Amounts Of Toxic Elements Research Articles

Assessment of trace elements in Iranian kefir samples by using ICP-OES technique

ABSTRACT In this research, levels of 12 trace elements (Al, Zn, Cd, Ni, Hg, Pb, Co, Cr, Se, Fe, As and Mn) were measured in Iranian kefir samples by using ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy) method. Based on our findings, the maximum and minimum averages of essential elements were related to Fe (423 ± 146 µg/kg) and Se (not detected or ND), respectively, and the maximum and minimum averages of toxic elements were related to As (13.3 ± 4.68 µg/kg) and Hg (ND), respectively. Based on the amount of fat in the kefir samples, the highest mean values of toxic and essential elements was related to As (15.9 ± 5.25 µg/kg) and Fe (466 ± 177 µg/kg) in high-fat kefir samples, respectively. In addition, the correlation between the amount of fat and elements in the samples was shown with a multivariate principal component analysis (PCA). Based on the obtained results, the amount of trace elements in kefir samples was lower than the existing standards (Cd = 10, Pb = 20, Al = 500, Hg = 20, As = 140, Mn = 100 and Fe = 2700 µg/kg). Also, in reviewing the results by PCA analysis, the differences and similarities between the type and amount of toxic elements and essential elements in kefir samples have been shown. Finally, based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that the consumption of this food item can be safe due to the low level of elements below the acceptable limit.

Content of macro- and microelements in the plants of Artemisia annua L., A. ludoviciana Nutt. and A. austriaca L.

The purpose of this study was to investigate mineral composition of the plants species Artemisia annua L., A. ludoviciana Nutt. and A. austriaca L. Methods. Determination of the elemental composition of plant material was carried out by the X-ray fluorescence method. Results. The content of mineral elements in plants depends on their individual ability to absorb elements from the soil and accumulate them in the roots, leaves and flowers. Plant samples of three species of wormwood were grown and studied during the flowering phase under conditions of introduction in M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NBG) during 2019–2022. The qualitative and quantitative content of different macro- and microelements in the soil and plants were investigated. It was shown that aerial parts of the investigated plants accumulate the most important elements for the plants life, such as – K, Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn. Mesoelements Ca and S are present in sufficient quantities also. Elements Nb, Y, Ti, V, Cr were detected in soil, but were not determined in plants. Only A. annua plants contains Ni and Se, while A. ludoviciana and A. annua plants contain Pb. The amount of toxic elements in plants did not exceed the maximum permissible concentrations for vegetable raw materials and food products. Conclusion. Content of the main macro- and microelements was determined in the plants A. annua, A. ludoviciana and A. austriaca growing in NBG. The tendency of plants A. ludoviciana to accumulate high concentrations of iron in the roots and aerial part was observed. The obtained data will be useful for forecasting and evaluating the results of introduction of new promising species of the genus Artemisia, in breeding of new varieties of wormwood, to determine their pharmacological properties and to make a decision about the feasibility of using them in herbal tea and food products.

Analysis of toxicological safety of feed by atomic absorption spectroscopy

Currently, one of the main indicators characterizing the safety of feed for productive animals is the content of toxic elements in them. According to the requirements of MDU No. 123-4 / 281-8-87 "Temporary maximum allowable level (MRL) of the content of certain chemical elements and gossypol in feed for farm animals and feed additives", mercury, cadmium, lead are of the highest veterinary, sanitary and toxicological significance, arsenic, selenium. The danger of these substances lies in the ability to accumulate in the body of an animal and cause various pathologies, affecting the urinary, hematopoietic, digestive and nervous systems, generally retard the growth and development of farm animals, reduce resistance, productivity and increase the risk of detecting toxicants in agricultural products of animal origin.The purpose of the study was to assess the safety of plant foods for the content of mercury, arsenic, selenium, lead and cadmium using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The study materials were 76 samples of various plant foods for productive animals: grass meal, linseed cake, oats, vegetable feed. The amount of toxic elements was determined according to GOST R 55447-2013 and GOST 31651-2012 using an MGA-1000 atomic absorption spectrometer with Zeeman correction of non-selective absorption (LUMEX Group of Companies).As a result of the studies, it was found that in all samples of plant-derived feed for productive animals, the amount of toxic elements did not exceed the maximum allowable level. Thus, the amount of mercury in the studied samples averaged 0.55±0.04 mg/kg, cadmium - 0.86±0.04 mg/kg, lead -0.29±0.01 mg/kg, arsenic - 0 .24±0.01 mg/kg, selenium – 0.44±0.02 mg/kg. The established concentrations of toxic elements did not exceed 1.0 mg/kg and were less than 1.5% of the maximum allowable level, which meets the requirements for the toxicological safety of feed for productive animals.

