Optical Emission Spectroscopy Method Research Articles

A Simple and Rapid Analytical Method for the Determination of Nutrient and Toxic Elements in Nut-Based Milk Alternative Beverages by ICP-OES

Plant-based drinks are non-dairy milk alternative beverages that are nowadays widely consumed across the world. Among them, nut-based milk alternative beverages such as almond drink, walnut drink, and peanut drink are gaining more and more popularity. This study presents the development and validation of an inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) method for the determination of nutrient and toxic metals elements in nut-based drinks. The determined metals were Ag, Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, In, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn. The mineralization process of drink samples was optimized in order to achieve complete dissolution. Under optimized conditions, mineralization of 2 g of the nut-based drinks was achieved by the addition of 3 mL of nitric acid and heating at 120°C for 60 min into Teflon autoclaves. The proposed method was validated in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision, limits of detection (LODs), and limits of quantification (LOQs). The relative standard deviations (RSD%) for all elements were 0.4–10.8%, and the relative recovery values (RR%) were 90.0–109.7%, demonstrating that the method offered good precision and accuracy. The LODs for the determined elements were found to be 0.03–1.08 mg kg−1, while the LOQs were found to be 0.10–3.23 mg kg−1. The developed method was successfully employed for the analysis of different commercial nut-based drinks (e.g., almond-based drinks, walnut-based drinks, peanut-based drinks etc.) obtained from the local market.

Optimization of operational ICP OES parameters and application to PM10 monitoring associated to sugarcane burning

An inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP OES) method was developed for the determination of several metals (As, Ba, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, Sr, Ti, V, and Zn) in particulate matter (PM10) after acid extraction using a digester block. A complete 24 factorial design was employed to explore the best conditions for ICP OES radiofrequency (RF) power, plasma argon flow (P), auxiliary argon flow (A), and carrier argon flow (N). Subsequently, figures of merit consisting of linearity, limits of detection and quantification (LOD and LOQ), and precision (recovery percentages) were evaluated by using the certified reference material (CRM) NBS-SRM-1633a Coal Fly Ash. Findings indicate that the optimum conditions for metal determinations in PM10 by ICP OES are RF = 1200 W; P = 10 L min−1; A = 0.60 L min−1, and N = 0.5 L min−1. Under these optimized conditions, recovery values for the metals detected in the CRM ranged from 81% for Ni to 133% for Fe, with LODs and LOQs between 0.02 ng m−3 and 0.06 ng m−3 for V and 37.1 ng m−3 and 122 ng m−3 for K, respectively, and relative standard deviation (RSD) values lower than 5%, indicating that the proposed optimization provides good accuracy and precision. This methodology was then applied to PM10 samples collected at Campos dos Goytacazes (Rio de Janeiro) during the sugarcane harvest of 2016/2017, in order to assess sugarcane burning impacts on local air quality.

Phase transformations of the nanostructured iron-platinum system upon heating

Joint reduction with hydrazine from aqueous solutions of precursors produced nanostructured powders of the Fe – Pt system in three characteristic phase regions. The samples were subjected to heat treatment in the range up to 800 ° C and characterized at all stages by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy; the elemental composition of the samples was refined by the method of optical emission spectroscopy with inductively coupled plasma. In the initially obtained samples, only a part of the substance is detected by diffraction-the largest, platinum-rich crystals with dimensions of about 10 nm (established from TEM images and broadening of diffraction lines). The fcc-type cubic lattice parameters and the composition of the observed crystals were estimated from the distances between the regular bands in TEM images, identified with atomic rows, based on the composition dependence of the bulk characteristics of mixed iron-platinum phases (according to ICDD databases). In the course of heating, the processes of phase transformation are traced in detail, the parameters of the resulting crystal structures of intermetallic compounds are fixed, and the mechanisms of these transformations are discussed. Based on the measured lattice parameters, the thermal expansion coefficients of some mixed phases are calculated and the phase compositions are estimated at different stages of heat treatment.

Determination of the chemical composition of the residual powder in order to identify the source of release

Particles in suspension come mainly from pollutant emissions generated by industry, traffic, home heating, etc. Due to these particles, various diseases can occur, such as lung cancer, asthma, cardiovascular diseases. An important problem is represented by the particles with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 micrometers, which pass through the nose and throat and enter the alveoli of the lungs causing inflammation and intoxication. This paper aimed to establish the chemical composition of residual powders in a production hall from the automotive industry, to identify the source of release. For this, the infrared spectrometry (FTIR) method, the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) method, and the x-ray spectrometry (XRF) method were used. Two samples of dust from different locations of the production hall were analyzed, as well as a substance used in the process, to determine whether the dust came from its use. A series of safety data sheets for substances used in the technological process was also analyzed. The results obtained from the qualitative and quantitative determinations were evaluated considering the chemical composition of all substances involved, leading to the identification of the residual dust release source.

