Bottle Samples Research Articles

Evaluation of bottled drinking water and occurrence of multidrug-resistance and biofilm producing bacteria in Nepal

Health consequences arising from unsafe drinking water and water insecurity lead to increased reliance on usage of bottled water. Biofilm-producing antibiotic-resistant bacteria in bottled water may pose a risk to public health. This study aims to assess the quality of bottled drinking water with a focus on biofilm-producing and drug-resistant coliform. We analyzed 60 bottled water samples of 30 different brands purchased from Kathmandu for physicochemical and microbial analysis. The parameters pH, iron, total coliform count, Escherichia coli count, and fecal coliform count exceeded National Drinking Water Quality Standards, 2022 in 30.00%, 16.67%, 66.67%, 23.33%, and 16.67% of samples, respectively. Water quality index measurement showed 36.67% and 6.67% of bottled water samples were categorized as grade A and grade B indicating excellent and good water quality, respectively. However, 56.67% of bottled water samples fall under grade E meaning unsuitable for drinking. Among 14 coliform isolates, 85.71% and 14.29% were identified as E. coli and Klebsiella spp, respectively. The antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that 28.57% of the isolates were multidrug-resistant and Gentamicin resistant isolates comprised 71.43%. However, none of the isolates were carbapenem (meropenem) resistant. In this study, 42.87% of the isolates were found biofilm producers with 14.29% each of strong, moderate, and weak biofilm producers. The genetic potential of biofilm-producing capacity of the isolates was assessed by Polymerase Chain Reaction amplification of bcsA and csgD genes. Our results showed that 66.67% and 50.00% of the isolates harbored bcsA and csgD genes, respectively. This study highlights potential public health hazards associated with the consumption of bottled water containing biofilm-producing and drug-resistant bacteria in Nepal.

Quality and risk assessment of lead and cadmium in drinking water for child development centres use in Phatthalung province, Thailand.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study and research was to evaluate the health risks to children in relation to the concentration of lead and cadmium in drinking water. Samples were collected between 1 May 2020 and 15 October 2020. Thirty-three child development centres, Phatthalung province, Thailand. Two hundred and ten drinking water samples were taken, consisting of 66 bottled water samples, 66 tap water samples, 66 filtered tap water samples and 12 raw water samples for using in the child development centres. Concentrations of lead and cadmium were identified by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The concentration of cadmium in bottled water samples, tap water samples, filtered tap water samples, and raw water samples ranged from nd - 0.0020mg/L, nd - 0.0049 mg/L, nd - 0.0018 mg/L and nd - 0.0049 mg/L. The summation of the total hazard index of bottled water samples, tap water samples, filtered tap water, and raw water samples was less than 1, was considered health-protective. The results will provide the direct evidence needed by child development centres managers to warn learners about the health risk of drinking water among children.

Electrochemical Estimation of Cd and Cu Ions Simultaneously Using a Modified MgO/Fe2O3 Nanocomposite/Carbon Paste Electrode

Heavy metals are serious inorganic pollutants that need to be monitored in the hydrosphere with simple and cheap methods. Herein, a new sensor was fabricated by modifying a carbon paste electrode with MgO/Fe2O3 nanocomposite for simple, rapid, accurate, and highly sensitive simultaneous determination of Cd (II) and Cu (II) using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. The electrochemical behavior of the constructed sensor was examined, and all parameters were optimized including deposition potential, time, pH, and scan rate. For Cd (II) and Cu (II), the respective detection limits were determined to be 3.3 × 10−11 M and 3.6 × 10−11 M, and the respective quantification limits were 1.1 × 10−10 M and 1.2 × 10−10 M. The sensor estimated Cd (II) and Cu (II) in Nile river, tap, and bottled real water samples with high recoveries ranging from 99 to 117%.Graphical

Magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes assisted solid phase extraction and detection of neonicotinoid pesticides in honey and tea samples

In this study, magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MMWCNTs) were prepared by a one-pot solvothermal method. And they were used as the adsorbent of magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) to extract NEOs. MMWCNTs exhibit good adsorption performance toward NEOs. The adsorption capacities for imidacloprid, thiacloprid, and acetamiprid are 18.4, 25.9, and 18.4 mg g−1, respectively. Also, the adsorption process takes 20 min. The adsorption isotherm fitted to the Langmuir model and the adsorption kinetics was well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Moreover, the adsorption mechanism was discussed. The MMWCNTs-based MSPE method was combined with field-enhanced sample stacking-capillary electrophoresis (FESS-CE) to realize the sensitive detection of NEOs. The detection limits of NEOs in honey and bottled green tea beverage samples ranged from 7.63 to 16.7 ng g−1. The recoveries were in the range of 84.5 ± 3.2 % to 99.2 ± 1.6 %, with relative standard deviations less than 5.5 %, suggesting the feasibility of the method in actual samples.