Leaching of As and Se from coal fly ash: fundamental study for coal fly ash recycling.

Coal fly ash (CFA) is a useful recycled resource for uses such as cement raw material. To manage and evaluate safety for effective utilization of CFA, the leaching concentration and amounts of toxic elements in CFA need to be determined. In this study, 38 types of CFA and aged CFA generated in Japan were used to measure the occurrence and leaching concentration range of As and Se. In addition, the leaching characteristics over the long term were examined using statistical analysis. Leaching concentrations of As and Se from CFAs were in the range of 0.001-0.163mg/L (average: 0.025mg/L, median: 0.014mg/L) and 0.001-0.189mg/L (average: 0.071mg/L, median: 0.055mg/L), respectively. In general, the concentrations of aged CFAs were less than those of the CFAs with a few exceptions. Leaching concentrations of As and Se in the tank leaching test changed with time, and As and Se concentrations in the dispersions increased with stirring time. In contrast, pH of the dispersion decreased with time. The relation between As or Se and CFA factors showed that As or Se and pH or Ca were highly correlated. However, in aged CFAs for long-term use, the correlation coefficient for the relation between As and other factors was low while that for Se-S was high. Considering the effective utilization of CFA as a long-term recyclable resource, the leaching processes of As and Se in CFA would change with time depending on the environmental conditions.

QUALITY INDICATORS AND VETERINARY ANALYSIS OF CATFISH MEAT WHEN USING THE FOOD ADDITIVE «RIZOSTIM»

The article presents research data on the chemical composition and content of toxic elements in the meat of fish grown in the pools of «ASYL TAS ENGINEERING» LLP, Almaty region, when using «Risostim» feed additive. Researches with comparison of the samples taken from fish - catfish at use of a food additive «Risostim» and a carp in a comparative aspect were carried out. In the course of the study it was found that the fat and moisture content of catfish meat was higher, while the protein and ash content was lower. It was also found that the amount of toxic elements did not exceed the maximum allowable level. It follows from this that catfish meat grown in pools of «ASYL TAS ENGINEERING» LLP of Almaty region, when using feed additives «Risostim» is a benign and safe food product.

Identification of Major Compounds and α-Amylase and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity of Rhizome of Musa balbisiana Colla: An in-vitro and in-silico Study.

α-Amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitors are widely used to suppress postprandial glycemia in the treatment of type-2 diabetes. To evaluate the metallic content, phytocompounds, and α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of Musa balbisiana rhizome using in-vitro and in-silico methods. Heavy metal content was detected by AAS following standard protocol. Major phytochemicals of the plant were analyzed by GC-MS technique. Enzyme inhibition study was carried out by UV/VIS spectrophotometric methods. The drug-likeness and bio-availability properties of major compounds were carried out using computer-aided tools - SwissADME and ADMElab. Docking and visualization were performed in AutoDock vina and Discovery studio tools. The study found that the fruits of M. balbisiana contain a negligible amount of toxic elements. GC-MS analysis showed five major compounds from the rhizome of M. balbisiana. Invitro enzyme assays revealed strong α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory properties of the plant. All five compounds were predicted to have a drug-likeness property with high cell membrane permeability and bio-availability. The compounds were also predicted to have low to moderate toxicity properties. The Docking study showed strong binding affinities of plant compounds with α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Out of five compounds, C5 showed the best binding affinity with active pockets of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The in-vitro and in-silico study suggests the antihyperglycemic property of the rhizome of Musa balbisiana and a possible candidate for the therapeutic antidiabetic agent(s).

