Determination of Moisture Content from Guaco with Microwave Oven

R.P Rocha,E.C Melo,L.L Radunz

doi:10.13083/1414-3984.v19n06a01

Abstract

This study was done to develop a quick method to determine moisture content of guaco’s leaves (Mikania glomerata Sprengel), to assist in research on medicinal and aromatic plants. Guaco’s leaves with moisture content between 7 to 82 % w.b. were exposed in a microwave oven set at 340, 570, 660 or 880 W, for 3, 4 or 5 minutes. In order to determine the regression equations, the results of moisture content determined by the microwave method were correlated with the values determined with standard gravimetric method. The most appropriate power and exposure time combination was founfd to be 660 W for 3 minutes. The microwave oven appears to be a viable alternative for determination of moisture content of guaco’s leaves.

Highlights

The use of medicinal plants is part of a competitive market, which includes pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics and perfumery markets
Medicinal plants are used to obtain medicines made exclusively from plant extracts such as phytotherapeutic medicines, whose use is limited by various factors including: cultivation, harvest period, climatic factors, humidity, brightness, part of the plant, transportation method, storage, drying process and extraction process which may all modify the composition of the products, directly affecting safety and efficiency (CALIXTO, 2001; SCHENKEL et al, 2003)
The reason to use those combinations of time and power were that the majority of drying research with commercial microwave oven use powers between 300 to 900 W (ADU & OTTEN, 1996; CASADA & WALTON, 1985; CHAN ET AL., 2009; CRESPO ET AL., 2007; FENG & TANG, 1998; FENG ET AL., 1999)

Summary

Introduction

The use of medicinal plants is part of a competitive market, which includes pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics and perfumery markets. According to Hanna & Sharma (1988), you can use the microwave oven to determine the moisture content of a product with the exposure time to evaporate the water fixed.

Results

Conclusion