Analysis Of Minor Elements Research Articles

THE EVALUATION OF THE ANTICOCCIDIAL PROPERTIES OF AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF MORINGA OLEIFERA

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of the aqueous leaf extract of Moringa oleifera extract on Coccidiosis of chicken. Two hundred and forty (240) broiler birds were experimentally infected with Eimeria tenella and treated with the aqueous leaf extract of M. oleifera at different concentrations (50mg/ml, 100mg/ml, 200mg/ml and 0%). The birds were divided into four groups T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 with three replicates in each group. T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 had percentage mortality rate of 16.7%, 8.3%, 5.0% and 91.7%, respectively. Duncan count was carried out at the end of the experiment for the scoring of haemorrhagic lesions. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that there is a significant difference (p>0.005) between the different levels of inclusion of aqueous leave extract of M. oleifera as was shown in the lesion score. From the study, it is suggested that M. oleifera has great potentials in being used to control coccidiosis in birds given that T 3 had the lowest mortality rate while T 4 (control) had the highest mortality rate. Vitamin and mineral element analysis showed that M. oleifera contains vitamins A, B 1 , B 2 , B 3 , E and C. The minerals M. oleifera contains include calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. The phytochemical analysis and thin layer chromatography of the powdered leaf of M. oleifera revealed the presence of alkaloids, yohimbin; tannins, catechin and epicatechin; saponins, β -hederin; glycosides, kaempferol and quercetin; flavonoids, chlorogenic acid, hyperoside, rutosid, rahmnetin and isorahmnetin and terpenoids, oleanoic acid and β -sitosterol, which have all been shown to have retrogressive effect on microorganisms.

L’analyse isotopique d’éléments essentiels : un nouvel outil pour la médecine ?

AbstractOver the past twenty years, high-precision isotopic analysis of endogenous essential mineral elements in biological media has been considerably developed and has shown its potential as a new marker of metabolism, as a tool for the early diagnosis/prognosis of diseases or to explore new approaches for patient monitoring. Minute variations in isotopic compositions of elements, such as calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), which may occur during the (de)regulation of metabolic processes in which they are involved, have thus been revealed owing to recent technological advances in mass spectrometry. “Isotopic metallomics” is now a discipline that aims to exploit the differential distribution of isotopes of stable elements as a marker of pathological conditions. This recent discipline shows great promise as a new disease probe and opens the way for many developments.

Quantitative analysis of mineral elements in hair and nails using calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Human biomarkers, such as hair and nails, often provide a continuous record of element concentration to indicate the nutritional status and metabolic changes. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), as a rapid detection method without sample preparation, provides a good alternative for measuring mineral elements in hair and nails. For biomedical applications of LIBS, high-precision and high-sensitivity instruments are commonly used in LIBS systems, such as Mechelle 5000 coupled with iStar ICCD. Their high cost limits the wide application of LIBS instruments. In this work, we used a low-cost autofocus LIBS system to obtain the spectral lines directly from hair and nails. The calibration-free LIBS (CF-LIBS) assisted with the standard reference line method was used to quantify the content ratio of Ca/Na and Mg/Na in hair and nails. The results showed that the relative errors between quantitative results of CF-LIBS and ICP-OES were less than 10% in hair and nails, which verified the accuracy of this method. These results illustrated that CF-LIBS assisted with the standard reference line method is a promising tool for biomedicine.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SEEDS AND SEED OIL OF Afraegle paniculata (Rutaceae)

