ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF STARCH FROM MANGROVES Aegiceras corniculatum (L.) Blanco and Cynometra iripa Kostel.

ABSTRACT

The present investigation deals with the isolation and characterization of starch from mangroves Aegiceras corniculatum and Cynometra iripa. Aegiceras is one of the important mangrove genera, which is an indicator of fresh water influence. Cynometra iripa is critically endangered species from west coast of Maharashtra. The propagules of A. corniculatum are starchy, therefore the starch from these propagules was isolated and properties of starch were studied. From the fruits of Cynometra iripa starch was isolated. Isolated starch was employed to techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), gelatinization and X-ray diffraction. Starch granules are variable in size and shape. Starch granules of A. corniculatum are round, oval and lenticular in shape with an average size 5μm, while in C. iripa starch granules are round and oval in shape with an average size 7 μm. The gelatinization temperature range varies from 600C to 900C; while in C. iripa range varies from 500C to 1000C. The range of temperature in both the mangroves is comparatively higher than other starch sources.