Abstract
Twenty-five authentic samples of Prunus amygdalus gum samples were collected from five different locations in northwest of Libya. Different physicochemical methods were used to characterize this type of gum samples. The mean values of the moisture ranged from 12.55 to 14.93%, ash mean values 4.03 to 4.62%, pH 3.89 to 4.40, W.H.C 52.85 to 60.0%, and O.H.C 136.2 to 156.3%. Solubility of Prunus amygdalus gum showed that it had low solubility in distilled water with the mean values ranged from 20.01 to 35.40%, but it dissolved perfectly in alkali media where solubility increased to 96.3% in 0.05 M Na2CO3. The study exhibited that the mean values of cationic concentration in %(w/w) such as calcium was ranged from 0.552 to 0.585, potassium 0.402 to 0.505, iron 0.0975 to 0.1125, and sodium 0.064 to 0.079, which indicates that Ca has the highest concentration of metallic ions present. Atomic absorption method indicate that all samples contain traces of elements, Li, Cr, Mn, Ni, Zn, Pb, Hg, and Cd. The main functional groups recorded from FTIR spectrum included bands at 3293 cm-1 (O-H in carboxylic group), 1601.77 cm-1 (C=O, amide N-H bend, and C=C), 1357.53 cm-1 (CH3-, and C-O-H in- plane bending vibration), and 1025.74 cm-1 (C-O stretching).
Highlights
Almond trees are Mediterranean trees where they grow in Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Palestine, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Libya [1,2]
Verbeken et al reported that, the natural exudate gums are produced as a result of microbial infection on the bark of Acacia trees, and this trees in turn exudate the viscous liquid as a defense mechanism to seal off the injure and block more invasion of the tissue [6], as Acacia gums, almond gum are defined as dried exudates obtained from the trunks and branches of almond trees
The mean values of moisture content of the crude gum samples ranged from 12.55 to 14.93%, the mean values range reported here was slightly higher than the mean value of 10.3% indicated by Imtiyaz and Najeeb for Prunes amygdalus var Dulcis gum collected from Kashmir valley [21]
Summary
Almond trees are Mediterranean trees where they grow in Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Palestine, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Libya [1,2]. The physicochemical and functional properties of the natural exudates gum are play and important role in determining their commercial value and their use. These properties differ with gums different, botanical source, and even a large differences in gums from the same species when collected from plants that growing under different climatic conditions, or even when collected from the same plant species at different seasons of the year [11]. This work aims to physicochemically characterize and evaluate the concentrations of metals in Almond gum of Libyan origin as a preliminary study to pave the way for its industrial and commercialization applications
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