The cost of the present generation of inorganic silicon solar cells is very high and further breakthroughs in cost and efficiency using traditional materials are becoming less and less likely after over 50 years of development. Next generation organic solar cells offer a solution to the limitations of silicon through the vision of low-cost, liquid-based, large area fabrication technology based on polymer and nanomaterials at room temperature. However, most polymers used in solar cells are dissolved in organic solvents such as xylene, toluene, chloroform, and chlorobenzene. Such solvents are harmful to people and environments, leading to higher costs due to complicated waste disposal processing. This is in conflict with the low cost, green, and renewable energy for which we are aiming. To realize a green organic solar cell, a novel solar cell has been created using an environmentally friendly water-soluble thiophene polymer [(Sodium poly[2-(3-thienyl)-ethoxy-4-butylsulfonate])] (PTEBS) and nanocrystalline TiO2. This novel system has shown great potential in photovoltaics the work has garnered the attention of the international community.In our innovative solar cells, the water-soluble polythiophene (PTEBS) is used as electron donor. Nanoparticle TiO2 acts as electron acceptor. PTEBS/TiO2 solar cells with various structures including bilayer heterojunctions, bulk heterojunctions and a hybrid of bilayer and bulk heterojunctions have been developed and explored. These results are comparable to the best polymer/metal-oxide solar cells reported by other groups using organic solvents.In summary, this is the first time that green solar cells have been fabricated from environmentally friendly water-soluble polymers. By using water as the solvent and utilizing liquid-based processing, the cost of the energy generated by this type of solar cell will be further lowered. In addition, the flexible polymer offers the ease of fabrication and integration into different devices.

Truncal adiposity impairs ventilation in obese adults by altering normal ventilatory mechanics. Leptin, an inflammatory adipocytokine, is elevated in obesity and has been shown to alter ventilatory responses to exercise. Leptin’s bioavailability appears to be regulated by its soluble receptor (LRe), which is reduced in obesity. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGBS) is a weight loss intervention that reduces total fat mass and improves several obesity related co-morbidities including pulmonary dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to first evaluate the differences between ventilatory responses to carbon dioxide (VE/VCO2 slope) during progressive treadmill walking in morbidly obese and normal weight females. Second, we will analyze the relationships between the VE/VCO2 slope, truncal adiposity, serum leptin, and LRe. Lastly, we want to evaluate the changes in the ventilatory responses to exercise (VE/VCO2 slope), truncal adiposity, serum leptin, and LRe 3 months following Roux-en Y gastric bypass surgery. Thirteen obese (OB 37.7 ±11.4 years, 42.0 ± 4.8 kg/m2) and 12 normal weight females (NW 36.1 ±8.0 years, 22.8 ± 1.2 kg/m2) participated in this study. Blood samples for measure of fasting serum leptin and soluble leptin receptor were obtained prior to exercise. Cardiopulmonary variables were measured throughout exercise. Regional adiposity was determined through dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Truncal adiposity was significantly greater in the obese group than the normal weight group. Serum leptin was greater in the obese group while LRe was lower than the normal weight group. The VE/VCO2 slopes were lower in obese group when compared to the normal weight group. There were no significant group differences in maximal ventilation, tidal volume or respiratory rate. Stepwise regression determined that truncal adiposity accounted for 31.5% of variance in VE/VCO2 slope (R= 0.561, R2 =0.315, p = 0.004). At 3 months post-surgery we observed significant reductions in the obese group in total percentages of fat, truncal adiposity, serum leptin. The soluble leptin receptor was not changed at any measured time point following RYGBS. There were no changes in 3 months post-surgery VE/VCO2 slopes in the obese group. Truncal adiposity, serum leptin and LRe were associated with reduced ventilatory responses to weight bearing exercise (VE/VCO2 slope) in obese females when compared to normal weight females. There were no differences between obese and normal weight females in maximal minute ventilation, tidal volume or respiratory rate. This result suggests that differences in VE/VCO2 slopes may not be entirely from maximal pulmonary capacity. Rather, the differences in VE/VCO2 slope may be attributed to truncal adiposity and its positive relationship with leptin. Elevated leptin in the obese group may indicate a state of central leptin resistance which has been shown to reduce the ventilatory responses to exercise. At 3 months post RYGBS significant reductions in total percent fat, serum leptin, truncal adiposity and BMI were observed. However, despite improvement in fat mass and serum leptin there were no changes in the VE/VCO2 slope and LRe at 3 months post RYGBS. Therefore, it is possible that the improvements in body composition and leptin following RYGBS were not sufficient to increase ventilation responses to weight bearing exercise in obese females.

