Ficus-indica Cladodes Research Articles

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increased biomass, nutritional value, and cochineal resistance of Opuntia ficus-indica plants

BackgroundOpuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller is dominantly growing on degraded soils in arid and semi-arid areas. The plants might establish a strong association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to adapt to nutrient, drought, and herbivore insect stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of AMF inoculations and variable soil water levels (SWA) on the biomass, nutrient concentration, nutritional composition, and nutrient digestibility of the spiny and spineless O. ficus-indica by inducing resistance to cochineal stress. One mother Opuntia ficus-indica cladode was planted in a single pot in each field with 24 kg mixed soil. AMF inoculums were cultured in sorghum plants in a greenhouse and were inoculated in the planted cladodes. The planted cladodes were arranged using a completely randomized design (CRD) with three factors: AMF (present and absent); O. ficus-indica type (spiny and spineless) and four water treatments with 0–25% of plant available soil water (SWA), 25–50% of SWA, 50–75% of SWA, and 75–100% of SWA.ResultsDrought stress reduced the below and above-ground biomass, cladode nutrient content, nutritional composition, and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD). AMF colonization significantly increased biomass production with significant changes in the macro and micro-nutrient concentrations of O. ficus-indica. AMF inoculation significantly increased the IVDMD and IVOMD of both O. ficus-indica types by improving the biomass, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and reduced fiber and ash contents. AMF-inoculated cladodes improved the nutrient concentrations of the cladodes. AMF caused an increase in biomass production, increased tolerance to cochineal stress, and improved nutrient concentration, nutritional composition, and nutrient digestibility performance of O. ficus-indica plants.ConclusionsAMF improved the performance of the O. ficus-indica plant to resist drought and cochineal stress and increased the biomass, nutrient concentration, nutritional composition, and nutrient digestibility. The potential of O. ficus-indica to adapt to cochineal stress is controlled by the macro and micro-nutrient concentration brought by the AMF association.

Characterization of mexican Opuntia ficus indica cladode and bioactive compound profile. Oxidative stress resistance and anti-adipogenic effect in Caenorhabditis elegans

Characterization of mexican Opuntia ficus indica cladode and bioactive compound profile. Oxidative stress resistance and anti-adipogenic effect in Caenorhabditis elegans

Development of Eco-Friendly Biocomposite Films Based on Opuntia ficus-indica Cladodes Powder Blended with Gum Arabic and Xanthan Envisaging Food Packaging Applications.

Currently, food packaging is facing a critical transition period and a major challenge: it must preserve the food products' quality and, at the same time, it must meet the current requirements of the circular economy and the fundamental principles of packaging materials eco-design. Our research presents the development of eco-friendly packaging films based on Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes (OFIC) as renewable resources. OFIC powder (OFICP)-agar, OFICP-agar-gum arabic (GA), and OFICP-agar-xanthan (XG) blend films were eco-friendlily prepared by a solution casting method. The films' properties were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (X-RD), and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Water solubility and moisture content were also determined. Morphology, thickness, molecular interactions, miscibility, crystallinity, and thermal properties, were affected by adjusting the gums (GA and XG) content and glycerol in the blend films. Moisture content increased with increasing glycerol and XG content, and when 1.5 g of GA was added. Water solubility decreased when glycerol was added at 50% and increased with increasing GA and XG content. FTIR and XRD confirmed strong intermolecular interactions between the different blend film compounds, which were reflected in the shifting, appearance, and disappearance of FTIR bands and XRD peaks, indicating excellent miscibility. DSC results revealed a glass transition temperature (Tg) below room temperature for all prepared blend films, indicating that they are flexible and soft at room temperature. The results corroborated that the addition of glycerol at 30% and the GA to the OFICP increased the stability of the film, making it ideal for different food packaging applications.

Opuntia ficus indica cladode as fermentation feedstock for lactic acid production by Lactobacillus acidophilus LA 5

Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes are by-products which contain high amounts of fibres, bioactive and functional compounds. Given their high annual productivity per hectare, cladodes represent a cheap and suitable substrate, usable for fermentation processes. We investigated their potential as a substrate for the growth and production of lactic acid from Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5. A separate hydrolysis and fermentation was performed. The concentration of reducing sugars obtained after the dilute acid and enzymatic hydrolysis was 28.45 g/L. The lactobacillus count ranged from 6.03 to 8.1 log CFU/mL, whereas lactic acid yield and productivity were 0.63 g/g and 0.73 g/L h, respectively. The maximum lactic acid concentration was found to be 17.5 g/L. This study reports the possibility of using the O. ficus indica cladode for lactic acid production by LA-5 aiming to reduce costs for sustainable industrial production.

