A1 Journal article (refereed)
Willow bark proanthocyanidins with potential for water treatment : Chemical characterization and zinc/bisphenol A removal (2023)

Dou, J., Varila, T., Salminen, J.-P., Tuomikoski, S., Hietala, S., Hemmi, M., Hu, T., Lassi, U., & Vuorinen, T. (2023). Willow bark proanthocyanidins with potential for water treatment : Chemical characterization and zinc/bisphenol A removal. Separation and Purification Technology, 318, Article 123943. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2023.123943

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Dou, Jinze; Varila, Toni; Salminen, Juha-Pekka; Tuomikoski, Sari; Hietala, Sami; Hemmi, Maria; Hu, Tao; Lassi, Ulla; Vuorinen, Tapani

Journal or series: Separation and Purification Technology

ISSN: 1383-5866

eISSN: 1873-3794

Publication year: 2023

Publication date: 28/04/2023

Volume: 318

Article number: 123943

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Publication country: Netherlands

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2023.123943

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/89311

Abstract

This study investigates the chemical structure of proanthocyanidin-rich crude extracts from willow bark and these materials were tested initially as adsorbents for artificial (waste)water treatment. The crude extracts were obtained through mild water extraction and the colorant fractions were further chromatographically fractionated to understand the chemical structure of the willow bark proanthocyanidins. The chemistry of crude extracts and purified fractions were investigated using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and ultraperformance liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Both NMR (liquid and solid-state) and UPLC-MS/MS suggest that the crude extracts constitute of interflavan linked flavan-3-ols, i.e. proanthocyanidins with both procyanidin (PC)-type and prodelphinidin (PD)-type subunits, with the PC/PD ratio of approximately 2.3 - 2.5. PD-type proanthocyanidins were detected from the purified colorant fractions only with UPLC-MS/MS. Both the UPLC-MS/MS and size exclusion chromatography suggest that the crude extracts have an average oligomerization degree of roughly 5-6 flavan-3-ol units. Adsorption experiments showed that the activated foams made of crude extracts were effective in removing both zinc and Bisphenol A (BPA) with removal efficiencies of roughly 80-90% and thus these willow bark-derived proanthocyanidins are promising in water treatment. The significance of this study suggests the upgrading use of crude extracts for water treatment could significantly improve the value of willow bark.

Keywords: naturally occurring substances; bark; willows; proanthocyanidins; water treatment; water purification; zinc; bisphenol A

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2023

JUFO rating: 2