Uptake and Transport of Ultrafine Nanoparticles (Quantum Dots) in the Nasal Mucosa.

A wide variety of colloidal delivery systems, including polymeric nanoparticles, metal colloids, liposomes, and microemulsions have been reported to enhance the delivery of therapeutic agents across the nasal mucosa. The mechanisms involved in the uptake of these nanomaterials, especially ultrafine nanomaterials (diameters < 20 nm) through the nasal mucosa are not well understood. Fluorescent quantum dots (QDs) were used to investigate the uptake of ultrafine nanoparticles by bovine respiratory and olfactory mucosal tissues following in vitro exposure, and an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy method was developed to quantify the amount of QDs localized within the tissues. QDs do not biodegrade or release their core materials and, as a result, this method allowed for the direct quantification of the nanoparticles themselves, rather than the measurement of a potentially dissociated drug or label. The results demonstrated that carboxylate-modified QDs (COOH-QDs) showed ∼2.5-fold greater accumulation in the epithelial and submucosal regions of olfactory tissues compared to that in respiratory tissues. Endocytic inhibitory studies showed that clathrin-dependent endocytosis, macropinocytosis, and caveolae-dependent endocytic process are all involved in the uptake of COOH-QDs into the respiratory tissues. In olfactory tissues, clathrin-dependent endocytosis is the major endocytic pathway involved in the uptake of COOH-QDs. Additional energy-independent pathways also appeared to allow the transfer of COOH-QDs within the olfactory mucosa. When polyethylene glycol-modified QDs known as PEGylated QDs (PEG-QDs) of similar size, ∼15 nm, were investigated, no nanoparticles were detected in the tissues suggesting that the PEG corona limits the interactions with endocytic and other uptake processes in the nasal epithelium. The capacity for nanoparticle uptake observed in the nasal mucosa, along with the ability of significant numbers of nanoparticles to enter the olfactory tissues using nonenergy-dependent pathways show that the pathways for ultrafine nanoparticle uptake in the nasal tissues have both drug delivery and toxicologic consequences. This places an increased importance on the careful selection of nanoparticle components and drugs intended for intranasal administration.

Numerical and experimental study of an Ar/CO2 plasma in a point-to-plane reactor at atmospheric pressure

The applicability of high voltage electrical discharge to reform Carbon Dioxide (CO2) as an environmental pollutant is a technique extensively proved. By this motive, the study of plasma with pure CO2 or its mixtures with other gases is the current interest.In this work, the physical and technical characteristics of a positive direct-current plasma discharge of an Ar/CO2 mixture in a point-to-plane reactor is experimentally and numerically analyzed, and its dependence on Ar fraction studied.Through the optical emission spectroscopy method, the experiments are performed to analyze the emitted spectra from the plasma discharge of the Ar/CO2 mixture. The rotation, vibration, and excitation temperatures and the electron density are also obtained. It was found that all the temperatures decrease as the argon ratio in the Ar/CO2 mixtures increases.Besides, using a 2D PIC-MCC method, the density of three charged species and excitation temperatures are spatially and temporally computed. At the study conditions, a relatively good experimental/modeling agreement is observed for the density and temperature of electrons. Also, the spatial and temporal variations of electric potential and total current density in the discharge medium are numerically calculated by this model, allow us to know the electric characteristic of the discharge.

Quantitative Assessment of Trace and Macro Element Compositions of Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Storage Roots Enriched with Β-Carotene as Influenced by Genotypes and Growing Locations

Cassava’s important mineral contents depends on some factors, including genetic and growing locational factors. The study aimed to evaluate the influence of genotype and growing locations on the mineral concentrations in yellow-fleshed cassava root genotypes. Twenty-five pipeline yellow-fleshed cassava genotypes and three white-fleshed varieties (check samples) were planted at five different experimental fields for two seasons, each representing the major agroecological zones in Nigeria. Standard laboratory protocols were employed in the sampling to ensure zero contamination, and the trace and macro elements were determined using the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopic method (ICPOES). The trace and macro elements identified in all the genotypes and varieties investigated were Fe, Mn, B, Cu, Mo, Co, Ni, Zn, and Al; Ca, Mg, Na, K. P, and S respectively. Genotype and growing location had a highly significant (p &lt; 0.05) effect on all the trace elements except Ti and Cr. However, there was no interactive effect between genotype and growing location on all the trace elements except for Pb and Zn. Among the explanatory variables, the variable growing location was the most influential on macro and trace elements. Conclusively, genotypes 01/1442 and 01/1273 have outstanding trace and macro element concentrations.

