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- Characterization of mineral composition and nutritional value of acacia green podsPublication . Pedro, Soraia; Antunes, Carlos Alberto Lopes; Monteiro, M.C.H. Carmo; Pitacas, F.I.; Gonçalves, Joana; Gominho, Jorge; Gallardo, Eugenia; Anjos, OThe Acacia genus is considered one of the most invasive taxa in some habitats, namely coastal dunes, maritime calcareous soils, fresh lands in the valleys, mountainous areas, and the banks of watercourses and roadsides. In Portugal, the severity risk is very high, so this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional and mineral contents of the green pods as a potential source for livestock feeds and soil fertilizer because, as far as we know, there is no use for this species. The seven different species of Acacia (Acacia mearnsii Link, Acacia longifolia (Andrews) Willd, Acacia melanoxylon R. Br., Acacia pycnantha Bentham, Acacia dealbata Link., Acacia retinodes Schlecht, and Acacia cyclops A. Cunn. ex G. Don fil) were evaluated. The results showed that Acacia green pods have a high protein, fibre and minerals content, especially in potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). All species present a different profile of the studied parameters, suggesting different potentials for their future use. Near-infrared spectroscopy was a potential tool to predict the earlier quality of the Acacia green pods to better select the raw material for the different applications.
- Potential of Acacia melanoxylon for pulpingPublication . Pereira, Helena; Simões, Rogério; Gominho, Jorge; Lourenço, Ana; Anjos, O.; Santos, António J.Most of the fibre raw materials used by the pulp and paper industry are from a small number of tree species. For instance, Eucalyptus and Pinus species are the major industrial pulpwood sources obtained from forests characterized by a relatively low biodiversity. The large monoculture areas also increase environmental risks such as those related to biotic attacks or forest fires. Diversification of industrial fibre sources has therefore been a matter of research and the characterization of different raw materials has been made in view of their pulping potential. Acacia melanoxylon R. Br. (blackwood) grows well in Portugal in pure or mixed stands with Pinus pinaster Aiton, and is valued as a timber species with potential for sawmills. In addition, the wood anatomical and chemical characteristics also allow to consider the species as an alternative raw material for the pulp industry. Acacia species, with their relatively short, flexible and collapsible fibres, have potential to produce papers with good trade-offs between light scattering/tensile strength and smoothness/tensile strength, at low energy consumption in refining. The pulping and paper making potential of blackwood has been studied by several authors showing an overall good pulping aptitude under the same experimental conditions of kraft pulping as used for eucalypt pulping with pulp yields ranging between 47 and 58 %. The presence of heartwood should be taken into account because it decreases the raw-material quality for pulping due to the higher extractives content. Heartwood proportion should therefore be considered as a quality variable when using A. melanoxylon wood in pulp industries. This chapter describes the characterization of the A. melanoxylon wood pulping performance, regarding yield and kappa number, and the pulp and paper properties. The application of fast spectroscopic technologies for pulp quality determination is also described.
- Chemical composition and nutritional value of flowers and fruits of Cytisus striatus (Hill) RothmPublication . Caramelo, Débora; Pitacas, F.I.; Vitória, Cláudia; Gonçalves, Joana; Gominho, Jorge; Gallardo, Eugenia; Anjos, O.In ancient times, the shoots of certain species within the Cytisus genus were used as animal feed. Cytisus striatus is a plentiful and widespread shrub that has long been utilized as a soil fertilizer in the Iberian Peninsula. The flowers of this shrub have traditionally been employed for medicinal purposes. However, the nutritional value of yellow broom flowers and fruits remains largely unexplored. In this study, flowers and fruit of C. striatus (Cytisus striatus) were collected from natural shrubs at three different locations in Portugal during the same year. An analytical assessment of their macro and micronutrient content was conducted. Regarding nutritional composition, flowers and fruits exhibited a fibre content of 18% and 42%, protein content of 21% and 12%, lipid content of 2% and 1%, carbohydrate content of 43% and 14%, and ash content of 4% and 3%, respectively. Potassium was the most abundant mineral, with concentrations of approximately 20,094 mg/kg in the flowers and 11,746 mg/kg in the fruits, followed by calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Compared to some edible flowers and fruits, these plant parts of C. striatus showed macro and micronutrient values similar to species such as lavender, lupins, and cowpea pod husks.
- Use of acacia pods as a source of vegetal organic matter for soilPublication . Pedro, Soraia; Antunes, Carlos Alberto Lopes; Pitacas, F.I.; Monteiro, M.C.H.; Gominho, Jorge; Gallardo, Eugenia; Anjos, O.Incorporating vegetal organic matter into the soil releases nutrients and increases its contents in organic matter, which can provide higher soil productivity and lower susceptibility to compaction. Acacia is an invasive plant in Portugal, and the huge seed bank incorporated into the soil every year is problematic for their dissemination. Suppose the green pods can have a sustainable use contributing to soil fertility. In that case, it will be possible to reduce this seed bank and contribute to delaying the proliferation of this species. In this work, the value, and mineral elements contents of Acacia pycnantha, A. retinodes and A. longifolia green pods were evaluated concerning their potential use as soil fertilizers.
- Casting light on the chemical characterization of acacia podsPublication . Pedro, Soraia; Fernandes, Tiago A.; Antunes, Alexandra M.M.; Gominho, Jorge; Gallardo, Eugenia; Anjos, O.Invasive species impose a strain on natural ecosystems by contributing to the loss of certain native species. Acacia species are amongst the most aggressive invasive species in Portugal. In this work, Acacia retinodes, A. longifolia, A. melanoxylon, A. pycnantha and A. dealbata pods were studied concerning the extraction of compounds for potential industrial application.
