Identification and Characterization of Phenolic and Flavonoids Compounds Extracted from Tunisian Pomegranate Fruit Peel Exposed to Air Pollution: Gabes City, Tunisia

The pomegranate (Punica granatum) fruit peel exposed to mixture air pollutants were collected from two sites with different air quality around the industrial area of Gabes city, Tunisia. The first site presented the ‘Polluted site’, which is situated in the oasis close to the industrial area. While, the second site referred to the ‘Control site’ located at 37 km from the industrial area. Using HPLC ES-MS, 21 phenols were identified and quantified in methanol extract from pomegranate fruit peel. The results showed that various phytochemical substances, including phenols acids and flavonoids, were identified and quantified in the peel extract. The polyphenols content and the flavonoids contents in peel obtained from polluted site were higher than that collected from the control site. The concentrations of the identified polyphenols were ranged between 0.39 and 7803.68 mg/ kg DW. The stimulation of some free phenolic compounds such syringic acid, transfrulic acid, epicatechin, rutin and quercetin was enregistred only in peel collected from contaminated environment. The quali-qualitative changes between sites are probably related to the difference in the air quality. The increase of polyphenols could be implicated during adaptive mechanisms under air pollution. Phenolic composition changes in Punica granatum peel could be also suggested as useful approach air pollution monitoring.