Ethanol-water Solution Research Articles

Extraction of bioactive compounds from Peruvian purple corn cob (Zea Mays L.) by dynamic high pressure

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of dynamic high pressure at different processing temperatures, on the extraction of bioactive compounds from Peruvian purple corn cob. The purple corn cobs were ground and sieved to then be mixed with an acidified 20% ethanol-water solution (pH 2) in a 1:30 (w/v) ratio. The hydroalcoholic extracts were subjected to maceration and high dynamic pressure processes varying temperature (25 °C to 60 °C) and pressure (0.01 MPa - 60 MPa), and the bioactive compounds content and antioxidant activity were evaluated. The results showed that dynamic high pressure at 60 MPa / 45 °C was capable of obtaining extracts with bioactive compound contents and high antioxidant activity corresponding to those obtained using the conventional process of 2.5 hours / 65 °C. Seven different anthocyanins were identified by liquid chromatography in the extracts obtained by the dynamic high pressure, mainly cyanidin-3-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-glucoside and peonidin-3-glucoside, and their respective malonyl derivatives. The dynamic high pressure increased the extraction of anthocyanins by more than 108% and obtained them in one step, thus appearing as a new alternative, eco-friendly method for the extraction of bioactive compounds from plant tissues.

Decoding the key compounds responsible for the empty cup aroma of soy sauce aroma type baijiu

The empty cup aroma in soy sauce aroma type baijiu (SSB) is distinct, but the specific compounds responsible for its unique aroma remain unknown. The aroma characteristics of SSB and the empty cup were investigated using molecular sensory science. Fifty-three and 27 aroma active compounds were identified in SSB and empty cup aroma, respectively. AEDA of the empty cup showed ethyl 3-phenylpropanoate, phenylethyl alcohol, sotolon, p-cresol, and 2,3-dimethyl-5-ethyl pyrazine could be the most important aroma contributors to the empty cup aroma due to their high FD values. Sotolon, characterized by its seasoning-like and herbal aroma, was identified as a crucial aroma compound for the empty cup aroma for the first time. Lactic acid was found to decrease the olfactory threshold of sotolon markedly in both 53% ethanol water solution and empty cup, promoting the contribution of sotolon to the empty cup aroma.

Effect of Substituents on Solubility, Medicinal, Absorption, Emission and Cationic/Anionic Detection Properties of Anthraquinone Derivatives.

Anthraquinones constitute an important class of compounds with wide applications. The solubility of derivatives at 298.15K was discussed in ethanol-water solution and at atmospheric pressure, the solubility of 1-amino-4-hydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone (AHAQ) in binary solvents (ethanol-water combinations) was determined. Colour strength and fastening properties depend upon the kind and position of a hydrophobic group connected to the phenoxy ring of Anthraquinone moiety. There is a continuing interest in the creation of novel anthraquinone derivatives with biological activities since they have demonstrated potential for treating multiple sclerosis. For this purpose, by utilizing voltammetric and absorption studies, interactions of various derivatives with calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) and the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide (CTAB) were examined. Here prominent Hydrophobic interaction and electron transfer resulting in binding to CTAB micelles were observed. The polarity index of the media was assessed and associated with the electrochemical parameters. The medicinal behaviour of Anthraquinone derivatives was a result of electron transfer reactions with DNA. UV-Visible and fluorescence properties were due to the transitions between n* and π* orbitals. Large absorption band with low dichroic ratio was characteristic of various derivatives of Anthraquinone. Presence of -NH group proves various derivatives remarkable calorimetric and anionic sensors.

The Effects of Ethanol and Acetic acid on Behaviour of Extranidal Workers of the Narrow-Headed Ant Formica exsecta (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) during a Field Experiment.

