PHYSICAL AND EMULSIFYING PROPERTIES OF THE FRUIT EXTRACTS OF TETRAPLEURA-TETRAPTERA (SCHUM AND THONN) TAUB (MIMOSACEAE)

Physical and emulsifying properties of the powdered, aqueous and metha nolic extracts of the ripe fruits of Tetrapleura tetraptera were deter mined and compared with those of quillaia tincture B.P. The aqueous ex tract foamed the best but none of the extracts formed micelles in wate r. Equilibrium surface tension of the extracts was achieved after 12 h ours. Emulsions prepared with liquid paraffin, cod-liver and peppermin t oils as oil phases resulted in hydrophile-lipophile-balance of -10, 11.25 and 11.25, respectively, for the aqueous, powdered extracts and quillaia tincture. Droplet size of the emulsions decreased with increa sing concentrations of the extracts but droplets increased in size wit h storage. The use of T. T. tetraptera in the chemical and pesticide i ndustries as emulsifiers and frothing agents is discussed.