Chemical Process Engineering and Forest Products Research Centre

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Chemical composition and biological screening of the essential oils of Micromeria macrosiphon and M. arganietorum (Lamiaceae)

Publication . El Yaagoubi, Mohamed; Mechqoq, Hicham; Ortiz, Sergio; Cavaleiro, Carlos; Lecsö‐Bornet, Marylin; Pereira, Catarina; Rodrigues, Maria Joao; Custódio, Luísa; El Mousadik, Abdelhamid; Picot, Laurent; Kritsanida, Marina; Msanda, Fouad; El Aouad, Noureddine; Grougnet, Raphaël

The chemical composition and in vitro biological activities of the essential oil (EO) of Micromeria macrosiphon Coss. and M. arganietorum (J. Emb.) R. Morales, two Lamiaceae endemic to south Morocco, were investigated. GC/MS analysis resulted in the identification of 36 metabolites from the EO of M. macrosiphon, 45 from M. arganietorum. Borneol was the major metabolite in both oils and together with related derivatives such as camphor, accounted for 2/3 of the EO of M. macrosiphon, 1/3 of those of M. arganietorum. Pinene and terpinene derivatives were also present in high proportions. From a chemotaxonomic point of view, the composition of the examined samples may be related to those of other species endemic to Macaronesia. Both EOs showed significant toxicity towards liver HepG2 and melanoma B16 4A5 tumor cell lines at 100 mu g/mL; however, they were also cytotoxic towards S17 normal cell lines, with a selectivity index <1. No antibacterial activity was noticed against 52 strains at 100 mu g/mL.

2021Journal article

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Lignin extraction from acacia wood: crafting deep eutectic solvents with a systematic D-optimal mixture-process experimental design

Publication . Fernandes, Catarina; Aliaño González, María José; Gomes, Leandro Cid; Bernin, Diana; Gaspar, Rita; Fardim, Pedro; Reis, Marco S.; Alves, Luís; Medronho, Bruno; Rasteiro, Maria Graça; Varela, Carla

Lignin is a complex biopolymer whose efficient extraction from biomass is crucial for various applications. Deep eutectic solvents (DES), particularly natural-origin DES (NADES), have emerged as promising systems for lignin fractionation and separation from other biomass components. While ternary DES offer enhanced fractionation performance, the role of each component in these mixtures remains unclear. In this study, the effects of adding tartaric acid (Tart) or citric acid (Cit) to a common binary DES mixture composed of lactic acid (Lact) and choline chloride (ChCl) were investigated for lignin extraction from acacia wood. Ternary Cit-based DES showed superior performance compared to Tart-based DES. Using a combined mixture-process D-Optimal experimental design, the Lact:Cit:ChCl DES composition and extraction temperature were optimized targeting maximum lignin yield and purity. The optimal conditions (i.e., Lact:Cit:ChCl, 0.6:0.3:0.1 molar ratio, 140 degrees C) resulted in a lignin extraction yield of 99.63 +/- 1.24 % and a lignin purity of 91.45 +/- 1.03 %. Furthermore, this DES exhibited feasible recyclability and reusability without sacrificing efficiency.

2024-11Journal article

Open Access