Water-soluble Organic Acids Research Articles

Water-soluble organic acids in cryomorphic peat soils of the southeastern Bol’shezemel’skaya tundra

The composition of the water extracts, the pH, and the weight concentrations of the total organic carbon and low-molecular-weight organic acids in seasonally thawed and perennially frozen horizons of cryomorphic peat soils have been determined. The quantitative analysis of the acids converted to trimethylsilyl derivatives has been performed by gas chromatography and chromato-mass spectroscopy. Hydroxypropanoic, propanoic, and hydroxyethanoic acids are the prevailing acids (30–50, 10–20, and 10% of the total acids, respectively). Malic, glyceric, hexadionic, trihydroxybutanoic, ribonic, and other acids have also been detected. It has been shown that the differences in the genesis of the peat deposits significantly affect the composition and content of water-soluble organic compounds in soils on the soil-profile and landscape levels.

Conversion of solid dispersion prepared by acid–base interaction into free-flowing and tabletable powder by using Neusilin® US2

A novel method of greatly increasing solubility and dissolution rate of a model basic drug, haloperidol, by interacting it with water-soluble weak organic acids in aqueous media was previously reported in the literature. Amorphous solid dispersion (SD) was formed when solutions containing haloperidol and various acids were dried. However, the SDs were semisolid, viscous and sticky, especially when the drug load was high, and could not be processed into tablets. The drug release from SD was also incomplete since the viscous material did not readily mix with aqueous media. In the present study, a mesoporous metalosilicate, Neusilin® US2, was incorporated in SDs prepared by using malic, tartaric and citric acids. The silicate constituted 40% w/w of the total solid mass. The addition of silicate converted SDs into powders, which were then characterized for flow properties, bulk and tap density, and tabletability. Their physical properties were found to be acceptable for the development of tablets. DSC and powder XRD showed that haloperidol and acids converted completely to amorphous forms, and they did not show any sign of crystallization during accelerated stability study at 40°C/75% RH and 25°C/60% RH for 9 months. Complete drug release under gastrointestinal pH conditions could be obtained from tablets prepared.

Online measurements of water-soluble organic acids in the gas and aerosol phase from the photooxidation of 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene

Abstract. The formation of organic acids during photooxidation of 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (TMB) in the presence of NOx was investigated with an online ion chromatography (IC) instrument coupled to a mass spectrometer (MS) at the Paul Scherrer Institute's smog chamber. Gas and aerosol phase were both sampled. Molecular formulas were attributed to 12 compounds with the help of high-resolution MS data from filter extracts (two compounds in the gas phase only, two in the aerosol phase only and eight in both). Seven of those species could be identified: formic acid, acetic acid, glycolic acid, butanoic acid, pyruvic acid, lactic acid and methylmaleic acid. While the organic acid fraction present in the aerosol phase does not strongly depend on the precursor concentration (6 to 20%), the presence of SO2 reduces this amount to less than 3% for both high and low precursor concentration scenarios. A large amount of acetic acid was injected during one experiment after aerosol formation, but no increase of acetic acid particle concentration could be observed. This indicates that the unexpected presence of volatile organic acids in the particle phase might not be due to partitioning effects, but to reactive uptake or to sampling artefact.

Reactions between water-soluble organic acids and nitrates in atmospheric aerosols: Recycling of nitric acid and formation of organic salts