Afraegle paniculata (Schumach. & Thonn.) Engl. commonly known as Nigerian powder-flask is a plant of rutaceae family found in West Africa from Senegal to Nigeria. The chemical composition of seeds and seed oil of Afraegle paniculata were evaluated in this study. The seed oil was obtained by soxhlet extraction using n-hexane. Chemical composition analyses involved proximate, mineral element, physicochemical and phytochemical. The percentage mean value of the proximate analysis revealed that the seeds contained 28.81±0.02 % crude fat, 25.03±0.12 % crude protein, 10.90±0.03 % moisture, 3.11±0.01 % ash, 25.19±0.02 % crude fibre and 6.96±0.14 % carbohydrate. The mineral element analysis result showed that potassium (114.87 mg/l) was the predominant mineral element followed by magnesium (47.20±0.037 mg/l) and sodium (45.37±0.53 mg/l). Other minerals present were calcium (2.12±0.014 mg/l), iron (1.12±0.028 mg/l), copper (0.41±0.002 mg/l), zinc (0.39±0.094 mg/l) and manganese (0.29±0.005 mg/l). The oil was liquid at room temperature and golden yellow in appearance. The recorded pH, acid, peroxide, iodine, saponification, ester and oil yield values were 3.94, 1.29 mgKOH/g, 17.57 meq/kg, 42.24 mgI2/100g, 203.76 mgKOH/g, 202.47 mgKOH/g, 40.77 % w/w respectively . The presence of alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, steroids and anthraquinone were evident in the phytochemical screening of the seed oil. Nutritional profile of A. paniculata seed could offer a scientific basis for use of the seeds and oils both in human diet and some commercial products. Keywords: Afraegle paniculata, proximate, mineral elements, physicochemical and phytochemical.

Authentication of the geographical origin of Guizhou green tea using stable isotope and mineral element signatures combined with chemometric analysis

Guizhou green tea is a provincial-scale protected geographical indication (PGI) product with high value and good reputation. However, induced by economic benefit, deliberate origin mislabeling and adulteration of Guizhou green tea become significant in the market. Reliable methods for authenticating the origins of green tea are therefore needed to counteract deliberate mislabeling and protect genuine Guizhou green tea. In this study, we analyze the signatures of four stable isotope and thirty-one mineral element in green tea samples collected from different provinces of China (Guizhou, Hubei and Guangdong) and different counties of Guizhou province (Duyun, Leishan and Meitan). We show that the δ2H and δ18O values are significantly higher in green tea samples collected from Hubei, which may be attributed to the strong secondary evaporation induced by low relative humidity. We also show that mineral element contents in green tea samples exhibit obvious regional differences, e.g. Fe, Mn, Cu, rare earth elements. These differences are mainly explained by the soil environment (i.e. soil properties, geological background and mineral resources) and are probrally correlated with climate change. Moreover, we investage the possibility of authenticating Guizhou green tea at the provincial and prefectural scales, using stable isotope and mineral element signatures combined with principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and orthogonal projection to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). The prediction accuracies of the LDA and OPLS-DA methods are all greater than 97% under the validation by cross-validation and external validation. The δ2H value and the contents of K, V, Co, Cu, Zn and Ce, are identified as important variables for discrimination between green tea samples collected from the three different provinces. The contents of Dy, Er, Gd, Ho, Sm, Tb, Tm and Yb are key factors for secondary classification of Guizhou green tea samples collected from the three different counties. This strategy combining stable isotope and mineral element analysis is thus a powerful tool for authenticating Guizhou green tea from green tea with differing geographical origins, including those from nearby regions.

Frontispiece: High‐precision isotopic analysis of essential mineral elements: capabilities as a diagnostic/prognostic tool (View 1/2021)

For several essential mineral elements (metals such as Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn), it has been demonstrated in article number 20200094 by Frank Vanhaecke and his colleague that different body compartments may display different isotopic compositions and that disease conditions may alter the isotopic composition of that element in a biofluid and/or tissue. Multi-collector ICP-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) offers the precision required to reveal and quantify such differences in isotope ratios. As a result, high-precision isotopic analysis shows promise as a diagnostic or prognostic tool. This review paper provides the background of such approach and sketches the state-of-the-art.

