Solubility of folic acid and protonation of folate in NaCl at different concentrations, even in physiological solution.

The solubility of folic acid was determined at 25 °C in 1.00 mol dm-3 and in 0.15 mol dm-3 NaCl (physiological solution) spectrophotometrically by measuring the absorbance of saturated solution at different hydrogen ion concentrations. Five protonation constants of folate were determined both from the dependence of the solubility on the hydrogen ion concentration as well as from potentiometric titrations carried out in the presence of solid folic acid and in alkaline solution, in which folate is relatively soluble. Corresponding to the protonation constants, nuclear magnetic resonance and florescence spectra were also obtained at different hydrogen ion concentrations to determine the protonation positions in acid, neutral and alkaline solutions. An approach through circular dichroism was also applied to study the eventual polymerization of folate in alkaline solution.

Behavior of glutathione as ligand of lead (II).

The presence and mobilization of toxic metal cations represents under many aspects a current and important problem in the environmental field. In this research, as cation lead (II) ion was studied. The formation of complexes between glutathione and lead (II) was studied at 25 °C and in 1.00 M NaCl as ionic medium by means of measurements of electromotive force (e.m.f.) of cells containing glass and lead amalgam electrodes. In the same experimental conditions, the protonation constants of glutathione were determined potentiometrically, using a cell containing the glass electrode. In the same experimental conditions, by considering glutathione (GSH) completely deprotonated, four protonation constants were determined. Potentiometric data could be explained by assuming the formation of 1:1 complexes between GSH and Pb2+ and with the participation of hydrogen ions. The stability constants of the assumed complexes were determined. The 1:1 ratio between GSH and lead (II) was confirmed by spectrophotometric investigations. Measurements by Infrared Rays (IR) and protonic Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H NMR) provide information on the structure of the found complexes.

Comparison between cocoa and chocolate: characterisation and fatty acid content.

The connection between chocolate and cocoa is studied. As cocoa is produced in different countries, samples coming from the same geographical region are analysed. The analyses focus on the characterisation of the considered samples for different aspects of quality and to individuate the original locations of production, also connecting this with the nutritional aspects. For this purpose, qualitative and quantitative traditional analysis and determination of fatty acid content are performed. The obtained experimental data show interesting correlations. The percentages of fatty acids computed allow for distinctions to be made among cocoa and chocolate samples. Furthermore, a relation can be assumed among the data obtained for primary matters and final products corresponding to countries being positioned on the same latitude, even if they are situated in different continents.

Polarographic study on the presence of antibiotics in food.

EU and Italian laws dealing for the presence of antibiotics or, more in general, drags in food established limits for different kinds of food. Suitable rules exist about the medical treatment of cattle in relation to the production of milk and meat. The adoption of a procedure to check the respect of the law limits is necessary. In this paper, the presence of different classes of antibiotics in milk and in homogenised meat is investigated. Generally, HPLC methods are applied for this purpose. In this paper, the application of polarographic analysis is studied and the results are compared with the chromatographic ones. The comparison is relative to all the phases of analysis including the sample preparation. The results show the advantage of the proposed procedure.

Sodium glycodeoxycholate and glycocholate mixed aggregates in gas and solution phases.

This paper deals with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESIMS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements in order to provide information on the existence, aggregation, composition, and structure of the two-component aggregates of sodium glycocholate (NaGC) and sodium glycodeoxycholate (NaGDC) in the gas and solution phases. Five samples, containing 100% NaGC and 100% NaGDC, and NaGDC/NaGC molar ratios of 3 (75D), 1 (50D), and 1/3 (25D), have been analyzed by ESIMS in positive-ion detection mode starting from 10(-3) and 10(-2) M total bile salt concentration in aqueous solutions. Generally, dimers or trimers prevail in the 100% NaGC or NaGDC samples, respectively, as observed in the preceding one-component ESIMS measurements and in agreement with the proposed micellar aggregate structures in aqueous solution. Moreover, it is observed that the composition of multimers in the samples 75D, 50D, and 25D deviates from the one expected on the basis of a random association of the monomers, the NaGDC contribution generally prevailing on the NaGC one. It happens also under the same percentage condition (50D sample), in agreement with a greater aggregation ability of NaGDC with respect to NaGC. SAXS and DLS data were recorded on six samples containing a NaGC+NaGDC 40 mM total concentration, one bile salt having 40, 32, 24, 16, 8, and 0 mM concentration and the other the complementary one, keeping constant the NaCl concentration (0.6 M). The NaGDC 40 mM sample presents SAXS curves in agreement with a cylindrical shape of the aggregates as shown in a previous paper. For the bile salt mixtures, the progressive decrease of the sizes and change of the aggregate morphology, toward a globular-like geometry, are observed by increasing the NaGC fraction, thus confirming the hypothesis about the ability of trihydroxy salts to inhibit the growth of dihydroxy salt aggregates. Fits on the basis of cylindrical model can be accomplished for all the SAXS spectra, however, when the extracted cylinder parameters are used to estimate theoretical hydrodynamic radii a reasonable agreement is obtained only for the samples at high fraction of NaGDC (NaGDC>or=24 mM).