- First chemical profile analysis of acacia podsPublication . Pedro, Soraia; Fernandes, Tiago A.; Luís, Ângelo; Antunes, Alexandra M.M.; Gonçalves, José Carlos; Gominho, Jorge; Gallardo, Eugenia; Anjos, O.This study intended to evaluate the potential industrial applications of various Acacia species (Acacia melanoxylon, Acacia longifolia, Acacia cyclops, Acacia retinodes, Acacia pycnantha, Acacia mearnsii, and Acacia dealbata) by examining their chemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry, a comprehensive analysis successfully identified targeted compounds, including flavonoids (flavonols/flavones) and phenolic acids, such as 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-coumaric acid, and ellagic acid. Additionally, p-coumaric acid was specifically identified and quantified within the hydroxycinnamic aldehydes. This comprehensive characterization provides valuable insights into the chemical profiles of the studied species. Among the studied species, A. pycnantha exhibited a higher concentration of total phenolic compounds, including catechin, myricetin, quercetin, and coniferaldehyde. Furthermore, A. pycnantha displayed notable antibacterial activity against K. pneumoniae, E. coli, S. Typhimurium, and B. cereus. The identified compounds in Acacia pods and their shown antibacterial activities exhibit promising potential for future applications. Moreover, vibrational spectroscopy was a reliable method for distinguishing between species. These significant findings enhance our understanding of Acacia species and their potential for various industrial applications.
- Insights into the bioactivities and chemical analysis of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) SwinglePublication . Caramelo, Débora; Pedro, Soraia; Marques, Hernâni; Simão, Ana Y.; Rosado, Tiago; Barroca, Celina; Gominho, Jorge; Anjos, O.; Gallardo, EugeniaMany species of the so-called exotic plants coexist with native species in a balanced way, but others thrive very quickly and escape human control, becoming harmful—these are called invasive alien species. In addition to overcoming geographic barriers, these species can defeat biotic and abiotic barriers, maintaining stable populations. Ailanthus altissima is no exception; it is disseminated worldwide and is considered high risk due to its easy propagation and resistance to external environmental factors. Currently, it has no particular use other than ornamental, even though it is used to treat epilepsy, diarrhea, asthma, ophthalmic diseases, and seborrhoea in Chinese medicine. Considering its rich composition in alkaloids, terpenoids, sterols, and flavonoids, doubtlessly, its use in medicine or other fields can be maximised. This review will focus on the knowledge of the chemical composition and the discovery of the biological properties of A. altissima to understand this plant better and maximise its possible use for purposes such as medicine, pharmacy, or the food industry. Methods for the extraction and detection to know the chemical composition will also be discussed in detail.
- Characterisation of the phenolic profile of Acacia retinodes and Acacia mearnsii flowers’ extractsPublication . Pedro, Soraia; Rosado, Tiago; Barroca, Celina; Neiva, Duarte; Alonso-Herranz, Vanesa; Gradillas, Ana; García, Antonia; Gominho, Jorge; Gallardo, Eugenia; Anjos, O.Acacia spp. is an invasive species that is widespread throughout the Portuguese territory. Thus, it is pertinent to better understand this species in order to find different applications that will value its use. To evaluate the phenolic profile in Acacia flowers, ethanolic extracts obtained through an energized guided dispersive extraction were analysed, focusing on two species, Acacia retinodes and Acacia mearnsii, at two flowering stages. The phytochemical profile of each extract was determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-offlight mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector. The FTIR-ATR technique was used to distinguish the different samples’ compositions. The results showed the presence of high concentrations of phenolic compounds (>300 mg GAE/g extract), among which are flavonoids (>136 mg QE/g extract), for all combinations of species/flowering stages. The phytochemical profile showed a complex composition with 21 compounds identified and quantified (the predominant ones being epicatechin, rutin, vanillin, and catechol). Both species and flowering stages presented significant variations regarding the presence and quantity of phenols and flavonoids, so much so that a principal component analysis performed with FTIR-ATR spectra data of the extracts was able to discriminate between species and flowering stages.
- Comparative analysis of the phytochemical profiles in the flowers and pods of Acacia mearnsiiPublication . Pedro, Soraia; Fernandes, Tiago A.; Antunes, Alexandra M.M.; Gonçalves, José Carlos; Gominho, Jorge; Gallardo, Eugenia; Anjos, O.As espécies do género Acacia são plantas invasoras e extremamente agressivas em vários territórios, representando uma ameaça significativa à biodiversidade e ao equilíbrio dos ecossistemas. Alguns estudos têm sido realizados sobre a composição e atividade biológica em diferentes partes da árvore. Este trabalho tem como objetivo caracterizar extratos de Acacia mearnsii para potencial aplicação industrial.
- Insights into the bioactivities and chemical analysis of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) swinglePublication . Caramelo, Débora; Pedro, Soraia; Marques, Hernâni; Simão, Ana Y.; Rosado, Tiago; Barroca, Celina; Gominho, Jorge; Anjos, O.; Gallardo, EugeniaIn recent years, several analytical methods for characterising the Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle have aroused interest in the scientific community, since this species is not only considered an invasive alien species, but also possesses a wide and complex number of chemical compounds. These compounds are studied with the aim of ascertaining their biological activities, which could help to understand their mechanisms of action, develop new products with potential application in different fields of research.