Study on Quality Characteristic of Chebulae Fructus and Its Adulterants and Degradation Pathway of Hydrolyzable Tannins.

Chebulae Fructus (CF) is known as one of the richest sources of hydrolyzable tannins (HTs). In this study, ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector method was established for simultaneous determination of the 12 common phenolcarboxylic and tannic constituents (PTCs). Using this method, quantitative analysis was accomplished in CF and other four adulterants, including Terminaliae Belliricae Fructus, Phyllanthi Fructus, Chebulae Fructus Immaturus, and Canarii Fructus. Based on a quantitative analysis of the focused compounds, discrimination of CF and other four adulterants was successfully accomplished by hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis. Additionally, the total contents of the 12 compounds that we focused on in this study were unveiled as 148.86 mg/g, 96.14 mg/g, and 18.64 mg/g in exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp and seed of CF, respectively, and PTCs were witnessed to be the most abundant in the exocarp of CF. Noticeably, the HTs (chebulagic acid, chebulanin acid, chebulinic acid, and punicalagin) were observed to be ultimately degraded to chebulic acid, gallic acid, and ellagic acid during sunlight-drying of the fresh fruits. As a result, our study indicated that CF and its adulterants could be distinguished by the observed 12 PTCs, which were mainly distributed in the exocarp of the fruits. The HTs were prone to degrade into the three simple phenolcarboxylic acids during drying or processing, allowing us to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the PTCs, with great significance in the improved quality of CF and related products.

Mendelian randomization analyses reveal causal relationship between liver volume and stroke.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies have suggested a potential association between abdominal viscera volume and increased risk of stroke. However, the causal relationship remains unclear. This study aims to utilize Mendelian randomization (MR) to explore the genetic causal relationship between them. METHODS: We conducted MR analysis to study the causal effects of five abdominal viscera volumes on stroke. The genetic variations of abdominal viscera volume were obtained from the UK Biobank, and the summary data for stroke and ischemic stroke were acquired from the MEGASTROKE consortium. This study employed inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR Egger, and weighted median methods. IVW served as the primary MR analysis method, supplemented by other sensitivity analyses to validate the robustness of the results. RESULTS: We found that liver volume can causally increase the risk of stroke [odds ratio (OR): 1.13, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.03-1.25, P = 0.013] and ischemic stroke (OR: 1.14, 95 % CI: 1.03-1.26, P = 0.012). No causal relationships between other abdominal viscera volumes and stroke and ischemic stroke appeared to be present (P > 0.05). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the results. CONCLUSION: Our research findings indicate a causal relationship between liver volume and stroke, highlighting the potential role of liver volume in the onset of stroke. However, further basic and clinical research is needed to delve into the specific mechanisms underlying the relationship between liver volume and stroke, and to implement interventions aimed at reducing the impact of liver volume on stroke risk.

Compounds identification and mechanism prediction of YuXueBi capsule in the treatment of arthritis by integrating UPLC/IM-QTOF-MS and network pharmacology.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease that seriously affects the life quality of patients. As a patent medicine of Chinese traditional medicine, YuXueBi capsule (YXBC) is widely used for treating RA with significant effects. However, its active compounds and therapeutic mechanisms are not fully illuminated, encumbering the satisfactory clinical application. In this study, we developed a method for identifying the chemical compounds of YXBC and the absorbed compounds into blood of rats using ultra performance liquid chromatography/ion mobility-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/IM-QTOF-MS) combined with UNIFI analysis software. A total of 58 compounds in YXBC were unambiguously or tentatively identified, 16 compounds from which were found in serum of rats after administration of YXBC. By network pharmacology, these prototype compounds identified in serum were predicted to regulate 30 main pathways (including HIF-1 signaling pathway, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, IL-17 signaling pathway, and so on) through 146 targets, resulting in promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, analgesia, and anti-inflammatory activities. This study provides a scientific basis for the clinical efficacy of YXBC in the treatment of RA.

Anti-Inflammatory Sesquiterpenes from Fruiting Bodies of Schizophyllum commune.