An investigation on calcium (II) oxalate as solubility and universal standard.

The investigation on calcium (II) oxalate is carried out in order to study its solubility in different ionic media. In the same conditions the protonation constants of oxalate and the stability of complex species have been determined. As the stoichiometric composition of the solid calcium (II) oxalate prepared for the investigation was accurately checked, the salt CaC2O4 x H2O is proposed as universal (chelometry, redox, acidimetry) standard. Results of titrations support this possibility.

Taurocholate and taurodeoxycholate: gel formation and protonation constants.

Taurocholate (TC) and taurodeoxycholate (TDC) in aqueous solutions, in the presence of sodium and hydrogen ions can give micellar products, even differently protonated. This phenomenon is investigated in this paper to explain whether the assumption of hydrogen ions is to attribute to the micellar aggregates, or to the protonation of taurocholate and taurodeoxycholate, respectively. In the course of this research, often the formation of gel occurred immediately after the mixture of the reagents (sodium, hydrogen ions and anions of bile acids) or after some time, depending on the concentrations of the reagents. No author mentions this evidence, but experiments carried out in the presence of gel are not reproducible because the investigated solutions cannot be considered in real equilibrium. The protonation study was performed by means of electromotive force measurements of a galvanic cell involving a glass electrode, at 25 degrees C and 1.00 mol dm(-3) NaCl, as ionic medium. The obtained protonation constants had the following values: log k1 = 0.07+/- 0.02 for TC and log k'1 = 1.60 +/- 0.03 for TDC.

Composition of sodium cholate micellar solutions.

To study the composition of sodium cholate solutions, an investigation was carried out at 25 degrees C and in N(CH3)4Cl, as a constant ionic medium, at three different concentrations (W = 0.100; 0.500 and 0.800 mol dm(-3)). Electromotive force measurements of three different galvanic cells, the first involving a glass electrode for hydrogen ions, the second an electrode for sodium ions and the third a lead amalgam electrode, were performed. Independently, lead (II) cholate solubility measurements in the presence of sodium ions were performed, as well. The experimental results obtained from both approaches were explained by assuming the formation of aggregates in cholate and sodium of different composition depending on W and on the cholate concentration. The maximum aggregation found number for cholate was 24 and even aggregation numbers were markedly predominant. Only two species with odd aggregation number were found, but at a low percentage. The assumed species and the relative constants were compared with those found for the other sodium salt of cholanic acids.

Ratios between content of fatty acids as markers for mixture of cow and goat milk.

The fat of mixture of goat and cow milk, extracted by di-ethylic ether, was gas chromatographically analysed in order to propose an analytical procedure suitable to reveal small additions of cow milk to goat milk. The obtained results show evident differences in the percentages of some fatty acids. An attempt to apply the peak area ratios, corresponding to the methyl esters of fatty acids, suggested by the literature for cow milk did not yield good results. Other ratios suitable to reveal even the presence of low percentages (up to 5 %) of cow milk in goat milk were found and proposed in this paper. Such ratios are sensitive and can be defined markers towards cow or goat milk and also towards extraneous fat like lard or colza seeds oil.

The influence of the ionic medium on the behaviour of sodium glycocholate and cholate aqueous solutions.

In the framework of research on the sodium bile salts, solutions of sodium cholate and glycocholate had been studied only at three ionic medium concentrations. In this paper, experiments in two other concentrations of ionic medium are carried out both to verify the behaviour dependence on the ionic medium and to apply the results of this paper to a future investigation on solutions containing contemporary sodium cholate and glycocholate. To this aim, solubility, protonation constants, lead (II) salts solubility products at 25 degrees C and in 0.300 and 0.750 mol dm(-3) N(CH3)4Cl were determined. The formed species in solutions containing lead (II) together with the selected bile salts and the behaviour of the sodium salts in micellar and premicellar solutions were investigated, too. The obtained results were compared with those obtained at the other ionic medium concentrations.

Composition of aqueous solutions containing sodium glycocholate and glycodeoxycholate.

