| The physical and chemical properties of several plant fibers for the manufacture of pulp and papermaking are known. However, the use of the fibers from the pseudostems of the plantain have not been investigated and used for the manufacture of pulp and papermaking since the dawn of civilization.;However, in order to use such raw material for the extraction of fibers for the manufacture of pulp and paper, several other foreign matter must be removed. Among these are starch, parenchyma pith cells as well as liquid wastes. These foreign matter must be removed completely from the pseudostem, in order to be useful for pulp and papermaking. None of this foreign matter is to be discarded.;The parenchyma pith cell can be defined as an essential or functional element of a soft cellular substance occupying the center of the pseudostem of the plantain, while the effluent would be a large volume of liquid to be used for the extraction of the fibers from the pseudostem of the plantain.;One of the general areas that would prevent the use of such raw material for the manufacture of pulp and papermaking is a large volume of effluent that would be discarded into rivers. However, such practice would pollute rivers and become a health hazard. Thus, as a limitation, the previous investigators have suggested that prior to the use of the plantain pseudostem for pulp and papermaking, further research investigation into the uses of the large volume of the effluent, and identification of by-products as another source of raw material is essential.;Plantain cultivation has been providing several million tons of pseudostems. These raw materials from plantain go to waste each day. Few investigations into the pseudostems of the banana and plantain have been carried out and published. This fibrous plant can be used economically for the production of inexpensive paper and paper products in any country where plantain is grown.;It is estimated that by pulping one ton of the plantain pseudostem, 5000 gallons of effluent would be discarded into rivers. The Government of Ghana intends to pulp 10 to 12 tons of plantain pseudostem per working hour, 24 hours-a-day. This would amount to discarding, each day, 1,440,000 gallons of such effluent into rivers. Because of river pollution problems, and energy requirements to evaporate such solution, new efforts have been directed to the investigation of this effluent as another source of raw material for industrial use. This will generate the socio-economic development of plantain plantations in all countries where plantain is grown. The study of this general area for scholarly investigation into this research, has matched with my interest and capabilities.;It can, therefore, be assumed for the purpose of argument that, plantain as an organic species, may contain several useful soluble compounds that can be extracted, isolated, purified and identified. Any such organic compound can be investigated and put into economic use for the betterment of mankind.;It can be further assumed that any information to be gained from such research investigation, will advance a knowledge in science for the development of a suitable method for the extraction and recovery of any such compound. This will make a great contribution to foster the utilization of the plantain pseudostem for the production of pulp and papermaking not only in Ghana, but in Latin American countries, Asia and Africa, where bananas and plantain are grown for the production of fruits and vegetable foods. |
