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Pericarps of Algerian Quercus ilex (Q. ilex) and Quercus suber (Q. suber) were used as copper adsorbents in artificially contaminated solutions. Exposing accessible lignocellulosic binding sites enhanced adsorption. The lignocellulosic fractions of Q. suber and Q. ilex (36.47±9.1 and 47.66±9.3, respectively) were characterized by FTIR before and after adsorption. The aim was to identify the functional groups adsorbing Cu(II). SEM/EDX determined lignocellulose surface morphology and composition. The amount of adsorbent-bound Cu(II) increased with initial [Cu(II)]. Cu(II) adsorption range was 23.59–48.06 mg.g−1 for Q. Suber and 22.56–38.19 mg.g−1 for Q. ilex when [Cu(II)] was 100–500 mg.L−1. Adsorption isotherms and Langmuir and Freundlich models of the Q. suber and Q. ilex lignocellulosic fractions indicated natural Cu(II)adsorption capacities (Qmax) of 53.76 mg.g−1 and 36.06 mg.g−1 and KF of 5.9 mg.g−1 and 7.43 mg.g−1, respectively.

Acorns produced by Quercus trees are currently underexploited and undervalued. To evaluate the commercial and health benefits of acorns, we examined the cell wall components of acorn pericarps from Quercus suber and Quercus ilex, growing in NorthWestern Algeria. Acorn pericarps were sequentially extracted and the polysaccharide fractions were analyzed by gas liquid chromatography and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The lignocellulosic fraction was the major component of Q. suber and Q. ilex cell walls (37.19% and 48.95%, respectively). Lower amounts of pectins and hemicelluloses were also found in both species. Hemicellulose extracts from the two species contained xylose as the major monosaccharide (ranging from 36.7% to 49.4%). Galacturonic acid was the major component of hot water-or ammonium oxalate-extracted pectins from both species (ranging from 20.6% to 46.8%). The results reported in this paper reveal that acorn pericarp cell walls from these two oak could be potential sources of bioactive compounds.

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