Exposure to disinfection by-products and risk of cancer: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.

Disinfection by-products (DBPs), including trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs), have attracted attention due to their carcinogenic properties, leading to varying conclusions. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the dose-response relationship and the dose-dependent effect of DBPs on cancer risk. We performed a selective search in PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases for articles published up to September 15th, 2023. Our meta-analysis eventually included 25 articles, encompassing 8 cohort studies with 6038,525 participants and 10,668 cases, and 17 case-control studies with 10,847 cases and 20,702 controls. We observed a positive correlation between increased cancer risk and higher concentrations of total trihalomethanes (TTHM) in water, longer exposure durations, and higher cumulative TTHM intake. These associations showed a linear trend, with relative risks (RRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) being 1.02 (1.01-1.03), 1.04 (1.02-1.06), and 1.02 (1.00-1.03), respectively. Gender-specific analyses revealed slightly U-shaped relationships in both males and females, with males exhibiting higher risks. The threshold dose for TTHM in relation to cancer risk was determined to be 55 µg/L for females and 40 µg/L for males. A linear association was also identified between bladder cancer risk and TTHM exposure, with an RR and 95 % CI of 1.08 (1.05-1.11). Positive linear associations were observed between cancer risk and exposure to chloroform, bromodichloromethane (BDCM), and HAA5, with RRs and 95 % CIs of 1.02 (1.01-1.03), 1.33 (1.18-1.50), and 1.07 (1.03-1.12), respectively. Positive dose-dependent effects were noted for brominated THMs above 35 µg/L and chloroform above 75 µg/L. While heterogeneity was observed in the studies for quantitative synthesis, no publication bias was detected. Exposure to TTHM, chloroform, BDCM, or HAA5 may contribute to carcinogenesis, and the risk of cancer appears to be dose-dependent on DBP exposure levels. A cumulative effect is suggested by the positive correlation between TTHM exposure and cancer risk. Bladder cancer and endocrine-related cancers show dose-dependent and positive associations with TTHM exposure. Males may be more susceptible to TTHM compared to females.

Multiple liquid-liquid extraction of dissolved compounds in immortelle hydrosol with four different solvents.

Immortelle, a revered Mediterranean medicinal plant, is celebrated for its potent essential oil renowned in the cosmetic industry for its skin-enhancing properties. Yet, immortelle hydrosol, an often-overlooked byproduct, holds promise in cosmetics due to its compatibility with polar active ingredients. This study investigates the chemical composition of immortelle hydrosol by employing liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) to transfer volatile organic components into nonpolar solvents. Four solvents - chloroform, dichloromethane, hexane, and benzene - were assessed through ten consecutive extractions from industrially produced immortelle hydrosol. Quantification was achieved using GC analysis with tetradecane as an internal standard. Chloroform emerged as the most efficient solvent, yielding 2447.0 mg/L of volatile compounds, surpassing dichloromethane, hexane, and benzene. Key compounds in immortelle hydrosol included 3-pentanone, 2-methyl-1-butanol, and γ-terpineol. Importantly, the study revealed that a portion of essential oil compounds persists in the hydrosol even after ten LLE cycles, with optimal results achievable in five extractions (~92 % in most cases).

Analysis of Volatile Constituent by Hydrodistillation and Solid-Phase Microextraction Techniques and Antimicrobial and Scolicidal Activities of Essential Oil and Soxhlet Extracts of Ulva rigida grown in Turkey.

In the present study, the volatile composition of Ulva rigida (U. rigida) was elucidated by two different methods. As a result of the identification process of volatile components using the GC/MS-FID instrument, 31 compounds were identified by hydrodistillation (HD) method, and 15 compounds were identified by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method, elucidating the structure of 99.86 % and 92.65 %, respectively. The most abundant compounds in the essential oil of U. rigida were n-hexadecanoic acid and pentadecanal, while the most abundant compound according to the SPME analysis was heptadecyne, a hydrocarbon compound. In the next step, hexane, dichloromethane, chloroform and methanol solvent extracts of U. rigida were prepared and the antimicrobial activities of the extracts and the essential oil obtained by hydro-distillation as well as the scolicidal activities of the solvent extracts were determined. The results of the antimicrobial activity test of the essential oil showed a high level of activity against Bacillus cereus ATCC 10876 and MRSA. The highest activity was found on the microorganism of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 in chloroform and methanol extracts of U. rigida. Furthermore, viability detection was performed and the scolicidal effects of the extracts on protoscoleces were assessed. The values of lethal concentration doses (LD50 , LD75 and LD90 ) were calculated using probit analysis.