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Ph. D., Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, 2011 / Different cadmium, cobalt and zinc complexes of substituted thioureas, dithiocarbamates and thiuram di/monosulfides were synthesized using ethanol or water as solvents. The synthesis of dithiocarbamates complexes were performed at room temperature while the rest were refluxed at 70 oC. The complexes were easy to synthesize, of low cost and stable in air and were obtained in good yields. The complexes were characterized using various instruments, such as infrared (FT-IR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy, elemental analyzer, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray crystallography. The complexes were found to coordinate the ligands through sulphur atom, instead of nitrogen atom. This was concluded after shifts to higher or lower wavenumbers were observed from the infrared spectra of the complexes as compared to their free ligands. The 1H NMR also depicted formation of the complexes, with complexes peaks shifting to downfield as compared to the free ligands. There were also signs of broad NH peaks especially for substituted thiourea complexes. The crystals grown from complex II (diphenylthiourea cadmium complex) depicted a tetrahedral geometry, with two sulphur and two chlorine atoms binding to the central atom which is cadmium. The easily synthesized complexes were thermolysed in HDA, TOPO or a mixture of the two to form metal sulphide nanoparticles. The role of the above capping agents or ligands was to control particles growth and prevent them from aggregation. A single source precursor route was employed in synthesizing hydrophobic semiconductor nanoparticles, which are also known as (QDs) quantum dots. Various shapes, which are rods (mono-, bi- and tripods), spheres and hexagonal were revealed through transmission electron microscope (TEM). The sizes of these particles ranged from 1 to 12 nm in diameter. Other instruments used for characterising the as-synthesized semiconductor nanoparticles include X-ray diffractometer (XRD), UV-Visible and Photoluminescence spectroscopy. The optical properties of the particles as determined by the UV-Visible spectroscopy revealed some differences as compared to the bulk materials. All the absorption spectra were blue shifted to the bulk materials signifying finite size of the particles. The XRD peaks observed were broad as compared to the bulk ones, which also signified small particles size. Two phases, which are hexagonal and cubic, were revealed from the XRD. viii The hydrophobic semiconductor nanoparticles or quantum dots synthesized were then transferred into water soluble using ligand exchange method. The chloroform and pyridine routes were used to synthesize hydrophilic semiconductor nanoparticles, with pyridine route being preferred. The shape and size of the particles were not influenced by the transfer into water soluble since the experiments were performed at room temperature. This was confirmed by TEM analysis. The capping agents used after displacing water insoluble capping agents were sugars, which were soluble in water. The XRD pattern of the semiconductor nanoparticles/QDs (CdS) capped by sugars after ligand exchange through pyridine yielded multiple peaks which were difficult to assign. The attempt to employ ligand exchange method in transferring hydrophobic CoxSy and ZnS nanoparticles to hydrophilic CoxSy and ZnS nanoparticles proved unsuccessful. When the materials were centrifuged after the sugars were introduced as capping agents, some solid material settled at the bottom, with some floating on top of the solution. This was an indication that the materials were not miscible. The hydrophilic CdS, CoxSy and ZnS nanoparticles were also synthesized using direct method. In this method, the metal sources and capping (sugars) were dissolved in ethylene glycol at 100 oC. The sulphur sources were also dissolved separately in the same solvent. Upon completion, the latter solution was added to the former one. The particles were grown at 160 oC for an hour with ethylene glycol as a solvent. The morphology of the particles dominated through this method was spherical-like in shape. The crystallinity of CdS and ZnS nanoparticles depicted hexagonal and cubic phases depending on the complexes used. The XRD indicated the armophous nature of the cobalt sulphide nanoparticles, irrespective of the precursor used. Due to the toxicity problem of the quantum dots, especially CdS, the water soluble CdS capped by glucuronic acid, glucose and sucrose after ligand exchange were chosen for that study. However, results showed that the CdS used were not toxic. It was measured or deduced by checking the viability which remained above 90%. Add a bit of deductions about toxicity study here, just some of the general trends.