Atmospheric particles often include a complex mixture of nitrate and secondary organic materials accumulated within the same individual particles. Nitrate as an important inorganic component can be chemically formed in the atmosphere. For instance, formation of sodium nitrate (NaNO3) and calcium nitrate Ca(NO3)2 when nitrogen oxide and nitric acid (HNO3) species react with sea salt and calcite, respectively. Organic acids contribute a significant fraction of photochemically formed secondary organics that can condense on the preexisting nitrate-containing particles. Here, we present a systematic microanalysis study on chemical composition of laboratory generated particles composed of water soluble organic acids and nitrates (i.e. NaNO3 and Ca(NO3)2) investigated using computer controlled scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (CCSEM/EDX) and Fourier transform infrared micro-spectroscopy (micro-FTIR). The results show that water-soluble organic acids can react with nitrates releasing gaseous HNO3 during dehydration process. These reactions are attributed to acid displacement of nitrate with weak organic acids driven by the evaporation of HNO3 into gas phase due to its relatively high volatility. The reactions result in significant nitrate depletion and formation of organic salts in mixed organic acids/nitrate particles that in turn may affect their physical and chemical properties relevant to atmospheric environment andmore » climate. Airborne nitrate concentrations are estimated by thermodynamic calculations corresponding to various nitrate depletions in selected organic acids of atmospheric relevance. The results indicate a potential mechanism of HNO3 recycling, which may further affect concentrations of gas- and aerosol-phase species in the atmosphere and the heterogeneous reaction chemistry between them.« less

Hygroscopic Properties of Internally Mixed Particles Composed of NaCl and Water-Soluble Organic Acids

Atmospheric aging of naturally emitted marine aerosol often leads to formation of internally mixed particles composed of sea salts and water-soluble organic compounds of anthropogenic origin. Mixing of sea salt and organic components has profound effects on the evolving chemical composition and hygroscopic properties of the resulted particles, which are poorly understood. Here, we have studied chemical composition and hygroscopic properties of laboratory generated NaCl particles mixed with malonic acid (MA) and glutaric acid (GA) at different molar ratios using micro-FTIR spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray elemental microanalysis. Hygroscopic properties of internally mixed NaCl and organic acid particles were distinctly different from pure components and varied significantly with the type and amount of organic compound present. Experimental results were in a good agreement with the AIM modeling calculations of gas/liquid/solid partitioning in studied systems. X-ray elemental microanalysis of particles showed that Cl/Na ratio decreased with increasing organic acid component in the particles with MA yielding lower ratios relative to GA. We attribute the depletion of chloride to the formation of sodium malonate and sodium glutarate salts resulted by HCl evaporation from dehydrating particles.

Rapid determination of eight organic acids in plant tissue by sequential extraction and high performance liquid chromatography

A sequential extraction method was developed to determine different forms of oxalate and seven oxalate-metabolism-related organic acids (glyoxylic acid, tartaric acid, glycolic acid, malic acid, acetic acid, citric acid, succinic acid) in plant tissue. The ultra-pure water was used as the extraction medium to obtain water-soluble oxalic acid and the other seven water-soluble organic acids. After the extraction of the water-soluble organic acids, the residues were extracted by dilute hydrochloric acid successively to get the acid-soluble oxalate which entered the liquid phase. A Hypersil ODS column was used with 5 mmol/L potassium dihydrogen phosphate buffer solution (pH 2. 8) as the mobile phase. The diode array detector was set at 210 nm and the column temperature at 30 °C with the injection volume of 5 µL. The flow rate was controlled at different times which allowed a good and rapid separation of the organic acids and hydrochloric acid. Under these conditions, the linear ranges of the method were 1-2000 mg/L for oxalic acid, 25-2,000 mg/L for acetic acid, and 10-2,000 mg/L for glyoxylic acid, tartaric acid, glycolic acid, malic acid, citric acid and succinic acid, with the correlation coefficients of the eight organic acids ≥ 0. 9996. The average recoveries of the eight organic acids in leaves and roots were 93. 5%-104. 4% and 85. 3%-105. 4% with RSDs of 0. 15% -2.43% and 0. 31%-2. 9% (n=7), respectively. The limits of detection ranged from 1 to 10 ng (S/N=3). The results indicated that the method is accurate, rapid and reproducible for the determination of organic acids in plant samples.