Value-added processing of seeds from tomato sauce industry and comparison of extraction solvents on the chemical properties.

BACKGROUND: Tomato seed oil (TSO) was obtained using a combined method of pre-keeping in solvent and Soxhlet extraction. A considerable oil yield could not be obtained using samples without drying or grinding, with dried or non-dried seeds, which were not kept in solvent (<2%). For this purpose, oil yield, physicochemical properties, oxidation values, spectrophotometric indices and fatty acid composition of the samples extracted with acetone, ethyl acetate, chloroform and petroleum ether were determined. RESULTS: Oils obtained by the extraction of petroleum ether (20.36 meq g O2 kg-1 ) and ethyl acetate (11.16 meq g O2 kg-1 ) were found to have very high peroxide values. Besides, a high-quality edible oil should have an anisidine value (p-AnV) of less than 10. Samples extracted with chloroform alone had a p-AnV of 8.86, while slightly higher values were found for other samples (P < 0.05). Chloroform (20.50) and acetone (23.06) both gave the best results and met the expected value, with total oxidation value below 30. Finally, the highest levels of primary fatty acids observed were linoleic acid (32.77-41.95%), palmitic acid (23.75-32.27%), oleic acid (16.17-24.52%), and stearic acid (7.76-12.82%). CONCLUSION: This process is applicable to recycling tomato sauce waste and essential oil. The research proved that the seed-drying process and pre-keeping in solvent have an important effect on oil yield, quality and fatty acid composition. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Determination of chloroform concentration and human exposure assessment in the swimming pool.

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the concentration of the by-products of chlorination in the swimming pool and estimate human health risk for the swimmers of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. In this study, the chloroform concentrations of 16 samples were measured using Gas Chromatography (GC). All the measured concentrations were less than the allowed amount announced by the World Health Organization (WHO). The results of the cancer risk (CR) and hazard index (HI) showed that the major exposure routes were found to be dermal during swimming and the 95 percentile of estimated CR and HI for the male group were 1.38 × 10-10 and 1.82 × 10-5 respectively, which is higher than the values of 5.48 × 10-10 and 2.25 × 10-5 respectively, for the women group. Sensitivity analyses indicated that the swimming exposure time (ET), and chloroform concentration were the most relevant variables in the health risk model. Therefore, knowledge about the sources of micro-pollutants in swimming pools might help promote the health methods of the pool environment.

Evaluation of different DNA extraction methods based on steel-bullet beating for molecular diagnosis of onychomycosis.

BACKGROUND: Considering increased trends toward molecular methods for detection/identification of fungi causing onychomycosis, the aim of this study is comparison three DNA extraction methods based on steel-bullet beating to extract DNA from nail. METHODS: Ex -vivo onychomycosis model was developed using bovine hoof with Candida albicans and Aspergillus flavus. For two models, total DNA was extracted using the three different methods. In method 1, the extraction and purification were performed by steel-bullet beating and phenol chloroform protocol, respectively. In method 2, a freezing step were applied before beating. The purification step in method 3 was carried out using a commercial kit, although DNA extraction was done similarly to method 1 in that approach. To evaluate the efficacy of each method, the extracted genomic DNA was amplified with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) using Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) regions. Moreover, 50 nail samples were evaluated for onychomycosis using direct microscopy examination as well as PCR in order to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of the optimal DNA extraction method. RESULTS: Regarding the desirable quality of the extracted DNA, cost effectiveness, and simplicity, method 1 could be used to extract DNA effectively. Additionally, the obtained data showed that PCR had a higher detection rate of fungal agents in the nail samples than direct microscopic examination. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the mechanical disruption of the cell wall by steel-bullet beating is a useful and practical method to improve the quantity and quality of fungal DNA thorough the extraction process.

Analysis of chemical constituents in the extract and rat serum from the chloroform extract of Oxytropis falcata Bunge by HPLC-MS.

Analysis of the constituents of the chloroform extract of Oxytropis falcata Bunge (CEOF), a traditional Tibetan medicine, in rat's serum after oral administration, has been performed by HPLC-MS. We have identified 10 compounds in CEOF and 11 bioactive ingredients from rat's serum after given CEOF. Six bioactive ingredients from rat's serum are matched with original form of the compounds of CEOF. Other five bioactive ingredients were seemed to be respectively metabolites. HPLC-MS is rapid, sensitive method and suitable for identification of bioactive components absorbed into blood of CEOF providing information for further research of pharmacological mechanism.

Assessment of indirect inhalation exposure to formaldehyde evaporated from water.