Thirteenth-century stained glass windows of the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris: An insight into medieval glazing work practices

The restoration of the four northern windows of the 13th century Sainte-Chapelle in Paris from 2011 to 2014 has offered a unique opportunity to investigate the chemical composition and color of medieval glasses. This impressive corpus, covering a total surface of 660 m2, was created in a record time of a few years. The glasses from ten selected panels were analyzed using non-destructive and non-invasive techniques, with a specific consideration for the color of the glasses. Ion beam analyses performed at the New AGLAE facility enabled revealing that all ancient glasses are “potash” type glasses made from plant ashes, likely beech, in agreement with previous results on off-site panels. The multivariate analysis of major and minor elements demonstrates the presence of compositional clusters with a small variability suggesting the identification of bundles of glasses. The coloration of the glasses was measured by optical absorption spectroscopy, using a mobile spectrophotometer over the entire UV–visible-NIR energy range. The color palette is made of six colors assigned to typical medieval recipes. The chromophores of the different glasses are identified by combining the chemical composition, optical absorption spectroscopy and colorimetry. Colorless, yellow and purple glasses arise from the subtle redox equilibrium between manganese and iron. Their reduced usage shows their uncertain production. Blue glasses are colored by Co2+ using saffre from the contemporary German mines, green glasses are colored by Cu2+ and Fe3+ using high concentrations of copper and red glasses are striated glass colored by metallic copper nano-particles. Glass matrix and chromophores form compositional clusters, which are spread among the panels of the four windows suggesting that the glazing of these four windows was run simultaneously by the same atelier using the same supply of glass.

Phytochemical content, antioxidant activity and mineral elements of honey produced by four different species of Malaysian stingless bees

This study investigated the phytochemical composition of honey from four species of Malaysian stingless bee i,e. Tetragonula laeviceps, Geniotrigona thoracica, Lepidotrigona terminata, as well as Heterotrigona itama. The measured phytochemical composition was total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity, pH, colour intensity, and mineral element analysis i.e. Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Zinc (Zn), Potassium (K), and Sodium (Na). The production of honey by the L. terminata had the highest TPC value (6.74±0.57 mg GAE/100 g FW) while the T. laeviceps possesses the highest TFC value (14.85±3.71 mg QE/100 g FW). In the antioxidant activity measurement, honey from the H. itama obtained the highest percentage of 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) inhibition (29.52±0.45%) and honey from T. laeviceps displayed the highest value in the Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) analysis (0.95±0.013 abs). The four distinct stingless bee species’ colour intensity demonstrated the variation of colour intensity in the range of 0.09-0.23 abs mAU. All honey obtained the pH values (4.75-5.03) within the acidic medium. Mg is the major mineral element in all honey samples which is followed by Na, Ca, K, and Zn.

Analysis and evaluation of mineral elements of Chrysanthemum morifolium for medicinal and tea use of different germplasm resources

In this study, 23 germplasm resources of Chrysanthemum morifolium used in medicine and tea were collected from Dabie Mountains and its surrounding producing areas, and the contents of 13 mineral elements were determined and compared. The thermal maps of correlation analysis, principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used for comprehensive evaluation. The results showed that the average content of each element in Ch. morifolium of different germplasm resources was: K>N>P>Mg>Ca>Fe>Mn>Zn>Cu>Ni>Cr>Pb>Cd, and the leaves were: K>N>Ca>Mg>P>Fe>Mn>Zn>Cr>Cu>Ni>Pb>Cd. There are rich contents of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Fe in Ch. morifolium flowers and their leaves, among them, K element has the largest change range, while N, Ca, Fe, Mg and Zn elements have a larger change range. The absorption and accumulation of each element in the leaves of different germplasm resources varied greatly. The correlation analysis shows that there is a strong positive correlation between Ca element, Mg, Mn and Cd element.Principal component analysis in Ch. morifolium flowers characteristic elements for Mn, Cr, Cu, P, K, can be used as a Ch. morifolium resources to identify the characteristics of the elements, choose top five principal component(F1-F5) comprehensive evalua-tion of medicinal Ch. morifolium, scored in the top five varieties for Hangiu-Fuhuangju, Hangju-Xiaoyangju, Hangju-Sheyangju, Hangju-Dayanghua, Hangju-Subeiju,indicates that in terms of mineral elements, the five medicinal Ch. morifolium resources quality is better. The PCA score chart can divide 23 Ch. morifolium resources into 4 groups, and the cluster analysis heat map divides 23 Ch. morifolium resources into 5 groups. All the Ch. morifolium resources of the same type can be well clustered together, indicating that the difference in mineral element content of Ch. morifolium germplasm resources is closely related to genetic factors.