Precipitation solvents effect on the extraction of mucilaginous polysaccharides from Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae): Structural, functional and rheological properties

This paper discusses mucilage extracted from Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae) cladodes, also known as Barbary fig. Mucilaginous polysaccharides were extracted in hot water and purified with two distinct organic solvents, ethanol and isopropanol. The mucilaginous extract yield precipitated in isopropanol "MUIS″ (i.e. 23.2%) is higher than that of ethanol "MUET″ (i.e. 19%). The biochemical composition of mucilaginous extracts shows that the change in precipitation solvents has no significant effect. In addition, the microstructure of mucilaginous extracts exhibits amorphous and porous structures, which favor their capacity to retain moisture. The mucilaginous extracts analysis by ion chromatography reveals that after acid hydrolysis, MUIS has a higher total of sugars (46.9%) than MUET (37.6%). Mucilaginous extracts vary in their main content of monomers such as arabinose, galactose, glucose, and xylose as well as in the uronic acid fraction. The contact angle measurements were also established in order to investigate mucilaginous extracts’ hydrophilic or hydrophobic surfaces. Three tested liquids were used namely: distilled water, diiodomethane, and ethylene glycol. The X-ray diffraction analysis displayed that the precipitation solvent does not affect the amorphous structure. The TGA analyses of extracts under an oxidative atmosphere reveal that the oxygen flow accelerates the kinetics of degradation. Under nitrogen flow, mucilaginous extracts have intrinsic thermal resistance in specific temperature ranges. The DSC results show that the polysaccharide purification technique influences the glass temperature (Tg), which is around 53 °C and 61 °C for MUET and MUIS, respectively. In an aqueous solution, the mucilaginous extracts are highly heterogeneous, and the precipitation solvents and temperature affect their particle size. Mucilaginous extracts were concentration-dependent and reduced the surface tension of water to 43.5 mN/m and 30 mN/m for MUET and MUIS at 7 w/v%, respectively. The rheological analyses show that a non-Newtonian shear-thinning behavior was observed. The Ostwald-de Waele model successfully predicted the viscosity-shear rate relationship. The consistency coefficient (k) of MUIS at 7 w/v% (0.117 Pa.s) is higher than MUET at 7 w/v% (0.081 Pa.s). The critical concentrations (C*) of MUET and MUIS are 1.75% and 3.45 w/v%, respectively.

Single and Binary Removals of Pb(II) and Cd(II) with Chemically Modified Opuntia ficus indica Cladodes.

In this study, cladodes of Opuntia ficus indica (OFIC), chemically modified with NaOH (OFICM), have been prepared, characterized, and tested as an effective biomass to remove Pb(II) and/or Cd(II) from aqueous media. At an optimum pH of 4.5, the adsorption capacity, qe, of treated OFICM was almost four times higher than that of untreated OFIC. The maximum adsorption capacities (qmax) in the single removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II) were 116.8 and 64.7 mg g-1, respectively. These values were 12.1% and 70.6% higher than those for the corresponding qmax in binary removal, which indicates the strong inhibitive effect of Pb(II) on the co-cation Cd(II) in a binary system. Structural and morphological characterization have been carried out by FTIR, SEM/EDX, and point of zero charge (pHPZC) measurements. The SEM/EDX results confirmed that the metals are adsorbed on the surface. The presence of C-O, C=O, and COO- functional groups were identified by FTIR on both OFIC and OFICM surfaces. On the other hand, we found that the adsorption processes followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics for both single and binary systems, with a fast biosorption rate of Pb(II) and Cd(II). The equilibrium data (adsorption isotherms) were better described by Langmuir and modified-Langmuir models for single and binary systems, respectively. A good regeneration of OFICM was obtained with an eluent of 0.1 M HNO3. Therefore, OFICM can be efficiently reused to remove Pb or Cd, up to three times.