Estimating human health risks associated with heavy metal exposure from bottled water using Monte Carlo simulation

Water is the most important non-organic compound for living cells, and the life of all living organisms depends on it. Water is not found purely in nature, but it always contains some solutes, suspended matters and soluble gases. In this study, 11 bottled water brands (500 mL) were sampled across the Kashan city market to determine the concentration of selected heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Pb, Ni and As) and evaluated their potential risks following consumption. The concentration range of Cr, Cd, Pb, Ni and As were 5–34 μg/L, 1.5–7 μg/L, 1–7 μg/L, 2–29 μg/L, <LOD – 3.5 μg/L, respectively. The heavy metals (HMs) concentration in this study was compared with other national and international studies on bottled water and other drinking water sources. Additionally, the results of non-carcinogenic health risk assessments using point estimations and Monte Carlo Simulations (MCS) showed that the concentration of HMs in none of the samples pose adverse health effects. However, it was found that drinking the studied bottled water may potentially lead to carcinogenicity over the lifetime. Lack of including spring water and larger-sized (1.5 L) bottled water samples, though less consumed than the samples of this study and lack of study on children's exposure level can be mentioned as potential limitations.

Exposure to micro(nano)plastics polymers in water stored in single-use plastic bottles

Human exposure to micro (nano)plastics (MNPLs) has become a significant concern as a potential health threat. Exposure routes include ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact, being food and drinking water the primary sources of oral exposure. Here we present the quantification of polymers of MNPLs particles from 700 nm to 20 μm in bottled water commercialised in Spain, including an estimation of the potential risk for daily consumers.We evaluated samples from 20 popular brands in 0.5 and 1.5 L plastic bottles. A double-suspect screening approach developed and validated in our research group for drinking water was adapted for bottled water samples. The identification and quantification of MNPLs-polymers in mass units and the tentative identification of plastic additives (PA) until the second level of confidence was carried out based on high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS).The results showed the presence of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene terephthalate (PET) in the samples. Among them, PE was the most frequently detected and quantified polymer (55% of samples) followed by PET which was detected in 33% of the samples and showing the highest concentration (4700 ng L−1). The median value of the sum of polymer concentrations was 359 ng L−1.In addition, 28 plastic additives were detected, where at least one of them was present in 100% of the samples. Stabilizers and plasticisers were the most frequently identified. A prioritisation study was performed using a multi-QSAR modelling software, where bis(2-ethylhexyl) adipate and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate were estimated as the most potentially harmful compounds for human health.Overall, findings suggest that bottled water is a non-negligible route to exposure to MNPLs.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formers in drinking water

Currently there has been an increase in demand for bottled water, this is due to the population’s dissatisfaction with the quality of water provided by public agencies. The present study sought to evaluate the presence of biofilm-forming P. aeruginosa in bottled drinking water. Thirty-five typical bottled water samples were selected to identify the presence of P. aeruginosa and its ability to form bacterial biofilm. The methodology used to verify the presence of P. aeruginosa followed the multiple tube technique and the evaluation of biofilm forming capacity followed the microdilution technique, with the optical capacity read by spectrophotometry at 620 nm. The presence of P. aeruginosa was detected in 26% of the samples analyzed, representing nine of the 35 samples tested. Of these, 55% had the ability to form biofilm. The present study shows that the presence of P. aeruginosa, which is capable of forming biofilms, is a risk factor for public health because of the widespread commercialisation of bottled water.