Ethanol addiction belongs to the most important problems encountered in the domain of human mental health. The research on the behavioural effects of exposure to/consumption of ethanol are investigated largely with the help of animal models that also include insects, mainly fruit flies and honeybees. The effects of ethanol on ant behaviour remain, however, little known. In the present field study, we investigated the behaviour of workers of the narrow-headed ant (Formica exsecta) displayed in the vicinity of cotton pads soaked in water or in water solutions of ethanol or acetic acid during 5 min tests (n = 30 tests in each group). Both ethanol and acetic acid induced significant modifications of ant locomotion, exploratory behaviour, self-grooming behaviour, and aggressive social behaviour. We confirmed that acetic acid is aversive for the ants, but ethanol enhances their exploratory behaviour. We also found out that field studies may document more types of responses to experimental compounds than laboratory ones, as the tested animals may also escape from aversive substances. Our findings documented a wide spectrum of behavioural effects of exposure to ethanol and acetic acid in a highly social animal species and broadened the general knowledge about behavioural responses to these compounds encountered in animals.

A non-thermal modification method to promote the interaction of zein-alginate oligosaccharides composites for better encapsulation and stability—Cold plasma

This current research explored the application of cold plasma (CP) treatment to modify zein-alginate oligosaccharide (zein-AOS) composites in an ethanol-water solution. Anti-solvent method was used to prepare zein-AOS nanoparticles (NPs), and the objective was to investigate the mechanism by which CP promotes interaction between protein and saccharides. Characterization results indicated that CP treatment improved hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction between zein and AOS. The CP zein-AOS NPs underwent dispersion and rearrangement, resulting in smaller aggregates with better dispersibility. Among the various induction conditions tested, the zein-AOS85 NPs (induced at 85 W for 2 min) exhibited superior performance as delivery wall materials, with smaller particle size (234.67 nm), larger specific surface area (9.443 m2/g), and higher surface charge (−35.43 mV). In addition, zein-AOS85 showed high stability when used as delivery wall material, providing more binding sites and self-assembly dynamics for nutrients. Curcumin was used as the nutrient model in this study, and CP was found to enhance hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interaction, and hydrophobic interaction between zein, AOS, and nutrients, resulting in increased encapsulation efficiency (EE) from 63.80 % to 85.17 %. The delivery system also exhibited good pH, ionic strength, storage, and dispersion stability.

Synthesis, Structural Characterization，DFT，Hirschfeld Surface and Catalytic Activity of a New Zn (II) Complex of 4-Acetylbenzoic Acid

A new Zn(II) complex of 4-acetylbenzoic acid, namely [ZnL2(H2O)2] (1) (HL = 4-acetylbenzoic acid) has been synthesized in water-ethanol (v:v = 1:2) solution using zinc acetate dihydrate, 4-acetylbenzoic acid, and NaOH as reactants. The structure of complex (1) has been characterized by IR and X-ray single-crystal diffraction. X-ray diffraction analysis of complex (1) reveals that the Zn(II) ion is six-coordinated in a distorted octahedral coordination geometry with four carboxylic O atoms from two different bidentate 4-acetylbenzoic acid ligands (O1, O2, O1a, O2a) and two O atoms from two coordinated water molecules (O4 and O4a). Complex (1) forms 1D chained structure by the intermolecular and intramolecular O-H···O hydrogen bonds, and further forms a three-dimensional network structure by the π-π interaction of benzene rings and intermolecular O-H···O hydrogen bonds. The singlet ground-state geometry of the complex (1) were optimized using the PBE0 functional. The intermolecular interactions of complex (1) were quantitatively analysed by 3D Hirschfeld surface analysis and associated 2D fingerprint plots. The catalytic activity of complex (1) has been tested for the oxidation of benzyl alcohol under O2 atmosphere. Copyright © 2023 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

Evaluation of BPA and Bis-GMA Release from Recent Dental Composite Materials by LC-MS/MS