Schizophyllum commune, a fleshy fungus, is an important medicinal and food-homologous mushroom in China. In this work, eight undescribed sesquiterpenes schizomycins A-H (1-8) and one new meroterpenoid schizomycin I (9) together with three known analogues (10-12) were isolated from fruiting bodies of S. commune. Their planar structures were established by extensive spectroscopic and mass spectrometric data. The absolute configurations of compounds 1, 2, and 4 were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction, and compounds 3 and 5-9 were confirmed by electronic circular dichroism calculations. Anti-inflammatory activities of all isolated compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on IL-6 and IL-1ß production in RAW 264.7 cells. Among them, compound 7 exhibited significant IL-6 inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 3.6 µM. The results of molecular docking showed that compound 7 interacts with amino acid residues (Gly117, Lys118, Asp120, Thr166, and Try168) of the IL-6 receptor protein through hydrogen bonding.

An Optimized Human Erythroblast Differentiation System Reveals Cholesterol-Dependency of Robust Production of Cultured Red Blood Cells Ex Vivo.

The generation of cultured red blood cells (cRBCs) ex vivo represents a potentially unlimited source for RBC transfusion and other cell therapies. Human cRBCs can be generated from the terminal differentiation of proliferating erythroblasts derived from hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells or erythroid precursors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Efficient differentiation and maturation into cRBCs highly depend on replenishing human plasma, which exhibits variable potency across donors or batches and complicates the consistent cRBC production required for clinical translation. Hence, the role of human plasma in erythroblast terminal maturation is investigated and uncovered that 1) a newly developed cell culture basal medium mimicking the metabolic profile of human plasma enhances cell growth and increases cRBC yield upon erythroblast terminal differentiation and 2) LDL-carried cholesterol, as a substitute for human plasma, is sufficient to support erythroid survival and terminal differentiation ex vivo. Consequently, a chemically-defined optimized medium (COM) is developed, enabling robust generation of cRBCs from erythroblasts of multiple origins, with improved enucleation efficiency and higher reticulocyte yield, without the need for supplementing human plasma or serum. In addition, the results reveal the crucial role of lipid metabolism during human terminal erythropoiesis.

Visible Light Photoactivity of g-C3N4/MoS2 Nanocomposites for Water Remediation of Hexavalent Chromium.

Water pollution has becoming an increasingly serious issue, and it has attracted a significant amount of attention from scholars. Here, in order remove heavy metal hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)) from wastewater, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) was modified with molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) at different mass ratios via an ultrasonic method to synthesize g-C3N4/MoS2 (CNM) nanocomposites as photocatalysts. The nanocomposites displayed efficient photocatalytic removal of toxic hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)) from water under UV, solar, and visible light irradiation. The CNM composite with a 1:2 g-C3N4 to MoS2 ratio achieved optimal 91% Cr (VI) removal efficiency at an initial 20 mg/L Cr (VI) concentration and pH 3 after 120 min visible light irradiation. The results showed a high pH range and good recycling stability. The g-C3N4/MoS2 nanocomposites exhibited higher performance compared to pure g-C3N4 due to the narrowed band gap of the Z-scheme heterojunction structure and effective separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs, as evidenced by structural and optical characterization. Overall, the ultrasonic synthesis of g-C3N4/MoS2 photocatalysts shows promise as an efficient technique for enhancing heavy metal wastewater remediation under solar and visible light.

Risk assessment for the long-term stability of fly ash-based cementitious material containing arsenic: Dynamic and semidynamic leaching.

Fly ash from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWIFA) contains leachable heavy metals (HMs), and the environmental risk of contained HMs is an important concern for its safe treatment and disposal. This paper presents a dynamic leaching test of fly ash-based cementitious materials containing arsenic (FCAC) in three particle sizes based on an innovative simulation of two acid rainfall conditions to investigate the long-term stability of FCAC under acid rain conditions. As well as semi-dynamic leaching test by simulating FCAC in three scenarios. Furthermore, the long-term stability risk of FCAC is evaluated using a sequential extraction procedure (SEP) and the potential risk assessment index. Results showed that the Al3+ in the FCAC dissolved and reacted with the OH- in solution to form Al(OH)3 colloids as the leaching time increased. Moreover, the oxidation of sulfide minerals in the slag produced oxidants, such as H2SO4 and Fe2(SO4)3, which further aggravated the oxidative dissolution of sulfides, thereby resulting in an overall decreasing pH value of the leachate. In addition, due to the varying particle sizes of the FCAC, surface area size, and adsorption site changes, the arsenic leaching process showed three stages of leaching characteristics, namely, initial, rapid, and slow release, with a maximum leaching concentration of 2.42 mg/L, the cumulative release of 133.78 mg/kg, and the cumulative release rate of 2.32%. The SEP test revealed that the reduced state of HMs in the raw slag was lowered substantially, and the acid extractable state and residual state of HMs were increased, which was conducive to lessening the risk of FCAC. Overall, the geological polymerization reaction of MSWIFA is a viable and promising solution to stabilize mining and industrial wastes and repurpose the wastes into construction materials.