Screening for microplastics in drinking water and its toxicity profiling in zebrafish

Microplastics (MPs) have emerged as a major environmental problem in freshwater and marine environments. The effects of these polymers on aquatic life are well studied; however, there is limited knowledge of MP-associated health hazards in humans. We estimated the presence of MPs in different brands of bottled water available in India using the Nile red (NR) staining method. The FTIR examination revealed the presence of polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), and polyamide (PA) in the bottled water samples with PE being the most prevalent one. Zebrafish embryos exposed to different concentrations of fluorescent-tagged polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) (10–150 μm) showed accumulation patterns at different time points in various organs. The exposure to PE MPs induced a concentration-dependent ROS activity. The expression of first-line antioxidative defense marker genes were significantly downregulated in embryos exposed to varying concentrations of PE-MPs, suggesting concentration and time-dependent effects on zebrafish. The results of this study suggest that the potential negative consequences on human health could be due to the oxidative stress and time-dependent toxicity of MPs.

Radon measurement and age-independent effective dose attributed to ingestion of bottled water in Iran: sensitivity analysis

A comprehensive study was made to measure the radon concentration in bottled water available in Iran market. The 222Rn concentration in 70 bottled water samples were measured by the sniffing mode technique and RTM 1688-2 (SARAD, Germany) in immediate sampling time and 3 months later for determination of radon decay. The measured radon concentration ranged from 0.003 to 0.618 Bq L−1 in bottled water samples, which were much lower than the recommended value for radon in drinking water by WHO (100 Bq L−1) and United states environmental protection agency (USEPA) (11.1 Bq L−1). The annual effective dose of 222Rn due to ingestion bottled water was also evaluated in this research. The mean annual effective dose due to ingestion of radon in bottled water for adults, children, and infants were estimated to vary from 5.30 × 10−4 mSv−1, 4.90 × 10−4 mSv−1, and 2.15 × 10−4 mSv−1, respectively. Overall, this study indicated that the Iranian people receive no significant radiological risk due to exposure to radon concentration in bottled water brands common consumed in Iranian market.

Concentration of Phthalate Esters in Bottled Water: A Case Study in Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria

Phthalate esters (PAEs), a group of chemical compounds, are extensively used as additives in plastics. The objective of this study was to determine how much of a few target PAEs have leached into various samples of drinking water packaged in PET bottles in Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria as well as how ambient temperature, sunshine exposure, and cold storage conditions have affected the concentration of PAE. The concentrations of Di-ethyl-phthalate (DEP), di-butyl-phthalates (DBP), benzyl-butyl-phthalate (BBP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), and Bis-(2-ethyl-hexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were determined in bottled water samples. The concentrations of PAEs were determined using a gas chromatography coupled with a mass sepctroscopy analyzer (GC-MS). Phthalate compound was observed to be in all bottled water placed under different storage conditions; cold storage (CW), ambient storage (AW), and sunlight storage (SLW) for a period of 2, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks. However, the greatest leaching effect was observed in PET bottled water placed sunlight conditions for sixteen weeks with concentrations of; DEHP (2.1-11.2) µg/L, DEP (0.98-3.87) µg/L, DBP (2.98-13.8) µg/L. The results from this study indicated that, under various storage conditions, DEP, DBP and DEHP from PET bottles may leach more into the drinking water over a period of time under different storage conditions. The result additionally gave indication that DEHP; a known endocrine disruptor, with anti-androgenic and possible human carcinogen effects, exceeded the 6 µg/L USEPA Maximum Contamination Level (MCL) in drinking water, and also greater than 8 µg/L which is the indicated MCL by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Toxicological and hygienic assessment of phthalate content in bottled drinking water

Introduction. One of the most common materials containing phthalate impurities is packaging made of polymer materials (bottles). Bottles made of the following material are used for packaged (bottled) drinking water - polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The toxicological properties of phthalates, the increase in consumption of bottled water and uncertainty about the effect of storage conditions on the migration of phthalates into water initiates research on the toxicological and hygienic assessment of the content of phthalates in polymer packaging for bottled drinking water.The purpose of study was the toxicological and hygienic assessment of the content of di(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP); di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP); diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP) in drinking water packed in polymer material.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The objects of the study were bottles samples made in the Russian Federation. The obtained extracts (containers and model medium) were analyzed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection. The values of daily consumption of phthalates with bottled water for adults and children were calculated, safety coefficients were determined taking into account the maximum concentrations obtained in the experiment.&#x0D; Results. As a result of polymer materials studies, it was found that bottle samples contain residual amounts of phthalates – DEHP 1.7–4.2 mg/kg; DnBP &lt;2.4–31.3 mg/kg; DiBP 2.2–10.2 2 mg/kg. Migration of phthalates into aqueous model media was noted from all the samples studied.In the samples of model solutions in contact with PET material, on the 30th day at a temperature of 20 °C, the presence of 2 phthalates: DEHP 8.6–71.0 µ/l and DiBF &lt;2.6 to 19.2 µ/l. Comparison of phthalate concentrations in model media with the values of permissible daily consumption showed that bottled water provides a limited contribution to the total daily exposure of phthalates.&#x0D; Conclusion. The study results showed that the packaging made of PET is a source of chemical contamination of bottled water, which is based on the processes of migration of organic components from polymer materials. At the same time, special attention should be paid to the ability to migrate di(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate, which can lead to excess of hygienic standards for drinking water.