Профильный анализ пленок ферритов-гранатов методом оптической эмиссионной спектроскопии тлеющего разряда

Annotation.The paper presents the results of experiments on the application of the method of optical emission spectroscopy of a glow discharge for the profile analysis of vacuum-deposited single and two-layer films of multicomponent garnet ferrites of various compositions before and after crystallization annealing. The presence of internal and external transition layers was revealed, and the modification of their elemental composition during crystallization, as well as the different sequence of synthesis of individual components in ferrite-garnet heterostructures, was investigated.

Imaging and emission spectroscopy of the submicrosecond plasma generated from copper substrate with nanosecond laser pulses.

In this paper, an experimental investigation of the ablation plasma generated from the copper substrate by means of nanosecond laser pulses is presented. We studied the evolution of the ablation plasma in the first 1000 ns after plasma onset using the fast-gated imaging and optical emission spectroscopy methods. Plasma imaging showed that the expansion of the plume front can be described using a so-called drag model, with the expansion limit increasing with laser fluence from 254 µm for 30J/cm2 to 375 µm for 67J/cm2. By using the Boltzmann plot and Stark broadening methods, it was found that within the first microsecond after onset, the electron excitation temperature and electron number density decrease from 1.2 eV to 0.8 eV and from 4×1016cm-3 to 5×1015cm-3, respectively. Using the McWhirter criterion, we confirmed that in the considered time range the plasma remains in a state of local thermodynamic equilibrium.

Experimental measurement of deuterium concentration and depth profiling in tungsten by radio frequency glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy

For a detailed understanding of fuel retention characterization, especially in-depth profile analysis of plasma-facing materials, radio frequency glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (RF-GDOES) method was applied to determine the deuterium depth concentration. Tungsten or titanium targets were co-deposited in deuterium atmosphere by magnetron sputtering, and these deposited films with different deuterium contents and film thicknesses were used as the standard samples for RF-GDOES measurement. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and thermal desorption mass spectrometry (TDS) were used to measure the metal and deuterium concentrations in the standard films, respectively. After the standardization of deuterium concentration and sample sputtering rate when tested by RF-GDOES, deuterium concentration and depth profiling of deuterium-exposed tungsten samples were obtained and subsequently verified by compared with results by TDS. Results showed the deuterium concentration in deuterium-exposed tungsten has a high concentration peak about 0.002–0.013 at.fr. within 125 nm near-surface, and then reduced by two orders of magnitude from surface to depth with a minimum concentration of few 10−5at.fr. With increasing the incident deuterium fluence, deuterium concentration increased obviously in the first 6 μm near the surface. Under low incident fluence, the total released deuterium amounts obtained from RF-GDOES and TDS methods agree within the experimental error. However, the total released deuterium amounts measured by RF-GDOES were smaller than those of the TDS method under high fluence due to reason of the increasing diffusion depth and inhomogeneity of deuterium in tungsten.