Composition of water-soluble organic carbon in non-urban atmospheric aerosol collected at the Storm Peak Laboratory

Environmental context The organic fraction of atmospheric aerosols is a complex mixture of thousands of species, which play an important role in many atmospheric processes, such as absorbing and scattering solar radiation. We analysed the water-soluble organic fraction of ambient aerosol samples, and quantified over 45 carboxylic acids, sugars, sugar anhydrides and sugar alcohols. The presence of fairly high concentrations of sugars and sugar-alcohols suggests a significant biological input (e.g. pollen, fungi and bacteria) to the water-soluble organic fraction of non-urban aerosols. Abstract Water-soluble organic constituents of PM2.5 aerosol (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5µm) have not been well characterised so far. The goal of this work was to perform quantitative analysis of individual water-soluble organic species in aerosol samples collected in July of 2010 at the Storm Peak Laboratory (3210m above sea level) located in the Colorado Park Range (Steamboat Springs, CO, USA). Aqueous extracts were combined into six composites and analysed for organic carbon (OC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), water-insoluble OC, inorganic ions, organic acids, lignin derivatives, sugar-alcohols, sugars and sugar-anhydrates. Analysis of higher molecular weight water-soluble organics was done using ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry. Approximately 2400 positive and 4000 negative ions were detected and assigned to monoisotopic molecular formulae in the mass range of 100–800Da. The higher number of negative ions reflects a predominant presence of highly oxidised organic compounds. Individual identified organic species represented up to 30% of the water-soluble organic mass (WSOM). The WSOM fractions of the low molecular weight organic acids, sugars and sugar alcohols were 3–12%, 1.0–16% and 0.4–1.9%. Significant amounts of arabitol, mannitol and oxalic acid are most likely associated with airborne fungal spores and conidia that were observed on the filters using high resolution electron microscopy. Overall, higher concentrations of sugars (glucose, sucrose, fructose etc.) in comparison with biomass burning tracer levoglucosan indicate that a significant mass fraction of WSOC is related to airborne biological species.

Formation of secondary organic carbon and long-range transport of carbonaceous aerosols at Mount Heng in South China

To understand the sources and formation processes of atmospheric carbonaceous aerosols in rural and mountainous areas of South China, an intensive measurement campaign was conducted at the summit of Mount Heng (27°18′N, 112°42′E, 1269 m asl) during the spring of 2009. The observed average concentrations of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) were 3.01 ± 2.2 and 0.54 ± 0.3 μg m−3, respectively. The total carbonaceous aerosols (TCA) averagely contributed to 20.7% of PM2.5. High OC/EC ratios (range: 1.6–10.4; average: 5.2 ± 1.8) were observed, suggesting the transport and secondary origins of the carbonaceous aerosols at Mount Heng. The amount of secondary organic carbon (SOC) was estimated using the EC-tracer method and accounted for 53.9% of the total OC on average. Good correlations were found between SOC and droplet-mode sulfate, and oxalate and droplet-mode sulfate, indicating the occurrence of in-cloud secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation at Mount Heng. The concentrations of SOC and water soluble organic acids also displayed positive relationship with aerosol acidity, suggesting the enhancement of SOC formation by acid-catalyzed heterogeneous reactions. Backward trajectory analysis revealed that the observed aerosols at Mount Heng were predominantly associated with the air masses from the Pearl River Delta region (PRD) and Eastern China, which brought significant amounts of anthropogenic pollutants to the site. In addition, strong signals of biomass burning (elevated carbonaceous concentrations, OC/EC ratios and K+ concentrations) were observed in air masses from Southeast Asia, demonstrating that the biomass burning emissions in Southeast Asia could reach the boundary layer of South China and affect the air quality there during the spring season.

