1,721,060 research outputs found
Study of the nitrification process in a high hydraulic load vertical-flow reed bed fed by continuous percolation
No full textUntargeted metabolomics analytical strategy based on liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization linear ion trap quadrupole/orbitrap mass spectrometry for discovering new polyphenol metabolites in human biofluids after acute ingestion of Vaccinium myrtillus berry supplement
No full textIn this work, liquid chromatography, coupled with an electrospray ionization hybrid linear ion trap quadrupole/Orbitrap mass spectrometry, has been used to accurately identify polyphenol metabolites in human serum and urine after acute ingestion of a V. myrtillus berry supplement. The supplement was obtained by cryo-milling of bilberries, which were freeze-dried within 1 week after their harvesting, to maintain the berry native composition. Thirty-six derivatives of benzoic acids, hydroxyhippuric acids, cinnamic acids, phenylpropionic acids, phenylvaleric acids, phenylpentenoic acids and abscisic acid, together with two berry-native anthocyanins, one flavonol metabolite and two catechol derivatives were putatively identified in the investigated biofluids. The annotated compounds included 13 metabolites, among glucuronides and sulphates of phenylvaleric and phenylpentenoic acids, which have been identified for the first time in human biofluids after ingestion of V. myrtillus berries. It should be emphasized that the presence of phenylvaleric and phenylpentenoic acid derivatives is in agreement with their origin from fruit native flavanol monomers and oligomers, which are widely distributed in Vaccinium berries, but usually overlooked in metabolomics studies regarding bilberry. The identification of these compounds confirmed the key-role of untargeted metabolomics approach in the discovery of new metabolites which could be biologically activ
Valutazione preliminare della specie Paulownia tomentosa per la fitorimediazione di terreni contaminati da metalli pesanti
No full textIl presente lavoro riporta i risultati di una valutazione preliminare (riferita alla prima stagione vegetativa dalla piantumazione) dell’idoneità della specie arborea Paulownia Tomentosa alla fitoestrazione di Cd, Cu, Pb e Zn da un terreno contaminato da metalli pesanti ed idrocarburi. La sperimentazione, condotta su 20 mesocosmi e 100 vasi, è volta a studiare lo sviluppo e le potenzialità estrattive di tale pianta in funzione delle caratteristiche agronomiche e dell’idrologia del terreno anche con somministrazione di ammendanti naturali e sintetici a differenti concentrazioni. I primi risultati evidenziano la promettente idoneità dell’essenza investigata all’uso in processi di fitoestrazione dei suddetti metalli da suoli contaminati in virtù delle buone capacità traslocanti, del grande potenziale traspirativo, della resistenza alla fitotossicità degli ammendanti e della notevole produttività in termini di biomassa
Untargeted metabolomics strategy based on LC-MS-Orbitrap for discovering new polyphenol metabolites in humans after acute ingestion of Vaccinium myrtillus berry supplement
Full text linkIn this work, liquid chromatography coupled with an electrospray ionization hybrid linear ion trap quadrupole/Orbitrap mass spectrometry, has been used to accurately identify polyphenol metabolites in human serum and urine after acute ingestion of a Vaccinium myrtillus berry supplement. The supplement was obtained by cryo-milling of bilberries, which were freeze-dried within one week after their harvesting, so as to maintain the berry native composition. Thirty-six derivatives of benzoic acids, hydroxyhippuric acids, cinnamic acids, phenylpropionic acids, phenylvaleric acids, phenylpentenoic acids and abscisic acid, together with two berry-native anthocyanins, one flavonol metabolite and two catechol derivatives, were putatively identified in the investigated biofluids. The annotated compounds included thirteen metabolites, among glucuronides and sulphates of phenylvaleric and phenylpentenoic acids, which have been identified for the first time in human biofluids after ingestion of V. myrtillus berries. It should be emphasized that the presence of phenylvaleric and phenylpentenoic acid derivatives is in agreement with their origin from fruit native flavanol monomers and oligomers, which are widely distributed in Vaccinium berries, but usually overlooked in metabolomics studies regarding bilberry. The identification of these compounds confirmed the key-role of untargeted metabolomics approach in the discovery of new metabolites which could result biologically active