Ecological and biological characteristics of restoration with tree plants in the conditions of the Steppe Pridniprovia

The change of forest cover in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast within the framework of the concept of agroforestry reclamation development in Ukraine was investigated. It was established that the forested area in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast is currently about 5%, which does not correspond to the optimal level of forest cover for this area, which is determined at 8%. The increase of forested areas within the surveyed territory was observed because of the two such processes, as reforestation and afforestation. In recent years, these processes have shown a steady downward trend in the number of forested areas. Succession series can be fundamentally different in the reproduction of forest plantations due to reforestation and afforestation. During reforestation, the succession series will be much slower, but it will be able to reach climax stage can due to the fact that the plantations will include indigenous plant species. When fast-growing species will be selected during afforestation, plantations will develop more rapidly, but will be much less stable and need constant care. Thus, the processes of forest plantations development in the Dnipropetrovsk region need significant processing and intensification. Until recently, there was no doubt about the beneficial effects of forest vegetation on air quality. A large number of wood species can not only emit volatiles, but also absorb in their biomass a significant amount of toxic elements, such as heavy metals, radionuclides and others. However, recently, due to the large anthropogenic and man-made load on the atmosphere (industrial emissions, transport, pesticides, herbicides, etc.), the process of so-called secondary air pollution has been observed. This is manifested as follows – woody vegetation absorbs toxic substances, processes them into even more toxic and releases them into the air. Significant impact of forests is also observed on the stability of systems. It is known that the higher the species diversity – the lower the dominance index, and the more stable the system. The introduction of new species of woody plants, and behind them new species of fauna increases the diversity of the ecosystem, which is undoubtedly favorable. But on the other hand, this leads to the extinction of typical steppe species, for example, in forest biogeocenoses live a large number of small predators, and most species of steppe birds nesting on the ground can be easily destroyed by them. Forest vegetation significantly changes the landscape. Any woody plants in the steppe create an ecotone, ie the zone of contact of different habitats, which increases the species diversity and, in general, alpha diversity of the territory and, consequently, increases its resistance to anthropogenic and man-made loads. On the other hand, it contributes to the even more intensive disappearance of zonal steppe landscapes, of which there are very few left in the Dnipropetrovsk region due to high population density and a high degree of agricultural development. Forest plantations in the region can be created in two fundamentally different forms – forest belts and forests. It is clear that the creation of forest belts will be timed to the massifs of agricultural land as their main function is to create an optimal microclimate. The creation of forests, first of all, should be aimed at increasing and maintaining species diversity, secondly, it will undoubtedly expand the recreational potential of the region, which is currently clearly insufficient. Currently, when creating any of these types of plantations, there are serious environmental miscalculations. First of all, it is the creation of plantations from allochthonous, that is, from the very beginning species not peculiar to this territory. As a rule, it is a pine or an acacia white. These unpretentious breeds grow quite quickly, well acclimatized, which, of course, makes their use more cost-effective and attractive. But on the other hand, the plantations created from them are much less long-lived than, for example, oak groves typical for this region and, unlike them, require constant care, because they are practically unable to reach menopause.

Distributions and Leaching Behaviors of Toxic Elements in Fly Ash.

Fly ash usually contains a considerable amount of toxic elements that can be leached into the environment, thereby easily leading to serious contaminations. In this work, the leaching behaviors of poisonous elements including boron (B), phosphorus (P), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), antimony (Sb), and tungsten (W) from fly ash were explored by sequential extraction. Importantly, the associations of these elements in fly ash were discussed based on their leaching and X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) results. From the XANES results, it was observed that V(IV), Cr(III), As(V), Se(IV), and W(IV) were their main states of existence in fly ash. In terms of leaching results, large amounts of Mo and W were leached into pure water, which indicated their high mobilities. Furthermore, the occurrence of Mo in fly ash was mainly in the form of oxides, and W had complex associations including WX4 (X can be monovalent anions), its reduction state or association with the elements that can be oxidized, and existence in silicates. B was as easily released into the environment as Mo and W. It can have several associations with the other cations, such as Ca2+, Na+, and Mg2+, and occurs in silicates. In contrast, most of the Cr and Sb were locked in silicates, indicating that they were very stable in fly ash. In addition, P, V, and As can exist within the structure of silicates as well. However, a considerable amount of them leached in the reduction step with a low pH. Hence, they can be associated with Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, or Fe3+. In terms of Se, oxidation processes played an important role in controlling its leaching because of the oxidation of Se(IV) to Se(VI). Calcium selenite should be the predominant form of Se in fly ash.

