Composition and properties of Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage
TL;DR: The mucilage isolated from Opuntia is shown to contain arabinose, galactose, Galacturonic acid, rhamnose and xylose It has a uronic acid content of ca 10% and a MW of 43 × 106.
About: This article is published in Phytochemistry.The article was published on 1981-01-01. It has received 146 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Mucilage & Rhamnose.
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TL;DR: A review of plant-based coagulant sources, processes, effectiveness and relevant coagulating mechanisms for treatment of water and wastewater is presented in this article, where nirmali seeds (Strychnos potatorum), Moringa oleifera, tannin and cactus.
436 citations
Cites result from "Composition and properties of Opunt..."
...Previous studies have established that mucilage in cactus Opuntia contains carbohydrates such as l-arabinose, d-galactose, l-rhamnose, d-xylose, and galacturonic acid [45] and [46]....
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TL;DR: In this paper, it was found that the mucilage extracted from the modified stems of prickly pears, toward acid corrosion of aluminum, is tested using weight loss, thermometry, hydrogen evolution and polarization techniques.
423 citations
TL;DR: From the results, it was concluded that the use of mucilage coatings leads to increased strawberry shelf-life.
305 citations
TL;DR: Comparison of zeta potential measurements and transmission electron microscopy images of flocs formed by Opuntia spp.
Abstract: Historically, there is evidence to suggest that communities in the developing world have used plant-based materials as one strategy for purifying drinking water. In this study, the coagulant properties of Opuntia spp., a species of cactus, are quantitatively evaluated for the first time. Opuntia spp. was evaluated for turbidity removal from synthetic water samples, and steps were made toward elucidating the underlying coagulation mechanism. In model turbid water using kaolin clay particles at pH 10, Opuntia spp. reduced turbidity by 98% for a range of initial turbidities. This is similar to the observed coagulation activities previously described for Moringa oleifera, a widely studied natural coagulant. Although it has been reported that Moringa oleifera predominantly operates through charge neutralization, comparison of zeta potential measurements and transmission electron microscopy images of flocs formed by Opuntia spp. suggest that these natural coagulants operate through different mechanisms. It is suggested that Opuntia spp. operates predominantly through a bridging coagulation mechanism. Once optimized, application of these readily available plants as a part of point-of-use water treatment technology may offer a practical, inexpensive, and appropriate solution for producing potable water in some developing communities.
284 citations
TL;DR: The mucilage content found in the cactus cladodes is influenced not only by the management of the crop but is also dependent on the temperature, irrigation and the rain.
277 citations
References
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TL;DR: A new method for determination of uronic acids with meta-hydroxydiphenyl is introduced, which is simpler, quicker, more sensitive, and more specific than other methods, and it needs lesser amounts of fluid.
6,302 citations
519 citations
TL;DR: The structural relationships between arabino-3,6-galactans from gymnosperm wood, gum exudates of Acacia and other trees, and from plant callus cells and whole tissues are discussed and the nature of these proteoglycans is compared with the arabinose and galactose containing cell wall glycoproteins.
459 citations
292 citations
TL;DR: The chemical composition of the mucilages is consistent with a role in the storage of moisture in Cactaceae and may be used to provide a useful method of taxonomy within the family.
Abstract: Determination of the main structural features of the mucilages from Opuntia monacantha, Opuntia nopalea-coccinillifera, Cereus peruvianus and Wigginsia erinacea by hydrolysis and methylation indicated that these polysaccharides have some similarity to both pectic polysaccharides and gum exudates, and, consequently, may provide an alternative source of industrial raw materials. The chemical composition of the mucilages is consistent with a role in the storage of moisture in Cactaceae and may be used to provide a useful method of taxonomy within the family.
74 citations