A comparative study of cognitive function in young patients with bipolar disorder with and without non-suicidal self-injury.

OBJECTIVE: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic mental disorder characterized by alternating or mixed episodes of mania or hypomania and depression. Cognitive function impairment is a frequent associated feature of the disease. While many BD patients also engage in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), there is a lack of studies on the cognitive function of BD patients with NSSI. This study aimed to evaluate cognitive functioning of BD patients with NSSI and provide a clinical basis for the differential diagnosis and treatment of BD and NSSI. METHODS: A total of 60 BD patients with NSSI, 60 BD patients without NSSI, and 60 healthy controls (HC) were selected for the study. All participants met the inclusion criteria and were not taking any medications, excluding the potential effects of medication on cognitive functions. The following neurocognitive tests were used to measure the cognitive functions in areas such as speed of processing, reasoning and problem solving, attention/vigilance, working memory, visual learning, and verbal learning: The Trail Making Test (TMT), Category Fluency, Digit Symbol Coding Test (DSCT), Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R), The Neuropsychological Assessment Battery Mazes (NABM), Wechsler Memory Scale Third Edition Spatial Span Test (WMS III-SST), Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLTR) and Continuous Performance Test and Identical Prs (CPT-IP). RESULTS: The findings indicated that BD patients with NSSI exhibited cognitive impairment in all measured cognitive domains. On the other hand, BD patients without NSSI showed less pronounced impairment in terms of speed of processing, but exhibited significant cognitive impairment in the remaining five areas compared to the HC group. CONCLUSION: The study underscores the presence of cognitive impairment in BD, and the cognitive impairment is more severe in BD patients with NSSI compared to those without NSSI. In conclusion, both individuals with NSSI and those without NSSI in BD exhibit cognitive impairment, which provides ideas and strategies for using cognitive-behavioral therapy to treat BD and NSSI.

Vertical distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon and vegetation types under different elevation gradients in Cangshan, Dali.

Background: The Cangshan National Nature Reserve of Dali City was adopted as the research object to clarify the vertical distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon (SOC) and vegetation types at different elevations in western Yunnan. Methods: The contents of SOC, light fraction organic carbon (LFOC), heavy fraction organic carbon (HFOC), and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) in the 0-30 cm soil layer at different elevations (2,400, 2,600, 2,800, 3,000, 3,200, 3,400, and 3,600 m) were determined, and the above-ground vegetation types at different elevations were investigated. Results: Results showed that the SOC content was the highest in 0-20 cm surface soil and gradually decreased with the deepening of the soil layer. It increased then decreased with the increase in elevation, and it peaked at 3,000 m. The LFOC content was between 1.28 and 7.3515 g kg-1. It exhibited a decreasing trend and little change in profile distribution. The HFOC content ranged between 12.9727 and 23.3708 g kg-1; it increased then decreased with the increase in profile depth. The WSOC content was between 235.5783 and 392.3925 mg kg-1, and the response sensitivity to elevation change was weak. With the increase in elevation, WSOC/SOC and LFOC/SOC showed a similar trend, whereas HFOC presented an opposite trend. This observation indicates that the active organic carbon content at 3,600 m was lower than that at 2,400 m, and the middle elevation was conducive to the storage of active organic carbon. Meanwhile, the physical and chemical properties of soil affected the distribution of organic carbon to a certain extent. The vegetation type survey showed that the above-ground dominant species within 2,400-2,800 m were Pinus yunnanensis and Pinus armandii. Many evergreen and mixed coniferous broadleaf forests were distributed from 3,000 m to 3,200 m. Species of Abies delavayi were mainly distributed from 3,400 m to 3,600 m. This research serves as a reference for the study of forest soil carbon stability in high-elevation areas and plays an important role in formulating reasonable land use management policies, protecting forest soil, reducing organic carbon loss, and investigating the carbon sequestration stability of forest ecosystems.