Phytoremediation of pyrene contaminated soils amended with compost and planted with ryegrass and alfalfa

Ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) were planted in pots to remediate pyrene contaminated quartz sand (as a control group), alluvial and red soils amended with and without compost. The pyrene degradation percentages in quartz sand, alluvial soil, and red soil amended with compost (5%, w/w) and planted with ryegrass and alfalfa for 90d growth were 98–99% and 97–99%, respectively, while those of pyrene in the corresponding treatments amended without compost but planted with ryegrass and alfalfa were 91–96% and 58–89%, respectively. Further, those of pyrene in the respective treatments amended with and without compost but unplanted were 54–77% and 51–63%, respectively. Pyrene contents in both roots and aboveground parts of ryegrass and alfalfa after 90d growth in quartz sand and the two soils amended with or without compost were trace amounts. Statistical analyses for the parameters of ryegrass planted in red and alluvial soils including the concentrations of total water-soluble volatile low molecular weight organic acids, microbial population, pyrene degradation percentage, and spiked pyrene concentration show significant correlations at 5% and mostly 1% probability levels, by the analysis of variance. It was thus suggested that the interactions among the consortia of plant root exudates, microorganisms, and amended compost in rhizosphere soils could facilitate bioavailability of pyrene and subsequently enhance its dissipation.

Removal of oil and oil sheen from produced water by pressure-assisted ozonation and sand filtration

Ever increasing energy demand worldwide necessitates energy supply, inevitably leading to an increasing volume of process waters containing hydrocarbon contaminants. Among them, dispersed and dissolved oils in produced water need to be removed adequately in order to reuse or avoid surface sheen from coastal discharge. We have recently developed a new ozonation technique coupled with sand filtration to quickly remove oil from process water and prevent oil sheen. The technique incorporates rapid, successive cycles of compression and decompression during ozonation. Gas bubbles expanding from small to large sizes occur that provide ample reactive zones at the gas–liquid interface, resulting in heightened chemical conversions—notably the conversion of hydrophobic hydrocarbon molecules into hydrophilic ones. This study examined the removal of hydrocarbons and sheen according to treatment parameters and configurations, as assessed by changes in turbidity, COD, BOD, and sheen presence following treatment. When a synthetic produced water containing 120 ppm of oil (about 100 ppm of dispersed and 20 ppm of soluble oil at a total COD of 320 mg L −1) was subjected to 10 pressure cycles (reaching 1.0 MPa; 20 s each) of ozonation and sand filtration at 6 cm min −1 and then repeated by 20 cycles of ozonation and sand filtration, it resulted in removal of oil to 20 ppm as water-soluble organic acids, decrease of turbidity from 200 to 2 NTU, and complete sequestration of surface sheen. The new technique offers a treatment alternative for produced water and likely other tailings waters, promoting safe discharge to the environment and beneficial uses of the water.

Chemical Characterization of Water-Soluble Organic Acids in Size-Segregated Particles at a Suburban Site in Saitama, Japan

Saturated n-dicarboxylic acids (<TEX>$C_2-C_7$</TEX>, <TEX>$C_9$</TEX>), unsaturated dicarboxylic acids (maleic, fumaric, phthalic acid), ketocarboxylic acids (pyruvic, glyoxylic acid), and dicarbonyls (glyoxal, methylglyoxal) were determined in size-segregated samples with a high-volume Andersen air sampler at a suburban site in Saitama, Japan, May 12-17 and July 24-27, 2007 and January 22-31, 2008. The seasonal average concentrations of these detected organic acids were 670 <TEX>$ng/m^3$</TEX>, accounting for about 4.4-5.7% (C/C) of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and 2.3-3.6% (C/C) of organic carbon (OC). The most abundant species of dicarboxylic acids was oxalic acid, followed by malonic, phthalic, or succinic acids. Glyoxylic acid and methyglyoxal were most abundant ketocarboxylic acid and dicarbonyl, respectively. Seasonal differences, size-segregated concentrations, and the correlations of these acids with ambient temperatures, oxidants, elemental carbon (EC), OC, WSOC, and ionic components were also discussed in terms of their corresponding sources and possible secondary formation pathways. The results suggested that photochemical reactions contributed more to the formation of particulate organic acids in Saitama suburban areas than did direct emissions from anthropogenic and natural sources. However, direct emissions of vehicles were also important sources of several organic acids in particles, such as phthalic and adipic acids, especially in winter.

