Production and Purification of Alcohol from Fermentation of Nira Aren (Arenga Pinnata Merr)

Alcohol is one of the chemicals produced from plants that contains starch, sugar and lignocellulose. Alcohols produced from plants containing starch, sugar and lignocellulose are usually referred to as bioethanol. In general, ethanol/bioethanol has very broad benefits such as being used as raw material for alcohol-derived industries, basic ingredients for the pharmaceutical industry, as an antiseptic, as a preservative, solvent and can also be used as a fuel mixture for vehicles. The aims of study are determine the optimum combination of palm juice fermentation time to produce alcohol and determine the increase in alcohol content after distillation. The method used in this research is an experimental method, calculating the length of fermentation time and determining the alcohol content after distillation. The results showed that: The length of time the palm sap fermentation had an effect on the alcohol content of the palm sap, with the optimum fermentation time for 48 hours, which was 5.5%; The process of distillation of palm sap stage I at 48 hours of fermentation with a volume of 3 liters obtained as much as 410 ml of alcohol with a level of 47%. Then phase II distillation was carried out to increase the alcohol content to a higher level, obtained 112 ml of alcohol with an alcohol content of 89%; The alcohol yield resulting from the distillation of 3 liters of palm sap for 90 minutes was 3.37%.