Guest adaptative supramolecular sensing strategy for warning the risky aflatoxins in contaminated cereals.

In the face of diversified analytes, it is a great challenge and infeasible task to design and synthesize corresponding macrocyclic hosts to realize the ideal supramolecular sensing. Herein, we proposed a novel supramolecular sensing strategy, guest adaptative assay (GAA), in which analyte was quantitatively transformed under mild conditions to perfectly adapt to macrocyclic host. As a health-threatening "landmine" in cereals, aflatoxins were converted by the aid of alkali hydrolysis to satisfactorily obtain aflatoxins transformants in ionic state, resulting in sensitive response by the guanidinocalix[5]arene•fluorescein reporter pair. Surprisingly, the established strategy not only exhibited effective practicality in screening out high-risk cereals contaminated with aflatoxins, but also relieved the laborious task of macrocycle design and screening in supramolecular sensing.

Global Profiling of the Antioxidant Constituents in Chebulae Fructus Based on an Integrative Strategy of UHPLC/IM-QTOF-MS, MS/MS Molecular Networking, and Spectrum-Effect Correlation.

An integrative strategy of UHPLC/IM-QTOF-MS analysis, MS/MS molecular networking (MN), in-house library search, and a collision cross-section (CCS) simulation and comparison was developed for the rapid characterization of the chemical constituents in Chebulae Fructus (CF). A total of 122 Constituents were identified, and most were phenolcarboxylic and tannic compounds. Subsequently, 1,3,6-tri-O-galloyl-ß-d-glucose, terflavin A, 1,2,6-tri-O-galloyl-ß-d-glucose, punicalagin B, chebulinic acid, chebulagic acid, 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-ß-d-glucose, and chebulic acid, among the 23 common constituents of CF, were screened out by UPLC-PDA fingerprinting and multivariate statistical analyses (HCA, PCA, and OPLS-DA). Then, Pearson's correlation analysis and a grey relational analysis were performed for the spectrum-effect correlation between the UPLC fingerprints and the antioxidant capacity of CF, which was finally validated by an UPLC-DPPH• analysis for the main antioxidant constituents. Our study provides a global identification of CF constituents and contributes to the quality control and development of functional foods and preparations dedicated to CF.

Recent Progress in Photocatalytic Degradation of Water Pollution by Bismuth Tungstate.

Photocatalysis has emerged as a highly promising, green, and efficient technology for degrading pollutants in wastewater. Among the various photocatalysts, Bismuth tungstate (Bi2WO6) has gained significant attention in the research community due to its potential in environmental remediation and photocatalytic energy conversion. However, the limited light absorption ability and rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers hinder the further improvement of Bi2WO6's photocatalytic performance. This review aims to present recent advancements in the development of Bi2WO6-based photocatalysts. It delves into the photocatalytic mechanism of Bi2WO6 and summarizes the achieved photocatalytic characteristics by controlling its morphology, employing metal and non-metal doping, constructing semiconductor heterojunctions, and implementing defective engineering. Additionally, this review explores the practical applications of these modified Bi2WO6 photocatalysts in wastewater purification. Furthermore, this review addresses existing challenges and suggests prospects for the development of efficient Bi2WO6 photocatalysts. It is hoped that this comprehensive review will serve as a valuable reference and guide for researchers seeking to advance the field of Bi2WO6 photocatalysis.

Mono- and Dimeric Sorbicillinoid Inhibitors Targeting IL-6 and IL-1ß from the Mangrove-Derived Fungus Trichoderma reesei BGRg-3.

Four new sorbicillinoids, named trichodermolide E (1), trichosorbicillin J (2), bisorbicillinolide B (3), and demethylsorbiquinol (5), together with eight known compounds (4, 6-12), were isolated from the cultures of the mangrove-derived fungus Trichoderma reesei BGRg-3. The structures of the new compounds were determined by analyzing their detailed spectroscopic data, while the absolute configurations were further determined through electronic circular dichroism calculations. Snatzke's method was additionally used to determine the absolute configurations of the diol moiety in 1. In a bioassay, compounds 7 and 10 performed greater inhibitory activities on interleukin-6 and interleukin-1ß than the positive control (dexamethasone) at the concentration of 25 µM. Meanwhile, compounds 5 and 6 showed potent effects with stronger inhibition than dexamethasone on IL-1ß at the same concentration.

