A Review on Date Palm Tree: Properties, Characterization and Its Potential Applications

Abstract

Date palm (phoenix dactylifera), which is mostly found in the middle east countries such as Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the United States (California) that play a significant role in the economical and the environmental condition in those areas. The main purpose of planting dates is its fruit, which is consumed as fresh, dried or processed forms. There are approximately 100 million date palm trees in the worldwide that 62 million of these trees located in the Middle East and North Africa. In Saudi Arabia only, 15000 tons of date palm leaves is prepared as waste materials. The leaves of date palm tree are used in several applications such as making ropes, baskets, and mats in many parts of the world. Unfortunately, the huge amount of the non-food products from the date palm remains as landfill materials without any specific usage. By attention to the date palm properties, the literature clearly showed that each part of date palm has great potential to be used for a variety of applications such as: making paper, absorption of heavy and toxic metals, energy production and soil fertilizing. Some of the obstacles and solutions for using palm date in these applications were also explored. Considering these issues and their solutions, the date palm is a favorable alternative. Despite some limited and traditional uses of these palm wastes, this review considered date palm applications and the properties' of the most important part of that tree in recent researches and related issues for future research are also spotted.

New Constituents from the Leaves of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) of Saudi Origin

“…The focus of many researchers was devoted to the study of the phytochemical composition of date palm fruits and the effect of the date maturing period on its chemical constituents and functional composition [2,9,10]. However, less attention was paid by the researchers to the phytochemical composition of date palm leaves as they are of less economical, nutritional, and pharmacological importance than date fruits [11,12]. In some date palm-growing Molecules 2021, 26, 4192 2 of 10 countries, palm leaves are considered to be waste materials left in agricultural lands or treated by burning [12].…”

“…However, less attention was paid by the researchers to the phytochemical composition of date palm leaves as they are of less economical, nutritional, and pharmacological importance than date fruits [11,12]. In some date palm-growing Molecules 2021, 26, 4192 2 of 10 countries, palm leaves are considered to be waste materials left in agricultural lands or treated by burning [12].…”

Application of pyrolysis acid from date palm waste as wood preservative

“…Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) residues are fibrous materials. In recent years, the properties and elemental composition of these wastes were studied on a laboratory scale (i.e., Tables 3, 4, and 13 in Jonoobi et al 2019). These studies were made with the purpose of replacing wood in its fiber-based composites, such as various panels, structural composite lumber, or paper products, because their fibrous nature and fabricated experimental specimens have shown promise (Jonoobi et al 2019).…”

“…In recent years, the properties and elemental composition of these wastes were studied on a laboratory scale (i.e., Tables 3, 4, and 13 in Jonoobi et al 2019). These studies were made with the purpose of replacing wood in its fiber-based composites, such as various panels, structural composite lumber, or paper products, because their fibrous nature and fabricated experimental specimens have shown promise (Jonoobi et al 2019). It must be noted that workability of date palm residues is not like other wood species, including the shearing parallel-to-grain and cleavage, which are comparatively high in these wastes, particularly in rachis.…”

Removal of Cadmium (II), Chromium (III), and Lead (II) Heavy Metal Ions from Water by Graft Copolymerization of Acrylonitrile onto Date Palm Fiber Using H2O2/Fe++ as an Initiator

“…It is also used in the construction of aqueducts, bridges, and parts of boats and dhows. Moreover, the tree residues are used as fuel [20]. Date palm contains three major components: cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, and other minor constituents such as protein and oil [21].…”