KINETIC-MODEL FOR WATER OIL ABSORPTION OF MESQUITE GUM (PROSOPIS-JULIFLORA) AND GUM-ARABIC (ACACIA-SENEGAL)/

The water and oil uptake of mesquite and arabic gums in powdered form was studied at temperatures of 23, 35 and 45 degrees C. A previously p roposed equation to predict osmotic equilibrium was tested using the e xperimental data with both gums and a good statistical fit was obtaine d. Mesquite gum showed the highest water and oil absorption at all tem peratures studied. Temperature dependence of the reciprocal of the S-l and WL(infinity) were determined using an Arrhenius equation. The act ivation energy for water and oil absorption for gum arabic was 21.98 a nd 39.57 kJ mol(-1), compared to that of mesquite gum having values of 15.79 and 46.16 kJ mol(-1), respectively. A second order kinetic mode l was obtained for water and oil absorption for both gums.