Mixture Of Compounds Research Articles

Short-Term Exposure to Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Monoxide and Risk of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Over the past decades, particulate matter (PM), especially fine PM <2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) has been a major research focus. However, the air pollutant is a mixture of gases or vapour-phase compounds, such as carbon monoxide (C), nitrogen oxides (NOx), photochemical oxidants (Ox), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Little is known about their cardiovascular effect, individually or in combination with PM. Thus, we aimed to determine the associations between the incidence of acute cardiac events and both gaseous and PM using a case-crossover design. Cardiovascular cases were identified through the Gunma Prefectural Ambulance Activity Database in Japan in 2015 (1,512 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest [OHCA] and 1,002 heart failures from 53,006 ambulance cases). Air quality data from the nearest station was for day of the arrest (lag0) and 1-2 days before the arrest (lag1, lag2) and the moving average across days 0-1 (lag0-1). Conditional logistic regression was used for unadjusted and adjusted analysis for temperature and humidity. Independent associations of OHCA were daily concentrations of SO2 at lag1 (OR 1.173, 95%CI 1.004, 1.370; p=0.044) and lag0-1 (OR 1.203, 95%CI 1.015, 1.425; p=0.033); and daily NO concentrations at lag2 (OR 1.039, 95%CI 1.007, 1.072; p=0.016). The incidence of heart failure was significantly associated with daily concentrations of Ox on the day of the event in univariable model but not after adjustment for temperature and humidity. No associations were found for other pollutants. Short-term exposure to SO2 and NO are associated with an increased risk of OHCA.

Standardization of Chromatographic Screening Methods for Organic Extractables and Leachables by Managing Outcomes.

Drug products and medical devices can contain leachable impurities that could adversely affect patient health during their clinical use. To establish patient exposure to leachables, drug products and packaging, manufacturing system, or medical device extracts are analytically screened for leachables or extractables. For organic extractables/leachables, the screening process typically involves a chromatographic separation coupled with an information-rich detection method. Information contained in the detector response (e.g., the chromatographic peak) is processed to establish quantities and to elucidate identities for the detected compounds. Organic extractables and leachables screening methods and procedures have proliferated with little, if any, attempt at standardization, creating the situation in which virtually every testing laboratory has their own analytical testing and data processing methodology. This raises the possibility that two different labs screening the same extract or drug product would report extractables or leachables profiles that differ in the number of compounds reported, the identities of the reported compounds, and the extracted (or leached) amounts of the identified compounds. Although standardization of the screening methods and procedures themselves would reduce lab-to-lab variation, such an approach would be difficult to implement. Thus, standardization of the screening outputs by setting quality standards for the outputs is considered. For example, the method's ability to detect a broad cross-section of potential extractables/leachables is established by testing a test mixture of representative compounds. Additionally, this author proposes that reported compound identities should be confident to be used in safety risk assessment; use of lower quality identities requires that the lower quality be accounted for in the assessment, perhaps by use of an uncertainty factor. Similarly, it is proposed that reported concentrations should be semi-quantitative to be used in safety risk assessment; use of lower quality concentrations requires that the lower quality be accounted for in the safety risk assessment, perhaps by use of an uncertainty factor.

Evaluation of Polymer Self-Coating on Aluminized Silica Support as Stationary Phase for High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

The physical adsorption of a polymer, poly(3,3,3-trifluoropropylmethylsiloxane), on aluminized silica particles, without any additional procedure for polymer immobilization, was studied for 180 days to evaluate the new chromatographic support. Morphological, structural, and chromatographic evaluations of the stationary phase were assessed. After the 15th day of adsorption, a sufficient polymer amount adsorbs onto the aluminized silica particles to separate mixtures of compounds in reversed-phase mode. However, after the 60th day, the polymer layer adhesion occurs more strongly, self-coating the aluminized silica particles. The self-coated stationary phases after 60 days showed similar chromatographic profiles with low hydrophobicity and more interactions with polar compounds, characteristics arising from the fluorinated polymer. The aluminized silica support firmly adhered to the polymer layer, resulting in a separation material chemically stable at alkaline conditions, suggesting a surface reactivity like other well-established supports without asymmetrical peaks for polar compounds.

