REMOVAL OF TOXIC COMPOUNDS FROM NATURAL EXTRACTS USING GREEN TECHNIQUES

Abstract

The aim of the present study was compare two natural bio adsorbent materials with different commercial adsorbents, such as Granular Activated Carbon (CAG) and Zeolite, for the elimination of pesticides in extracts of interest. Two natural bio adsorbents were developed from rice husk and almond skin. Artichoke and lemon extracts were obtained from artichoke by-product and citrus by-product respectively. The trend is supported by the potential of these food wastes, which could be used for the production of valued products. In fact, peels, seeds, stems, or vegetable pulps are considered raw materials to obtain bioactive ingredients with multiple applications, mainly for the production of food ingredients, cosmetics, or nutraceuticals. Furthermore, bioactive compounds of vegetable wastes have demonstrated antioxidant and antimicrobial actions. The results obtained show the effectiveness of the different adsorbents in the adsorption of pesticides that artichoke and lemon extracts contain. Adsorbents from almond and rice by-product were effective, reducing in case of almond skin adsorbent by half the concentration of Metalaxyl and reducing a large amount of Azoxystrobin and Difenoconazole. Rice bio-adsorbent was less effective than the other adsorbates even though it was more effective than zeolite. The use of agri-food waste allows solving not only an environmental problem of pollution of high importance, but also a problem of management of large amounts of waste generated in the agri-food industry contributing to the promotion of circular economy. Two adsorbents have been developed from almond and rice by-products which are effective for the elimination of different toxic compounds through adsorption processes such as pesticides.