Experimental feasibility study of using date palm oil as a bitumen Bio-Modifier in HMA pavement

This paper examines the effects of Date palm oil as a bitumen modifier on the compressive strength of bitumen and hot mixed asphalt (HMA) pavement. Date palm oil contains anti-oxidant isomers that have the potential to enhance the performance and durability of bitumen. The compressive strength test of asphalt pavement mixed with Date palm oil was performed in accordance with British Standards BS 1881: Part 116: 1983. The cube specimens of asphalt pavement were manufactured mixing with 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% of Date palm oil out of total sample mass. The experimental results suggested that Date palm oil as a bitumen modifier reduced the compressive strength of HMA pavement. The findings of this paper urge for further experiments to understand the effects of Date palm oil on the asphalt pavements under long-term traffic load, environment and surface drainage

Assessment of energy potential of date palm residues in Khairpur district, Pakistan

This paper provides assessment of the energy potential of date palm residues, including leaflets, rachis, fruit prunings, and trunks, in Khairpur district, Sindh, Pakistan. The ‘yield formula method’ has been used to estimate the residue generation and energy potential. The potential of biomass date palm residues generated in Khairpur district is estimated to be 155,000 tonnes per annum, with 51% and 44% share of rachis and leaflets, respectively. The total potential of date palm residues from leaflets, rachis, fruit prunings, and trunks available for energy production is found to be 87,000 tonnes per annum, which is about 56% of the total generated residues. The experimentally measured heating values of the date palm residues range from 12.1 to 14.4 MJ/kg, and their cumulative energy potential is found to be about 1.16 PJ, with a 68% and 26% share for date palm rachis and leaflets, respectively. The regression model outlines a linear relationship between annual date production and corresponding total residue generation, which increase on average by 8.77% and 6.97%, respectively. However, the residues available for energy production annually increase by 3.68% and will reach approximately 55% in the next 15 years. It could potentially influence the energy production and utilization in the region

Effect of drying process on antioxidant properties of date palm fruits

Aim. In order to identify antioxidant activities and phenolic compound, two varieties of date palm (Mazfati and Kalute varieties) (Phoenix dactylifera) fruits (DPF) from Iran systematically evaluated. Methods. Antioxidant activity determined using typical methods such as DPPH, reducing power and total antioxidant method. The total phenolic content of the dates was measured using Folin-Ciocalteau method. The included samples were gathered at three stages of khalaal, rutab, tamr and dried date from Sam and Jiroft date. The total phenolic content ranged from 1074, 856.4 and 723.8 in Mozafati variety and 921.5, 723.5 and 785.3 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE/100-g-dw sample) in Kalute variety for khalal, rutab and tamr stage, respectively. Results. In both varieties antioxidant activities and total phenolic content decreased by ripening stages. Result of drying process showed that total phenolic content and antioxidant activities varied from temperature and decreased by increase of drying temperature. Conclusion. This research demonstrates Iranian dates could be potential rich resources of natural antioxidants, and could be developed into functional foods or drug for the prevention and treatment of diseases caused by oxidative stress

Is it true that the date palm tree consumes a lot of water? Evaluation of the date palm tree transpiration using Granier's sap flow method in a Tunisian Saharan oasis

To improve the irrigation water management in oasian context, evapotranspiration assessment is required. In Tunisian oases, date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is the main crop and its water use is an essential evapotranspiration element. In this research, sap flow measurement was implemented to assess the date palm transpiration inside an irrigated-drained field within which the shallow-groundwater level and the water balance elements were continuously monitored. The site is a Tunisian Saharan oasis, stamped by waterlogging and salinity manifestation and by low-frequency and irregular flooding irrigation. The cropping system is two-storey palm/grass layered system. This paper focuses on one-year period sap flow measurements using a recalibrated Granier's TDP-method. Results showed that the instantly transpiration varied with the air temperature and was high related to the shallow water table nycthemeral fluctuation. The daily transpiration ranged between 0.5 and 3.5 mm d-1 with a clear seasonal variation. A water stress appearance according to water delivery frequency during the summer season was also revealed. The one-year-cumulated date palm transpiration was about 730 mm and represented almost 60% of the overall oasis deduced evapotranspiration. From this experiment case, it was noted that the date palm tree transpiration reflect a modest water consumption (35 to 45%) relatively to the surrounding high evaporative demand and it can be deduced that date palm tree, in itself, isn't a great water consumer in such cropping conditions. After more validation, these elucidations should be considered to rethink the date palm irrigation scheduling and the water management practices inside oasis schemes

Phyllotaxis and handedness in date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.)