Potential of Opuntia Ficus-Indica Cladodes In M’sila (North ALGERIA) as feed for ruminants: chemical composition and in vitro assessment

ABSTRACT The main objective of the present study was to investigate a strategy to bioconverte spineless cactus Opuntia Ficus-Indica (O. ficus indica) Cladodes, Medicago sativa L. (M. sativa) and barley straw (H. vulgare) based on their chemical composition, in vitro digestibility and fermentation parameters. The CP ranged from 51.41 to 156.09 g/kg DM, which was especially high within M. sativa and low in H. vulgare. O. ficus indica had the highest values in free condensed tannins. The most digestible plant sample was that from M. sativa and O.ficus indica. The maximum in vitro gas production was recorded with M. sativa and H. vulgare. The same trend was observed with the total gas production (144 h). Based on the results, it can be concluded that O. ficus indica could replace common plant species, especially in the arid and semi-arid areas in which the livestock production section frequently suffers low efficiency and big losses.

Participatory inventory and nutritional evaluation of local forage resources for smallholder free-range beef production in semi-arid areas of South Africa

Feed scarcity is a major challenge facing free-range beef farming in semi-arid areas. Specifically, low quality and quantity of forage in rangelands and higher feeding costs are the main constraints limiting smallholder free-range beef farmers’ participation in mainstream beef markets. Using farmers’ participatory approaches, this study identified major locally available forage resources (LAFRs) and evaluated their nutritional value. A total of 40 free-ranging commercially orientated smallholder beef farmers were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires and tasked to identify LAFRs in the Cradock and Middelburg areas of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Chemical analysis was conducted for the most cited forages such as African sheepbush (Pentzia incana), sweet thorn (Vachellia karroo) leaves and pods, reed (Phragmites australis), lucerne (Medicago sativa) hay, natural pasture grasses (NPGs) and barbary fig, or prickly pear cactus, (Opuntia ficus-indica) cladodes collected from twelve participants’ farms. Feed shortage was ranked by more than 53% respondents as the main constraint to smallholder beef production. Regardless of the farming area, crude protein content of V. karroo leaves and pods averaging 18.8 and 19.5%, respectively, was higher than other LAFRs. However, V. karoo pods had relatively low ash content than other forages in both farming areas. Opuntia ficus-indica attained high in vitro neutral detergent fibre digestibility at 12, 24 and 48 hr incubation periods, due to low neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and acid detergent lignin. Integration of participatory inventory and chemical analysis proved to be reliable in identifying LAFRs, with V. karroo leaves and O. ficus-indica cladodes being the main potential forage resources for inclusion in beef cattle diets. Further research is recommended to substantiate their supplementary nutritive value and level of inclusion in beef cattle finishing diets.

Towards local circular economy through Opuntia Ficus Indica cladodes conversion into renewable biofuels and biochars: Product distribution and kinetic modelling

Opuntia Ficus Indica (OFI) cladodes slow pyrolysis was conducted in a fixed-bed reactor at various temperature (500–600–700 °C) and residence time (30–60–120 min) with a constant heating rate (10 °C min−1). The highest biochar yield (40.08%) was obtained at 500°C and 30 min whereas more liquid (35.03%) and gaseous (31.08%) products were produced at 700 °C and 120 min. The produced biochar is an alkaline carbon rich with minerals and nutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) that could be applied in agriculture to balance acidic soil. The obtained bio-oil and syngas could be used as green biofuels. The kinetic study using Vyazovkin and FWO indicates an activation energy (Eα) values of 36.05–224.41 and 47.87–242.36 kJ mol−1 respectively, with a good prediction (R2 ≥ 0.9). This integrated approach of local OFI biomass conversion into biofuels and bio-based materials is an opportunity for the implementation of a local circular economy in Tunisia.

Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics and Economic Viability of Nguni Cattle Fed Diets Containing Graded Levels of Opuntia ficus-indica