Volatilization volumes and health risks associated with indirect inhalation exposure to formaldehyde evaporated from water have not been investigated quantitatively. We experimentally investigated formaldehyde volatility, compared with chloroform volatility, predicted formaldehyde inhalation exposure concentrations in Japanese bathrooms, and then re-evaluated drinking water quality standards. Although the Henry's law constant of formaldehyde is 1/104 that of chloroform, with a 30-min exposure period, the formaldehyde non-equilibrium partition coefficient (K'd) was 1/500th the chloroform value because of formaldehyde's faster volatilization rate. We used this ratio to estimate the cumulative probability distribution of formaldehyde concentrations in bathroom air. For a formaldehyde concentration in water of ≤2.6 mg/L-water (WHO tolerable concentration), the probability that the incremental formaldehyde concentration due to volatilization would exceed 100 µg/m3-air (WHO indoor air quality guideline) was low. However, major sources of formaldehyde in indoor air are building materials and furniture. We therefore calculated the allowable concentration in water by allocating a small percentage of the indoor air guideline value to indirect inhalation exposure via volatilization from tap water. With an allocation factor of 20% (10%), the allowable concentration was 0.52 (0.26) mg/L-water. These concentrations are similar to the Health Canada guideline concentration but they are 3-6 times the Japanese water quality standard.

Monitoring residue concentrations in milk from farm and throughout a milk powder manufacturing process.

The experiments reported in this research paper aimed to investigate differences in the levels of chlorate (CHLO), perchlorate (PCHLO), trichloromethane (TCM) and iodine residues in bulk tank (BT) milk produced at different milk production periods, and to monitor those levels throughout a skim milk powder (SMP) production chain (BTs, collection tankers [CTs], whole milk silo [WMS] and skim milk silo [SMS]). Chlorate, PCHLO and iodine were measured in SMP, while TCM was measured in the milk cream. The CHLO, TCM and iodine levels in the mid-lactation milk stored in the WMS were lower than legislative and industrial specifications (0.0100 mg/kg, 0.0015 mg/kg and 150 µg/l, respectively). However, in late-lactation, these levels were numerically higher than the mid-lactation levels and specifications. Trichloromethane accumulated in the cream portion after separation. Perchlorate was not detected in any of the samples. Regarding iodine, the levels in mid-lactation reconstituted SMP were higher than that required by manufacturers (100 µg/l), indicating that the levels in milk should be lower than 142 µg/l. The higher residue levels observed in late-lactation could be related to the low milk volume produced during that period and changes in sanitation practices, while changes in feed management could have affected iodine levels. This study could assist in controlling and setting limits for CHLO, TCM and iodine levels in milk, ensuring premium quality dairy products.

Monitoring chlorine residual and trihalomethanes in the chlorinated seawater effluent of a nuclear power plant.

Periodic sampling of the discharged seawater effluent from Madras Atomic Power Station (Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, India) was carried out during 2013-2017 to assess the residual chlorine and trihalomethanes content in the outfall discharge water. The variations in dissolved oxygen, temperature, and pH were correlated with the residual chlorine and trihalomethanes content in the discharged effluent. The difference in temperature (ΔT) between influent and effluent seawater samples ranged from 1.95 to 11.0 °C (6.47 ± 1.87). More than 95% of the ΔT values were within the guideline value of 7 °C. The discharge water was associated with a marginal reduction in dissolved oxygen and a marginal increase in conductivity values. The total residual chlorine content in the discharged seawater at outfall ranged from 0.06 to 0.42 (0.16 ± 0.08) mg/L, which was within the stipulated values of 0.5 mg/L. Trihalomethanes values ranged from 0.04 to 65.03 (13.06 ± 14.38) µg/L. In addition to bromoform as the major constituent, occurrence of significant amount chloroform of was occasionally observed in the discharge water.

Robust and Reversible Vapoluminescent Organometallic Copper Polymers.

Emissive organometallic polymers are an important class of functional materials characterized by the combined photoluminescent features of organometallic molecules and the properties of traditional polymers. In this work, the emissive organometallic complex, [CuBr(PPh3 )2 (4-methylpyridine)], is successfully, mechanically ground into a random copolymer built on 4-(diphenylphosphino)styrene (DPVP) and n-butyl acrylate (BA) monomers. The resultant hybrid materials successfully inherit the emissive centers, and are significantly reinforced by the copper complexes as chemical crosslinkers in the polymeric continuum. These organometallic polymers are also proved to have excellent vapoluminescent properties, exhibiting unique responses to many organic solvent vapors, reflecting their rapid loss and recovery of photoluminescence. Mechanically robust and flexible films prepared with these organometallic Cu(I)-polymers are tested as recoverable sensors for hazardous volatile chemical compounds (VOCs) such as toluene, acetone, chloroform, and dichloromethane, and the low limits of detection (LOD) can reach as low as 1 × 10-3 -8 × 10-3 mg L-1 (0.2-3.3 ppmV, parts per million-volume) for various VOCs. This work sheds lights on the design and fabrication of organometallic polymers for advanced applications.