The present study had as objectives to measure the palm leaf divergence angle in the field, to determine the frequency of trees and offshoots showing clockwise and counterclockwise phyllotaxis, to establish the relationship between phyllotaxis of the mother tree and that of its offshoots, and, finally, to determine the effect of the divergence angle value on production. Materials and methods. The vegetal material was composed of four Moroccan cultivars of Phoenix dactylifera L. Observations were conducted in the south of Morocco on 20 trees per cultivar and four offshoots per tree. The divergence angle was measured on adult trees whereas phyllotaxic direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) was noted for both offshoots and adult trees. Results and discussion. This study showed that the phyllotaxic direction of the offshoots presents a clockwise or counterclockwise phyllotaxis independently of the mother plant. The divergence angle varied depending on the cultivar. This character is an interesting criterion, both for the selection of the best adapted cultivars for the marginal date palm growing regions, and for an optimal production

Antioxidant Activity and Total Phenolic Content of Date Palms Syrup (Phoenix Dactylifera L)

Palm date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L) have been used for medical treatment, one of the medical purpose as antioxidant, which is the coumpound for free radical scavenging. In this study used palm juice makes with non sentrifuged method by grounds 200 grams of palm fruit with 20 ml of aquadest and store in room temperature. For date palm syrup used in this study were from certain brand distributed on the market. Antioxidant activity was testing by using DPPH method and determined by spectrophotometry Uv-Vis in wavelength 517nm, and Total Phenolic Content was testing by Folin Ciocalteu method and determined by spectrophotometry Uv-Vis in wavelength 774nm.11 sample of date palm syrup was sampling by purposive sampling methods and then got 2 sample to tested. Date Palm Juice were made by Non Cetrifuged methods. All sample were tested antioxidant activity using DPPH and Total Phenolic Content using Folin Ciocalteu. This study obtained that best operating time for all sample in antioxidant activity is 30 minutes with the highest point is Date Palm Juice 91,54%, Sample X for 86,93% and Sampel Y 89,92%. There was a linear correlation between with the result Total Phenolic Content for Date Palm Juice 9,25 mgGAE/g, Sample X 4,13 mgGAE/g and Sampel Y 4,28 mgGAE/g. Date Palm Juice and Date Palm Syrup could scavenge free radical DPPH in huge concentration and contain phenolic compound

Understanding of the effect of natural saltwater treatment on durability, fibers densification and chemical modification of palm wood

Nowadays, the Tunisian primary wood-processing industry consumes more than 872,000 m3 of wood raw materials, of which only 119,000 m3 are supplied by local forest resources. In addition, several natural lignocellulosic fibers, as those from palm woods, are available around the country but they remain poorly exploited. The palm-tree sector plays a very important role on both the socioeconomic and ecological levels, mainly in southern Tunisia. There are three million trees in Tunisian palm plantations, ensuring a potential significant wood production. This type of wood is used in various specific industries, mainly in the craft and furniture industries. In the past, Palm wood was also used as structural material. Its low natural durability and its low mechanical properties were improved by an ancestral preservative method consisting in the immersion of the trunk of the palm tree trunk freshly slaughtered for a period ranging from 1 to 2 years (depending on the species) in the salt waters of the Lake of Chot Djerid. This ancestral practice was disappeared, and it is always difficult to find more information on the different parameters involved in this kind of process. The objective of this STMS work was to assess the main technological qualities of palm wood preserved by salting while trying to retrace the steps of this natural and eco-friendly preservation process. Samples (boards) from two defect-free of common date palm cultivars (Kentichi and Deglet Nour) with ages ranging from 40- to 50-years and two sample (boards) preserved by salting in the Chot Djérid (Kentichi and Deglet Nour) were used for the experiments. Each wood samples were collected at the Regional Center of Research on Oasis Agriculture - Degache - Southern Tunisia. Densities (air-dried, water saturated, basic), mechanical properties, decay and termites resistances tests were performed on native and water salt treated palm woods. The first results showed a significant increase of the air-dried density of palm wood samples which increases from 216 to 408 kg/m3 after the wood salt water immersion. Basic and water saturated densities of Palm wood are also increased by salt water treatment but way less important than for the air-dried density. According bending test, salt water treatment allow to improve greatly the palm wood MOR in bending (from 15.8 MPa to 61.1 MPa) and MOR parallel to the fibers (from 11.9 MPa to 22.3 MPa). These results could be explain by the palm fibers densification occurred by the salt water impregnation into the wood. Figure 1 (a) shows that treated palm wood has better decay resistance for each tested fungus (Coniophora puteana [CP]; Poria placenta [PP]; Gloeophyllum trabeum [GT] and Coriolus versicolor [CV]). Termite's resistance tests highlighted that native and treated palm wood had a similar degradation level after termite exposure, but the termite mortality rate was higher for the treated wood than that of native palm wood. (Résumé d'auteur