Given the severe droughts caused by global warming, smallholder beef cattle farmers are faced with serious forage and feed scarcity. This becomes worse for resource-poor farmers who cannot afford commercial feeds. It is therefore crucial to assess the use of low-cost alternative feed resources to supplement free-range beef cattle and ensure sustainable livestock production in ways that stimulate free-range beef farmers’ participation in mainstream beef market. In an attempt to improve free-range beef cattle herds and explore the economic viability of utilizing Opuntia ficus-indica (spineless cactus) cladodes as a supplementary feed, we investigated the impact of cactus diets on animal growth performance and carcass characteristics of Nguni cattle heifers. Four dietary treatments were randomly assigned to thirty-two heifers aged 24 months, weighing, on average, 172.20 ± 27.10 kg, with each dietary treatment replicated to eight individually penned heifers for 90 days. The dietary treatments were control diet (pasture-based energy + protein sources), 10% cactus diet, 20% cactus diet and commercial diet (crop-based energy and commercial protein source). The energy concentration of the control diet was 9.35 MJ/Kg DM and the cactus was included on dry matter basis during formulation of compound diets. Thus, cactus was administered in a dry rather than wet form. The animals were confined in feeding pens 24/7 without access to pasture, with feed and water provided ad libitum. The heifers fed commercial and control diets attained significantly (p < 0.05) higher dry matter intake, average daily gains, fat thickness, carcass conformation scores and lower feed conversion ratio than those fed cactus diets. However, the final body weight gains and carcass weights, rib-eye muscle area and meat pH45min and 24h were comparable (p > 0.05) between heifers fed cactus diets and those fed commercial and control diets. The 10 and 20% cactus diets had greater gross margins (p < 0.05) of $17.47 and $18.62, respectively, than the other diets, due largely to reduced total variable costs. The comparability of carcass traits of heifers fed cactus diets and those fed non-cactus diets as well as higher economic returns from cactus inclusion warrants the use of cactus diets, particularly during drought when commercial feed prices rise.

"EVALUATION OF OPUNTIA FICUS INDICA AS AN ECONOMIC ADSORBENT FOR ANIONIC RED BEMACID DYE FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION "

Opuntia ficus indica cladodes (OFIC) were used as an adsorbent for the removal of anionic Bemacid Red (RB) dye from an aqueous solution. The study was performed in a batch reactor under different experimental conditions. The adsorption process was very fast during the first 60 min of phases’ contact at 25 °C, the adsorbent being characterized by an adsorption capacity of 16.721 mg/g at pH 2. The experimental data fitted very well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R2 = 0.994), and the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich adsorption models were applied to describe the adsorption equilibrium isotherms. The thermodynamic parameters: enthalpy (-20.739 kJ/mol), entropy (-0.226 kJ/K.mol) and the Gibbs free energy (-14 to -13.557 kJ/mol) were determined over the selected temperature range (25 to 45 °C). The adsorption using the studied system (OFI cladodes/RB) proved to be an exothermic and spontaneous process.

Characterization of Mature Paddles of Opuntia ficus-indica L. Using Morphological and Colorimetric Descriptors

Mexico is the world's leading producer of Opuntia ficus-indica. This kind of prickly pear is the most widespread and most commercially important cactus in Mexico. Morphological and colorimetric descriptors are among the most important agronomic traits because these parameters affect the yield, in such a way, the objective of the present research was to present a fast and reliable methodology to obtain the functional relationship in shape and color parameters of O. ficus indica cladodes, using a smartphone, a color meter, and open-access software. The acquisition and processing of images discovered interesting relationships between the Opuntia cladode's morphological characteristics, as well as colorimetric parameters of the cladodes. The non-linear data behaviors were fitted using deterministic models and CurveExpert software. Results of the study revealed that the best morphological descriptors were Circularity vs. Perimeter (r= 0.9815) and Aspect ratio vs. Roundness (r= 0.9999). In addition, mean values of the L*, C, and H color parameters were displayed in a window of a computer program online. It was found that the a-C relationship of the color parameters had the highest correlation coefficient (0.999). Therefore, it can be concluded that the morphological descriptors Circularity vs. Perimeter, Aspect Rate vs. Roundness, and a*-C color parameter can predict quickly and precisely the quality of O. ficus-indica.

Edible Coatings from Opuntia ficus-indica Cladodes Alongside Chitosan on Quality and Antioxidants in Cherries during Storage.