Paternal occupational exposures and infant congenital heart defects in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study

Few prospective studies have investigated the association between paternal occupational exposures and risk of infant congenital heart defects (CHDs). We investigated the associations between paternal occupational exposures, frequency of use, and concurrent or sequential exposure to a mixture of compounds and the risk of infant CHDs. Our study examined 28,866 participants in the Japan Environment and Children's Study. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) associated with paternal occupational exposures during the 3 months until pregnancy was noticed after adjustment for potential confounding factors of the infant CHDs. CHD diagnosis was ascertained from medical record. In total, 175 were diagnosed with infant CHDs. The number of fathers who were exposed to the following substances at least once a month were: 11,533 for photo copying machine/laser printer, 10,326 for permanent marker, 8,226 for soluble paint/inkjet printer, 6,188 for kerosene/petroleum/benzene/gasoline, 4,173 for organic solvents, 3,433 for chlorine bleach/germicide, 2,962 for engine oil, 2,931 for insecticide, 2,460 for medical sterilizing disinfectant, 1,786 for welding fumes, 1,614 for dyestuffs, 1,247 for any products containing lead-like solder, 986 for herbicide, 919 for radiation/radioactive substances/isotopes, 837 for lead-free solder, 341 for microbes, 319 for formalin/formaldehyde, 301 for agricultural chemical not listed above or unidentified, 196 for general anesthetic for surgery at hospital, 171 for anti-cancer drug, 147 for chromium/arsenic/cadmium, 88 for mercury and 833 for other chemical substances. Paternal occupational exposure regularly to photo copying machine or laser printer and soluble paint/inkjet printer were associated with higher risks of infant CHDs: the adjusted ORs (95%CIs) were 1.38 (1.00-1.91) and 1.60 (1.08-2.37), respectively. The higher risks were also observed for occasional exposure to engine oil, any products containing lead-like solder lead-free solder, and microbes; the adjusted ORs (95%CIs) were 1.68 (1.02-2.77), 2.03 (1.06-3.88), 3.45 (1.85-6.43), and 4.51, (1.63-12.49), respectively. Periconceptional paternal occupational exposure was associated with a higher risk of infant CHDs. Further studies using biomarkers of the association between paternal occupational exposure and infant CHDs are warranted.

ЦИТОТОКСИЧНОСТЬ ПИРАНОПИРИДОНОВ С ТРИПТАМИНОВЫМ ФРАГМЕНТОМ

New derivatives of pyrano[3,2-c]pyridones III 5, 10, 15, 18 were synthesised by threecomponent reaction of pyridonotryptamines I, aromatic aldehydes II and malononitril. Pyridonotryptamines I were synthesised by reaction of tryptamines (these compounds were obtained by Grandberg reaction of arylhydrazines with γ-halogencarbonyl compounds) with 4-hydroxy- 6-methyl-2H-pyran- 2-on. The aromatic aldehydes II 1, 5, 6, 9 are commercially available compounds. Boiling a mixture of compounds I, II and malononitril (molar ratio 1:1.1:1.1) in ethyl alcohol in the presence of triethylamine gives the target compounds III 5, 10, 15, 18. The product yields 44–75%. The structure of pyrano[3,2-c]pyridones with tryptamine fragment III (four compounds) was proved by 1H NMR and confirmed by elemental analysis. Compounds III 1–4, 6–9, 11–14, 16 and 17 were synthesised earlier by a similar procedure. The cytotoxicity of the synthesised compounds III 1–18 was determined in vitro using the MTT test on human cell cultures A549 (lung carcinoma) and HCT116 (colorectal carcinoma). Camptothecin and daunorubicin were used as reference drugs. The value of the concentration inducing 50% inhibition of the cell growth (IC50, μM) was determined from the dose-response curves using GraphPad Prism 9 software. Compounds III 3 (R1=R2=Br, Ar=2,5-di-OMe-С6Н3,) III 4 (R1=R2=Br, Ar=4-F-С6Н4), III 6 (R1=Ме, R2=Н, Ar=2,4,5-tris-OMe-С6Н2), III 13 (R1=R2=Br, Ar=Ph), III 14 (R1=R2=Br, Ar=2,3-di-OMe-С6Н3) and III 16 (R1=R2=Br, Ar=Py) showed the best results for A549 and HCT116 cultures. The effect of the most active compounds III 3 and III 4 on the cell cycle and apoptosis was studied on Jurkat cell culture (human acute T-cell leukemia). Compounds III 3 and III 4 showed significant cytotoxicity against the Jurkat line in the resazurin test – 1.47 ± 0.06 and 4.56 ± 0.19 μM, respectively, comparable to the cytotoxicity of the reference drug camptothecin of 1.24 ± 0.05 μM. Based on the flow cytometry results, it is suggested that the effect is manifested by some (possibly reversible) cell cycle arrest in the presynthetic phase.