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a xenoestrogen widely used as a synthetic precursor of resin monomers. There is arise need to acquire BPA-free resin-matrix composites to prevent the health effects of BPA. Six composites with distinctive manufacturer specifications were considered to evaluate the degree of release of BPA and bisphenol A-Diglycidyl Methacrylate (Bis-GMA) in a dental composite. The light-cured resin-matrix specimens (n = 5 for each composite type) were incubated at 37 °C in 1 mL of a 75% ethanol–water solution in a sealed amber glass vial for 7 days. The 75% ethanol–water solution was replaced daily and immediately frozen (−20 °C) until liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. BPA was not detected in any studied resin-based materials. However, Bis-GMA was detected in almost all the studied samples during the experiment, except AF and BF. The highest Bis-GMA concentration was released from ED at 67.43 ng/mL, followed by BE, FS, and NC with 40.75 ng/mL, 8.30 ng/mL, and 0.94 ng/mL, respectively. There is a clear need for more precise and standardized analytical methods to assess the short- and long-term release of resin-based materials. Furthermore, manufacturers should be obliged to provide complete details of the chemical composition of dental products and to promote the development of materials without estrogenic potential.

Flavonoids from Peony Seed Meal by Nanofiltration Membrane Separation

Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds with a wide range of biological activities (antioxidation, antitumor, and immunomodulatory). The membrane separation method of flavonoids has a high recovery and biological activity, overcoming the shortcomings of traditional methods for the separation of bioactive molecules. In this study, ethanol-water ( v / v ) solution was used to extract peony seed meal. The extraction rate of total flavonoids from peony seed meal was 35.28%. Five microfiltration membranes, polypropylene (PP), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), cellulose acetate (CA), polyether sulfone (PES), and polyamide (PA), were selected to pretreat the extracts, and their separation performance was investigated. A new PA-supported silicone film was prepared by sol-gel method using 1,2-bis(TRIMETHOXYSILYL)ETHANE (BTESE) as a carrier. The synthesized BTESE/PA composite membrane was applied to the purification of organic silica PSMF solution by nanofiltration process. The optimal pressure of nanofiltration operation is 0.8 MPa, and the membrane flux can reach 2.06 kg·m-2·h-1. The mass concentration of flavonoids in the retention solution was decreased to 860.56 mg·L-1, and the permeable components of PSMF were effectively separated. The total flavonoid content of the purified lyophilized powder was 146.12 mg·g-1, which was 2.4 times that before purification. The results show that PSMF can be effectively separated by BTESE/PA membrane, and the membrane solution has good antioxidant activity.

Evaluation of the In Vivo Anti-Atherosclerotic Activity of Quercetin Isolated from the Hairy Roots of Hedysarum neglectum Ledeb.

This study aimed to investigate the anti-atherosclerotic properties of quercetin isolated from the extract of Hedysarum neglectum Ledeb hairy roots. During the study, the hormonal composition of the nutrient medium for cultivation of H. neglectum hairy root biomass was selected: Gamborg's medium enriched with the cytokine 6-benzylaminopurine (1.5 mg/1 dm3). It was found that the extraction of hairy root biomass with a 50% water-ethanol solution (40:1 1 h at 60 ± 2 °C) yielded an extract that contained the highest amount of quercetin (an average of 2.1 times higher than in extracts obtained at other parameters). It was determined that 100 µM quercetin solution showed the greatest bioactivity on Caenorhabditis elegans: on day 61, the percentage of surviving nematodes was 2.06 times higher compared to other samples and 6 times higher compared to control, resulting in a 12.5-fold increase in SOD-3 expression compared to control (without biologically active substance (BAS) addition). Meanwhile, the 10 µM quercetin solution exhibited the best ability to inhibit the accumulation of lipid fractions; the accumulation was 1.06 times less compared to the control. The results of this study show that quercetin, which was isolated from the biomass of H. neglectum hairy roots, can be used as a component of anti-atherosclerotic dietary supplements.

Wood waste valorization: Ethanol based organosolv as a promising recycling process

