Characterization of carboxymethyl cellulose derivatized from melon seed shells α-cellulose

Alalor, Christian and Ilebe, Joshua and Ejenavwo, Edith (2025) Characterization of carboxymethyl cellulose derivatized from melon seed shells α-cellulose. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 21 (3). pp. 572-582. ISSN 2582-5542

This study focuses on converting melon seed shells, which are typically discarded as waste, into carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), a valuable cellulose derivative with a wide range of industrial applications. By repurposing agricultural waste, specifically melon seed shells, this process adds value to an otherwise unused material. The dried and ground melon seed shells were initially soaked in hot water and subsequently treated with a 20% w/v sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution at 90–100°C for 2 hours. The isolated cellulose fiber was transformed into carboxymethyl cellulose through alkalization and etherification processes. The physicochemical, micromeritic and pre-formulation characterization of the derivatized melon Peel carboxymethyl cellulose (MP-CMC) was carried out. The MP-CMC gave a yield of 48% and a degree of substitution of 1.732 (57.7 % degree of substitution). The micromeritic analysis indicated that MP-CMC demonstrated outstanding flow characteristics, with densities (bulk and tapped) of 0.3907 g/mL and 0.4238 g/mL, respectively, along with an angle of repose measuring 27.46°. Other analyses such as FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and SEM imaging were employed to assess the structural, morphological and crystalline properties of MP-CMC. It can be concluded that MP-CMC if studied further could possibly be a potential pharmaceutical excipient