Brazilian berry waste as a source of bioactive compounds: grumixama (Eugenia brasiliensis Lam.) as a case study.

Grumixama, Eugenia brasiliensis Lam., is a Brazilian berry little explored commercially and scientifically. However, local small producers market this fruit in the form of frozen pulp, which generates bioresidues, composed of seeds and peels. With the view to propose strategies for valuing grumixama, this study aimed to determine the chemical composition and assess the bioactivities of the hydroethanolic extracts of the whole residue (GR), seed (GS) and peel (GP) fractions of E. brasiliensis. From the results, GP had the highest concentration of organic acids (oxalic, malic, ascorbic and citric acids), total tocopherols, condensed tannins, anthocyanins, and other flavonoids. On the other hand, GS showed the highest content of monounsaturated fatty acids and hydrolysable tannins, whereas GR displayed a mixture of compounds detected in each of its parts. Regarding the bioactivities, low extract concentrations were required in two in vitro antioxidant assays, namely TBARS (EC50 = 0.90-1.34 μg mL-1) and OxHLIA (IC50 = 21-65 μg mL-1). Furthermore, GP had the highest inhibition activity of cellular oxidation in the CAA assay (80 ± 0.6%), while GS showed the highest anti-inflammatory activity via nitric oxide production inhibition (EC50 = 98.0 ± 0.5 μg mL-1). All samples induced cell growth inhibition of the tested tumor cells (GI50 = 14.7-186 μg mL-1) besides antibacterial and antifungal effects at low concentrations, but all samples were harmful to normal cells at moderate concentrations (GI50 = 145-268 μg mL-1). Therefore, E. brasiliensis residue could be a good source of bioactive compounds to be used in several areas. However, additional studies are needed to confirm its safety as well as to unravel the mechanisms behind its biological activities.

Cerebrolysin Use in Stroke and Spinal Cord Injury: Review of the Literature and Outcomes

Cerebrolysin (CBL) is a porcine brain-derived preparation with noticeable neurotrophic and neuroprotective activity. Treatment with CBL has significant potential to treat various debilitating neurological diseases such as traumatic brain injuries, ischemic stroke, and spinal cord injury. Although using CBL is not approved in the United States, about 50 countries have used it in clinics. CBL is a drug similar to neurotrophins with a multimodal action that effectively helps the central nervous system (CNS) and brain function properly through the protection, maintenance, and regeneration of the neural system. Furthermore, the safety and efficacy of CBL were approved following several clinical trials. Recent studies have shown its neurorecovery potential besides the neuroprotection ability. In addition, CBL efficacy has been reported in patients with moderate-to-severe strokes. A significant effect of CBL was observed in combination with neurorehabilitation versus neurorehabilitation alone. Following spinal cord injury (SCI), a cascade of neurochemical alteration happens in neural cells, including a reduction in producing neurotrophic and growth factors that lead to neural death. Previous studies indicated that exogenous compounds and supplements of different NTFs improve the spinal cord neuroprotection after injury. Among the existing drugs, CBL could be a valuable candidate, a compound mixture of various NTFs with multimodal action.

