Effective reduction of carbon-containing pollutants in coffee cherry pulping wastewater using natural polysaccharide from Tamarindus indica L. seeds.

The wastewater produced during coffee cherry pulping is known for containing harmful pollutants, particularly organic compounds containing carbon, which pose significant risks to the environment and human health. This research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Tamarindus indica L. seed polysaccharides in treating coffee effluent. Varying doses (ranging from 0.05 to 0.30 g) of the isolated polysaccharides were added to samples of the effluent to determine their ability to remove contaminants, especially those of organic carbon origin. Notably, a dosage of 0.10 g demonstrated optimal efficacy, resulting in a 55% decrease in total dissolved solids and an 80% decrease in chemical oxygen demand. Additionally, Fourier-transform infrared and zeta potential analysis of both the polysaccharides and the treated effluent samples revealed the presence of functional groups potentially pivotal for the pollutant removal activity of the isolated polysaccharides. This provides insights into the coagulation mechanism of Tamarindus indica L. seed polysaccharides in eliminating organic carbon-based pollutants. These findings highlight the potential of Tamarindus polysaccharides as a sustainable alternative to chemical agents for removing pollutants, thus promoting environmental sustainability and human well-being.

Influence of freeze-drying and fresh cooking on starch morphology and physicochemical and thermal properties of various tropical tubers.

Flours and starches extracted from the tropical tubers underwent freeze-drying and cooking in comparison with fresh cooking. Freeze-dried and cooked starch (FDS) granules were found to have different shapes and collapsed arrangement whereas freshly cooked starch (FCS) granules had the least varied structures. The freeze-dried flours had larger structures compared to freshly cooked flours. The physicochemical parameters were high in Dioscorea esculenta (DE)-FDS, followed by Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (AP)-FDS and other samples whereas D. alata (DA)-FCS had the lowest, whereas flours followed similar trend. FDS (42.1%) had the highest solubility index and swelling power whereas FCS (11.1%) showed the lowest. The syneresis and light transmittance levels were higher in FDS and FDF. The freeze dried flour and starch showed higher onset (T0), peak (TP), and conclusion (TC) temperature than fresh cooked samples. The variations in IR spectra, thermal properties, and crystalline index were termed as differential function of physicochemical characteristics, structural changes that resulted from freeze drying, and cooking treatment employed.