Wood waste is a valuable material that could constitute an abundant and inexpensive source for the production of new materials the recovery of energy. In Europe, about 46% of wood waste is recycled to particleboard and fiberboard, while the other fraction is incinerated. However, a considerable quantity of wood waste shows potential for its transformation into value-added products due to its compositional quality. In this work, wood waste collected at a mechanical treatment plant underwent organosolv treatment to produce a cellulose pulp suitable for manufacturing containerboard. Three variables (temperature, acid concentration, and ethanol concentration) were investigated to find an optimal solution to produce wood pulp by means of Design of Experiment. Wood waste was microwave-heated at 160 °C for 15 min using an acidified ethanol–water solution (2% w/w H2SO4 and 0.8 w/w ethanol concentration), producing pulp with an average cellulose content of 76% where 93% of initial cellulose was retained. Thanks to a one-pot approach, ethanol was totally recovered, 62% of initial lignin was precipitated, and 20 g/l of hemicellulose-derived sugars solution was obtained. Finally, three wood waste samples collected in different periods of the year yielded comparable outcomes, suggesting a good reproducibility of the organosolv process. ANOVA test with a significance level of 0.01 showed a p-value of 0.029 and 0.235 for cellulose content and cellulose recovery, respectively. This study paves the way for an industrial symbiosis between recycling centers and paper mills located in the same territory.

Reduction of the alcohol-stimulative taste of Japanese pot-distilled spirits

The Japanese traditional pot-distilled spirit shochu has various tastes that are produced by variations in the manufacturing processes. In this study, an alcohol-stimulative taste was organoleptically evaluated using shochu samples, and the chemical components and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectra were measured. In some shochu samples, the alcohol-stimulative taste was weaker than that of the standard 15% (v/v) EtOH-H2O mixture, and the water-ethanol hydrogen-bonding structure was stronger compared to a water-ethanol solution. However, some shochu samples filtered with ion-exchange resin had a strong alcohol-stimulative taste comparable to that of the standard 15% (v/v) EtOH-H2O mixture, and the hydrogen-bonding structure was found to be similar to that of the water-ethanol solution. We also investigated the effect of MgCl2 on reducing the alcohol-stimulative taste, and it was observed most strongly with in shochu samples filtered with ion-exchange resin. The change in chemical shift values of the 1H NMR spectra was also the largest in ion-exchange resin filtered shochu samples. The sensory reduction in the alcohol-stimulative taste could be enhanced by the strengthening of the water-ethanol hydrogen-bonding structure. Shochu samples contained many components in larger quantities compared to vodkas. It was found that MgCl2 could reduce the alcohol-stimulative taste of shochu samples. Some salts, such as MgCl2, can be introduced into spirits through the water used to dilute the ethanol content before bottling the products. Our results indicated that some components, such as MgCl2, present in water used can reduce the alcohol-stimulative taste of different spirits produced worldwide.

The Effect of Sonication Parameters on the Thickness of the Produced MoS2 Nano-Flakes

Liquid Phase Exfoliation (LPE) is a common route to produce two-dimensional MoS2 nanosheets. In this research, MoS2 powder is exfoliated by an ultrasonic probe (sonicator) in a water-ethanol solution. It is reported that MoS2 as a prototype 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenide, has a band gap that increases with a decreasing number of layers. There are some factors that affect the average band gap energy value and the thickness of the exfoliated flakes. We varied different parameters of the ultrasonic probe like power, pulse percentage and time duration of sonication to investigate the effects on the number of MoS2 layers. Our findings from the UV-Visible spectra, SEM, FESEM and TEM images indicate that the minimum thickness for these samples was acquired at 50% of the input power of the sonicator we used (65 W) and the optimum pulse percentage is 50%. The current study also found that the average amount of band gap increased with an increase in sonication time, and then remained unchanged after 60 minutes.

Synthesis of porous Mg(OH)2 nanowires for phosphate removal from water

Mg(OH)2 is an inorganic material with a wide range of applications in water purification, especially the adsorption of phosphates. In this study, porous Mg(OH)2 nanowires were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal conversion method to remove phosphate from aqueous solutions. The porous Mg(OH)2 nanowires can be readily obtained using magnesium hydroxide chloride hydrate (MHCH) whiskers as precursors in NaOH ethanol-water solution and exhibit good adsorption performance for phosphate. OH- ions diffused into the lattice to bind with Mg2+, while H2O and Cl- escaped from the lattice, resulting in the formation of porous Mg(OH)2 nanowires. The ethanol prevented the collapse of these pores. The adsorption process of phosphate on the porous Mg(OH)2 nanowires conforms to pseudo-second-order kinetics and is spontaneous, endothermic, and entropy-increasing. It was substantiated to be a complexation process of Mg2+ and HPO42- and H2PO4-. The maximum adsorption amount at 313 K was 162.15 mg g−1, minimally affected by coexisting ions and demonstrated good recycling performance. This work highlights the potential of porous Mg(OH)2 nanowires as an eco-friendly and low-cost adsorbent for phosphate removal and recovery.

