Chemistry Division of Forest Research Institute, Dehradun has been doing pioneering work in the chemistry of Forest Products for more than the last nine decades. However, during the last fifty years, the research has been focussed on the isolation and structure elucidation of bioactive compounds and development of technologies for making value added products from industrially exploitable NWFPS. Areas/fields in which progress/achievement have been made includes essential oil, medicinal plants, oils and fats, wood and bark extractives, gums and mucilages, starches, tannins, insecticides of plant origin and natural dyes. During the period, over 500 research papers in various national and international journals and nine books have been published. Thirteen numbers of patents are also accredited to the division. To develop self-reliance, seventeen number of developed technologies/know-how has also been transferred to various industries.

             Realizing the potential role of Chemistry Division of FRI in sustainable management of non-wood forest products and in poverty alleviation, the Division has been recognized as, Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS) in Chemistry of Forest Products. by the ICFRE (Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, an autonomous Council of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India) in 1998.
 

Thrust Area
 

Goal

1. Investigation on the forest products to identify their chemical constituents, and 

2. Development of products required by the forest based industries.

Strategies

1. Isolation and characterization of polysaccharides of abundantly available seeds (trees/shrubs), leaves, barks and exudate gums.

2. Development of adhesives from renewable sources (strach/bark etc.).

3. Isolation and characterization of chemical constituents of different parts of the plant for their utilization.

4. Studies on tree bearing oil seeds.

5. Development of Natural Dyes from abundantly available plant wastes.

Highlight of Achievements
 

Technologies Developed:
 

1.  TKP as fluid loss control agent in oil well drilling.
2.  Cassia tora gum as viscosifier and fluid loss control agent in oil well drilling.
3.  Modification of Cassia tora gum under gaseous phase for making paper additive and flocculent.
4.  Process for the preparation of katha from Uncaria gambier.
5.  Process for the Detoxification of Jatropha curcas Seed Oil.
6.  Process for the Production of 'FRI Jigat' for agarbathi making.
7.  Process for the preparation of compost from the plant biomass.
8.  Process for the production of Eco-friendly Dyes from forest biomass.
9.  Preparation of polysaccharides formulation to impart functional properties for ice cream making.
10.  Process for the production of High Fructose Syrup (42% HFS) - A Nutritive Sweetener.
11.  Dry milling process for the production of Cassia tora seed gum.
12.  Wet milling process for the production of Subabul (Leucaena leucocephala) Seed Gum.
13.  Process for the production of Tamarind kernel Powder (TKP) from the seed of Tamarindus indicus.
14.  Process for the production of instant starch for sizing of the textiles.
15.  Process for the production of corrugating gum.
16.  Process for the production of Oxalic acid from the bark of Terminalia and other species.
17.  Process for the production of starch from the tubers and seed of forest origin.
18.  Cottage scale process for the production of Essential Oil from the leaves of Eucalyptus hybrid.
19.  Improved process for the isolation of few commercially important essential oils.
       (i)    Saussuria lappa
       (ii)   Vateriana walichii
       (iii)  Agar oil
20.  Cottage scale process for the production of natural camphor from the leaves of ocimum kilimandscharicum .
21.  Process for preparing rapid drying oil, named 'Friol' from Mallotus philippinensis.
22.  Cottage scale process for the preparation of katha from the heartwood of Acacia catechu.
23.  Purification and shaping to noodle form of gum ghatti (Anogeisus latifolia).
 
 

Katha from Uncaria gambier 

Agarbathi made using FRI-Jigat

1. Development of the process for the production of 40% High Fructose Syrup (HFS) from starch. Patent  No.161264; dated 31.10.87

2. A process for the preparation of Cassia tora gum. Patent Application No. 1108/Del/94; dated 01.09.94.

3. An adhesive for agarbathi making. Patent Application No.1109/Del/94, dated 01.09.94

4. A process for the preparation of Katha from Gambier Extract.

5. Indonesian Patent Application No.P-9813802 (1998).

6. Thailand. Patent Application No.047033 (1998).

7. Indian Patent Application No. 1484 to1488/ Del/ 98; dated 02.06.1998.

8. A Process for Producing Vegetable Dye from Eucalyptus hybrid leaves.Patent Application No. 1013/Del/95 dated 2.6.95.

9. A Process for Preparation of Bryonolic acid from Tetrameles nudiflora bark and leaves. Patent No. 183336, dated 2.6.95.

10. A Process for Preparation of Dyes from Grewia optiva Seeds. Patent Application No. 1594/Del/95 dated 28.8. 95

11. A Process for the Preparation of Dye from Cassia tora Seeds. Patent Application No. 2107/Del/95, November 16,1995.

12. A Process for Preparation of Compost from the Plant Biomass. Patent Application No. PAT/4.6.1.1/9816/98, dated 11.9.1998.

13. A process for the detoxification of Jatropha curcas seed oil Patent Application No. 1575/Del/98; dated 06.09.99

14. A process for the preparation of Cassia tora gum. Patent Application No 1542/Del/99, 16.12.99.

15. TKP as fluid loss control agent in oil well drilling. PAT. APPL. NO. 681/DEL/2001, dt. July 25th, 2000.

16. Cassia tora gum as viscosifier and fluid loss control agent in oil well drilling. PAT. APPL. NO. 680/DEL/2000, dt. July 25th, 2000.