A REVIEW OF POSTBIOTICS AS NEW HEALTH PROMOTERS

For a long time, probiotics have been widely used as safe microorganisms that can confers a health benefit effects on the host, directly or indirectly. Recently, postbiotics have gained interest as new health promoters. Postbiotics have recently been defined as complex mixture of functional bioactive compounds secreted by probiotics during a fermentation process (such as biosurfactants, proteins, short chain fatty acids, organic acids, bacteriocins, vitamins etc.). According to current data, postbiotics have advantages over live probiotics with regard to: ease extraction, standardization, and storage, availability for industrial-scale-up, specific mechanism of action, impossible to transfer and acquire antibiotic resistance genes and their interaction with the cellular receptors to trigger the targeted responses. However, several aspects related to postbiotics have not been fully elucidated. Here, we provided a critical review of the postbiotic definition, mechanisms of action, underlying their beneficial effects, as well as current trends for applications in foods and pharmaceuticals.

Experimental Study of Distillation Equipment for Making Essential Oils from Citronella Plants using the Fractionation Column Method

In Indonesia, in general, it has a very abundant natural resource potential, one of which is lemongrass. Lemongrass is still not widely cultivated in Indonesia, this plant is processed and processed into essential oils, it will get a high selling value. Currently, the development of essential oils is a considerable concern of the Indonesian government. Of the various raw materials for making essential oils, one of the raw material plants for essential oils in Indonesia that is good to be developed is citronella. The purpose of this study was to examine experimentally the manufacture of citronella oil (Citronella oil) from the leaves and stems of citronella. Citronella oil is generally used for health, ranging from bacteria and fungi, headaches, to hypertension and is also used as aromatherapy. The advantage of the fractionation column method is the process of separating the components from the Constituent substances of a mixture of solution compounds based on the difference in boiling points by using multilevel distillation, so as to produce good quality essential oils with low water content. From three Tests of essential oil distillation apparatus with fractionation column of citronella, the results of the first test is as much as 940 ml with a mass of 920 gr and a density of 978.2 kg/m3, the second test results obtained as much as 80 ml with a mass of 70 gr and a density of 875 kg/m3, the third test results obtained as much as 70 ml with a mass of 50 gr and a density of 714.2 kg/m3. The average density from the first to the third Test was 855.8 kg / m3. The combustion temperature in the reactor tank is very influential on the duration of combustion and the number of results that come out and the quality of the results obtained.

Phenolic Extract from Extra Virgin Olive Oil Induces Different Anti-Proliferative Pathways in Human Bladder Cancer Cell Lines

Regular consumption of olive oil is associated with protection against chronic-degenerative diseases, such as cancer. Epidemiological evidence indicates an inverse association between olive oil intake and bladder cancer risk. Bladder cancer is among the most common forms of cancer; in particular, the transitional cell carcinoma histotype shows aggressive behavior. We investigated the anti-proliferative effects of a phenolic extract prepared from an extra virgin olive oil (EVOOE) on two human bladder cancer cell lines, namely RT112 and J82, representing the progression from low-grade to high-grade tumors, respectively. In RT112, the EVOOE reduced cell viability (IC50 = 240 μg/mL at 24 h), triggering a non-protective form of autophagy, evidenced by the autophagosome formation and the increase in LC-3 lipidation. In J82, EVOOE induced a strong decrease in cell viability after 24 h of treatment (IC50 = 65.8 μg/mL) through rapid and massive apoptosis, assessed by Annexin V positivity and caspase-3 and -9 activation. Moreover, in both bladder cancer cell lines, EVOOE reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species, but this antioxidant effect was not correlated with its anti-proliferative outcomes. Data obtained suggest that the mixture of phenolic compounds in extra virgin olive oil activates different anti-proliferative pathways.