Cytotoxicity of Nine Medicinal Plants from San Basilio de Palenque (Colombia) on HepG2 Cells.

The utilization of plants with medicinal properties is deeply rooted in the traditional knowledge of diverse human populations. This study aims to investigate the cytotoxicity of nine plants commonly used by communities in San Basilio de Palenque, Bolivar (Colombia), for managing inflammation-related illnesses. Hydroethanolic extracts from various plant parts such as roots, stems, barks, or leaves were prepared through a process involving drying, powdering, and maceration in an ethanol-water (7:3) solution. The extracts were subsequently freeze-dried and dissolved in DMSO for the bioassays. Cytotoxicity against the human hepatoma HepG2 cell line was assessed using the MTT assay, with extract concentrations ranging from 0 to 500 µg/mL and treatment durations of 24 and 48 h. The total phenolic content of the nine extracts varied from 96.7 to 167.6 mg GAE/g DT. Among them, eight hydroethanolic extracts from Jatropha gossypiifolia L., Piper peltatum L., Malachra alceifolia, Verbesina turbacensis, Ricinus communis, Desmodium incanum, and Dolichandra unguis-cati showed low toxicity (IC50 > 500 µg/mL, 24 h) against HepG2 cells. On the other hand, the extracts of Aristolochia odoratissima L. (IC50 = 95.7 µg/mL) and Picramnia latifolia (IC50 = 128.9 µg/mL) demonstrated the highest cytotoxicity against the HepG2 cell line, displaying a modest selectivity index when compared to the HEKn cell line after 48 h of treatment. These findings suggest that medicinal plants from San Basilio de Palenque, particularly Picramnia latifolia and Aristolochia odoratissima, have potential activity against cancer cells, highlighting their potential for further research and development.

Design of Highly Selective Cu2+ Fluorescent Probe Based on Pyrene Derivatives

A new probe P was synthesized and characterized from pyrene formaldehyde. The probe showed good selectivity for Cu2+ over other metal ions in ethanol-water solution (Vethanol:Vwater=3.5:1.5, pH 6.5, 0.02 M HEPES). With the increasing of Cu2+ concentration (2-10 μM), the P-Cu2+ system displayed excellent linear relationship at 464 nm with the detection limit down to 0.66 μM.

A novel nonreversible heat-induced low-molecular-weight gel based on naturally-occurring self-assembled fupenzic acid for tumor therapy

Herein, a nonreversible heat-induced supramolecular gel based on natural products was reported for the first time. This natural triterpenoid, fupenzic acid (FA), isolated from the roots of Rosa laevigata, was discovered to be capable of forming supramolecular gel spontaneously in 50 % ethanol-water solution induced by heating. Distinguished from the common thermosensitive gels, the FA-gel showed a distinctive nonreversible phase transition from the liquid to gel state upon heating. In this work, the entire gelation process of FA-gel induced by heating was recorded digitally by microrheology monitor. And a unique heat-induced gelation mechanism based on self-assembled FA has been proposed by using various experimental methods and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Its excellent injectability and stability were also demonstrated. Furthermore, the FA-gel had been evaluated to exhibit better anti-tumor activity and higher biosafety comparing with its equivalent free-drug, which opened up a new possibility to reinforce antitumor efficacy by using natural product gelator originated from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) without any complicated chemical modifications.