Chemical Characterization of Water-Soluble Organic Acids in Size-Segregated Particles at a Suburban Site in Saitama, Japan

Chemical Characterization of Water-Soluble Organic Acids in Size-Segregated Particles at a Suburban Site in Saitama, Japan

Dechlorination and oxidation for waste poly(vinylidene chloride) by hydrothermal catalytic oxidation on Pd/AC catalyst

Hydrothermal catalytic oxidation was an effective method in the dechlorination and oxidation of waste poly(vinylidene chloride) (PVC) on Pd/AC catalyst. The PVC was decomposed by hydrothermal catalytic oxidation in the system of NaOH at appropriate temperature in our experiments. The degree of dechlorination and oxidation increased with increasing concentration of H 2O 2, reaching up to 90% and 50% under the condition of 180 °C and 0.5 MPa pressure. The main products were Cl − and CO 2, and the rest comprises a range of water-soluble organic acids, which were nontoxic and can be treated by biological purification. Therefore, the hydrothermal catalytic oxidation had significant potential in application for treatment of chlorinated waste plastics.

Comparison of Water-Soluble Organic Components in Size-Segregated Particles between a Roadside and a Suburban site in Saitama, Japan

To clarify the characteristics of the water-soluble organic components in atmospheric aerosols, size-separated aerosol samples were simultaneously collected at a roadside site (R) and a suburban background site (S) in Saitama, Japan, during spring and summer 2007 and winter 2008. Chemical compositions, including water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), organic carbon, inorganic ionic components, and individual water-soluble organic acids (saturated dicarboxylic acids, unsaturated dicarboxylic acids, ketocarboxylic acids, and dicarbonyls), were analyzed in size-separated samples. The seasonal variation of WSOC in Saitama aerosols was larger than the spatial difference between the two sites, with summer WSOC concentrations being 2.5-2.8 times those in the other seasons. Seasonal average concentrations of the detected organic acids in PM7.0 were 542 ng/m^3 (R) and 670 ng/m^3 (S). Strong correlations were observed between C2-C5 n-dicarboxylic acids and ambient oxidants. The concentration ratios of individual n-dicarboxylic acids (C2-C5) to elemental carbon were significantly higher in suburban samples than in roadside samples, indicating that the contribution of secondary formation to these acids was larger in suburban samples. During the warm seasons, the concentrations of sulfate, ammonium, WSOC, and individual acids in fine particles were very high, whereas nitrate, chloride, sodium, and calcium concentrations were higher in coarse particles. Comparisons between the two sites showed that secondary formation contributed more to the total amount of particulate water-soluble organic acids in Saitama aerosols than direct emissions from anthropogenic and natural sources. However, vehicle exhaust was also an important source of dicarboxylic acids in Saitama aerosols, especially in the near-roadside environment.

A critical assessment of the methods for intercalating anionic surfactants in layered double hydroxides

Anionic surfactant intercalated layered double hydroxides (LDH) of high purity are easily prepared via direct coprecipitation and also by the ion exchange method provided that the precursor contains a monovalent anion, e.g., LDH–Cl or LDH–NO3. However, LDH–CO3 is an attractive starting material as it is commercially available in bulk form owing to large-scale applications as a PVC stabilizer and acid scavenger in polyolefins. Thus, intercalation of dodecyl sulfate and dodecylbenzenesulfonate into a commercial (LDH) with approximate composition [Mg0.654Al0.346(OH)2](CO3)0.173 · 0.5H2O] was explored. Direct ion exchange is difficult as the carbonate is held tenaciously. In the regeneration method it is removed by thermal treatment and the surfactant form obtained by reaction with the layered double hydroxide that forms in aqueous medium. Unfortunately the resulting products are impure, poorly crystallized and only partial intercalation is achieved. Better results were obtained using water-soluble organic acids, e.g., acetic, butyric, or hexanoic acid, to aid decarbonation of LDH–CO3. Intercalation proceeded at ambient temperatures with the precursor powder suspended in an aqueous dispersion of the anionic surfactant. The carboxylic acids are believed to assist intercalation by facilitating the elimination of the carbonate ions present in the anionic clay galleries.