Developing a contamination susceptibility index for the Goreangab Dam in Namibia

The convenience and quality of life provided by dams is highly dependent on the quality of the retained water. Human intervention plays an important role in defining the quality of the retained water as expanding human populations have a large impact on the surrounding environment and the, quality of impounded water. The types and extent of human activities taking place in and around the dam will generally have an effect on the unique physical and chemical properties of water within the reservoir, thereby affecting the biodiversity and related functions thereof.Therefore, the need for comprehensive water quality assessment and reporting tools including contamination susceptibility indices cannot be overemphasized. The study thus aimed at developing a contamination susceptibility index for the Goreangab dam by evaluating the effects of anthropogenic activities on surface water quality through the analysis of the physico-chemical properties of the water column and sediments, an aquatic invertebrate evaluation and pollution risk assessment, using the Pollution Load and the wastewater presence, recreational impact, agricultural impact, size of the watershed, transportation avenues, industrial impact and vegetative ground cover, (WRASTIC) indices.Analytical experimental studies were used as references to methods employed in this research. Water, aquatic invertebrates and sediment samples were collected from 6 sampling sites, selected on the basis of their exposure to anthropogenic activity. The quality parameters investigated included dissolved oxygen, pH, total dissolved solids, chemical oxygen demand, temperature, electric conductivity and select heavy metals Pb, As, Fe, Zn, and Hg. Water and sediment samples were analysed using the Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) methods respectively. These were compared to the allowable limits stipulated in the Namibian Water Act (Act No. 54 of 1956). With the exception of TDS, Electric Conductivity and COD all other physical parameters recorded levels below the national set standard.Metal composition in the water column were all below the allowable limits, decreasing in the order Fe > Zn > Hg > Cd > As > Pb. The sampling stations upstream recorded higher average concentrations of metals in comparison to the downstream areas.The Pollution Load Index (PLI) results indicated deteriorating quality of soil sediments for all sampling stations, with higher deterioration upstream as these areas were privy to sewage and wastewater effluent. The aquatic invertebrate inventory and identification results categorised upstream Goreangab dam as a seriously modified habitat with very poor water quality whereas the downstream areas were found to be moderately modified. The average heavy metal concentrations were found to be below allowable limits for most of the sampling sites. Based on bio-monitoring and soil analyses results, there was indication of poor and deteriorating water quality at all sampling sites.The WRASTIC index indicated that the watershed was at high risk of contamination with a score of 51 and also identified five (5) of the sampling stations as risky areas serving as entry points for pollutants into the dam. The WRASTIC score is subject to a 3-year waver, indicating that the dam will be at a higher risk sooner as activity around the watershed continues to increase. The overall study results suggest that anthropogenic activity is a major factor in the contamination of the watershed and contributes greatly to its vulnerability. Regular screening of the Goreangab dam for sources of pollution will need to take place, along with continuous quality monitoring and assessment for the successful protection and restoration of the dam.

Corrosion behavior of AA2024-T6 and AA6065-T6 alloys in reline

Deep eutectic solvents have been widely acknowledged as ionic liquid analogues, since they share many characteristics and properties with ionic liquids. The two major application areas of deep eutectic solvents have been metal processing and synthesis media; however, plenty of other applications have already been reported and predicted for these liquids. Reline, an eutectic mixture of choline chloride and urea, is a well known representative of deep eutectic solvents. Despite their importance in the contemporary technologies, the knowledge about the corrosivity of deep eutectic solvents is remarkably scarce. This article reports the results on the corrosivity of reline towards two Al alloys, namely AA2024-T6 and AA6065-T6. To measure the corrosion rates and characterize the passive film on the alloys in reline, electrochemical impedance and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy methods were used, and the corrosion product composition was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Surface morphology and Volta potential were imaged by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy. The corrosion tests show that the two alloys are extremely stable in reline, and the passive layer is formed in the first three hours of immersion in the corrosive media. There is no evidence that electrolyte species are incorporated into the Al oxide protective layer through chemical bonding.

Ultrasonic nebulization inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry method for wine analysis

A methodology was developed to determine mineral elements in wines using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry combined with ultrasonic nebulization. The concentration of 36 elements (Al, B, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Dy, Er, Eu, Fe, Gd, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nd, Ni, Pb, Pr, Sb, Sc, Sm, Sr, Tb, Ti, Tm, V, Y, Yb, and Zn) was determined in 59 wine samples and used to distinguish between Brazilian and Spanish wines. The best conditions for the plasma were selected using a two-level factorial design: radiofrequency power 1500 W; plasma gas flow rate 15 L min−1; auxiliary 0.70 L min−1; and nebulizer 0.40 L min−1. An exploratory multivariate analysis by Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was employed to distinguish among the analyzed wines. The elements B, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, and Na were the most abundant in all the wine samples analyzed; Al, Li, Na, Sb, Sr, Tb, and Ti were found in highest concentrations in red wines from Spain; Ce, Dy, and Mn prevailed in white wines from the San Francisco River Valley (Brazil). The grouping of the samples of wine in relation to either being red or white wines was verified by PCA: the concentrations of the elements Cd, Fe, K, Mg, Mo, Ti, and V were significantly higher in the red wine samples. Spanish red wine samples presented lower amounts of the elements Ca, Dy, La, Mn, Nd, Pr, and Tm and greater concentrations of the elements Al, Na, Sb, Sr, and Tb in relation to the Brazilian ones, tending to group them thusly. Brazilian red wine samples presented greater variability in their mineral profile, compared to the Spanish ones.