Nutrient availability of selected leafy vegetables at micro green stage grown in vertical gardening

Nutritional composition of some selected leafy vegetables grown in vertical gardening namely Anethum graveolens (Dill), Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fenugreek), Amaranth spp (Green Amaranth), Amaranth cruentus (Red Amaranth) and Spinacia oleracea (Spinach) at their micro green stage were analyzed. The Vitamin C content of the samples ranged from 14.66 to 80mg/100g, Vitamin A was in the range of 0.63-0.66μg/g and Total Carotenoid content varied from 13.67-24.93mg/100g whereas Beta carotene was present in between 2.25-11.94mg/100g. Mineral element analysis showed that the micro greens had moderate level of Calcium (48.60mg/100g-81.50mg/100g), appreciable amount of Iron content in the range of 1.19-4.10mg/100g and little amount of Phosphorous (0.018-0.060%). Carbohydrate content was present in the range of 1.06 and 2.63 g/100g, Protein presence among selected micro green showed variation between 1.26-3.1g/100g. Crude fibre content varied between 14.2-27.88% whereas total phenols was showing difference in values between 58.32- 84.74mg/100g. These results revealed that micro greens contain moderate amount of nutritional composition and can be included in daily diet to meet individuals RDA needed by the body.

Analysis of Total Phenols, Sugars, and Mineral Elements in Colored Tubers of Solanum tuberosum L.

The use of colored tubers of Solanum tuberosum L. is growing worldwide due to their health benefits and attractive color. The positive health effects of purple-fleshed tubers are a result of anthocyanins and various phenolic compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare variety Blue Congo and its cross-breeds of Desiree and Granola to yellow-fleshed tubers. The concentration of total phenols, anthocyanins, sugars, and mineral elements were evaluated in all tubers. The results showed differences between all tested materials, with largest differences in sugar content. Moreover, the results confirmed the preservation of health improving compounds of Blue Congo when cross-bred with yellow-fleshed tubers. The total phenolic content and anthocyanin concentrations of all analyzed tubers were above the comparison yellow ones.

Evaluation of Eight Genotypes of Corn for the Commercial Cultivation of Huitlacoche in Nopalucan, Puebla, Mexico

The infection caused by Ustilago maydis, commonly called huitlacoche, appears in regions of Mexico that produce corn (Zea mays) during seasonal conditions. The infection leads to form galls with high levels of proteins, amino acids, and minerals, providing important benefits to nutrition, and it is also becoming relevant due to its high commercial value, becoming a potential crop for Mexico, Central America, and the United States. The objectives of the present investigation are to evaluate the potential yield per hectare (Kg ha−1) based on the incidence percentage (PI), and severity index (ISE) in eight genotypes of corn, as well as performing proximal chemical analysis and mineral element analysis with the galls obtained via inoculation of the MA-Um1 strain of U. maydis. The experimental unit is made up of eight subgroups of 250 plants here, considering four hybrid and four Creole genotypes of corn used by producers in open fields in Nopalucan, Puebla, Mexico. The Creole creamy-white corn achieved the highest production of huitlacoche (12,759.21 Kg ha−1) here, obtaining an incidence percentage of 73.90%; the highest caloric content (39.90 Kcal per 100 g of fresh mushroom) was recorded in the galls produced from the Asgrow Hawk hybrid, while the highest concentration of zinc (2.33 mg per 100 g) was presented by the AS-722 hybrid.