Studies on pyrolysis of wheat straw residues from ethanol production by solid-state fermentation

A new biomass, wheat straw residue (WSR) from ethanol production by solid-state fermentation was pyrolyzed in a fixed-bed at different temperatures 250–550 °C for 40 min with vacuum of 5 mmHg. The gas, oil and solid residue from pyrolysis process were investigated. GC analysis indicated that the pyrolyzed non-condensable gases mainly contained CO, CO 2, H 2, CH 4, C 2H 4 and C 2H 6. The HPLC analysis showed that glycolic acid (about 70% of water-soluble organic acids) in the oil was a major component.

Enzyme enhanced solid-state fermentation of kenaf core fiber for storage and pretreatment

Kenaf is an annual fiber crop adaptable to a wide range of climates and soil types. This study investigated the use of kenaf core fiber as a feedstock for enzyme-enhanced fermentation. Triplicate kenaf core fiber samples were treated with enzymes having cellulase:hemicellulase activity ratios of 0:1, 0.015:1, 0.45:1, and 2.54:1 at a rate of 5010 IU/kg dry matter hemicellulase activity, vacuum-sealed, and incubated at 37 °C for 21 d. Samples were analyzed for pH, water soluble carbohydrates, organic acids, and hemicellulose and cellulose concentrations. All treatments produced a pH less than 4.0, which is sufficient for stable storage. Treatments with 2.54:1 and 0.45:1 produced the highest water soluble carbohydrate and lactic acid concentrations. Enzymes with no or low cellulase activity produced results similar to the control. Utilizing enzyme mixtures with high cellulase activity is an effective pretreatment method for ensiled kenaf core fiber.

Influence of Calcium and Phosphorus, Lactose, and Salt-to-Moisture Ratio on Cheddar Cheese Quality: pH Changes During Ripening

The pH of cheese is an important attribute that influences its quality. Substantial changes in cheese pH are often observed during ripening. A combined effect of calcium, phosphorus, residual lactose, and salt-to-moisture ratio (S/M) of the cheese on the changes in cheese pH during ripening was investigated. Eight cheeses with 2 levels of Ca and P (0.67 and 0.47% vs. 0.53 and 0.39%, respectively), lactose at pressing (2.4 vs. 0.78%), and S/M (6.4 vs. 4.8%) were manufactured. All the cheeses were salted at a pH of 5.4, pressed for 5h, and then ripened at 6 to 8°C. The pH of the salted curds before pressing and the cheeses during 48 wk of ripening was measured. Also, cheeses were analyzed for water-soluble Ca and P, organic P, and bound inorganic P during ripening. Changes in organic acids’ concentration and shifts in the distribution of Ca and P between different forms were studied in relation to changes in pH. Cheeses with low S/M exhibited a larger increase in acid production during ripening compared with high S/M cheeses. Cheeses with the highest concentration of bound inorganic P exhibited the highest pH, whereas cheeses with the lowest concentration of bound inorganic P exhibited the lowest pH among the 8 treatments. Although conversion of lactose to short-chain, water-soluble organic acids decreased cheese pH, bound inorganic phosphate buffered the changes in cheese pH. Production of acid in excess of the buffering capacity (which was the case in low Ca and P and low S/M treatments) led to a low pH, whereas solubilization of bound inorganic P in excess to acid production (which was the case in high Ca and P and high S/M treatments) led to an increase in pH. However, for cheeses with high Ca and P and low S/M, changes in cheese pH were influenced by the level of residual lactose. Hence, pH changes in Cheddar cheese can be modulated by a concomitant control on the amount and state of Ca and P, level of residual lactose, and S/M of the cheese.

