Efficacy of a palladium-modified activated carbon in improving ethylene removal to delay the ripening of Gros Michel banana

The aims of this work were to study the C2H4 adsorption capacity of different types of activated carbon and to improve ethylene removal by impregnating activated carbon with palladium. The results showed that synthesized activated carbon from sugarcane bagasse (SAC) can effectively remove ethylene and carbon dioxide. In addition, a SAC adsorbent was developed by the addition of 1% wt. palladium. It was found that the addition of Pd increased the efficiency of ethylene and carbon dioxide removal resulting in slow ripening of bananas with the lowest C2H4 and CO2 concentration of 2.85 & mu;L/kg.h and 11.2 x 103 & mu;L/kg.h, respectively. In addition, the color of banana combined with 1%Pd/SAC material after 10 days of storage was slightly different with the initial one at the beginning of storage (day 0) and was greener than the banana combined with other adsorbent materials. The loss of banana weight and the digestion of starch to sugar are also low. Therefore, Pd/SAC adsorbent material can effectively maintain the quality of bananas and eliminate ethylene that negatively affects banana quality.