Lecturer of the Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia (FMIPA UI) Dr. Ratna Yuniati, M.Si., said that tobacco plants and tobacco waste can be used as alternative energy that is environmentally friendly and has high economic value and can be made into processed paper products.
He conveyed this while speaking at the World No Tobacco Day (HTTS) webinar, organized by the University of Indonesia’s Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment Technical Implementation Unit (UPT K3L), on June 6, 2023, via Zoom.
“Tobacco is not always about cigarettes. The benefits of tobacco are now more directed towards significant capabilities in botanical science and biotechnology, such as in the fields of genetics, phytopathology, plant nutrition, and plant growth,” said Dr. Ratna.
The FMIPA UI plant ecophysiology expert then explained that almost all parts of the tobacco plant, including tobacco waste, can be used for various purposes and have high economic value.
Tobacco leaves, continued Dr. Ratna, can be extracted to be used as an antiparasitic against nematodes and fleas. Crude extracts of tobacco leaves containing nicotine are as effective as pure nicotine. Ethnobotanically, the various alkaloids contained in them mean that tobacco leaf extracts can be used in many countries as a substitute for expensive synthetic acaricides.
Tobacco stem waste also offers numerous benefits, including as an alternative solid material for briquettes, producing heat energy with a calorific value of 3,177 cal/g. The cellulose content of 35-40% in stem waste also offers the potential for development into processed products such as paper, bioethanol, and bioplastics.
In addition, the alkaloid, flavonoid, essential oil and nicotine content in tobacco stem waste has the potential to be used as a plant larvicide against larvae. Aedes Aegypti environmentally friendly which is able to kill 31.25% of larvae.
Another potential of tobacco stem waste is that it can be developed as an effective organic pesticide to control insects such as leaf-destroying caterpillars. aphids, triphs, dan pengendali jamur.
“The advantages of organic pesticides produced from this waste are that they are environmentally friendly, the raw materials are easily obtained, the production is quite simple, and they have economic value, so the use of chemical pesticides can be reduced,” said Dr. Ratna.
Tobacco plant stems still contain various nutrients that can be returned to the soil through fertilization. Fermented tobacco root and stem waste using the decomposer Effective Microorganisms (EM4) can produce organic fertilizer.
In the textile industry, tobacco stem waste can also be converted into natural batik dye. The stem waste extraction process can be carried out using two methods, depending on the available raw materials: wet stems and dry stems. The dye extracted from dry tobacco stems tends to be more stable, producing a brown color.
Tobacco is also being researched in the environmental sector, focusing on green energy or environmentally friendly energy. Tobacco seeds can be processed into energy and biofuels. Selected tobacco varieties are genetically modified to increase the oil content of the seeds. Tobacco-based biofuels can reduce CO2 emissions.2 sekitar 75% lebih besar dibandingkan bahan bakar fosil.
“The oil produced from tobacco seeds can be processed into biofuel. This has significant potential as an alternative to fossil fuels,” said Dr. Ratna.
UI has implemented a smoke-free zone policy for 10 years, supported by ongoing outreach and education to UI students about the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. Even the prohibition on smoking in public places is visible through stickers in various locations around the UI campus.
“This webinar is expected to provide new insights for smokers so they can prioritize health and utilize tobacco for life beyond cigarettes,” said the Head of the UI K3L UPT, Dr. Ir. Sjahrul M. Nasri, M.Sc.