Rapid analysis of lithium in serum samples by thermal ionization ion mobility spectrometry

A new application of thermal ionization ion mobility spectrometry (TI–IMS) was presented for the fast determination of lithium ion (Li+) in serum samples. This research aims to provide a selective approach to facilitate lithium monitoring for bipolar patients. The method is based on an initial step of quick–burning the organic content of the diluted serum sample on a hot filament followed by the emission of alkali ions remained in the ash. The drift tube temperature was optimized to maximize the separation of signal from the other existing alkali ions, sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+). The filament temperature and the dilution ratio were also optimized for best observation of the Li+ signal among the excess amount of Na+ and K+. The best peak resolution was obtained at 1:200 dilution ratio and drift tube temperature of 160 °C. TI–IMS demonstrated high sensitivity in both diluted standard and serum sample solution (0.21 μM for LOD and 1.50 μM for LOQ). The Relative standard deviation of the lithium determination was obtained to be 5.4%. Method validation was conducted by comparing the results with those obtained through the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP–OES) method. A good agreement between the results was observed indicating that the TI–IMS method can be potentially applied to routine analysis of biological samples. Rapidity, ease of operation and low–cost analysis are superior features of the proposed technique over the traditional approaches.

Plasma diagnostic in LiMn2O4 thin film process for Li-ion battery application

This work reports an advanced plasma-material process comprising the process design, plasma characterization, and surface engineering of LiMn2O4 films deposited by dual RF magnetron sputtering (MS). Several plasma diagnostic techniques integrated with the MS system were carefully utilized for the in-situ process monitoring to control the plasma parameters. Glancing angle deposition is used to create uniform plasma, which assists excellent film uniformity in the central region. Various standard techniques such as XRD, Raman, TEM, and AFM were used to study the characteristic properties of the deposited films. High plasma density that assists high ion energy flux (IF) and high energy tails in the EEPF, deposition of total energy-in-flux (EF) on the substrate, and high optical emission intensities characterized by the excited species of Mn, O, Li, and Ar, respectively, measured by the radio frequency compensated Langmuir probe (LP), energy flux probe, and optical emission spectroscopy (OES) methods at pressures of 0.93 Pa and 1.33 Pa produced LiMn2O4 films with superior crystallinity and smooth microstructure. This work also reports the collective effect of plasma parameters and thermal energy on the growth and properties of LiMn2O4 film intended for Li-ion battery application.

The Research of Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Coatings formed by a low Pressure Thermal Spraying Plasma Torch

To enhance deposit efficiency and improve quality of the coatings of the Yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) formed by the thermal plasma spraying method. A new kind plasma touch with diverging-converging nozzle and an internal powder feedstock were designed. The optical emission spectroscopy method was used for evaluating powder molten and vaporized degrees. The results indicated that the plasma jet produced by the two kinds of plasma gases under the 700 a condition made the feedstock powder of YSZ vaporized partially, but different melting degrees. Denser column microstructure YSZ coatings were first successfully deposited at an arc current of 700 A by using Ar-He-H2 plasma gas. In the Ar-H2 plasma jet, the temperature is higher at the same axial distance. The micro-hardness of the coatings deposited by Ar-He-H2 plasma gases is higher.

The electron number density measurement from needle-to-cylinder gas discharge source in helium at atmospheric pressure

The optical emission spectroscopic methods are applied for the characterization of a newly constructed needle-to-cylinder atmospheric pressure gas discharge source operating in helium. The discharge source comprises stainless steel cathode and graphite anode. The focus of this study is on electron number density Ne measurement employing a dedicated fitting procedure on asymmetric He I 447.2 nm and He I 492.2 nm lines emitted during pulsed and DC voltage regime. In the pulsed regime, Ne = (0.55–0.75) × 1015 cm−3, while during DC voltage excitation, Ne = (1.3–1.7) × 1015 cm−3 was measured. The reliable gas temperature Tg measurement was performed using a Boltzmann plot technique on N2(C3Πu–B3Πg) R2 branch lines. The Tg jump from 780 K to 1720 K is observed when switching from DC to pulsed regime. In both regimes, the increase in current caused the increase in Tg. The gas discharge interaction with water drops located on the anode surface was investigated as well. During the water drop treatment, intensive Fe I originating from cathode material were detected. The tentative explanation is that iron-oxide layers are formed on the cathode surface during the plasma–water interaction with subsequent decomposition in plasma. This feature opens the possibility for analytical application on conductive, liquid samples.

