Natural Shampoo from Banana Skins

17
Jan
2014

         Banana skin usually ends up at bins or as stock woof. However, three students from the Chemistry Education Department, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, have modified that organic waste into a basic materials for natural shampoo. They are Wijayanti, Danish Oktaviana, and Annisa Sholihahwati. The team leader, Widyawati, explained that having 14.28% potassium as one of its components, the skins were dried and burnt into embers. The embers were then soaked within 7 days to obtain the alkaline substance as the base for shampoo. The potassium forming this alkaline substance reacts with pollutants found in hair such as sweat, which contains acidic properties, neutralizing the substance.

          In producing the shampoo, firstly, 700 grams of dried skin are obtained from 2 kilograms of wet skin. Then 2 liters of water is added to soak the dried skins in 7 days. After a week, the liquid colour change brwon to black. The dark colour is due to the skin embers. To remove the dark colour, active carbon is added to absorb the colour. After two days, the liquid is in lighter colour, that is yellow and slippy. Based on the lab test, the liquid is alkaline in 11.5 pH level, meaning that the shampoo is alkaline in properties. In addition to lab test, the shampoo is also tested by 9 panelists. The final product is regarded as having neutral smell and slippy texture. (witono)

submitted by administrator