Comparison of the content of selected mineral substances in Czech liturgical and common wines

The article deals with the content of selected mineral substances in Czech liturgical wines and compares them with common wines. Sulphur, phosphorus, boron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, cadmium and lead were selected as evaluated minerals, and they were all found in all the analyzed varieties - Pinot Noir, Red Traminer and Chardonnay. Mineral substances were determined using a quadrupole mass spectrometer in the inductively coupled plasma variant of the Thermo Scientific ICAP Q ICP-MS. Generally, measured results did not show significant differences between the mineral content in liturgical and common wines. Therefore the influence of specific production technologies of liturgical wines on the mineral contents was not proved either. One of the highest mineral concentration was in communion Red Traminer, which, besides beneficial minerals, also contained a high amount of toxic elements. On the contrary, common Red Traminer had one of the lowest concentrations of toxic compounds. The content of permitted lead levels was exceeded in a single case, namely in the Chardonnay kosher sample. For cadmium, no sample exceeded the allowed limit.

ASSESSMENT OF TRACE ELEMENTS BIOAVAILABILITY – INGESTION OF TOXIC ELEMENTS FROM THE ATTIC DUST COLLECTED FROM THE VICINITY OF THE FERRO-NICKEL SMELTER PLANT

The purpose of this study was to establish total and bioavailable contents of chemical elements in attic dust and their distribution in the area of the town of Kavadarci, Republic of Macedonia, and in this way to evaluate the exposure of population to toxic metals in areas with high industrial influences from the ferro-nickel smelter plant. The attic dust is derived predominantly from external sources such as aerosol deposits and soil dusting, and less from household activities. From that reason attic dust could be accepted as a tracer of historical aerosol pollution. All attic dust samples were analyzed for total and bioavailable element contents and their distribution in studied area. Several extraction agents recognized as representative for elements bioa-vailability assessment were applied to attic dust samples under investigations – phosphate buffer solutions that simulate human blood, for the simulation of lung inhalation carbonate buffer was used and 0.1 mol l–1 HCl solution to simulate stomach ingestion. A total of 18 elements (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe K, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zn) were determined by atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plas-ma (AES-ICP). The obtained results showed relatively high proportion of toxic elements bioavailability in the attic dusts samples from sites close to the metallurgical activities (Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn), most probably due to the small size and high reactivity of the particles of attic dust. As might be expected the highest leacha-ble amounts of toxic elements were found for Ni, Co, Cr and Pb from attic dust in the extraction solution of HCl (0.1 mol l–1 HCl) compared with the other 3 extraction media. Discussion on trace elements mobility and bioavailability related to environmental pollution and effects on human health are presented.

Levels of macroelements and toxic elements in herbal teas

A total of 14 diverse herbal teas were examined, including: yarrow, basil, St.John?s wort, peppermint, horsetail, nettle, thyme, corn silk, hibiscus, marshmallow, chamomile, rosehip, heather and wild mint. The samples were prepared using the method of microwave digestion, and measurements were performed by the use of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Cd, Hg, Pb, As, Sb); atomic absorption spectrometry (Mg); emission flame photometry (Ca, K, Na) and spectrophotometry (P). Intervals of variation (mg/kg) for macroelements were: Ca (2738-35399); P (1545-6264); Mg (1647-7816); Na (293-10629) and K (9683-33985), and for toxic elements: Cd (0.014-0.645); Hg (<0.001- 0.017); Pb (0.064-1.340); As (0.030-0.544) and Sb (0.004-0.068). In the three samples (yarrow and two St.John?s wort samples) measured cadmium concentration was higher than the maximum level for dried herbs, recommended by WHO. Ward's hierarchical clustering method was performed with the aim of grouping herbal teas by the amount of toxic elements.

Quality Change of Mine Soils From Different Sources in Response to Amendments - A Laboratory Study

The desired vegetation is often difficult to establish in mine soils without proper amendments. In this paper, two coal-mine soils were studied to assess changes of soil quality in response to a range of amendments. Sample A with relatively neutral pH (6.1) was obtained from the top soil at a reclaimed surface-coal-mining site while the other sample B (pH 4.4) from nearby piles of coarse coal refuse. Amendments included zeolite of two grain sizes, flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FGD), flyash, and biosolids at 10% (w/w) rates. Chemical analysis showed that neither soil contained significant amounts of toxic elements except for B and Sr. Lettuce seed germination indicated that original sample A possessed a better quality with 76.7% germination and 7.3 cm shoot length in comparison with soil B having 60% germination and 3.7 cm shoot length. FGD increased the pH of both soils from 6.1 to > 8.0 and from 4.4 to > 6.0, respectively. Moreover, FGD significantly enhanced lettuce germination (83.3%) and seedling growth (6.7 cm) in soil B but did not greatly affect those in soil A. We concluded that soil acidity might be the major chemical constraint inhibiting plant establishment in acidic mine soils and that amendments such as FGD which could increase soil pH up to the neutral level would enhance plant growth in these soils. Biosolids enhanced aggregate stability of both soils with geometric mean diameter increased from antecedent values of 0.90-0.97 mm to 1.2-1.6 mm. Zeolites or flyash did not significantly impact the mine soil quality.