Pingyin Rose Essential Oil Restores Intestinal Barrier Integrity in DSS-induced Mice Colitis Model

Rosa rugosa cv. Plena is a ‘drug homologous food’ in China with a long history. Pingyin rose essential oil (PREO) is a mixture of compounds extracted from blooming R. rugosa cv. Plena. With its elegant smell and excellent effects on oxidative stress and inflammation alleviation, PREO is wildly used in the food industry as a popular additive. We aimed to decipher if the PREO could alleviate and restore dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced barrier integrity damages. The results showed that a 7-day PREO (15 μL/kg) treatment alleviated the colitis symptoms by improving disease activity index (DAI) scores through weight loss, occult blood, and colon shortening. The expression of tight junction proteins and the enzyme activities of superoxide dismutases (SOD), and catalase (CAT) increased while nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) production decreased in PREO-treated BALB/c female mice. PREO treatment inhibited the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6. Further, PREO modulated the composition of the gut microbiota and Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed a positive effect. The transcriptome analysis and western blot results indicated that PREO might ameliorate intestinal barrier dysfunction in this study via the TLR4-NF-kB signaling pathway. We hypothesized that PREO has preventive potential against gut disorders and could serve as a functional food additive.

Phytoremediation of nickel and zinc using Jatropha curcas and Pongamia pinnata from the soils contaminated by municipal solid wastes and paper mill wastes

The primary source of soil pollution is a complex mixture of numerous inorganic and organic compounds (including chlorinated compounds, nutrients, and heavy metals, etc.). The presence of all of these compounds makes remediation and cleanup difficult. In this study, the phytoremediation ability of Jatropha curcas and Pongamia pinnata was tested to remove nickel (Ni) and Zinc (Zn) from paper mill and municipal landfill contaminated soils, to understand the uptake potential and to estimate the accumulation pattern of Ni and Zn in the vegetative parts of the plant. The experiments were carried out in pots (3 kg capacity) and the different combinations of soil were made by mixing the contaminated soil with a reference soil (forest soil) as T0, T25, T50, T75 and T100. The plant biomass, chlorophyll content, proline, nitrate reductase activity and metal removal efficiency (%)were determined after 120 DAS (i.e., the days after sowing). The results of the study showed that with increasing metal stress, there is a reduction in the above-ground biomass content in both the plant species with a slightly less impact on the root biomass. Over a period of 4 months, J. curcas and P. pinnata removed 82–86% and 93-90% Ni, respectively. The removal of Zn was significantly less as compared to Ni as most of the Zn remained in the belowground part (roots) and in the soil. Besides, the phytostabilization capacities of the plants were calculated on the basis of their tolerance index (TI), bioaccumulation factor (BAF) and translocation factor (TF). The low BAF and TF values with increasing heavy metals (HMs) content indicates its higher phytostabilization capacity in the root and rhizospheric region as compared to phytoaccumulation.

Quantitative analysis of ToF-SIMS data of a two organic compound mixture using an autoencoder and simple artificial neural networks.

Matrix effects cause a nonlinear relationship between ion intensities and concentrations in mass spectrometry, including time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Here, two artificial neural network (ANN)-based methods, autoencoder-based and simple ANN methods, were employed for the quantitative and qualitative analyses of a two organic compound mixture via ToF-SIMS. The multilayer model sample contained a mixture of Irganox 1010 and Fmoc-pentafluoro-L-phenylalanine (Fmoc-PFLPA). The sample's positive and negative ion depth profiles were collected through ToF-SIMS. ToF-SIMS-derived cross-sectional image datasets were analyzed using three unsupervised methods, namely principal component analysis (PCA), multivariate curve resolution (MCR), and use of a sparse autoencoder (SAE). The supervised simple ANN method was optimized based on the spectra and validated by predicting the test dataset ratios of Irganox 1010. The results obtained using the SAE demonstrated linear calibration curves and appropriate material distribution images. The Irganox 1010 and Fmoc-PFLPA positive and negative ion datasets exhibited >0.97 correlation coefficients. The PCA and MCR results demonstrated lower linearity than that of SAE. Moreover, SAE weights indicated the ions important for each organic compound. The simple ANN method accurately predicted the ratios in the test dataset and indicated the important ions. Both the supervised and unsupervised methods based on ANN, which were employed in regulating nonlinear relationships, were effective in the quantitative and qualitative analyses of the ToF-SIMS data of the two organic compound mixtures. Regarding qualitative analysis, both ANN-based methods indicated specific ions from the molecules in the sample.