The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of edible coatings (ECs) prepared from extracts of Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) cladodes in comparison with a commercial chitosan formulation on the quality of ‘Regina’ cherries packaged in macro-perforated bags and stored for up to 28 d (1 °C, 90% RH). The coating concentrations were 25% and 50% aqueous OFI extract (approximately 0.59 and 1.18% dry matter, respectively), 1% OFI alcohol insoluble polysaccharide and 1% chitosan. The variables evaluated included weight loss (WL), respiration rates (RR), peel color, firmness, microbial decay, total antioxidants (phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, antioxidant capacity), individual phenolic compounds (anthocyanins, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavan-3-O-ols), and pedicel removal force. The main results show that all coatings reduced WL and RR similarly, enhanced firmness throughout storage and antioxidants after 28 d of storage compared to the controls. Among treatments, chitosan resulted in much higher peel glossiness and firmness in comparison to OFI extracts. On day 28, all ECs resulted in higher antioxidants than controls, OFI extracts resulted in higher cyaniding-3-O-rutinoside than chitosan, while 50% OFI treatment resulted in the highest catechin concentration. Therefore, OFI extracts are promising ECs for cherry storage since they exhibited no negative effect, improved quality and extended storage life by one week compared to the controls.

Comparative Analysis of the Chemical Composition and Physicochemical Properties of the Mucilage Extracted from Fresh and Dehydrated Opuntia ficus indica Cladodes.

The development of sustainable extraction methods to obtain natural products constitutes a challenge for the food industry. The aim of this work was to compare yield, separation efficiency, chemical composition, and physicochemical properties of the mucilage extracted from fresh cladodes (FNM) and mucilage extracted from dehydrated cladodes (DNM) of O. ficus indica. Suspensions of fresh and dehydrated cladodes (4% w/w) were prepared for mucilage extraction by using a mechanical separation process. Subsequently, the separated mucilage was precipitated with ethyl alcohol (1:2 v/v) then, yield and separation efficiency were determined. The mucilage was characterized by measuring Z potential, viscosity, color, and texture attributes. Additionally, chemical proximate analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were conducted. No significant differences (p < 0.05) were detected in the yield and separation efficiencies between samples. Nevertheless, the dehydration process of cladodes prior to mucilage extraction increased protein, ashes, nitrogen free extract, and calcium content. The viscosity was higher in DNM than in FNM. The TGA revealed a different thermal behavior between samples. In addition, the DNM showed lower L (darkness/lightness), cohesiveness, adhesiveness, and springiness values than those of FNM. These results support that differences found between the chemical and physicochemical properties of DNM and those of FNM will determine the applications of the mucilage obtained from the O. ficus indica cladodes in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

Evaluation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and vermicompost supplementation on growth, phenolic content and antioxidant activity of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica)

Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus‐indica) is a medicinal plant that plays important economic and ecological roles in arid and semi-arid regions. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation isolated from O. ficus-indica rhizosphere and/or vermicompost supplementation on growth and biochemical properties of newly developed O. ficus-indica cladodes. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with four treatments: control, AMF inoculation and vermicompost application individually or in combination with AMF. After eight months of cultivation, the results showed that the application of AMF and/or vermicompost improved growth and stimulated mycorrhizal colonization. Treatments with AMF, vermicompost, and AMF + vermicompost treatments increased sugar and protein contents by 30, 55 and 67% and 21, 60 and 84%, respectively. In addition, these treatments improved the superoxide dismutase, catalase and polyphenol oxidase activities and total phenolics and flavonoids content. Consequently, the same treatments enhanced the inhibition of the free radical 2, 2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity by 58, 52 and 33%, respectively compared to control plants, which reflects the highest antioxidant activity. In conclusion, our findings suggest that AMF combined with vermicompost induced the greatest effect on the different parameters tested and could improve the growth and development of cactus plants.

Extraction and Physicochemical Characterization of Dried Powder Mucilage from Opuntia ficus-indica Cladodes and Aloe Vera Leaves: A Comparative Study.

Cactaceae and Asphodelaceae are native desert plants known for their high mucilage content, which is a polysaccharide of growing interest in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. In this study, powdered mucilage was obtained from cladodes of Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) and aloe vera (AV) leaves, and their molecular, morphological, and thermal properties were investigated and compared. Additionally, their dietary fiber content was determined. Three-dimensional molecular models were calculated for both mucilages using ab initio methods. Vibrational spectra (FTIR and Raman) revealed intramolecular interactions and functional groups that were specified with the help of theoretical ab initio and semi-empirical calculations. SEM micrographs measured at magnifications of 500× and 2000× demonstrated significantly different superficial and internal morphologies between these two mucilages. Thermal analysis using DSC/TGA demonstrated superior thermal stability for the OFI mucilage. The dietary fiber content in OFI mucilage was more than double that of AV mucilage. Our results show that both dehydrated mucilages present adequate thermal and nutritional properties to be used as functional ingredients in industrial formulations; however, OFI mucilage exhibited better physicochemical and functional characteristics than AV mucilage as a raw material.