High‐precision isotopic analysis of essential mineral elements: capabilities as a diagnostic/prognostic tool

AbstractAll elements with two or more isotopes show natural variation in their isotopic composition as a result of the isotope fractionation that accompanies (bio)chemical reactions and (bio)physical processes. Multicollector inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (MC‐ICP‐MS) offers the precision required to reveal and quantify the differences in isotope ratios thus caused, although they are often of sub‐permil magnitude only. Using MC‐ICP‐MS, it has been shown that (a) in different body compartments, essential mineral elements may display different isotopic compositions, and (b) disease conditions may alter the isotopic composition of an essential mineral element in a biofluid and/or tissue. As a result, high‐precision isotopic analysis of these elements is a powerful way to unravel the actual role these essential mineral elements play in specific biochemical processes. Moreover, isotope ratio shifts also show promise as a diagnostic or prognostic tool. Despite the intensive sample pretreatment preceding MC‐ICP‐MS isotopic analysis and the high purchase and running costs of the instrumentation, this approach may be valuable, especially for diseases that can otherwise only be established at a later stage and/or via a more invasive approach. This review paper describes the basics of “biomedical isotopic analysis” and uses selected cases from the literature to sketch the state‐of‐art and illustrate in which context isotope ratio markers could be exploited in a clinical context.

Primary crystallization and partial remelting of chondrules in the protoplanetary disk: Petrographic, mineralogical and chemical constraints recorded in zoned type-I chondrules

Chondrules from unequilibrated ordinary chondrites are among the oldest Solar system materials and preserve mineralogical, chemical and isotopic signatures that link them to their primary formation mechanisms and environments in the early Solar System. Some chondrules record features indicating modifications by high- to low-temperature processes throughout their residence time in the protoplanetary disk. Chondrules that were partially modified after their primary formation record chemical, isotopic and textural information on their initial formation conditions and subsequent reprocessing that are essential to reconstruct their formation environments and interpret the ages recorded by individual chondrules correctly.The detailed textural and major, minor and trace element analyses of two type-I chondrules from the low petrologic type ordinary chondrites MET 00526 and MET 00452 (L/LL3.05) reveal complex chemical and textural systematics bearing testimony of their multi-stage high temperature evolution, including reheating and partial remelting, in the evolving protoplanetary disk prior to accretion into their parent bodies. During primary crystallization of chondrule MET00526_Ch43, mineral growth, including incipient formation of feldspar in the outer parts of the chondrule, led to the fractionation of melt, eventually resulting in a chemical gradient in the mesostasis. During a later punctuated reheating that ultimately led to partial remelting of the outer parts of the chondrule, mesostasis and low-Ca pyroxene remelted partially. This partial remelting enhanced the chemical differences within the mesostasis and led to the formation of two chemically distinct mesostases in the inner and the outer zone of the chondrule with almost complementary abundances of Rb, Na, K, Ba, Sr and Eu. The calculated bulk mesostasis composition reveals chondritic relative abundances of these elements in the bulk chondrule with a slight depletion of the most volatile elements. Chemical and textural observations further indicate that this disequilibrium remelting occurred under more reducing conditions than the primary melting event preserved in the chondrule centre, allowing for the crystallization of a second generation of low-Ca pyroxene in the outer parts of the chondrule. Very similar processes are also recorded in chondrule MET00452_Ch22 with the degree of remelting being more extensive.A previously determined young 26Al-26Mg age of ∼3 Ma after CAIs determined for chondrule MET00452_Ch22 dates the time of the chondrule remelting rather than its primary formation. This is evidence for a late thermal event in the protoplanetary disk and generally indicates that multiple, distinct thermal pulses occurred in the chondrule forming region of the protoplanetary disk throughout the time of chondrule formation. The nonconcentric secondary outer zone around a spherical inner zone may indicate a directed heat source as the cause of partial remelting and reprocessing of primary chondrules.

