InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – After having the long process, Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (PO PFMA) announced 10 the best finalists in Lomba Riset Sawit in the 2023 – 2024 Student Level. It referred to the announcement Number Peng-2/DPKS.4/2024. As what InfoSAWIT saw the announcement, Monday (23/9/2024), 40 groups of students got the fund from PO PFMA to conduct research that focused on palm oil innovations.

In the selection process, PO PFMA and the team conducted monitoring and evaluation in phase to make sure that their research would go forward and in progress well. From the final reports that were collected, the team of validation decided 10 best research that would be presented in the final round on 3 – 4 October 2024 at Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (BNDCC), Nusa Dua, Bali Province.

Here are the 10 best finalists that would present their research results:

1. Citra Apriliana of University of Sebelas Maret that researched about quercetin double coating in UiO-66 from empty bunches that was conjugated by folic acid as drug carrier of colon cancer.
2. Fatimah Aqilah Azzahro of University of Sebelas Maret that researched about stearin and olein modification as the drug delivery system in nanostructured lipid carrier – base to medicate melanoma cancer in the form of hydrogel patch.
3. Hestiva of University of Tanjungpura that researched about nanolignin sunscreen development from empty bunches as the sun protection factor (SPF) amplifier.
4. Khusnul Humayatul Jannah S. of University of Hasanuddin that researched about the advantages of tocopherol and cellulose from empty bunches as the atopic dermatitis drug in the form of patch in micelles – base.
5. Muhamad Zakky Irsyada of Government University of Semarang that would develop acetate cellulose ultra-filtration membrane from empty bunche to reduce heavy metal substance from batik waste.
6. Muhammad Nuril Islam of Technology Institution of Sepuluh Nopember that researched about carbon quantum dots from empty bunches as dopant photo-electrode to get water waste degradation and hydrogen production.
7. Mutiara Sani Harahap of University of North Sumatera that researched about integrated water filter with nanochitosan from empty bunches as the solution to get clean water and sanitation.
8. Sekar Ayu Wulanfrom of Institut Pertanian Bogor that researched about flavoring in palm oil sap by fermenting with moromi.
9. Wahyu Saputra of Politeknik Negeri of Lampung that researched about biomaterial engineering of empty bunches to be xhantate cellulose as the material for textile.
10. Yudhi Tegar Julianto of Institut Pertanian Bogor that researched about advantaging side products of palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) as the source of phytosterol to reduce cholesterol level.

PO PFMA emphasized that the announcement would be the final decision and could not be claimed. The finalists would compete to get rank I, II, and III in delivering their presentation in Bali. The competition should also encourage innovation and development in palm oil – base, and encourage sustainable palm oil industries in Indonesia.

The event would be the significant platform for the students to contribute in palm oil research with the hope that their results would be implemented in national scale – palm oil industries. (T2)