An assay of some thermal characteristics, chemical and phytochemical constituents of <i>Hymenocarida acida</i> timber

Abstract

Timber has always played an influencing role in human lives. The quality of timber and its behavior in response to fire depends on many parameters. As a result Hymenocardiaacidawood was studied in terms of thermal, chemical, physical and variable techniques. The results obtained were as follows: afterglow time 58.33sec, flame duration 271.67sec, flame propagation rate 4.4x10^-2cm.s^-1, ignition time 3.67sec, thermal conductivity14.37 x 10²Umoh/cm, electrical conductivity 4.4x10^-3Sm^-1, ash content 0.95%, moisture content 12.67%, oven dry density 78.7x10^-2g.cm^-3, water imbibitions (at different time intervals: 30mins 11.1%, 5hrs 13.8% and 24hrs 22.3%), etc, These results showed it to be a good timber suitable for various construction purposes. Phytochemical screening showed the presence of saponins, tannins, steroids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, proteins, resins, terpenoids, glycosides and alkaloids. The Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) of the sample showed the presence of some metals such as Na, K, Pb, Ca, As, Zn, Mg, and Cu in the decreasing order of their concentrations. The thin layer chromatographic analysis of the chloroform and chloroform-methanol extracts which gave three spots with Rf values of 0.7, 0.6 and 0.5 was further characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared and Ultraviolet Spectroscopic methods. The Fourier Transform Infrared and Ultraviolet spectra suggested a 1, 2, 3- trisubstitutedphenylamide with OH, CO and CN groups attached as the functional groups present. The chemical components analysis showed the presence of cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin and other constituents in their right proportion. The results provided the required information on the properties of Hymenocardiaacidawood. It also confirmed the efficiency of the wood for various construction purposes and its medicinal ability due to the presence of the secondary metabolites.

Keywords: Timber, Hymenocardia acida, Functional group analysis, Phytochemical, thermal andchemical constituents