Surface modification of Ti–6Al–4V alloy using an oxygen glow-discharge plasma to suppress the elution of toxic elements into physiological environment

We present the application of a plasma-oxidation technique for modifying a the corrosion resistance of a Ti–6Al–4V bio-implant material in a physiological environment. The corrosion resistance of a plasma-oxidized Ti–6Al–4V alloy sample was evaluated by immersing the sample in a lactic acid solution and determining the amounts of eluted elements in the immersion-test solution. The amounts of toxic elements, aluminum and vanadium, eluted from the plasma-oxidized sample were compared with those from the thermally oxidized sample to demonstrate the corrosion resistance of the plasma-oxidized surface to be greatly improved. To elucidate the reasons for this improvement in corrosion resistance, the oxide layers formed on the Ti–6Al–4V alloy were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which revealed that Al and V oxides were enriched at the outermost surface of the thermally oxidized sample, whereas they were less segregated at the outermost surface of the plasma-oxidized sample. Based on the atomic fractions of elements at the outermost surface of the oxide layers after the immersion test, it was deduced that the elution occurred mainly at the outermost surface of the oxide layer. Therefore, it can be deduced that the characteristic surface composition of the plasma-oxidized sample, with reduced fractions of toxic elements, played an important role in suppressing the elution of toxic elements.

Alteration of cameroonian clays under acid treatment. Comparison with industrial adsorbents

In view to evaluate an alternative local cheaper source for vegetable oil refiners, three cameroonian clays containing swelling (smectites) and non-swelling (kaolinite) clay minerals were treated with sulphuric acid solutions at concentrations of 1, 2, 4 and 8 N at 80 °C for 2 h. Their alteration and resulting products were characterized by XRD, FT-IR-spectroscopy, chemical analyses, along with TEM-EDS, nitrogen adsorption isotherms at 77 K, and compared with industrial bleaching earths. Acid treatment of Cameroonian clays leads to the classically observed cristallochemical and textural modifications. The plot of TEM-EDS data in Al 2O 3/SiO 2 and Fe 2O 3/Al 2O 3 diagrams indicate that upon acid treatment, clay particles principally move towards the SiO 2 pole, consistent with the formation of an amorphous compound mainly siliceous as the result of acid activation. Concomitantly, a progressive decrease in cation exchange capacity (CEC) was observed with increasing sulphuric acid concentrations while both specific surface area and mesoporosity of the studied materials increase. Elemental analyses, X-ray and spectroscopy data reveal that acid activation affects both the octahedral and the tetrahedral sheets. The analysis of their reactivity shows that clays with high amounts of smectite are more sensitive to acid leaching than those with relative large kaolinite contents. Further, upon acid treatment, most trace and rare earth elements are leached, and the amount of toxic elements (e.g. Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu, As, Zn) in the by-products is low (< 50 mg/kg). Mineralogy, chemical analyses and textural properties of the activated products match the specifications of industrial adsorbents. Therefore, activated Cameroonian clays are expected to perform well in respect with decolorization of vegetable oils.

Characterization and phytoavailability evaluation of micronutrients and contaminants in some Brazilian phosphate fertilizers

Brazilian fertilizer legislation considers the total concentration of micronutrients as being the guarantee of their presence in fertilizers. This fact allows the use industrial by-products as micronutrient source for fertilizers, which brings the risk of the presence of high amounts of toxic elements that may lead to soil contamination. The purpose of this study was to determine the micronutrient and contaminant contents in six Brazilian commercial phosphate fertilizers and to evaluate the phytoavailability of elements from soils treated with these fertilizers. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) followed by gamma-ray spectrometry was the analytical method used to determine the contents of the elements. As, Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, Mo, Na, Sb and Zn were detected in fertlizers. Concentrations in vegetal tissue were not modified by the treatments, except for Cd, which was increased due to fertilizers application.