Performance Of Cellulose Palm Fiber As An Additive In Asphalt Blends

Due to the high oil prices, the cost of asphalt binder has increased tremendously. This scenario has warranted demand for higher viscosity and less expensive asphalt for pavement construction. A study was conducted to take advantage of the empty fruit bunch (EFB) of date and oil palm trees (which are considered as wastes) to produce cellulose fiber to be used as additives in the asphalt binder. If these EFBs could be beneficially utilized in any application, it would reduce the load on the nation’s landfills. This study comprises three stages. At the first stage of the study the EFBs went through chemical and mechanical pulping to produce cellulose fibers, to be used for blending with asphalt binder. The date palm EFB chemical composition revealed alpha cellulose content of 36.1%, which is a very good source of cellulose. At the second stage a total of 11 blends of bio-mastic asphalt (BMA) were prepared. They consisted of 5 blends with chemically pulped date palm fibers, 5 blends with mechanically pulped oil palm fibers and one control sample that contained no fiber. At the third stage of the study, the rheological properties of the bio-mastic asphalt blends were evaluated with the Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) equipment in accordance with the SUPERPAVE Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) requirements. The neat asphalt binders (unaged), Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO) aged and Pressure Ageing Vessel (PAV) samples were then measured for complex shear modulus, phase angle, shear strain and viscosity with the Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) equipment and then evaluated with the SHRP requirements. The results indicated that the fibers obtained from the date palm EFB showed the best performance and all BMA blends performed very well compared to the control sample. The control sample which was categorized as PG58 was enhanced to PG76 with an addition of 0.375% date palm fiber. The oil palm has also improved the asphalt binder rheological properties from PG58 up to PG70 with the addition of 0.3% oil palm fiber

Phoenix dactylifera: discoveries through the eyes of science

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), one of the oldest cultivated plants found generally in the Arabia Peninsula for its nutritive fruit that played a vital role to the mankind over the centuries. In fact, the history of date palm fruit had been documented in Surah Maryam verse 25, “And shake towards yourself holding the trunk of the palm tree, fresh and ripe dates will fall upon you”, and the Holy Quran also gave prominence to the date palm fruit for its extraordinary values. Consumption of date palm fruit is prevalent among Muslims during the fasting month due to its rich source of carbohydrates and dietary fibers which are strictly required by human body to stay rejuvenate. Interestingly, intensive scientific researches on Phoenix dactylifera had revealed numerous novel chemical constituents and pharmacological properties that possess multiple beneficial effects, supporting its employment in order to treat a variety of ailments in various traditional systems of medicine. Through the advancement of science and technology nowadays, the fruits of date palm are extensively utilized in the food processing industries producing a wide range of value-added products, credit to its great importance in human nutrition. However, the generation of date palm fruit wastes in the date palm agro industry as well as date processing industries has lead to environmental problems, thus, creating fascinating prospects for future research and development, such as utilizing the wastes as animal feed for farm animals to improve the production of high quality and safer meat products for human consumption