Rational design of supramolecular self-assembly sensor for living cell imaging of HDAC1 and its application in high-throughput screening.

Supramolecular chemistry offers new insights in bioimaging, but specific tracking of enzyme in living cells via supramolecular host-guest reporter pair remains challenging, largely due to the interference caused by the complex cellular environment on the binding between analytes and hosts. Here, by exploiting the principle of supramolecular tandem assay (STA) and the classic host-guest reporter pair (p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene (SC4A) and lucigenin (LCG)) and rationally designing artificial peptide library to screen sequence with high affinity of the target enzyme, we developed a "turn-on" fluorescent sensing system for intracellular imaging of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1), which is a potential therapeutic target for various diseases, including cancer, neurological, and cardiovascular diseases. Based on computational simulations and experimental validations, we verified that the deacetylated peptide by HDAC1 competed LCG, freeing it from the SC4A causing fluorescence increase. Enzyme kinetics experiments were further conducted to prove that this assay could detect HDAC1 specifically with high sensitivity (the LOD value is 0.015 µg/mL, ten times lower than the published method). This system was further applied for high-throughput screening of HDAC1 inhibitors over a natural compound library containing 147 compounds, resulting in the identification of a novel HDAC1 down-regulator (Ginsenoside RK3). Our results demonstrated the sensitivity and robustness of the assay system towards HDAC1. It should serve as a valuable tool for biochemical studies and drug screening.

Carotenoid-derived norsesquiterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids from Tagetes erecta L.

Tagetes erecta L. (marigold), a common landscaping flower widely cultivated in America, Africa, Asia and Europe, is the fundamental source of carotenoids (especially lutein) in food and pharmaceutical industry. Carotenoids are well-known to possess various healthy and beneficial biological activities such as eye protection, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory. In our exploitation of carotenoid-derived products from T. erecta, nine previously undescribed compounds including seven megastigmane-type norsesquiterpenoids (1-7), one carotenoid-derived sesquiterpenoid (8), and one natural 3-hydroxyl-α-ionylideneacetic acid derivative (9), along with twelve known compounds (10-21), were afforded from the 95% ethanol extract of the petals of T. erecta. Their planar chemical structures and the absolute configurations were established by analysis of the extensive spectroscopic data including HRESI-MS, 1D/2D NMR and the simulation of ECD. Further, a plausible biosynthesis pathway for compounds 1-20 is proposed.

Methylation across the central dogma in health and diseases: new therapeutic strategies.

The proper transfer of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein is essential for cell-fate control, development, and health. Methylation of DNA, RNAs, histones, and non-histone proteins is a reversible post-synthesis modification that finetunes gene expression and function in diverse physiological processes. Aberrant methylation caused by genetic mutations or environmental stimuli promotes various diseases and accelerates aging, necessitating the development of therapies to correct the disease-driver methylation imbalance. In this Review, we summarize the operating system of methylation across the central dogma, which includes writers, erasers, readers, and reader-independent outputs. We then discuss how dysregulation of the system contributes to neurological disorders, cancer, and aging. Current small-molecule compounds that target the modifiers show modest success in certain cancers. The methylome-wide action and lack of specificity lead to undesirable biological effects and cytotoxicity, limiting their therapeutic application, especially for diseases with a monogenic cause or different directions of methylation changes. Emerging tools capable of site-specific methylation manipulation hold great promise to solve this dilemma. With the refinement of delivery vehicles, these new tools are well positioned to advance the basic research and clinical translation of the methylation field.

Degradation Profiling of Nardosinone at High Temperature and in Simulated Gastric and Intestinal Fluids.