Standard Water Generating Vials for Lipophilic Compounds

The study of non-polar compounds in aqueous environments has always been challenging due to their poor solubility in aqueous media. The low affinity of non-polar compounds toward polar solutions facilitates their attachment to glassware, which results in unstable sample concentrations. To address this challenge, and to enable the preparation of a stable mixture of hydrophobic compounds in an aquatic environment, we introduce an in-vial standard water generating system consisting of a vial containing appropriate aqueous solution and a polydimethylsiloxane thin film spiked with target compounds. In this system, a solution with a stable analyte concentration is attained once equilibrium between the thin-film and aqueous solution has been achieved. The developed standard water system was studied using endocannabinoids and phospholipids as model hydrophobic compounds of biological importance, with results indicating that the concentration of hydrophobic compounds in water can remain stable over multiple days. The results also showed that analytes released from the thin film can compensate for analyte loss due to extractions with solid-phase microextraction fibers, thereby re-establishing equilibrium. Thus, the vial is suitable for the repeatable generation of non-polar standards for routine analysis and quality control. The results of this work show that the developed system is stable and reproducible and therefore appropriate for studies requiring the measurement of free concentrations and accurate quantification.

Fungal co-culture improves the biodegradation of hydrophobic VOCs gas mixtures in conventional biofilters and biotrickling filters

The present study systematically evaluated the potential of Candida subhashii, Fusarium solani and their consortium for the abatement of n-hexane, trichloroethylene (TCE), toluene and α-pinene in biofilters (BFs) and biotrickling filters (BTFs). Three 3.2 L BFs packed with polyurethane foam and operated at a gas residence time of 77 s with an air mixture of hydrophobic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were inoculated with C. subhashii, F. solani and a combination of thereof. The systems were also operated under a BTF configuration with a liquid recirculating rate of 2.5 L h-1. Steady state elimination capacities (ECs) of total VOCs of 17.4 ± 0.7 g m−3 h−1 for C. subhashii, 21.2 ± 0.8 g m−3 h−1 for F. solani and 24.4 ± 1.4 g m−3 h−1 for their consortium were recorded in BFs, which increased up to 27.2 ± 1.6 g m−3 h−1, 29.2 ± 1.9 g m−3 h−1, 37.7 ± 3.3 g m−3 h−1 in BTFs. BTFs supported a superior biodegradation performance compared to BF, regardless of the VOCs. Moreover, a more effective VOC biodegradation was observed when C. subhashii and F. solani were grown as a consortium. The microbial analysis conducted revealed that the fungi initially introduced in each BF represented the dominant species by the end of the experiment, with C. subhashii gradually overcoming F. solani in the system inoculated with the fungal consortium.

Hepatoprotective Activity of Lignin-Derived Polyphenols Dereplicated Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry, In Vivo Experiments, and Deep Learning.

Chronic liver diseases affect more than 1 billion people worldwide and represent one of the main public health issues. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) accounts for the majority of mortal cases, while there is no currently approved therapeutics for its treatment. One of the prospective approaches to NAFLD therapy is to use a mixture of natural compounds. They showed effectiveness in alleviating NAFLD-related conditions including steatosis, fibrosis, etc. However, understanding the mechanism of action of such mixtures is important for their rational application. In this work, we propose a new dereplication workflow for deciphering the mechanism of action of the lignin-derived natural compound mixture. The workflow combines the analysis of molecular components with high-resolution mass spectrometry, selective chemical tagging and deuterium labeling, liver tissue penetration examination, assessment of biological activity in vitro, and computational chemistry tools used to generate putative structural candidates. Molecular docking was used to propose the potential mechanism of action of these structures, which was assessed by a proteomic experiment.

Utilizing Soil Density Fractionation to Separate Distinct Soil Carbon Pools.

