Graduate Program

Biological Sciences

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

Fall 2021

Thesis Director

Gordon C. Tucker

Thesis Committee Member

Thomas Canam

Thesis Committee Member

Kai Hung

Abstract

The focus of this research was to explore the chemical diversity and antimicrobial properties of Eleocharis dulcis. By using methanol as a solvent to extract phytochemicals, qualitative comparisons were made between HPLC chromatograms from Eleocharis species and other genera. Meanwhile, this study also examined the antimicrobial properties of phytochemicals extracted from various tissues of Eleocharis dulcis in two different solvents (water or methanol) against two Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) and two Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) using a disc diffusion assay. The results suggested that the extracts had limited antimicrobial properties at up to 100 mg/mL (w/v) of plant tissue to solvent. Future studies could examine higher proportions of plant matter to solvents, as well as different solvents and extraction conditions, such as temperature.

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