Colorimetric selective quantification of anthocyanins with catechol/pyrogallol moiety in edible plants upon zinc complexation
No full textHere is examined the colour development from common anthocyanins (i.e., cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, and pelargonidin glycosides) and from anthocyanins-rich extracts (i.e., bilberries, strawberries, and raspberries), using zinc-anthocyanin complexes as molecular probe. We have observed the absorbance increase in the blue region in presence of large excess of zinc ion at acidic pH for cyanidin and delphinidin derivatives, likely due to quinoidal base stabilization from catechol and pyrogallol moiety. The assay condition were studied and applied to natural extracts containing these compounds. The same behaviour was observed for bilberry and, to a minor extent, for raspberry extracts, due to the larger cyanidin/delphinidin contents in the former than in the latter. Anthocyanin standard UV–Vis analysis in buffer has shown a very good linear correlation for cyanidin and delphinidin (R2 = 0.995 and 0.997, respectively), good precision (CV% = 7.4% and 5.3% respectively), high sensitivity (Cyε600nm = 8300 M−1 cm−1, LOD = 0.264 ± 0.005 mg L−1, LOQ = 0.478 ± 0.007 mg L−1, and Dpε600nm = 15,900 M−1 cm−1, LOD = 0.143 ± 0.002 mg L−1, LOQ = 0.478 ± 0.007 mg L−1). The effectiveness of this colorimetric method for the selective quantification of catechol/pyrogallol-based anthocyanins has been demonstrated in the aforementioned complex real matrices and compared to LC-MS/MS analysis and pH-differential method, offering a valuable tool to characterize plant and food extracts particularly rich in zinc-coordinating anthocyanins
Amino groups modified SBA-15 for dispersive-solid phase extraction in the analysis of micropollutants by QuEchERS approach
Full text linkIn the analysis of contaminants in food products, sample preparation is performed by proper adsorbents, whose choice is crucial to eliminate matrix interference. In this work we modified SBA-15 adsorbents by functionalization with (3-aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane (SBA-15-APTES) and N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]aniline (SBA-15-AN) aiming to use them for the first time in the clean-up step of a QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) extraction of micropollutants from strawberry, a sugar rich fruit. After physico-chemical characterization by nitrogen adsorption, infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis, the adsorption capabilities of SBA-15 sorbents and possible interaction mechanisms were studied at different pH (2.1-8.5) for glucose, sucrose and fructose at concentrations characteristic of those found in strawberries. The performance of the two SBA-15 sorbents was compared with that of commercial PSA (primary secondary amine), usually proposed in QuEChERS protocols. Both SBA-15 materials exhibit up to 30% higher adsorption than PSA, suggesting their possible QuEChERS application. Synthesized SBA-15 adsorbents were hence used as innovative dispersive sorbents in the QuEChERS extractions of 13 PAHs and 14 PCBs from strawberry. For PCBs, SBA-15-AN provides better matrix removal than PSA and comparable extraction recoveries around 90%. For PAHs, the use of SBA-15-AN has the advantage of lower relative standard deviation (7%) than PSA (19%)
The profile of bile acids and their sulfate metabolites in postprandial human serum suggest sex-related differences
Full text linkDiet:gut microbiota interactions are likely to play a key role in influencing hepatic bile acids (BAs) neosynthesis and production of secondary and tertiary BAs in the intestine. There are few studies exploring how diet:microbe interactions can modulate BAs profile in human. Probiotic, polyphenols and prebiotic fibers like oat β-glucans has been shown to modulate the gut microbiota composition and consequently the BAs pool. On the other hand certain fibers, apple pectin, proanthocyanidins or condensed tannins, may sequester BAs, driving them distally into the colon where they may be excreted or transformed by microbiota. In this work developed an isotopic dilution LC–ESI-MS/MS method for a comprehensive analysis of BAs in human serum with application to kinetic study with Vaccinium corymbosum and Vaccinium myrtillus. We used a combination of quantitative (LC-TripleQuad) and qualitative (LC-HR-Orbitrap) analysis for discovery of BAs isomers. Their presence was confirmed thanks to fragmentation pattern similarities with analytical standards and mass accuracy measurements in full scan