CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PROCESS OF THE MOISTURE DESORPTION IN FRESH LEAVES OF MEDICINAL PLANTS THROUGH MATHEMATICAL MODELS

Abstract

The use of the medicinal plants for the population is broadly well-known in different cultures. However, the conservation in fresh state is determined by different factors like they are the activity of water that they possess and its action to a temperature and given relative humidity. In this sense, the knowledge of the sorption processes allows to establish technical approaches for the drying and the storage of the material. The modeling mathematician of these processes is not simple and even at the present time the investigations are continued in this field. Of there that the investigation was guided in describing of desorption of molecules of water mathematically in fresh leaves of lavender (Lavender officinalis Chaicah.), matico (Buddleja globosa Hope), pasiflora (Passiflora coérulea L.) and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.). For it was used it the analytic technique from the equilibrium hygroscopic to 20 °C of temperature. The experimental data were adjusted 10 models and the obtained curve was classified according to its form and levels of adsorption. The equation of Adam and Shove described the behavior sigmoidal of the isotherms of each medicinal plant. The predominant forces of attraction were those of der they Van der Waals, what evidenced connections for the most part weak and few points of adsorption with relatively strong connections. The conditions for the careful conservation to 20 obtained °C were moisture between 0,053 and 0,221 g.g-1ms (5-22%).