Evaluation of the Potential of Opuntia Ficus-Indica Cladodes as a Natural Flocculant for Wastewater Treatment through Simple Procedures

Evaluation of the Potential of Opuntia Ficus-Indica Cladodes as a Natural Flocculant for Wastewater Treatment through Simple Procedures

Characteristics of cellulose fibers from Opuntia ficus indica cladodes and its use as reinforcement for PET based composites

ABSTRACT With the aim of valorizing the unexplored Moroccan resources, Opuntia ficus indica (OFI) cladodes were proposed as a renewable source for the production of cellulose. In this work, cellulose microfibers were extracted from OFI cladodes using one of the most suitable methods for the extraction of cellulose based on the alkaline delignification. The morphological (SEM), thermal (TGA/DTG), and structural (XRD, FTIR, and 13C NMR) analysis of the isolated cellulose has been identified. Afterward, the reinforcing capability of cellulose fibers was examined using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a matrix by combining extrusion and compression molding processes. The effects of fibers loading on physical properties of the composites, such as tensile strength and Young’s Modulus before and after water absorption, were studied. The stability of the optimal composite was also examined based on the dependence of rheological parameters (G’ and G”) with strain and time. Composites containing 15 wt% of fibers exhibited the best mechanical properties in dry and wet cases, reaching 88% increase from neat PET in Young’s modulus and 36% increase in the tensile strength. However, excellent structural stability of the optimal composite was found with a predominant elastic behavior resulting from the good interface adhesion between cellulose fibers and PET matrix. The present work showed new routes for the valorization of OFI cladodes in the development of composite materials.

Thermal degradation kinetics of Opuntia Ficus Indica flour and talc-filled poly (lactic acid) hybrid biocomposites by TGA analysis

This paper reports the effect of lignocellulosic flour and talc powder on the thermal degradation behavior of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Lignocellulosic flour was obtained by grinding Opuntia Ficus Indica cladodes. PLA/talc/ Opuntia Ficus Indica flour (OFI-F) biocomposites were prepared by melt processing and characterized using Wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The thermal degradation of neat PLA and its biocomposites can be identified quantitatively by solid-state kinetics models. Thermal degradation results on biocomposites compared to neat PLA show that talc particles at 10 wt % into the PLA matrix have a minor impact on the thermal stability of biocomposites. Loading OFI-F and Talc/OFI-F mixture into the PLA matrix results in a decrease in the maximum degradation temperature, which means that the biocomposites have lower thermal stability. The activation energies (Ea) calculated by the Flynn Wall Ozawa (FWO) and Kissinger Akahira Sunose (KAS) model-free approaches and by model-fitting (Kissinger method and Coats-Redfern method) are in good agreement with one another. In addition, in this work, the degradation mechanism of biocomposites is proposed using Coats-Redfern and Criado methods.

Determination of Some Major and Trace Elements in Cladodes of Barbary fig (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill.) by X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry.

Barbary fig (Opuntia ficus-indica) has attracted great attention in extensive rural agriculture for its potential agronomic, medicinal, and environmental benefits. However, there is only incomplete information about its chemical profile. Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry was applied to determine the concentrations of 11 major and trace elements (Br, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, P, Rb, Sr, Yb, and Zn) in cladodes of O. ficus-indica and the adjacent soil. For analytical accuracy, the standard reference materials CRM-IAEA 336 (Lichen) and CRM-NIST 1646a (Estuarine Sediment) were used. The relationships between the chemical elements were established by Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) and principal component analysis (PCA). The results show that K, P, Fe, and Mn were the dominant essential elements in O. ficus-indica cladodes; however, Br, Cr, Cu, Rb, Yb, and Zn were present at low concentrations. The cladodes showed high enrichment with K, Sr, and Br (BEF > 1), but the values of this coefficient were below 1 for the remaining elements. The PCA showed that in the O. ficus-indica cladodes, the higher concentrations of Br, K, and Sr were correlated; conversely, the highest contents of Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, P, Rb, Yb, and Zn were retained in the soil. The present findings enabled us to determine that O. ficus-indica has a high ability to accumulate K, P, Fe, and Mn in its cladodes. Therefore, the data obtained from the analysis of this cactus will be useful for nutritional and medicinal purposes.