Content Determination of Vitamin C in Durian Endocarp and Optimization of Extraction Process

Purpose: To optimize the extraction process of vitamin C from durian endocarp, and to determine the content of vitamin C in durian endocarp with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Method: Optimize ultrasonic extraction conditions by L9 (43) orthogonal experiment by using octadecylsilane chemically bonded silica as the stationary phase, using methanol (A): 0.1% oxalic acid (B) = 5:95 (V/V) as the mobile phase, setting the flow rate as 1.0 mL/min, and setting the wavelength as 254 nm for assay. Result: The optimal extraction process is as follows: the material-liquid ratio is 1:12, the extraction solvent is 2% oxalic acid aqueous solution, and the extraction time is 30 min;Vitamin C has a good linearity within the concentration range of 5.4 - 108.0 mg·mL-1, and the regression equation is y = 37698x - 61035 (R2 = 0.9996);the average recovery rate is 99.03%, the instruments are of high precision with good stability. Conclusion: This extraction process performs well in simplicity, costs and extraction efficiency, which may accelerate the development and utilization of vitamin C extraction from durian endocarp, and provide references to relevant studies and practices.

Morphogenesis of Oil Palm Fruit （Elaeis guineensis Jacq.） in Mesocarp and Endocarp Development

This work aims to study the development of the pericarp of the fruit of Elaeis guineensis Jacq. var. dura. The thickness, the water and the oil contents of its tissues are evaluated every two weeks, from pollination to the maturity of the fruit. The development of the oil palm fruit takes 5.5 months. The endocarp reaches its maximum thickness at the 70th DPP （day post-pollination）, with a water content of 72%. It then starts its dehydration, while sclerifying. It therefore isolates the seed at start and later protects it. The mesocarp is visible at anthesis and its water content is close to 92%. From the 100th DPP, it begins a continuous dehydration associated, from the 130th DPP, with an active lipids biosynthesis. Ultimately, the pericarp of the oil palm fruit fulfills both functions, namely to protect the seed by early sclerification of the endocarp and ensure the dissemination of the species by the high oil content of the mesocarp. A comparative anatomy of the pericarp tissues of the three genotypes.of E. guineensis Jacq., during the first three weeks of fruit development, will enhance the understanding of the primary effect of sh gene.

Potentials of Balanite Endocarp Pod Ash as a Cement Replacement Material

The exponential growth of agricultural wastes such as Balanite seed pod has resulted in waste management issues and finding alternatives through waste recycling is an interesting area of research.Balanite seed pods were collected in Yobe state,washed,dried,crushed.Balanite endocarp pod ash(BEPA)was calcined at 600°C for 3 hours in a muffle furnace and the biomass was characterized with X-ray fluorescence spectrometer to determine its chemical composition.The analysis showed that the ash composed of silica,alumina and ferric oxide(74.24 wt.%)indicated a strong pozzolan based on American Standard.The BEPA possessed a high loss on ignition of 8.24 wt.%owing to the presence of unburnt carbon in the ash.The ash obtained was sieved with 75µm sieve and cement was replaced with ash between 2.5 wt.%~12.5 wt.%at interval of 2.5 wt.%to assess its impact on cement properties such as setting time,consistence,mortar strength and water absorption.Results showed that as percentage replacement increases,the water absorption increased while the mortar strength diminished whereas as the curing days progressed its strength improved despite clinker diminution due to cement hydration.60 days strength for below 10 wt.%BEPA cement blend produced enhanced strength compared with control which is evidence of slow pozzolanic reactions.The optimum percentage replacement with BEPA was obtained at 7.5 wt.%replacement beyond which significantly affected the cement properties especially its strength.It could be agreed that BEPA has potentials to be considered and employed as a cement replacement material.

Optimization of Shelling Technology for Babassu （Orbignya speciosa） Nuts

Babassu （Orbignya speciosa） is a large-sized Brazilian palm with smooth, oblong ellipsoidal fruits, brown in color when mature. The babassu nut is approximately 8 to 15 cm long and 5 to 7 cm wide, with a slightly oval shape. The main commercial product extracted from babassu is the oil extracted from the kernels which represents 7% of the total weight of the fruit. The babassu nut nowadays is collected and shelled manually by women, this representing a problem of social order in the North/Northeastern region of Brazil. The objective of the present research was to develop an adequate shelling process for the nut, adding value to the raw material and taking better advantage of each of its components： epicarp, mesocarp, endocarp and the kernel itself, thus obtaining the shelled nut, composed of the endocarp and seed. The raw material had been dried by heat treatment; the epicarp and mesocarp were extracted using abrasive shelling equipment. The best position to cut the babassu nut was studied, in order to remove the kernel. The focus of the design was a simple, cheap process, easy to handle and agile to use, allowing the nuts to be cut with safety. The equipments were built based on the data which characterized the babassu nut, giving priority to the cost, adequacy for the region, ease in handling and safety. Considering a single work shift, a yield of 426.54% was obtained for the ＂nut cutter＂ equipment in relation to the productivity of the ＂nut-cracking women＂.

The Effectiveness of Watermelon Endocarp Extract in Inhibiting Lipase Activity Relative to the Hypolipidemic Drugs

In the effort to prove the effectiveness of watermelon endocarp extract as a hypolipidemic, the authors have done an initial experiment of lipase inhibition with the extract. The puposes of this study are to evaluate： （1） the optimum condition of lipase in the pankreoflat tablet, （2） the effect of watermelon endocarp extract in inhibition the lipase activity, and （3） the effectiveness of watermelon endocarp extract as lipase inhibitor relative to the hypolipidemic drugs （orlistat）. Watermelon endocarp was extracted by blender, squeezed and filtered. As a source of lipase has been used pankreoflat （Kimia Farina） tablet, inhibition test was performed by mixing 35 mL with substrate （olive oil） that has been coupled with one tablet （0.25 g） ofpankreoflat and extract of 50 g watermelon endocarp and then incubated at 37℃, pH 7.5 for 25 minutes. Lipase activity is indicated by the amount ofNaOH titrant which was used to neutralize the free fatty acid from hydrolysis of olive oil. The results showed that 50 g of watermelon endocarp can produce 26 mL extract and decrease the lipase activity by 70.34%, or equivalent to 85% of the effectiveness of one tablet orlistat （120 mg）, one of the hypolipidemic drugs.

Late Oligocene Melia(Meliaceae) from the Nanning Basin of South China and it's biogeographical implication

Melia L. is a small genus of only 2–3 species, which is native to Indo-Malesia, India, Pakistan and southern parts of tropical Africa. Fossil records of Melia are known from the early Miocene to the Pleistocene. Here we describe some mummified fossil endocarps of Melia from the upper part of the Yongning Formation(late Oligocene) in Nanning Basin, South China. These well-preserved stony endocarps are 8–14 mm long and 5–9 mm wide, and have 5 locules with a single spindle seed per locule. We interpret these endocarps as the internal remains of a Melia drupe, and assign them as a new species: M. santangensis sp. nov. This is the only fossil record of anatomically preserved Melia found in China, and also the oldest fossil record of Melia so far reported globally. The fossil record confirms the presence of Melia in Asia at the late Oligocene, and provides evidence supporting the distribution and dispersal hypothesis of the Meliaceae.