Phytochemical characterization of aqueous and ethanol extracts from lime and orange rind in Guerrero, Mexico

Background The phytochemicals that include both primary and secondary metabolites of the plants are of great interest in a variety of sectors, including the agricultural, pharmaceutical and cosmetic. Recently, it has been recognized that SMs could be used as a basis to develop biopesticides. The objective of this research was to identify and quantify compounds present in aqueous and ethanolic extracts from orange and lime rind from the state of Guerrero, Mexico. Methods The objective of this study was to characterize aqueous and ethanol extracts of lime and orange rind. Lime and orange peel were collected and dried in the sun at room temperature. For characterization of plant extracts was it was done through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in an Agilent Technologies 7820A equipment, with mass selective detector (MSD, Agilent Technologies 5975), operated in the mode of complete radiofrequencies scan (full scan) in splitless mode, with an injection volume of 1 µL of sample. Results The results from this study broaden the existing knowledge about the abundant phytochemical composition of aqueous and ethanol extracts of orange and lime. The aqueous extract of orange presented a dark brown color and the presence of 10 chemical compounds, of which D-limonene stood out as one of the predominant ones with a concentration of 95.66%, with a retention time of 4.1 min, followed by citric acid with 1.11%. Conclusions This study represents a significant advance in the characterization and comprehension of orange and lime extracts, providing a solid base for future studies and practical applications in various scientific and commercial fields. The outstanding compounds in the extracts are D-limonene and citric acid. The continuous exploration of these compounds and their interactions promises continuing to drive discoveries that benefit both agriculture and public health globally.