Extração, caracterização e modificação química da pectina do melão caipira (Cucumis melo var. acidulus)

Abstract

In this work the extraction of substances from the common melon (Cucumis melo var. Acidulus) was carried out, which has more specific application in both, the food industry, as in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry, becoming more valuable than the fruit in natura. The objective of this study was to extract, quantify, characterize and modify chemically by sulfation pectin the common melon (Cucumis melo var. acidulus). The extractions were performed in neutral, acidic and basic conditions, with yields of 8%, 10.8% and 14%, respectively. In addition to the Elementary Analysis, pectin extracted with acid, it was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance of carbon (13C NMR) and Hydrogen (1H NMR), Potentiometric Titration, Spectroscopy in the Infrared (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), hermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC), Rheology and Zeta Potential. Some of these analyzes were not performed for samples extracted in alkaline, neutral and sulfated acid, as well as for commercial use sample, for which the analysis depended on the purpose for which it was proposed, is it to determine a specific feature the material and the degree of esterification (DE) or to identify overall change in polymer structure such as sulfation. The 13C-NMR showed peaks characteristic of galacturonic acid. The FT-IR and potentiometric titration permitted the calculation of the degree of esterification (DE) of acidic, basic, neutral and sulfated samples and also a commercial sample from Sigma Aldrich; GE results of the samples obtained by these techniques were compared, showing that the samples are acidic and neutral low GE. The result of GE acid sample was also obtained by 1H NMR, confirming its low GE condition. The SEM of the sample showed particles with acidic spherical structure with surface flattening, typical drying spray dried, suggesting potential application in drug encapsulation. The XRD revealed that the material has amorphous character, an increase of crystallinity after chemical modification. The TGA technique revealed the pectin degradation in three stages. The DSC curve showed an endothermic peak at 150 °C and an exotherm at 245°C for the loss of water and the main step of breakdown of the material, respectively. The molecular weight of the acid sample, determined by GPC, showed values of typical polymeric materials 4.5 x 105 g/mol, consistent with pectins. The rheological study revealed the shear-thinning property of pectin solution.