Os β- glucanos são polissacarídeos que possuem atividade imunomoduladora. A colibacilose é uma das principais doenças da avicultura, pois causa grandes perdas econômicas. Diante da necessidade de se estabelecer a ação do β-glucano solúvel nas aves, foram realizados dois experimentos. Um para se avaliar os efeitos do β-glucano solúvel, administrado por diferentes vias, na produção de anticorpos séricos IgA e IgG, nos parâmetros zootécnicos e outro na infecção por Escherichia coli (EC). Os experimentos foram realizados ao mesmo tempo, em galpões diferentes, sendo alojados 160 frangos de corte da linhagem Ross (Aviagen®), do primeiro ao 42o dia de idade. β-glucano solúvel foi administrado no primeiro dia, na dose de 215µg/ave, nas seguintes vias de administração: subcutânea (SC), ocular (OC) e oral (VO). O controle negativo foi o mesmo para os dois experimentos. Os tratamentos do Experimento 1 (Vias de Administração) foram: T2(SC), T3(OC) e T4(VO). O experimento onde as aves foram desafiadas por Escherichia coli foi o Experimento 2 (β-glucano e Escherichia coli). As mesmas vias de inoculação foram também estudadas nestes tratamentos, assim: T5 (controle positivo) foi desafiado e não recebeu o β-glucano solúvel, T6(SC+EC), T7(OC+EC) e T8(VO+EC). O desafio foi realizado com E. coli sorotipo O119, por via saco aéreo torácico direito aos 14 dias de idade, sendo que cada ave recebeu 4x106 UFC. As aves foram pesadas semanalmente para a análise dos parâmetros zootécnicos e toda ração adicionada foi pesada. Aos 28, 35 e 42 dias foi colhido sangue de todas as aves para se determinar por ensaio imunoenzimático indireto (ELISA indireto) as concentrações séricas de IgG e IgA totais. Nas aves infectadas foi determinado o escore de lesão, analisando a intensidade das lesões em sacos aéreos, fígado e coração. No Experimento 1 (Vias de Inoculação) os resultados mostraram concentrações séricas de IgA nas aves do T4(OC) menores que nas aves dos demais tratamentos. Em relação a IgG as aves do T4(VO) apresentaram concentrações maiores que aquelas dos demais tratamentos. No Experimento 2 (β-glucano e Escherichia coli) as aves do T7(OC+EC) tiveram as menores concentrações de IgA e apresentaram a melhor viabilidade dentre as aves dos grupos desafiados. As aves do T6(SC+EC) apresentaram concentrações maiores de IgG aos 35 e 42 dias. Quanto ao escore de lesão houve redução no grau de lesão em todos os grupos que receberam o β- glucano solúvel, exceto no saco aéreo torácico direito. Sugere-se que o uso do β- glucano solúvel possa reduzir as lesões causadas por Escherichia coli. A administração por via ocular levou a melhor viabilidade nas aves desafiadas, apesar de ter menor produção de anticorpos IgA tanto nas aves infectadas como nas aves não desafiadas. Serão necessários mais estudos para se estabelecer melhor as ações imunomoduladoras do β-glucano nas aves. / The β-glucans are polysaccharides that possess immunomodulatory activity. The colibacillosis is a major disease of poultry; it contributes to great economic losses. Faced with the need to establish the action of soluble β-glucan in birds, two experiments were conducted. One to evaluate the effects of soluble β-glucan administered by different routes, in the production of serum IgA and IgG antibodies in zootechnical parameters and other infection in Escherichia coli (EC). The experiments were performed simultaneously in different warehouses, being housed 160 broilers Ross (Aviagen ®) from first to 42nd days of age. β-glucano soluble was administered on the first day, the dose of 215µg/bird on the following routes of administration: subcutaneous (SC), ocular (OC) and oral (PO). The negative control was the same for both experiments. The treatments of the experiment called Experiment 1 (Routes of Administration) were: T2 (SC), T3(OC) and T4(VO). The experiment where birds were challenged by Escherichia coli was termed Experiment 2 (β-glucan e Escherichia coli). The same routes of inoculation were also studied in these treatments, thus: T5 (positive control), was challenged and did not receive soluble β-glucan, T6(SC+EC), T7(OC+EC) and T8(VO+EC). The challenge was performed with E. coli serotype O119, through the right thoracic air sac at 14 days of age, each bird was given 4x106 CFU. The birds were weighed weekly for analysis of zootechnical parameters ration added and the whole was weighed. At 28, 35 and 42 days blood was collected from all birds to determine by Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) serum concentrations of total IgG and IgA. In birds infected was determined the injury score by analyzing the intensity of the lesions in air sacs, liver and heart. In the Experiment 1 (Routes of Inoculation) the results showed serum IgA in birds of T4(OC) smaller than the other treatments in birds. Regarding IgG the birds of T4(VO) had levels greater than those of other treatments. In Experiment 2 (β-glucan and Escherichia coli) birds of T7(OC+EC) had the lowest concentrations of IgA and showed the best viability among groups of birds challenged. Birds of T6(SC+EC) showed higher concentrations of IgG at 35 and 42 days. As for the injury score decreased the degree of injury in all groups receiving β- glucan soluble except in right thoracic air sac. It is suggested that the use of β-glucan soluble can reduce injuries caused by Escherichia coli. The administration by ocular route led to better viability challenged birds, despite having lower production of IgA in both the infected birds as the birds not challenged. Further studies are needed to better establish the immunomodulatory actions of β-glucan in birds.

