SOLID WASTES OF FRUITS PEELS AS SOURCE OF LOW COST BROAD SPECTRUM NATURAL ANTIMICROBIAL COMPOUNDS- FURANONE, FURFURAL AND BENEZENETRIOL.

Soma Roy, Prashanth Lingampeta

Abstract: The present study investigates the antimicrobial potential of five fruits peel waste (pineapple, custard apple, jackfruit, pomegranate and papaya) extracted in four solvents (chloroform, petroleum ether, acetone, benzene) against clinical isolates of gram positive and gram positive pathogenic bacteria. The fruit peels chosen for the study were done so based on their high amount of waste (unused disposed portion) of peels and the common consumption of these fruits in India. GC-MS Analysis was carried out to find out the nature of the compounds responsible for the antimicrobial activity. The antibacterial potential was assessed by measuring the diameter of the zones of growth inhibition, MIC and MBC values. Amongst the solvents tested, acetone extract was seen to exhibit the best antimicrobial activity, thereby indicating it to be suitable for antimicrobial extraction. Maximum activity was seen for the acetone extracts, in the order of pomegranate peels > jackfruit peels > custard apple peels. GC-MS analysis of these acetone extracts showing encouraging antimicrobial activity revealed prominent peaks of furanone, furfural (along with imidazole) and phenolic compounds (mainly benezenetriol), there by indicating their role in the observed antimicrobial activity. This report is the first of its kind to analyze the reusability potential of acetone extracts of these fruit peel wastes for developing natural antimicrobials.

Keywords: Fruit peel wastes, antimicrobial activity, GC-MS, Furanone, Phenolic compounds

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2014.0307046