Composition and existence range of aggregates formed by sodium glycocholate and glycodeoxycholate contemporary present in aqueous micellar and premicellar solutions were investigated. Solubility measurements of lead (II) glycocholate and glycodeoxycholate give analytical concentration of lead (II) and glycocholate and glycodeoxycholate, respectively. Electromotive force measurements provide the free concentration of hydrogen, sodium and lead (II) ions. Experimental data obtained at 25 degrees C and at three different concentrations of N(CH3)4Cl, used as a constant ionic medium, can be explained by assuming the presence of aggregates of different composition depending on the reagent and ionic medium concentrations. Next to two species containing only glycocholate or glycodeoxycholate, the presence of aggregates formed with the contemporary participation of both bile anions in different ratios was assumed. Species with the hydrogen ion participation are not present in appreciable quantity in the investigated concentration range. As expected, the size of aggregates increases by increasing reagent and ionic medium concentration. Most of the species can be explained with a "core + link" mechanism, where all the glycocholate aggregation numbers are even, while those of glycodeoxycholate are always multiple of three. Analogy and difference with aggregates formed by the two bile anions separately are discussed.

Penicillamine disulfide (PNS) and alkaline cations.

D-penicillamine disulfide (PNS) shows protolytic properties and is able to form complexes with cations, because it has two aminic groups and two carboxylic groups. The four protonation constants of its deprotonated species were determined by means of electromotive force (e.m.f.) measurements of a galvanic cell involving a glass electrode at 25 degrees C and in a constant ionic medium constituted by N(CH3)4Cl 3.00 or 1.00 mol dm-3. At 25 degrees C and in 3.00 mol dm-3 N(CH3)4Cl as ionic medium, equilibria taking place between PNS and lithium, sodium and potassium ions were investigated. Experimental data, again obtained from e.m.f. measurements, were explained by assuming the formation of species of the type MH2PNS ed M2H2PNS, where M indicates a cation. Stability constants for each proposed species were calculated. A comparison with cystine is discussed.

Lead (II) cholate solubility.

In the framework of the research carried out on the behaviour of the salts of bile acids in aqueous solutions, the lead (II) cholate solubility was determined at 25 degrees C and in 0.100, 0.500 and 0.800 mol dm(-3) N(CH3)4Cl, as ionic medium. The change of its solubility was studied as a function of the cholate and hydrogen ion concentration. Solubility and electromotive force measurements of suitable galvanic cells were carried out and from the results lead (II) cholate solubility product could be calculated and the presence of associated species in solution in the ratio 1:3 and 1:4 between lead (II) and cholate was assumed. The relative constants were determined, as well. The results of this work allow us to obtain the free cholate concentration in equilibrium with solid lead (II) cholate.

On lead(II) glycocholate solubility.

The solubility of lead(II) glycocholate was studied as a function of glycocholate ion concentration at 25 degrees C and in 0.100, 0.500 and 0.800 mol dm-3 N(CH3)4Cl as a constant ionic medium. For this purpose the total concentration of lead(II) was determined by means of atomic absorption spectrophotometry and polarography measurements in solution equilibrated with solid lead(II) glycocholate at known hydrogen ion concentration. The free concentration of lead(II) and hydrogen ions was determined by measuring the electromotive force(e.m.f.) of galvanic cells involving lead amalgam and glass electrode. The e.m.f. measurements were carried out both in clear solutions before precipitation and in the presence of the precipitate. The results of the solubility and e.m.f. measurements could be explained by assuming the presence of associated species between lead(II) and glycocholate. The solubility product and the association constants were determined for all the ionic medium concentrations.

Number of eggs in egg-noodles.

The official method to determine the number of eggs present in egg-noodles is the digitonin method. By applying this method the total content of sterols is determined and expressed as total sterols. The official method is time consuming, not very accurate and its performance is very complicated. Its results are not very reliable either because the composition of the wheat is not considered. In this paper some markers are proposed to verify the correct ratio between eggs and triticum durum (TD) semolina used to prepare egg-noodles. Markers are selected ratios between sterols and FAME. The lipid extract is trans-esterified and injected into a gas chromatograph. The ratio between the areas of the selected components gives the markers. This method is proposed to substitute or alternate the official method because is more accurate and time saving.

Protonation equilibria and solubility of l-cystine.

l-Cystine is the natural least soluble of the naturally occurring amino acids. Its solubility is a function of the hydrogen ion concentration depending on its protonation. This paper presents an investigation on properties of l-cystine in a constant ionic medium of NaCl at different concentrations (3.00,2.00,1.00,0.500,0.150 mol dm(-3)) and at 25 degrees C. In such experimental conditions, solubility and its changes as a function of hydrogen ion concentration were determined. Protonation of cystine was studied in acid and basic solution, by measuring the electromotive force of galvanic cell involving a glass electrode. Four protonation constants for l-cystine were determined in all the selected concentrations of ionic medium. The different values obtained for the constants in ionic medium of different concentration could be explained both with the variation of activity coefficients or with the complex formation between l-cystine and sodium ions. Variations of solubility for different concentration of NaCl were observed as well.