O Estado de São Paulo é o principal produtor de uvas de mesa do país, sendo a Niágara Rosada (Vitis Labrusca) a cultivar predominante. Para se oferecer produtos de qualidade ao mercado, os produtores necessitam determinar, periodicamente, o estado de maturação das uvas, sendo o teor de sólidos solúveis (tss), a principal variável avaliada. Para essa determinação, utilizase a amostragem dos frutos na área cultivada. O presente trabalho discute, assim, os métodos de amostragem estratificado e aleatório, e o tamanho adequado da amostra de baga individual, para avaliar o estado de maturação da uva Niágara Rosada, com base no teor de sólidos solúveis. O tamanho adequado da amostra de baga individual foi encontrado para os dois métodos de amostragem, separadamente, utilizando-se os métodos Máxima Curvatura, Máxima Curvatura Modificado e Curva da Variancia. Os métodos de amostragem foram comparados utilizando-se uma análise univariada para dados com medidas repetidas, através dos procedimentos GLM e MIXED do SAS. Foram utilizados dois procedimentos, para que se produzisse resultados confiáveis. Os tamanhos mínimos de amostra de baga individual requeridos, para os métodos estratificado e aleatório foram aproximadamente 30 e 27 bagas por área, respectivamente. Os métodos de amostragem estudados apresentaram diferença significativa, e o método aleatório apresentou grande variação máxima e mínima por planta, devendo assim, ser evitado para esse tipo de estudo. / Sao Paulo state is the main table grape producer in Brazil, being the Niágara Rosada (Vitis Labrusca) the predominant cultivar. To offer quality products to the market, the producers need to determine, periodically, the grapes maturation state, being the content of soluble solids the main variable measured. To determine this content, a sample of fruits in an area is collected. This work approaches the random and the stratified sampling methods and the appropriate sample size of individual berry to evaluate the maturation state of the Niágara Rosada based on the content of soluble solids. The appropriate sample size for individual berry was obtained for two sampling methods, separately, using the Maximum Curvature, Modified Maximum Curvature and Variance Curve methods. The sampling methods were compared using a univariate analysis for repeated measures data using the SAS GLM and MIXED procedures. Two different procedures were used to attain reliable results. The minimum berry sample size required for stratified and random methods were approximately 30 and 27 berries by area, respectively. The sampling methods investigated present significantly different results, and the random method presented high maximum and minimum variation by plant and should be avoided for this kind of study.