Landing microextraction sediment phase onto surface enhanced Raman scattering to enhance sensitivity and selectivity for chromium speciation in food and environmental samples

The current study explores the first full mode liquid microextraction technique coupled with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and has been successfully applied for chromium speciation in food and environmental matrices. Herein, chromium as chlorochromate anion [CrO3Cl]− and the cationic rhodamine 6G [RG]+ dye has been extracted in organic phase as a complex ion associate [RG+.CrO3Cl−.nS]org at pH ≤ 1.0. Afterwards, the extracted phase was deposited on the surface of the nano-flower shaped silver nanoparticles substrate and the SERS response was monitored against the reagent blank at 1505 cm−1. Substrate characterizations, reaction mechanism assignment, stoichiometry, speciation, analytical applications, selectivity and validation were performed. The analytical procedure exhibits a detection limit of 0.03 µg L−1 under the optimized experimental conditions. The accuracy of the proposed strategy was validated by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry method using student's t- and F tests at 95% confidence.

Biofortification of chromium in fenugreek seeds

BackgroundFenugreek and chromium are known to have anti-diabetic properties and this has been well demonstrated by multiple studies. Researches have been undertaken to study thebiofortification of chromium (Cr3+) in fenugreek. Some of the researchers have studied the biofortification from the soil irrigated with tannery waste water or from soil amended by tannery-sludge, with a view of enhancing the anti-diabetic effect of fenugreek plants. The present research work was also undertaken to increase the chromium content of fenugreek seeds, but through direct treatment of chromium picolinate solution to fenugreek seeds. MethodsFenugreek seeds were procured and divided in four groups having three batches of 10 g seeds- treatment1, treatment2, control1 and control2. Control1 group was kept raw and was given no treatment and control2 group was germinated using double distilled water. Treatment1 and treatment2, on the other hand, were given treatment of 0.02 g and 0.04 g chromium picolinate solution, on first day and 0.01 g and 0.02 g chromium picolinate solution on second day, respectively. The germinated samples were then completely dried, powdered, digested with di-acid mixture and assayed using Inductively Coupled Plasma optical emission spectrometry method for chromium content. The treatment1 sample was selected for further nutritional analysis along with control1 and control2 group to compare the nutritional composition of raw, germinated and chromium treated fenugreek seed flour. Fifteen sprouts from treatment1 group (treatment1A group) and fifteen sprouts from control2 group (control3 group) were sown in earthen pots for the analysis of chromium content in seeds of new plants. ResultsThe fenugreek seeds treated with two different concentrations of chromium picolinate viz. treatment1 and treatment2 group attained 55 and 80 times higher chromium content as compared to control2 group, respectively. All the estimated minerals and bioactive compounds were significantly high (p ≤ 0.01) in germinated fenugreek seed flour and chromium treated fenugreek seed flour compared to raw fenugreek seed flour. Germinated fenugreek seed flour and chromium treated fenugreek seed flour were statistically comparable to each other in respect of all the parameters analysed. Hence, it was evident that enriching fenugreek seeds with chromium, did not affect the nutritional content of fenugreek seed by any mean. Also, there was no significant difference between the chromium content in seeds of control3 group and T1A group. ConclusionsTreatment of fenugreek seeds with chromium solution seems to be an efficient and safe method for increasing their chromium concentration as compared to application of chromium to the soil for biofortification with minimal to no chance of chromium accumulation and inheritance in next generation plants. However, there is a need of more research to see how reliable these observations would be when different chromium salts and/or varied chromium concentration are used.

The Assessment of Carbon Dioxide Dissociation Using a Single-Mode Microwave Plasma Generator

This paper focuses on the dissociation of carbon dioxide (CO2) following the absorption processes of microwave radiation by noncontact metal wire (tungsten). Using a microwave plasma generator (MPG) with a single-mode cavity, we conducted an interaction of microwaves with a noncontact electrode in a CO2 atmosphere. High energy levels of electromagnetic radiation are generated in the focal point of the MPG’s cylindrical cavity. The metal wires are vaporized and ionized from this area, subsequently affecting the dissociation of CO2. The CO2 dissociation is highlighted through plasma characterization and carbon monoxide (CO) quantity determination. For plasma characterization, we used an optical emission spectroscopy method (OES), and for CO quantity determination, we used a gas analyzer instrument. Using an MPG in the CO2 atmosphere, we obtained a high electron temperature of the plasma and a strong dissociation of CO2. After 20 s of the interaction between microwaves and noncontact electrodes, the quantity of CO increased from 3 ppm to 1377 ppm (0.13% CO). This method can be used in space applications to dissociate CO2 and refresh the atmosphere of closed spaces.