가공시간에 따른 인삼의 대사체학 분석

Red ginseng is made of white ginseng through the steaming and drying procedure. In this process, the amounts of toxic elements of ginseng are decreased and those of effective components, ginsenosides are increased. In order to identify the components alteration of white ginseng by processing time, we applied HPLC-based metabolomics approach combined with the principal component analysis (PCA) multivariate analysis. White ginsengs were steamed at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 h, respectively and followed by drying process at moderate temperature. Then the steamed ginsengs and the commercial red ginsengs were analyzed by HPLC. On the basis of HPLC results, PCA multivariate analysis was applied for evaluating the quality of red ginseng, which showed the processed ginsengs are grouped by processed time because less polar ginsenosides were increased in proportion as the steaming time was increased. The purchased red ginsengs were distributed in the range of hour steaming time. This pilot experiment suggests that HPLC-based metabolomics approach is able to allow the quality of herbal medicines to be controlled with a simple and economic method.

Mechanism of the hydrolysis of 1-chloro-2-ethylthioethane extraction

To evaluate the potentiality of the blue-green algae Spirulina platensis as a matrix for the production of Se-containing pharmaceuticals, the background levels of 31 major, minor and trace elements (Na, Mg, Al, Cl, K, Ca, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni using (n,p) reaction), As, Br, Zn, Rb, Mo, Ag, Sb, I, Ba, Sm, Tb, Tm, Hf, Ta, W, Au, Hg, Th were determined in Spirulina platensis biomass by means of epithermal neutron activation analysis. The possibility of the purpose-oriented incorporation of Se into Spirulina platensis biomass was demonstrated. The polynomial dependence of the Se accumulation on nutritional medium loading was revealed. The analytical technique used allows to control the amount of toxic elements in algae Spirulina platensis. Based on this study, a conclusion of the possibility to use Spirulina platensisas a matrix for the production of Se-containing pharmaceutical was drawn.

Epithermal neutron activation analysis of blue-green algae Spirulina platensis as a matrix for selenium-containing pharmaceuticals

To evaluate the potentiality of the blue-green algae Spirulina platensis as a matrix for the production of Se-containing pharmaceuticals, the background levels of 31 major, minor and trace elements (Na, Mg, Al, Cl, K, Ca, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni using (n,p) reaction), As, Br, Zn, Rb, Mo, Ag, Sb, I, Ba, Sm, Tb, Tm, Hf, Ta, W, Au, Hg, Th were determined in Spirulina platensis biomass by means of epithermal neutron activation analysis. The possibility of the purpose-oriented incorporation of Se into Spirulina platensis biomass was demonstrated. The polynomial dependence of the Se accumulation on nutritional medium loading was revealed. The analytical technique used allows to control the amount of toxic elements in algae Spirulina platensis. Based on this study, a conclusion of the possibility to use Spirulina platensisas a matrix for the production of Se-containing pharmaceutical was drawn.

Utilisation of a low power reactor for instrumental neutron activation analysis of 40 elements in coal

Coal is mostly used as an energy source for power generation and in local brick kilns in Pakistan, which causes environmental pollution problems due to the release of toxic constituents. Elemental characterisation provides useful information regarding the nature of environmental pollutants to which coal workers and adjacent terrain are exposed and circumscribes different elements as they exist in the coal. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis employing a low power Miniature Neutron Source Reactor has been used for the determination of 40 major, minor, and trace elements in coal. Bituminous, sub-bituminous and lignite coal varieties of Pakistan were analysed which show that bituminous coal from Salt Range contains lower amount of toxic elements. The quality of the analysed data has been assured by a simultaneous analysis of the IAEA and NBS/NIST Certified Reference Materials. The data will be useful for extrapolating the extent of elemental emission through the combustion of these coals. Enrichment factors calculated for these elements in coal show high values for As, Br, Cl, Dy, Hg, Mo, Sb, and Se, indicating difference in geochemistry and growth environment of the coal deposits. Elemental concentrations of our coal varieties have been compared with those of other countries.

Minor and Trace Elements Evaluation of Pulses Consumed in Rawalpindi-Islamabad Area

Abstract The concentration of 18 essential and toxic elements has been measured in four different varieties of the pulses consumed in the Rawalpindi-Islamabad area employing neutron activation analysis. The pulses were analysed with and without scales. Among the four varieties of the pulses, lentil (lens esculenta) was found to contain higher amounts of essential elements and lower amounts of toxic elements. The comparison of pulses with other food items shows that pulses are also a suitable source of trace elements. The weekly intake of essential and toxic elements through pulses was estimated and compared with the recommended values. The estimated intake of essential elements is adequate and that of toxic elements is well below the tolerance limits.