Future Plans

          The biochemical investigations of different forest products is a prerequisite to understand their commercial potential. Exhaustive chemical investigations on barks, leaves, seeds etc. of abundantly available trees and shrubs will help us to identify hitherto unknown commercially exploitable forest products, and will throw light on full tree utilization. To get the best value for medicinal and aromatic plants, they have to be harvested at proper stage of growth and in proper part of the year. Chemical modification of abundantly available, but hitherto unused constituents of different forest products may help us in developing products of industrial importance. Therefore, there is an urgent need for chemical investigation on forest products to make best use of them. The research work plan is given below:

1. To investigate the chemical constituents and yields of exploitable products from different species of plants.

2. To develop suitable methods of extraction of exploitable products, and to study their physico-chemical properties.

3. To isolate and identify active ingredients of different forest products and medicinal plants and to prepare value added products.

4. To prepare substitutes of overexploited forest products to help the forest based industries, and to conserve the forest.

5. To prepare flocculents using forest biomass for the treatment of industrial effluents to save the environment.

6. To develop adhesives using biomass to replace the petrochemicals and save foreign exchange.

7. To screen the forest flora for their bioactive principles to use them as biopesticides.

8. Screening of forest biomass for the development of Eco-friendly dyes.

Ongoing Projects:

1.    Studies on isolation and characterization of polysaccharides of abundantly available seeds of trees
       /shrubs,
       leaves, bark and exudates gums. 
1.1  Study of Cassia tora seed gum to find its fine structure and uses.
1.2  Preparation of flocculants by chemical modification of the galactomannan/starch derived from the
       biopolymers for the treatment of industrial discharge and recovery of material.
1.3  Chemical investigation of Kydia calycinia bark polysaccharide.
1.4  Development of bioadhesives from renewable sources. 
1.5  Chemical investigation of Prosopis juliflora seed polysaccharide.
1.6  Chemical investigation of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. Leaf polysaccharide.
1.7  Structural investigation of Azadirachta indica A. juss. Seed polysaccharide.
1.8  Chemical modification of Cassia occidentalis seed gum.
2.0  Phytochemical examination for the utilisation of leaves, barks, fruits, and roots of Indian forest
       trees. 
2.1  Studies on vegetable dyes from Azadirachta indica, Eupaforium, Parthenium and Ageratum
       conyzoides. 
2.2  Screening of Cephalotaxus harringtonii needles for bioactive principles.
2.3  Development of pest control agents and other bioactive compounds from Vitex negundo
2.4  Phytochemical examination of Shorea robusta (sal) to isolate and identify suitable compounds
      ( kairomones etc.) for management of sal heartwood borer (Hoplocerambyx spinicornis )
2.5  Phytochemical examination of Achyranthes aspera.
3.0  Studies on tree bearing oil seeds. 
3.1  Studies on oilseeds of forest origin to find sources of oils and to prepare wetting agents from oils
      containing hydroxy acids. 
3.2  Studies to screen neem trees, yielding good quality neem seeds on the basis of oil content and
       azadirachtin content.

Research Facilities Available

Equipments:

1.   GLC, GC 9A, Shimadzu
2.   GLC, Micro computer based, CIC Baroda
3.   GLC, CIC Baroda
4.   Liophlizer, BETA 1-8K, CHRIST
5.   Polaremeter, Autopol II, Rudolph Research, New Jersy
6.   Fraction collector, Gilson
7  . Viscometer, Brook Field
8.   FTIR 5300 JASCO
9.   IR 408, Shamadzu
10.  UV-Vis, Chemito 2500
11.  HPLC, ISCO
12.  pH Meter
 

Faculty:

        Presently the Division has six number of scientists, five Research Assistants, six Technical Assistants and two ministerial staff for smooth running of the research. Besides nine research students are also working for their PhDs.

Services Available

1. Seed Oil Analysis:
     (i)  Density
     (ii)  Refractive index
     (iii)  Acid value
     (iv)  Saponification value
     (v)  Iodine value
     (vi)  Unsaponificable matter (%)
     (vii)  Oil percentage by solvent extraction
     (viii) For complete analysis of a sample involving extraction of oil and determination of the constants listed above
     (ix)  Fatty acid composition by gas liquid Chromatography.

2. Katha & Cutch Analysis:
     (i) Katha and cutch estimation (1kg, level)
    (ii) Catechin estimation in katha
    (iii) Pilot plant extraction of katha & cutch using about 20 kg. of wood
    (iv) Analysis of katha as per I.S.I. specification.

3. Estimation of oxalic from bark.

4. Quantitative estimation of azadirachtin in neem (Azadiracta indica A. Juss) seeds by HPLC.
 
 

Sponsored Research:

To develop know how and process to produce and prepare a-Cellulose (purity > 98%) of different DP ranging from 800 to 3000 (4 grades) with brightness > 80%. Funded by Gujarat Alkali Chemical Ltd., Vadodara, Gujarat, India.