A Low-Cost Colorimetric Assay for the Analytical Determination of Copper Ions with Consumer Electronic Imaging Devices in Natural Water Samples.

This study reports a new approach for the determination of copper ions in water samples that exploits the complexation reaction with diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) and uses widely available imaging devices (i.e., flatbed scanners or smartphones) as detectors. Specifically, the proposed approach is based on the ability of DDTC to bind to copper ions and form a stable Cu-DDTC complex with a distinctive yellow color detected with the camera of a smartphone in a 96-well plate. The color intensity of the formed complex is linearly proportional to the concentration of copper ions, resulting in its accurate colorimetric determination. The proposed analytical procedure for the determination of Cu2+ was easy to perform, rapid, and applicable with inexpensive and commercially available materials and reagents. Many parameters related to such an analytical determination were optimized, and a study of interfering ions present in the water samples was also carried out. Additionally, even low copper levels could be noticed by the naked eye. The assay performed was successfully applied to the determination of Cu2+ in river, tap, and bottled water samples with detection limits as low as 1.4 µM, good recoveries (89.0-109.6%), adequate reproducibility (0.6-6.1%), and high selectivity over other ions present in the water samples.

MOF-derived CeO2/Co3O4–Fe2O3@CC nanocomposites as highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for bisphenol A detection

A novel CeO2/Co3O4–Fe2O3@CC electrode derived from CeCo-MOFs was developed for detecting the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA). Firstly, bimetallic CeCo-MOFs were prepared by hydrothermal method, and obtained material was calcined to form metal oxides after doping Fe element. The results suggested that hydrophilic carbon cloth (CC) modified with CeO2/Co3O4–Fe2O3 had good conductivity and high electrocatalytic activity. By the analyses of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), the introduction of Fe increased the current response and conductivity of the sensor, greatly increasing the effective active area of the electrode. Significantly, electrochemical test proves that the prepared CeO2/Co3O4–Fe2O3@CC had excellent electrochemical response to BPA with a low detection limit of 8.7 nM, an excellent sensitivity of 20.489 μA/μM·cm2, a linear range of 0.5–30 μM, and strong selectivity. In addition, the CeO2/Co3O4–Fe2O3@CC sensor had a high recovery rate for the detection of BPA in real tap water, lake water, soil eluent, seawater, and PET bottle samples, which showed its potential in practical applications. To sum up, the CeO2/Co3O4–Fe2O3@CC sensor prepared in this work had excellent sensing performance, good stability and selectivity for BPA, which can be well used for the detection of BPA.

Findings of new phytoplankton species in the Barents Sea as a consequence of global climate changes.

Over the past few decades, the Earth's climate has been characterized by a stable increase in temperature, which in many regions leads to a change in the composition of flora and fauna. A striking manifestation of this process is the appearance in ecological communities of new, uncharacteristic for them, species of animals and plants. One of the most productive and at the same time the most vulnerable in this respect are the marine ecosystems of the Arctic. This article is devoted to the analysis of findings of vagrant phytoplankton species in the Barents Sea, a body of water experiencing especially rapid warming due to an increase in the volume and temperature of incoming Atlantic water. For the first time, fundamental questions are considered: how widely these species are distributed over the Barents Sea area, and in what seasons do they reach high levels of abundance. The material for the present work was planktonic collections made during expedition surveys of 2007-2019 in different seasons throughout the Barents Sea. The water samples were taken using a rosette Niskin bottle sampler. The plankton net with a 29 µm mesh size was applied for filtering. The obtained material was processed according to standard hydrobiological methods and followed by subsequent microscopy for taxonomic identification of organisms and cell counting. The results of our observations show that vagrant microplankton species do not create a stable population that persists throughout the annual development cycle. Their major presence is noted in the autumn-winter period, the smallest in the summer. The distribution of invaders is strictly tied to warm jets of currents, while the weakening of the inflow of Atlantic water masses deep into the Barents Sea from the west is a limiting factor for their penetration into its eastern part. The southwestern and western parts of the basin are characterized by the most significant number of floristic finds; from here, towards the north and east, their number decreases. It can be concluded that at present the proportion of vagrant species in the Barents Sea, both in species diversity and in the total biomass of the algocenosis, is insignificant. They do not change the structure of the community as a whole, and their presence does not have any negative impact on the ecosystem of the Barents Sea pelagic. However, at this stage of research, it is too early to predict the environmental consequences of the phenomenon under study. Given the growing number of recorded cases of finds of species uncharacteristic for the Arctic, there is a possibility that this process may disrupt the biological stability of the ecosystem and even lead to its destabilization.