Effect of transpiration on Pb uptake by lettuce and on water soluble low molecular weight organic acids in rhizosphere

The effect of transpiration (high and low) on Pb uptake by leaf lettuce and on water soluble low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs) in rhizosphere has been studied. After two weeks of growth the plants were cultured in greenhouse for more four weeks and two days. Pb(NO 3) 2 solutions of different concentrations (100, 200, and 300 mg l −1 of Pb) were then added to the quartz sand pots of different plants and studies were initiated. Blank experiments (without treating the quartz sand pots with Pb(NO 3) 2 solutions) were also run in parallel. No significant differences in the growth of the plants with the concentrations of added Pb(NO 3) 2 solutions were observed by both low and high transpirations at the end of the 0, 3rd, and 10th days of studies. The total evaporation of the volatiles during 10 days did not depend on the concentration of Pb 2+ but with high transpiration the rate of evaporation was significantly higher than with low transpiration. Uptake of Pb by shoots and roots of the plants was found to be proportional to the concentration of various Pb(NO 3) 2 solutions added and more accumulation was observed in roots than in shoots at the end of 3rd and 10th days. High transpiration created more Pb uptake than low transpiration did. One volatile acid, propionic acid and nine non-volatile acids, lactic, glycolic, oxalic, succinic, fumaric, oxalacetic, d-tartaric, trans-aconitic, and citric acids in rhizosphere quartz sands were identified and quantified by gas chromatography (GC) analysis. d-Tartaric and citric acids were major among the non-volatile acids. The amount of LMWOAs in rhizosphere quartz sands increased with the higher amount of Pb uptake and also with the duration of studies. The total quantities of the LMWOAs in the rhizosphere quartz sands were significantly higher under high transpiration with 300 mg l −1 Pb solution addition at the end of 10th day. The present study shows prominent correlation between transpiration and uptake of heavy metal and interesting correlation between Pb contaminated level and quantity of water soluble LMWOAs in rhizosphere quartz sands. The latter thus deserves of further studies.

Influence of Calcium and Phosphorus, Lactose, and Salt-to-Moisture Ratio on Cheddar Cheese Quality: Changes in Residual Sugars and Water-Soluble Organic Acids During Ripening

Cheddar cheese ripening involves the conversion of lactose to glucose and galactose or galactose-6-phosphate by starter and nonstarter lactic acid bacteria. Under ideal conditions (i.e., where bacteria grow under no stress of pH, water activity, and salt), these sugars are mainly converted to lactic acid. However, during ripening of cheese, survival and growth of bacteria occurs under the stressed condition of low pH, low water activity, and high salt content. This forces bacteria to use alternate biochemical pathways resulting in production of other organic acids. The objective of this study was to determine if the level and type of organic acids produced during ripening was influenced by calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P), residual lactose, and salt-to-moisture ratio (S/M) of cheese. Eight cheeses with 2 levels of Ca and P (0.67 and 0.47% vs. 0.53 and 0.39%, respectively), lactose at pressing (2.4 vs. 0.78%), and S/M (6.4 vs. 4.8%) were manufactured. The cheeses were analyzed for organic acids (citric, orotic, pyruvic, lactic, formic, uric, acetic, propanoic, and butyric acids) and residual sugars (lactose, galactose) during 48 wk of ripening using an HPLC-based method. Different factors influenced changes in concentration of residual sugars and organic acids during ripening and are discussed in detail. Our results indicated that the largest decrease in lactose and the largest increase in lactic acid occurred between salting and d 1 of ripening. It was interesting to observe that although the lactose content in cheese was influenced by several factors (Ca and P, residual lactose, and S/M), the concentration of lactic acid was influenced only by S/M. More lactic acid was produced in low S/M treatments compared with high S/M treatments. Although surprising for Cheddar cheese, a substantial amount (0.2 to 0.4%) of galactose was observed throughout ripening in all treatments. Minor changes in the levels of citric, uric, butyric, and propanoic acids were observed during early ripening, whereas during later ripening, a substantial increase was observed. A gradual decrease in orotic acid and a gradual increase in pyruvic acid content of the cheeses were observed during 12 mo of ripening. In contrast, acetic acid did not show a particular trend, indicating its role as an intermediate in a biochemical pathway, rather than a final product.