dry Weight (Initial Weight)

CWC
X 100 Trial 3
Wet Weight (Final Weight)
Trial 2
MFHC Trial 1
e. Volatile Content
The volatile content of the
charcoal can be measured through heating 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
a crushed sample of the charcoal using a
tripod and alcohol lamp until it completely The graph reveals that it takes a mean of
turns into ashes. After heating, the sample 36.90 minutes of heat duration for the
will be cooled and weighed. Difference mahogany fruit husk charcoal while it takes a
between the weight of the charcoal before mean of 30.94 minutes of heat duration using
heating and after heating will result to the commercial wood charcoal. These findings
total volatile content of the sample. This prove that mahogany fruit husk charcoal’s heat
will be multiplied to a hundred to obtain duration is longer than that of the commercial
the percentage of the volatile matter. wood charcoal.
Volatile matter content (%) = a − b × 100
a
Ash Content
a = sample weight before heated (gr) The ash content of MFHC with three
b = sample weight after heated (gr) replications has a total mean of 16.7%. It has a
greater percentage when compared to CWC
f. Carbon Content which has 6.17% mean percentage from the
The carbon content in a charcoal three replications. [5] High ash content reduces
is a fixed carbon in which it has not the ability of a charcoal to absorb gas and
combined with other element. In the study, solution. Since MFHC has a high mean
the amount of carbon in MFHC and CWC percentage, it means that it has less ability to
can be measured by subtracting the sum of absorb gas and solution. [4] The Indonesian
the percentage of moisture, volatile matter National Standard (SNI) has a maximum of 10%
and ash from a hundred. of ash content. This proves that the CWC is
more effective than MFHC.
Fixed carbon = 100 - (moisture% + ash% + volatile
matter %)
Moisture Content
MFHC has a total mean percentage of
Statistical Tools Used 18.42% in terms of moisture content while
Mean and T-test with unequal variances CWC has a total of 33.92%. From the results,
was used in analyzing the data. mahogany fruit husk charcoal absorbs lesser
moisture than commercial wood charcoal. [4]
High moisture content declines the ability of the
charcoal to absorb gases and other solutions
needed to start a fire. The standard for the
maximum percentage of moisture content of a
1
Zamboanga del Norte National High School
charcoal is 15%. Although MFHC and CWC did
not meet the standards, it was clearly seen from
the results that MFHC is closer than CWC
which means that MFHC is more effective than
CWC.
Volatile Content
The average percentage of MFHC from
the three trials is 83.83% while CWC has a total
of 93.83% in terms of volatile content. [4] High T-test on Heat Duration, Ash Content,
content of volatile matter reduces the Moisture Content, Volatile Content, Carbon
absorbency since there are pores of a charcoal Content
that is still covered with volatile matter. [6]
Coals with high volatile matter ignite easily and The table above shows the summary of t-
are highly reactive in combustion applications. test assuming unequal variances at 0.05 level of
Since MFHC has less volatile content compared significance on different variables used to test
to CWC, this implies that MFHC is less the effectiveness of mahogany fruit husk as
effective in terms of volatile content. alternative charcoal. In terms of heat duration,
the p-value is 0.324 which greater than the level
Carbon Content of significance which means that the null
MFHC has a total mean percentage of hypothesis is accepted. In terms of ash content,
24.12% while CWC has a total of 33.92% in the p-value is 0.005 which is smaller than the
terms of carbon content. [6] High fixed-carbon level of significance (0.05). This implies that the
content indicates that the coal will require a long null hypothesis is rejected. The p-value in terms
combustion time. From the results, MFHC of moisture content is 0.100 which is greater
ignites faster than CWC. Furthermore, the heat that the level of significance which means that
duration of MFHC is longer than CWC. These the null hypothesis is accepted. In terms of
results imply that MFHC is more effective than volatile content, the p-value (.007) is smaller
CWC. than the level of significance (0.05), therefore,
the null hypothesis is rejected. Lastly, the p-
100 value in the carbon content is 0.215 which is
90 greater than the 0.05 level of significance.
80 Results show that the null hypothesis is accepted
70
60 in carbon content.
50 MFHC
40
30 CWC
20 Conclusions
10
0 The experimental results and statistical
Ash Con- Moisture Volatile Carbon analyses supplements the claim that mahogany
tent Content Content Content fruit husk charcoal is an effective alternate
charcoal, since it competes with the commercial
Ash Content, Moisture Content, Volatile wood charcoal in terms of moisture content,
Content and Carbon Content of MFHC and sustains heat in terms of heat duration, and
CWC carbon content even if the commercial wood
charcoal is superior in terms of ash content and
volatile content. For further studies, the
researchers suggests to disseminate the results
of the study to the Local Government Unit
(LGU) for the result of the study helps pave the
way in realizing one of the visions of National
Economic and Development Agency (NEDA)
1
Zamboanga del Norte National High School
for Region IX which boosts its mahogany
commodity; publicize the results of the study to
mahogany plantation owners and businessmen
for it will give them another source of income
and produce a more eco-friendly charcoal used
as fuel along with the other industrial uses;
conduct of further studies in testing the efficacy
of charcoal considering the ignition point, heat
intensity, soot color, calorific value and other
parameters for a better research; use of coconut
shell charcoal and wood charcoal for further
comparison to the mahogany fruit husk
charcoal.

References
[1] Charcoal Production. (2016). Designing and
implementing (woodfuel supply).GIZ
HERA Cooking Energy
Compendium.Retrieved from
https://energypedia.info/wiki/Charcoal_Pro
duction
[2] Chindumayo, E. & Gumbo, D.J. (2013). The
Environmental Impacts of Charcoal
Production in tropical ecosystems of the
world: A synthesis Energy for Sustainable
Development, 17(2), 86-94. doi:
10.1016/j.esd.2012.07.004
[3] Daray, F. (2018). Dried Mahogany Fruits are
Alternative for Fuel. Retrieved from
http://darayagrifacts.blogspot.com/2011/05/
dried-mahogany-fruits-are-alternative.html
[4] Hutapea, S. (2015). Utilization of Rubber
Seed Shells and Epicarp Wastes as
Activated Biochar. Retrieved from
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/downlo
ad?
doi=10.1.1.735.9183&rep=rep1&type=pdf
[5] Sudjarat, R. (1985). The Effect of Some
Processing Factors on Activated Carbon.
Journal of Forest Research. Vol.5(11):343-
349. Forest Products Research And
Development Center, Bogor.
[6] Coal Utilization| Volatile Matter and
Chemistry. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/coal-
utilization-1229
1
Zamboanga del Norte National High School
1
Zamboanga del Norte National High School