The Use of a Natural Polysaccharide as a Solidifying Agent and Color-Fixing Agent on Modern Paper and Historical Materials

This article presents results on the use of a new material as a solidifying agent and/or color-fixing agent. A special polysaccharide material extracted from the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) was tested on historical materials and modern papers. An old book from the 18th century was chosen as historical material. From the mentioned book 42 pages were taken, on which a conservation and restoration pretreatment was performed before applying the polysaccharide material: sampling, fiber analysis, dry cleaning, ink solubility, pH test, thickness measurement and wet cleaning. The paper sheets provided for the test were divided into 4 groups, 3 of which were treated with gel and one left untreated as a reference. The division into groups is not only due to the different method of application, but also due to the process of gel extraction. The effect of the treatment was analyzed using FTIR-ATR. To test the mucilage as color-fixing agent 2 samples were prepared using watercolor papers colored with 6 different watercolors applied to 2.5 cm2 samples for each color in two rows of different intensity. One of the 2 samples was treated with gel, but both were immersed for 3 times in a water-ethanol solution for approximately 20 min as is standard practice in conservation and restoration. After washing, both specimens were subjected to colorimetric analysis to assess their differences. The results provided satisfactory evidence for the protection of paints sensitive to aqueous treatments and suggest the use of mucilage as a new material in cleaning method for water-soluble media.

Numerical solution of nonstationary problem for convection of binary mixture in horizontal layer

Nonstationary motion of a liquid binary mixture in a narrow long horizontal channel with rigid walls heated according to a certain law is considered. The possibility of applying the Ostroumov-Birikh solution to the description of the flow under study is used. It reduces the problem to solving a mixed boundary value problem for a system of parabolic equations. A feature of the problem is an additional integral condition on the fluid flow rate. It allows finding the pressure gradient together with the functions of velocity, temperature, and concentration. Applying the constructed numerical procedure, the analysis of the obtained characteristics of motion is carried out using water-ethanol solution as a mixture. The possibilities of stabilizing the unsteady flow and controlling the motion by means of a periodically changing thermal load on the channel wall are shown.

A Novel Microchannel-in-a-Fiber Plasmonic Sensor

In this work, a novel Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) sensor has been designed, realized and investigated. The SPR platform was created by using a D-shaped plastic optical fiber shell (POFS), obtained by removing the graded index core region from the fiber’s protective jacket, in order to create a microchannel. The latter was then coated with a gold nanofilm in order to obtain the plasmonic sensitive region. The sensor’s structure includes an integrated measuring cell, being the solution under test injected into the microchannel using a peristaltic pump. The microchannel dimension (160 μm) allows to avoid microfluidic systems, typically adopted in this kind of SPR configurations. As a proof of concept, the plasmonic sensor has been tested as a refractometer using different water-ethanol solutions, with a refractive index range from 1.332 to 1.352. The experimental results have highlighted a sensitivity and a resolution equal to about 1026 nm/RIU and 1.95 × 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-4</sup> RIU, respectively. These values testify to the proposed sensor goodness and its suitability for biochemical sensing applications.

IONIZATION OF ETHANOLAMINES IN WATER- ORGANIC MEDIA

In this paper, the ionization constants (pKa) of some nitrogen-containing organic bases (monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine) in water-ethanol, water-acetone and water-acetonitrile solutions at various concentrations of organic solvent in the studied systems have been determined by the potentiometric titration method. It was found that the values of pKa of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine in aqueous-organic solutions naturally decreases with increasing concentration of organic solvent in the system. It was shown that their nature and the physico-chemical properties of the medium are significantly influenced by the nature and degree of change in the electron donor ability of the studied nitrogen-containing organic bases. It should be noted that for the studied nitrogen-containing organic bases (monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine), when passing from an aqueous medium to an organic one (ethanol or acetone or acetonitrile), the pKa values naturally decrease with an increase in the content of the organic solvent in the system. In general, in the transition from an aqueous medium to an organic one (ethanol or acetone or acetonitrile), a change in pKa can reach 1.73 units. It was established that the dependence of the values of pKa of nitrogen-containing organic bases which were determinate via potentiometric titration method on the inverse of the dielectric constant of water-ethanol and water-acetone or water-acetonitrile solutions tends to be linear, consistent with Izmailov’s theory. Thus, we can conclude that the change in the ratio of the mixed solvent components and, as a result, in general, dielectric permeability of the medium does not lead to a significant change in the solvation characteristics of the studied nitrogen-containing organic bases.