SELENIUM CONTENT IN GROUNDWATER OF THE CRIMEAN PENINSULA

The main sources of essential trace element selenium (Se) to humans are plants, animals and water. Though Se concentration in water is low, the values are considered to be good markers of the environmental Se status. Se content in groundwater of 22 springs, wells and bottled water samples produced at the territory of the Crimea has been determined. Uneven distribution of Se at the territory of the Crimea was reflected in a broad concentrations range of the element from 0.082 to 7.85 µg/L with the highest values typical for Simferopol well and 2 samples of bottled water: ‘Crimean paradise’ and ‘Kula’ (1.25–1.38 µg/L). Two liters of water from Simferopol well provide up to 24% of the daily adequate Se consumption level. Chemical analysis of groundwater quality recorded high ecological risks connected with increased nitrates levels in more than 30% of samples investigated (up to 194 mg/L) and high mineralization (up to 1540 mg/L). Chemical analysis of fresh water demonstrated unsuitability for consumption of ‘Saki’ bottled water, characterized by significant MPC excess for nitrates (4.3 MPC), chlorides (1.4 MPC), fluorine (1.19 MPC) and mineralization (1.54 MPC). The work indicates the necessity of wide groundwater quality monitoring for the whole Crimean peninsula.

The Occurrence of Haloacetic Acids and Dalapon in Bottled Waters and an Assessment of Their Health Risk

While disinfection ensures the destruction of pathogenic microorganisms, the disinfectant substances used react with some organic and inorganic substances in water, causing the formation of disinfection by-products. Some disinfection by-products have been classified as carcinogenic by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Haloacetic acids are one of the disinfection by-product groups that have been detected in drinking water and are carcinogenic. It is commonly believed that bottled water, which is being increasingly consumed worldwide, does not contain environmental pollutants. For this reason, research on bottled water is limited. In this study, the amount of 9 haloacetic acids and dalapon were investigated in 28 different branded bottled water samples collected from a market. As a result of the study, the total haloacetic acid concentrations were found to be from 2.13 to 7.56 μg/L, and the dalapon concentration was &lt; detection limit-12.47 μg/L. At least three different haloacetic acids were detected in each sample analyzed. It was determined that the threshold values given by the EPA and the World Health Organization (WHO) were not exceeded. It has been observed that bottled waters, which are generally considered to be of higher quality than mains water, contain haloacetic acids and dalapon at low concentrations. A health risk assessment was performed for dalapon and trichloroacetic acid (TCAA). A low non-carcinogenic risk and tolerable carcinogenic risk were determined. Care should be taken to counter the negative health effects of HAAs and dalapon.

The importance of DNA barcode reference libraries and selection primer pair in monitoring fish diversity using environmental DNA metabarcoding