Nardosinone, a predominant bioactive product from Nardostachys jatamansi DC, is well-known for its promising therapeutic applications, such as being used as a drug on anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, cardioprotective, anti-neuroinflammatory, anti-arrhythmic, anti-periodontitis, etc. However, its stability under varying environmental conditions and its degradation products remain unclear. In this study, four main degradation products, including two previously undescribed compounds [2-deoxokanshone M (64.23%) and 2-deoxokanshone L (1.10%)] and two known compounds [desoxo-narchinol A (2.17%) and isonardosinone (3.44%)], were firstly afforded from the refluxed products of nardosinone in boiling water; their structures were identified using an analysis of the extensive NMR and X-ray diffraction data and the simulation and comparison of electronic circular dichroism spectra. Compared with nardosinone, 2-deoxokanshone M exhibited potent vasodilatory activity without any of the significant anti-neuroinflammatory activity that nardosinone contains. Secondly, UPLC-PDA and UHPLC-DAD/Q-TOF MS analyses on the degradation patterns of nardosinone revealed that nardosinone degraded more easily under high temperatures and in simulated gastric fluid compared with the simulated intestinal fluid. A plausible degradation pathway of nardosinone was finally proposed using nardosinonediol as the initial intermediate and involved multiple chemical reactions, including peroxy ring-opening, keto-enol tautomerization, oxidation, isopropyl cleavage, and pinacol rearrangement. Our findings may supply certain guidance and scientific evidence for the quality control and reasonable application of nardosinone-related products.

Synthesis, Properties, and Application of Small-Molecule Hole-Transporting Materials Based on Acetylene-Linked Thiophene Core.

Three small molecule organic compounds based on conjugated acetylene-linked methoxy triphenylamine terminal groups with different substituted thiophene cores were synthesized and firstly applied as hole-transporting materials (HTMs). The electron-deficient acetylene linkers can tune the energy levels of frontier molecular orbitals. The physical property measurements show that the HTMs (CJ-05, CJ-06, and CJ-07) possess good stability, hydrophobicity, and film-forming ability. Further, the HTMs were applied in the MAPbI3-based perovskite solar cells (PSCs), and the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.04%, 6.77%, and 6.48% was achieved, respectively, which implies that they exhibit great potential in photovoltaic applications.

The Potential Biological Roles of Circular RNAs in the Immune Systems of Insects to Pathogen Invasion.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a newly discovered class of endogenously expressed non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). They are highly stable, covalently closed molecules that frequently exhibit tissue-specific expression in eukaryotes. A small number of circRNAs are abundant and have been remarkably conserved throughout evolution. Numerous circRNAs are known to play important biological roles by acting as microRNAs (miRNAs) or protein inhibitors ('sponges'), by regulating the function of proteins, or by being translated themselves. CircRNAs have distinct cellular functions due to structural and production differences from mRNAs. Recent advances highlight the importance of characterizing circRNAs and their targets in a variety of insect species in order to fully understand how they contribute to the immune responses of these insects. Here, we focus on the recent advances in our understanding of the biogenesis of circRNAs, regulation of their abundance, and biological roles, such as serving as templates for translation and in the regulation of signaling pathways. We also discuss the emerging roles of circRNAs in regulating immune responses to various microbial pathogens. Furthermore, we describe the functions of circRNAs encoded by microbial pathogens that play in their hosts.

Multi-Residue Screening of Pesticides in Aquatic Products Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Pesticide residues in aquatic products are of great concern due to the risk of environmental transmission and their extensive use in aquaculture. In our work, a quick screening approach was developed for the qualitative and semi-quantitative screening of 87 pesticide residues in aquatic products. The sample preparation was investigated, including extract solvent, extract methods, buffer salts, lipid removal, cleanup materials and filter membranes for aquatic products. Samples were extracted using a modified QuEChERS procedure, and two clean-up procedures were developed for UHPLC-Q/Orbitrap MS analysis based on the fat content of the aquatic products. The screening detection limits for all studied pesticides were distributed between 1 and 500 µg/kg in the three representative matrices. Seventy-one pesticides could be analyzed with a screening limit between 1 and 25 µg/kg in grass carp and crayfish, sixty-one pesticides could be screened for limits between 1 and 50 µg/kg in crab. The accuracy results showed that recoveries ranged from 50 to 120% for 60, 56 and 52 pesticides at medium-level for grass carp, crayfish and crab, respectively. At high spiking levels, 74, 65 and 59 pesticides were recovered within the range of 50-120% for the three matrices, respectively. The relative standard deviations of most compounds in different matrices were less than 20%. With this method, the local farmed aquatic products were tested for pesticide residues. In these samples, ethoxyquinoline, prometryn and phoxim were frequently detected. The majority of these confirmed compounds did not exceed 2.00 µg/kg. A grass carp with trichlorfon at 4.87 µg/kg and two carps with ethoxyquinoline at 200 µg/kg were detected, indicating the potential dietary risk.