Chemical Composition of Anthocleista vogelii and Anti-oxidant Effect of Its Methanolic and Acetone Extracts

This study entailed determination of chemical composition of Anthocleista vogelii and anti-oxidant effect of its methanolic and acetone extract. The phytochemical screening of Anthocleista vogelii showed quantitatively the presence of alkaloids, Tannins, Flavonoids, Saponins, Glycoside and phenols. The results from the proximate analysis indicated that the plant contained some important nutrient such as carbohydrate with percentage content of 16.07 – 34.67%, lipid 5.40 – 7.35%, and crude protein 2.23 – 2.41%. The mineral element analysis showed that potassium (K) was 32.6 – 41.1 mg/kg, sodium (Na) 5.41- 6.21 mg/kg, calcium 9.74 – 17.81 mg/kg, magnesium (mg) 5.71 – 32.0 mg/kg and Zn 0.32 – 0.68 mg/kg. The acetone and methanol leaves, stem bark and roots extracts of Anthocleista Vogelii exhibited reasonable scavenging activity in the DPPH (1, 1- diphenyl – 2- picrlhydrazyl) assay. The methnaolic extracts had a better inhibiting ability than acetone extract which could be attributed to higher content of tannin and Saponin in methanolic than acetone extract. The results were discussed with referenced to World Health Organization (WHO) standard of nutritional and medicinal values.

Correction of Secondary Fluorescence Across Phase Boundaries in Electron Probe Microanalysis of Mineral Inclusions.

One of the limiting factors for the analysis of minor elements in multiphase materials by electron probe microanalysis is the effect of secondary fluorescence (SF), which is not accounted for by matrix corrections. Although the apparent concentration due to SF can be calculated numerically or measured experimentally, detailed investigations of this effect for fine-grained materials are scarce. In this work, we use the Monte Carlo simulation program PENEPMA to examine and correct the effect of SF affecting micron-sized mineral inclusions hosted by other minerals. A concentration profile across an olivine [(Mg,Fe)2SiO4] inclusion in chromite (Fe2+Cr2O4) is measured and used to assess the reliability of calculations, where different boundary geometries are examined. Three application examples are presented, which include the determination of Cr in olivine and serpentine [Mg3Si2O5(OH)4] inclusions hosted by chromite and of Fe in quartz (SiO2) inclusions hosted by almandine garnet (Fe3Al2Si3O12). Our results show that neglecting SF leads to concentrations that are overestimated by ~0.1–0.8 wt%, depending on inclusion size. In addition, assuming a straight boundary yields to an underestimation of SF effects by a factor of ~2–4. Because its long-range nature, SF severely compromises trace element analyses even for phases as large as 1 mm in size.

Analysis of Minerals and Heavy Metals Using ICP-OES and FTIR Techniques in Two Red Seaweeds (Gymnogongrus griffithsiae and Asparagopsis taxiformis) from Tunisia.

In this study, the mineral and heavy metals (arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), mercury (Hg), potassium (K), manganese (Mn), sodium (Na), phosphorus (P), and lead (Pb)) in two red Tunisian seaweeds Gymnogongrus griffithsiae (G. griffithsiae) and Asparagopsis taxiformis (A. taxiformis), were evaluated. Mineral and trace element analyses were achieved using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to predict the major functional groups that would be implicated in the seaweeds mineral uptake. Our results showed that the studied A. taxiformis species had much higher mineral and heavy metal concentrations than G. griffithsiae. Na (200.60 mg/kg) was the most abundant element followed by K (137.84 mg/kg) > P (35.93 mg/kg) for A. taxiformis species. However, only Na (165.23 mg/kg) and P (51.19 mg/kg) were detected in G. griffithsiae alga. As regards heavy and toxic metals, allowable concentrations have been found in both seaweeds. The concentration ranges for the most undesirable heavy metals were as follows: Pb (0.39-0.51 mg/kg), As (0.11-0.40 mg/kg), Cd (0.01-0.02 mg/kg), and Hg (0.00-0.02 mg/kg). According to FTIR analysis, the major functional groups present in the studied seaweeds were carboxyl, hydroxyl, sulfate, and phosphate groups that are considered as excellent binding sites for metal retention.