and MS/MS modes. This method was applied to study BAs levels in serum from a kinetic study over 6h postprandial after consumption of two types of berries. For the first time sulfates conjugated forms of BAs were measured and quantified using deuterated bile acids internal standards. With this method it was possible to separate forty nine bile acids and quantify them at trace nM levels. A strategy of scheduled/ unscheduled injections of real samples allowed us to find additional BAs isomers not a priori included in the method, while high resolution full scan and MS/MS fragmentation analysis confirmed their structural adherence to the bile acid family. The applicability of the proposed method was assessed by analysing serum samples from a nutrikinetic challenge study with two different types of berries, which showed high inter-individual differences both in the concentrations and composition of plasmatic BAs in fasting and postprandial state. We found differences in bile acids quantity and time reaching maximal BAs concentrations between males and females, suggesting higher BA concentrations in males. Despite high inter-individual variability in fasting and postprandial states, we found three possible subgroups thorough hierarchical clustering. Values regarding the variability among all study volunteers and proportional distribution of BAs were in agreement with previous data measured in independent populations. These findings open new perspectives in understanding the role of the diet, and give an important impact on understanding of bile acid homeostasis and on future personalized nutrition strategie
Removal of sugars from food and beverage wastewaters by amino-modified SBA-15
Full text linkIn the context of the removal of the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) from food and beverages production wastewaters, this paper reports the capabilities of SBA-15 modified with (3-aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane (S-APTES) and N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]aniline (S-Aniline) in the removal of glucose, fructose and sucrose at very high concentrations (350,000 mg/L for glucose, 350,000 mg/L for fructose and 170,000 mg/L for sucrose), i.e. the sugars most widely used as sweeteners in food and beverage manufacturing. After the determination of the main physico-chemical characteristics, the study of the effect of pH on the removal capabilities of S-APTES and S-Aniline allowed to elucidate the main mechanisms involved. Based on the study of solid:liquid ratio, the optimal experimental conditions were defined to achieve a removal of BOD5 in simulated soft-drink wastewater as high as 80%. The results show that a lower adsorbent dosage is required in respect to current methodologies, representing an advantage especially for disposal procedures of the exhausted adsorbent. This work offers a proof of concept for the integration of amino-modified SBA-15 sorbents in industrial pre-treatment of wastewaters before discharging it in sewerage systems
Isotopic dilution method for bile acid profiling reveals new sulfateglycine-conjugated dihydroxy bile acids and glucuronide bileacids in serum
No full textAn ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method (UHPLC-MS/MS) was developed for the determination of 41 target and 8 additional bile acids isomers (BAs) in biological fluids. BAs were analysed by solid-phase extraction on 50 μL biofluid-aliquots, followed by a properly optimised 27 min-chromatographic run. The method provided high sensitivity (limits of detection 0.0002–0.03 μM, limits of quantitation 0.0007–0.11 μM), linearity (R2>0.99) and precision (relative standard deviations ≤16%). A strategy of scheduled/ unscheduled injections of real samples together with neutral loss (80 Da and 176 Da) scans allowed us to find additional bile acid isomers not a priori included in the method, while high resolution full scan and MS/MS fragmentation analysis confirmed their structural adherence to the bile acid family. Moreover this is the first study quantifying four sulfate glycine conjugated-dihydroxy bile acid isomers, independently of the diet and postprandial time. Application to a dietary intervention kinetic study confirmed the existence of possible metabotypes amongst the study population (n = 20). A trend differentiating males from females was observed suggesting that serum samples from women contained smaller amounts of certain bile acid
Bonifica di un sito contaminato da metalli pesanti mediante fitoestrazione con una specie arborea innovativa
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