Soil organic matter (SOM) is a complicated mixture of different compounds that span the range from free, partially degraded plant components to more microbially altered compounds held in the soil aggregates to highly processed microbial by-products with strong associations with reactive soil minerals. Soil scientists have struggled to find ways to separate soil into fractions that are easily measurable and useful for soil carbon (C) modeling. Fractionating soil based on density is increasingly being used, and it is easy to perform and yields C pools based on the degree of association between the SOM and different minerals; thus, soil density fractionation can help to characterize the SOM and identify SOM stabilization mechanisms. However, the reported soil density fractionation protocols vary significantly, making the results from different studies and ecosystems hard to compare. Here, we describe a robust density fractionation procedure that separates particulate and mineral-associated organic matter and explain the benefits and drawbacks of separating soil into two, three, or more density fractions. Such fractions often differ in their chemical and mineral composition, turnover time, and degree of microbial processing, as well as the degree of mineral stabilization.

Biotechnological Applications of Nanoencapsulated Essential Oils: A Review.

Essential oils (EOs) are complex mixtures of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds that originate from different plant tissues, including flowers, buds, leaves and bark. According to their chemical composition, EOs have a characteristic aroma and present a wide spectrum of applications, namely in the food, agricultural, environmental, cosmetic and pharmaceutical sectors. These applications are mainly due to their biological properties. However, EOs are unstable and easily degradable if not protected from external factors such as oxidation, heat and light. Therefore, there is growing interest in the encapsulation of EOs, since polymeric nanocarriers serve as a barrier between the oil and the environment. In this context, nanoencapsulation seems to be an interesting approach as it not only prevents the exposure and degradation of EOs and their bioactive constituents by creating a physical barrier, but it also facilitates their controlled release, thus resulting in greater bioavailability and efficiency. In this review, we focused on selecting recent articles whose objective concerned the nanoencapsulation of essential oils from different plant species and highlighted their chemical constituents and their potential biotechnological applications. We also present the fundamentals of the most commonly used encapsulation methods, and the biopolymer carriers that are suitable for encapsulating EOs.

Non-Destructive Composition Identification for Mixtures of Iron Compounds Using a Chemical Environmental Effect on a Muon Capture Process

Abstract The non-destructive investigation of the chemical state of elements within a material is urgently needed in various scientific research fields. In recent years, non-destructive elemental analysis methods using muons have been developed. These methods identify elements by measuring muonic X-rays emitted from muonic atoms formed by the muon irradiation of the material. Interestingly, muonic atom formation processes are slightly influenced by the chemical state of the muon-capturing atom, and as a result, the muon capture probability of each element and the muonic X-ray emission intensity change depending on the chemical state. By utilizing this effect, it may be possible to know the chemical state at the same time as elemental analysis. In this study, the compositions of γ-Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 in an ironsand sample were determined using two approaches: muonic X-ray intensity ratios and muon capture ratios. The mixing ratios obtained from the two approaches were consistent with each other and consistent with results of the Mössbauer technique, a completely different analysis method. In this study, non-destructive chemical state analysis using muons was successfully demonstrated, and this method is promising for applications in various research fields.

Improved sample storage, preparation and extraction of blueberry aroma volatile organic compounds for gas chromatography

Aroma profiles of blueberries contain a heterogeneous mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and headspace sampling is the most efficient approach to VOC extraction from berries. Typically, headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) has been applied to blueberry VOCs. Though HS-SPME has been the most common choice for headspace sampling, the fiber chemistry introduces selectivity to the extraction: preferential sorption may skew aroma profiles. Dynamic headspace (DHS) is an attractive substitute for HS-SPME, given its improved sensitivity and lessened bias imparted due to extraction phase selectivity. DHS extractions tend to yield a larger number of compounds and require even less sample than HS-SPME. These two extraction techniques were applied to homogenized blueberries and extracts were subjected to analysis by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS). Major chemical classes were identified with filtering scripts for GC×GC-TOFMS data. The HS-SPME and DHS methods were assessed for reproducibility and chemical diversity (i.e., recovered chemical classes).