Geographic origin discrimination of pork from different Chinese regions using mineral elements analysis assisted by machine learning techniques

Porkis thelargest-producedandmost-consumedmeat intheworld, and the food market globalization has increased public attention to food origin. Therefore, advanced techniques are required to determine the geographical origin of pork. This study investigated the prospects of using fingerprint analysis of mineral elements and machine learning to facilitate the traceability of pork origin in China. The results showed that each of seven regions had a characteristic element content profile. To improve the performance of the origin traceability model, popular machine learning techniques in food authenticity were introduced. This resulted in a high-performance origin tracing model. Comparing various machine learning algorithms, the feedforward neural network achieved superior performance with an overall accuracy of 95.71% and area under the curve close to one. Thus, this study proves that mineral elements analysis assisted by machine learning can be applied to distinguish pork samples within a country.

In situ techniques for classifying apatite in coal

Calcium phosphate apatite, Ca5 (PO4)3(OH,F,Cl), is a common accessory mineral in coal seams. Although minor, its role in hosting phosphorus (P) and fluorine (F) can reduce the economic viability of coking and thermal coal deposits. Apatite in coal is commonly <50 μm and may have several modes of occurrence. The modes of occurrence investigated as part of this study include apatite infilling small (i.e. less than 30 μm) cell lumens of fusinite and semifusinite macerals (pore-apatite); apatite infilling fractures (fracture-apatite); apatite occurring as discrete crystals in organic layers or in lithic lenses or bands (detrital-apatite); and apatite nodules or encrustations on silicate minerals (encrusting-apatite). However, the small size of the apatite and its intermixed relationship with the coal and other mineral matter precludes separating the apatite from the coal for analysis and has implications for commercial beneficiation. Therefore, this study documents the trialling of different in situ techniques for evaluating the halogens, specifically F, within these different apatite micro-crystals in polished mounts. In general, standards-based, fully quantitative analysis of major and minor elements (including F, Cl) was accomplished using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). This in conjunction with electron backscatter diffraction was used to evaluate the measured halogen contents for the different apatites and confirmed that all of the apatites are technically fluorapatite with F contents >1 wt%. However, the small crystallite size of the encrusting-apatites and the pits on the polished surface of the detrital-apatites intermixed with the coal layers hindered determining the halogens by this method. Although, all of the apatites in the coals were able to be analysed by infrared spectroscopy, both the combined kaolinite and apatite spectra, and the noise in the spectra at the lower wavelengths hindered evaluating the F in the apatites using this method. Despite these limitations, the findings of this study show that EPMA is probably the most suitable analytical technique for determining the halogen contents of the different modes of apatites in situ in coal pellets. Future work should focus on determining whether the modes of occurrence reflect paragenesis.

Comparative Phytochemical, Proximate and Some Mineral Composition of the Leaves and Stem Bark of Spondia mombin (L. anacardiaceae)

Aims: Quantitative phytochemical, proximate and some mineral content of the leaves and stem bark of Spondia mombin, a plant commonly found in Southern Nigeria was studied with a view of ascertaining their nutritional potential and justification for their ethnopharmacological uses.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the research Laboratory of the Department of Biochemistry, Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, between February – March 2019.&#x0D; Methodology: Proximate composition, quantitative phytochemical, and mineral contents of the samples were studied using standard analytical methods of the Association of Analytical Chemist (AOAC).&#x0D; Results: Proximate analysis of the leaves and stem bark showed that there was no significant difference (P between the carbohydrate and protein content of both leaves and stem bark while the stem bark had significantly higher (P values for ash, fat and fibre when compared to the leaves which incidentally had significantly higher (P moisture content. Quantitative phytochemical analysis revealed that there was no significant difference (P between the leaves and stem bark with reference to tannin, oxalate and phytate, the stem bark, however, showed significantly higher (P values for alkaloids, saponin and cyanogenic glycosides when compared to the leaves, although flavonoids and phenols were significantly (P higher in the leaves. Mineral (elemental) analysis of both leaves and stem bark indicated the presence of macro and micro minerals in varying amounts.&#x0D; Conclusion: These findings indicated that S. mombin contained an appreciable amount of nutrients and minerals which could be included in the diet to supplement our daily nutrients and animal feeds, while the presence of the phytochemical may justify their use in ethnomedicine for the prevention, treatment and management of diverse health challenges, the phytochemicals may also act as lead compounds in the development of new drugs to counteract the present drug-resistant phenomenon.