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Aqueous extracts of Mozambican plants as alternative and environmentally safe acid-base indicators

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Abstract

Indicators are substances that change color as the pH of the medium. Many of these substances are dyes of synthetic origin. The mulala plant (Euclea natalensis), which roots are commonly used by rural communities for their oral hygiene, and roseira (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), an ornamental plant, are abundant in Mozambique. Currently, synthetic acid-base indicators are most commonly used but have environmental implications and, on the other hand, are expensive products, so the demand for natural indicators started. This study investigated the applicability of aqueous extracts of H. rosa-sinensis and E. natalensis as acid-base indicators. Ground on this work, the extracts can be used as acid-base indicators. On the basis of the absorption spectroscopy in both the UV-Vis region and previous studies, it was possible to preliminarily pinpoint anthocyanins and naphthoquinones as responsible for the shifting of colors depending on the pH range of aqueous extracts of H. rosa-sinensis and E. natalensis. These natural indicators are easily accessible, inexpensive, easy to extract, environmentally safe, and locally available.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Government of Gaza-Mozambique (World Bank Fund) to the scholarships (2005–2009). We also thank TWAS-CNPq and Universidade Pedagógica of Mozambique-Delegation of Beira to host the corresponding author during the undergraduate (2005–2009). Special thanks go to Yeo Ngana, Fernando Sabino and Sonia André for having participated actively in the linguistic revision.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Universidade Pedagógica-Branch of Niassa, Lichinga, Mozambique

    Domingos Lusitaneo Pier Macuvele

  2. Department of Chemistry, Pedagogical University, Branch of Beira, Beira, Mozambique

    Gerre Zebedias Samo Sithole

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil

    Karina Cesca

  4. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique

    Suzana Lília Pinare Macuvele

  5. Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique

    Jonas Valente Matsinhe

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  1. Domingos Lusitaneo Pier Macuvele
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  2. Gerre Zebedias Samo Sithole
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  3. Karina Cesca
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  4. Suzana Lília Pinare Macuvele
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  5. Jonas Valente Matsinhe
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Correspondence to Domingos Lusitaneo Pier Macuvele.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Macuvele, D.L.P., Sithole, G.Z.S., Cesca, K. et al. Aqueous extracts of Mozambican plants as alternative and environmentally safe acid-base indicators. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 11639–11644 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6284-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6284-2

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