A rutina é um flavonol glicosídico pertencente a uma importante classe de flavonóides, sendo extensamente encontrados na natureza. Ela apresenta uma importância terapêutica em virtude de determinar a normalização da resistência e permeabilidade das paredes dos vasos capilares, além de inibir o processo de formação de radicais livres em vários estágios. O fruto do faveiro (Dimorphandra mollis Benth., uma espécie nativa brasileira) é uma das fontes para a extração em escala industrial da rutina. A sua aplicação em formas farmacêuticas para o uso externo é muito limitada devido a sua baixa solubilidade em água. Com esta finalidade, foi realizada a síntese química através da introdução de grupos carboxilatos nas hidroxilas dos grupamentos glicosídicos da molécula de rutina, utilizando-se piridina e diferentes anidridos, sendo eles: o succínico, o ftálico e o 2-fenil-glutárico à temperatura de 70 ºC por 24 horas. Estes três derivados sintetizados foram purificados em papel cromatográfico e caracterizados em 2 sistemas de proporções diferentes de eluentes. Além disso, foi feito um estudo comparativo entre as suas propriedades físico-químicas e as da rutina pela determinação da solubilidade e do coeficiente de extinção molar. Desta forma, avaliou-se a atividade antioxidante destes derivados com relação a rutina utilizando 2 ensaios diferentes, como a determinação de malondialdeído pela autoxidação do tecido cerebral e produção de radicais peroxilas pela termólise de um azo-iniciador, com os seus respectivos padrões de referência, o α-tocoferol e o Trolox. O resultado do ensaio de solubilidade indicou que a rutina succinil, a ftaloil e a fenil-glutaroil foram cerca de 800, 85 e 5,5 vezes mais solúvel em água que a rutina. Já em relação aos outros ensaios verificou-se que os derivados sintetizados continuaram apresentando atividade antioxidante e absorvendo luz em seu pico máximo próximo de 392nm, o que mostrou pouca modificação química no núcleo flavonóide. No ensaio de anti-radicais, a rutina ftaloil foi entre os derivados hidrossolúveis a que apresentou um melhor resultado devido a sinergia do anel aromático com o núcleo flavonóide em seqüestrar radicais livres. / Rutin is a glycoside flavonol which belongs to an important class of flavonoids, being extensively found in the nature. It presents a therapeutical importance due to improve the resistance and permeability of capillaries vessels, and is able to suppress free radical processes in some stages. The fruit of the faveiro (Dimorphandra mollis Benth., a Brazilian native species) is one of the sources for the extration in industrial scale of the rutin. Its application in pharmaceutical forms for external use very is limited because it has low solubility in water. With this purpose, it was done the chemical synthesis introducing carboxylate groups on sugar moiety of rutin using pyridin and different anhydrides, such as: succinic, phtalic and the 2-phenyl glutaric at 70 ºC for 24 hours. These three synthesized derivatives had been purificated in chromatographic paper and characterized in 2 systems of different ratios of eluents. Moreover, a comparative study among their physico-chemical properties and of the rutin for the determination of the solubility and the molar extinction coefficient. With this in mind, it was evaluated antioxidant activity of these derivatives with regard to rutin using 2 different assays, as the determination of malondialdehyde by the brain homogenate autoxidation and generation of peroxyl radicals by the thermolysis of a azo compound, with its respective reference standards: α-tocopherol and Trolox. The result of the solubility assay indicated that the succinyl, the phtaloyl and the phenyl glutaroyl rutin had been about 800, 85 and 5,5 times, respective, more soluble in water that the rutin. In respect to relationship to the other assays it was verified that the synthesized derivatives had continued presenting antioxidant activity and absorbing light in its maximum peak next to 392nm, showing that chemical modifications in the flavonoid nucleus had not been made significant. In the assay of anti-radicals, the phtaloyl rutin was the water-soluble derivative what it presented one better result, due one the presence of the aromatic ring that can enhanced the radical-scavenging efficiencies together to the flavonoid nucleus.

O aumento na poluição ambiental é na atualidade uma das grandes preocupações em nível mundial. Especificamente, a poluição atmosférica por material particulado tem demostrado ser um fator determinante no desenvolvimento de doenças cardiopulmonares e câncer de pulmão nas populações expostas. O material particulado é constituído por uma mistura complexa de compostos orgânicos e inorgânicos, muitos dos quais possuem potencial mutagênico e genotóxico. As características destes compostos variam em função da suas propriedades físicas, químicas e em razão das condições meteorológicas prevalecentes. A maior parte dos estudos tem se focado em avaliar o potencial genotóxico da fração orgânica do material particulado e poucos estudos têm explorado a fração solúvel em água e a contribuição diferencial das diversas espécies químicas presentes nesta fração para o dano genotóxico. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos mutagênicos e genotóxicos in vitro da fração orgânica e da fração solúvel em água de material particulado (MP10) coletado em três locais diferentes do estado de São Paulo e estabelecer a relação entre a composição química e o efeito biológico observado. Para isto, realizou­-se a extração orgânica e solúvel em água de 12 amostras de MP10. A mutagenicidade e genotoxicidade foram avaliadas usando o ensaio de Salmonella/microssoma e o teste de micronúcleos (MN) em células A549 e 16 hidrocarbonetos Policíclicos Aromáticos (HPAs) e 15 metais hidrossolúveis presentes nas amostras foram determinados quimicamente. Adicionalmente, foi determinada a metodologia de extração da fracção solúvel em água e se avaliou a estabilidade química e biológica desta fração. Os resultados indicam que a extração assistida por micro-ondas é um método eficiente para a extração da fração solúvel em agua do MP e que um tempo superior a 60 dias de armazenamento e congelamento deste tipo de extrato tem um efeito significativo sobre os resultados analíticos e a resposta biológica. Foi demonstrado ainda que as duas frações de MP estudadas são responsáveis pela indução do dano ao DNA e que não existe uma relação direta entre a concentração de MP e o efeito genotóxico observado, confirmando a importância do uso de bioensaios na avaliação da genotoxicidade de misturas complexas como o MP. Os HPAs prevalecentes nas amostras de PM10 foram fluorantene e benzo(ghi)perileno. Nos extratos solúveis em água, as maiores concentrações de metais foram determinadas para zinco, ferro e cobre. Confirmou-se que a indução de MN e o ensaio de Salmonella/microssoma representam uma poderosa ferramenta na avaliação da polução atmosférica e que as análises químicas por si só não são suficientes para a proteção e predição dos efeitos biológicos em populações expostas. / The increase of environmental pollution is today one a major concern worldwide. Specifically, air pollution by particulate matter has been shown to be a determining factor in the development of cardiopulmonary disease and lung cancer in exposed populations. The particulate material consists of a complex mixture of organic and inorganic compounds, many of which have mutagenic and genotoxic activity. The characteristics of these compounds vary according to their physical and chemical properties and also to the prevailing weather conditions. Most studies have focused on evaluating the genotoxic potential of the organic fraction of particulate material, but few studies have explored the water­-soluble fraction, and the differential contributions of different chemical species present in this fraction to genotoxic damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro mutagenic and genotoxic effects of organic and water-soluble fractions of 12 samples of particulate matter (PM10) collected at three different sites in the state of São Paulo and establish the relationship between the chemical composition and the biological effect observed. The mutagenicity and genotoxicity were evaluated using the Salmonella/microssome test and the micronucleus assay (MN) in A549 cells and 16 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 15 water-soluble metals present in the samples were chemically determined. Additionally, the extraction method of water- soluble fraction was determined and the chemical and biological stability of this fraction evaluated. The results indicate that the microwave­-assisted extraction is an efficient method for the extraction of the water-soluble compounds of PM and that the freezing and storage of the extract over 60 days has a significant effect on the mutagenic and analytical results of PM samples. It was demonstrated that the two PM fractions studied are responsible for the induction of DNA damage and that there is no direct relationship between the MP concentration and the genotoxic effect observed, confirming the importance of using bioassays in the genotoxicity evaluation of complex mixtures as PM. The PAHs prevailing in our samples were fluoranthene and benzo(ghi)perylene. In the water-soluble extracts, highest concentrations of the elements studied were found for zinc, iron, and copper in the three places of sampling. We confirmed that MN induction and Salmonella/microsome assay represents a powerful tool to evaluate the atmospheric air pollution and that the total concentration of PM and the chemical analyses alone would not be sufficient for the prognosis of biological effects in exposed populations

Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (FIS 92/0811 y FIS 95/0053.1)

Thesis (MTech (Food Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015. / The aim of this study was to characterise the physicochemical, rheological, prebiotic and emulsion stabilising properties of four varieties (black-eye, brown-eye, brown and red) of Bambara groundnut (BGN) extracted using the modified wet milling method. A relatively high yield of BGN dietary fibres was obtained with soluble dietary fibres (SDFs) ranging from 15.4 to 17.1% and insoluble dietary fibres (IDFs) ranging from 12.0 to 15.6%. Black-eye and brown-eye dietary fibres showed superiority in terms of swelling capacities, water holding capacities, oil binding capacities, antioxidant properties as well as thermal stabilities than red and brown dietary fibres. In addition, black-eye and brown-eye dietary fibres were characterised by higher lightness (L*), redness (+a*), yellowness (+b*), chroma (C*) and hue. All four SDFs showed acceptable colour differences with ΔE < 8 ranging from 0.81 to 3.08. The hydrolysable polyphenolic (HPP) content of SDFs ranged from 6.89 to 20.86 mg/g GAE and that of IDFs ranged from 10.96 to 14.43 mg/g GAE. All four SDFs differed significantly (p < 0.05) in their HPP content. BGN IDFs were very low in tannins (< 2.2 mg/g).