Abstract. Roesma DI, Tjong DH, Syaifullah, Nofrita, Janra MN, Prawira FDL,Salis VM, Aidil DR. 2023.The importance of DNA barcode reference libraries and selection primer pair in monitoring fish diversity using environmental DNA metabarcoding. Biodiversitas 24: 2251-2260. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has become an alternative method used for biodiversity monitoring of an ecosystem. The eDNA metabarcoding has advantages compared to the conventional method because it is non-invasive, quick, and requires less cost. However, the effectiveness of the eDNA method is highly dependent on the coverage of the DNA barcode reference and primerpair. A study using the eDNA method was conducted for fish biodiversity monitoring in Singkarak Lake. Two-liter water samples were collected using sterile bottle samples at each sampling site (five sites). The universal primers (Fish FI and Fish R1) used for Next-generation sequencing (GRIDION, Nanopore, Oxford Technologies). The study detected 152 fish species using eDNA metabarcoding. Ten species out of the 30 originally reported in Singkarak Lake were detected using eDNA metabarcoding. The low percentage of fish detected is thought to be due to several factors; incomplete/unavailability of freshwater fish DNA barcodes in Indonesia registered in the database repository, inappropriate primer pair selection, low DNA quality, and the absence of target species DNA in collected water samples. The results demonstrated the significance of correctly registering DNA barcodes to the database and appropriate primer pair selection to identify eDNA metabarcoding. This study provides recommendations using eDNA metabarcoding for monitoring in future work.

Gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity levels in bottled mineral water samples in Morocco determined by liquid scintillation counting method

Gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity levels in bottled mineral water samples in Morocco determined by liquid scintillation counting method

Abstract LB004: Ultra-sensitive targeted DNA panel for very low-frequency mutation detection in circulating cell-free DNA

Abstract Due to its noninvasive nature and being readily available in peripheral blood and other bodily fluids, analysis of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has become a promising application in cancer diagnosis, prognosis and treatment monitoring. However, disease-relevant cfDNA is present in a very limited amount in the huge background of normal cfDNA. This remains a challenge for any detection technology. Many currently available target enrichment and library preparation methods use regular DNA polymerase and amplification processes that introduce substantial bias and artifacts. This results in artifactual errors that greatly limit the detection of true low-frequency variants below 0.5% in heterogeneous samples, such as cfDNA. Here, we present a new targeted cfDNA workflow that overcomes challenges such as biases and artifacts. The workflow uses a highly optimized, high-fidelity reaction chemistry and incorporates UMIs into a single gene-specific, primer-based targeted enrichment process. Compared to regular DNA polymerase, this high-fidelity chemistry resulted in a five- to ten-fold decrease in base substitution error. An individual cancer panel was designed to specifically cover cancer-relevant hotspots and copy number genes with a dense primer design to accommodate the short length of cfDNA. Due to its high-fidelity chemistry and optimal panel design, our streamlined workflow can be completed in a single day. We also report consistent panel performance across different samples. Detection sensitivity and specificity were evaluated on a reference cfDNA sample and a simulated cfDNA sample by mixing enzyme-digested Genome in a Bottle samples, NA12878 and NA24385. We achieved close to 90% detection sensitivity and above 99.9% specificity for 0.1% variant. In addition, copy number variation could be successfully detected with a 1.5-fold difference over normal control samples. These results demonstrate an efficient targeted cfDNA panel workflow that enables cancer-relevant mutation detection with high sensitivity and accuracy. The applications presented here are for research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. Citation Format: Michelle Baird, Mariam Ashraf, Emil Chistensen, Christa Haldrup, Zhong Wu, Eric Lader. Ultra-sensitive targeted DNA panel for very low-frequency mutation detection in circulating cell-free DNA [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 2 (Clinical Trials and Late-Breaking Research); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(8_Suppl):Abstract nr LB004.

Comparison of Sensory Profiling by Descriptive Analysis, Free-Choice Profiling, and Polarized Sensory Positioning on Bottled Water.

Consumer-oriented rapid profiling methodologies, including free-choice profiling (FCP) and polarized sensory positioning (PSP), have been studied in recent decades, highlighting alternative aspects of conventional descriptive analysis (DA). In the present study, water samples were evaluated using DA, FCP, and PSP with open-ended questions to compare the sensory profiles. Ten bottled water samples and one filtered water sample were evaluated by a trained panel for DA (n = 11), a semi-trained panel for FCP (n = 16), and naïve consumers for PSP (n = 63). The results were analyzed using principal component analysis for DA and multiple factor analysis for FCP and PSP data. The water samples were discriminated by their total mineral content, which was mainly associated with heavy mouthfeel. The overall discrimination patterns for the samples were similar between FCP and PSP, whereas DA showed different patterns. Sample discrimination through confidence ellipses from DA, FCP, and PSP showed that two consumer-oriented methodologies distinguished samples more clearly than DA. Throughout this study, consumer-oriented profiling methodologies were able to be used to investigate sensory profiles and provide rich information on consumer-derived sensory attributes even for subtly different samples.