2008-'09 - Kerala Forest Research Institute

Annual Report 2008-09
Aegle marmelos fruit
Premna serratifolia
retention time (3.3 min) were also detected in chloroform as well as acetone extracts of both
species of Scutellaria. The concentration of baicalein in the extracts was also calculated using
the standard. In the species collected from Nelliyampathy, the concentration of baicalein was
0.229 and 0.210 mg/g dry weight (root) in acetone and chloroform extracts, respectively whereas
the concentration was 0.134 and 0.150 mg/g respectively in species collected from Wayanad.
For the HPLC analysis, the chloroform as well as acetone extracts of Aegle marmelos and
Murraya koenigii were analysed using standard psoralen (Sigma). The retention time of
standard psoralen observed with the solvent system, acetonitril: water was 4.5 min. Peaks in
the same retention time were also detected in the extracts of both Murraya koenigi and
Aegle marmelos. Among the plants screened, comparatively high amount of psoralen was
detected in Murraya koenigii while only trace amounts were observed in Aegle marmelos.
Developing appropriate technology for community level production of charcoal and
activated carbon from coconut stem wood and shell for industrial use
The Fluidized Bed Reactor (FBR) technology was found appropriate for the community
level production of activated carbon from charcoal. Designs of a pilot scale continuous
vertical carbonizing plant and a pilot scale FBR plant for production of activated carbon
were developed. Both the plants were installed at the project site of SUBICSHA-a communitybased
organization at Perambra, Kozhikode, Kerala. Trial runs were conducted in both
the plants; the yield and quality of product were assessed. The newly developed plants were
found capable to produce better yield compared to traditional methods of production.
The production parameters for desired quality products were optimized.
As far as conversion of waste coconut stem wood was concerned, it was found that
the plant could produce stem wood charcoal with moderate yield and quality. The
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Kerala Forest Research Institute