Mastocarpus papillatus, a red alga, has potential as a sustainable feedstock for the production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), a key bio-based chemical with applications in fuels and polymers. This study focuses on optimizing the hydrolysis conditions—temperature, reaction time, and ionic liquid (IL) concentration—to enhance the yield of 5-HMF. The optimal conditions for maximum 5-HMF production (5.92 g L −1 ) were found to be 100 °C, 60 min of reaction time, and 3 g of the ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl). The use of ionic liquids significantly improved sugar solubility and accelerated the hydrolysis process, enhancing the conversion efficiency. However, higher temperatures or prolonged reaction times led to the degradation of 5-HMF into unwanted by-products. These results demonstrate that M. papillatus is a promising and eco-friendly alternative to traditional biomass sources for the production of high-value chemicals, contributing to the development of green chemical processes.
Annifah et al. (Sat,) studied this question.