Preparation, Characterization and Bioactive Evaluation of Citrus Peels Essential Oils Nanoemulsions

Ali, Amr K.; El-sahy, Kamal M.; A. O., Toliba; Shawky, Hany A.; Elbassiony, Khalid. R. A.; Abdelaleem, M. A.

doi:10.21608/ejchem.2025.365553.11414

	Preparation, Characterization and Bioactive Evaluation of Citrus Peels Essential Oils Nanoemulsions
Egyptian Journal of Chemistry
Article 29, Volume 68, Issue 12, December 2025, Page 359-370 PDF (1.17 MB)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/ejchem.2025.365553.11414
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Authors
Amr K. Ali ¹; Kamal M. El-sahy²; Toliba A. O.²; Hany A. Shawky¹; Khalid. R. A. Elbassiony¹; M. A. Abdelaleem ¹
¹Plant Research Department, Nuclear Research Center (NRC), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), P.O. Box 13759, Cairo, Egypt.
²Food Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Cairo, Egypt.
Abstract
In this study, essential oils were extracted from orange and lemon peels were irradiated at doses of 0, 2, and 4 kGy, with 4 kGy demonstrating highest antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. Nano emulsions (NEs) were prepared using the sonication technique with Tween 80 and water. Characterization studies were showed particle sizes ranging from 29.92 to 47.12 nm for orange NE and 17.6 to 64.81 nm for lemon NE. TEM images confirmed that the nanoparticles were spherical, uniformly dispersed, and non-aggregated, with sizes aligning with DLS measurements. The antioxidant activity of CEO-NEs, assessed by DPPH%, increased with irradiation from 17.3 to 19.3% for orange and 15.5 to 21.9% for lemon NE. The FRAP values ranged from 764.5 to 840.7 µM TE/mg for orange and 1011.9 to 1138.9 µM TE/mg for lemon NE. Lemon NE exhibited stronger antioxidant and antimicrobial activities than orange, demonstrating significant inhibition zones against microbial strains. These findings highlight the potential of irradiated citrus essential oil nano emulsions as natural bioactive agents with enhanced stability and efficacy. Their strong antioxidant and antimicrobial properties suggest their suitability as natural preservatives for food safety and other applications, providing a sustainable approach to utilizing citrus peel waste.
Keywords
Orange and lemon essential oil; Nano emulsion; Gamma radiation; Antimicrobial; Antioxidant


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