Validation of a robust LLE-GC-MS method for determination of trihalomethanes in environmental samples.

An analytical liquid-liquid extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (LLE-GC-MS) method was developed and validated for the determination of trihalomethanes (THMs) in environmental samples. The compounds studied were trichloromethane (TCM), bromodichloromethane (BDCM), dibromochloromethane (DBCM), and tribromomethane (TBM). The calibration curves for the THMs showed high linearity in the range of 1-1000 µg L-1. Studies of intra-day and inter-day precision, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), accuracy, and recovery were performed with low (10 µg L-1), medium (40 µg L-1), and high (200 µg L-1) concentrations of THMs. The intra-day and inter-day precision RSD varied in the ranges of 0.17-6.95% and 0.26-15.70%, respectively. No statistical differences were observed between the analysis of the concentration of certified reference materials (CRM 4M8140-U) and the values reported by CRM, indicating the good accuracy of the proposed method. The recovery was 88.75-119.21%. The LOD and LOQ were smaller than 0.13 and 0.40 µg L-1. Compared with reported LLE-GC-MS methods, the validated method had similar LOD and enhanced LOQ, precision, accuracy, and recovery. Also, the method is robust, selective to THMs, and the total time for the extraction and GC separation of THMs is about 18 min. The method was useful for detecting and quantifying low concentrations of TCM (40-80 µg L-1) formed by water chlorination in the presence of Microcystis aeruginosa cyanobacteria, thus demonstrating its applicability for monitoring THMs in real samples.

Modeling Human Exposure to Indoor Contaminants: External Source to Body Tissues.

Information on human indoor exposure is necessary to assess the potential risk to individuals from many chemicals of interest. Dynamic indoor and human physicologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models of the distribution of nonionizing, organic chemical concentrations in indoor environments resulting in delivered tissue doses are developed, described and tested. The Indoor model successfully reproduced independently measured, reported time-dependent air concentrations of chloroform released during showering and of 2-butyoxyethanol following use of a volatile surface cleaner. The Indoor model predictions were also comparable to those from a higher tier consumer model (ConsExpo 4.1) for the surface cleaner scenario. The PBPK model successful reproduced observed chloroform exhaled air concentrations resulting from an inhalation exposure. Fugacity based modeling provided a seamless description of the partitioning, fluxes, accumulation and release of the chemical in indoor media and tissues of the exposed subject. This has the potential to assist in health risk assessments, provided that appropriate physical/chemical property, usage characteristics, and toxicological information are available.

Dynamic real-time monitoring of chloroform in an indoor swimming pool air using open-path Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

This study used open-path Fourier transform infrared (OP-FTIR) spectroscopy to continuously assess the variation in chloroform concentrations in the air of an indoor swimming pool. Variables affecting the concentrations of chloroform in air were also monitored. The results showed that chloroform concentrations in air varied significantly during the time of operation of the swimming pool and that there were two peaks in chloroform concentration during the time of operation of the pool. The highest concentration was at 17:30, which is coincident with the time with the highest number of swimmers in the pool in a day. The swimmer load was one of the most important factors influencing the chloroform concentration in the air. When the number of swimmers surpassed 40, the concentrations of chloroform were on average 4.4 times higher than the concentration measured without swimmers in the pool. According to the results of this study, we suggest that those who swim regularly should avoid times with highest number of swimmers, in order to decrease the risk of exposure to high concentrations of chloroform. It is also recommended that an automatic mechanical ventilation system is installed to increase the ventilation rate during times of high swimmer load.

Optical sensors for the detection of trace chloroform.

Optical thin film sensors have been developed to detect chloroform in aqueous and nonaqueous solutions. These sensors utilize a modified Fujiwara reaction, one of the only known methods for detecting halogenated hydrocarbons in the visible spectrum. The modified Fujiwara reagents, 2,2'-dipyridyl and tetra-n-butyl ammonium hydroxide (n-Bu4NOH or TBAH), are encapsulated in an ethyl cellulose (EC) or sol-gel film. Upon exposure of the EC sensor film to HCCl3 in petroleum ether, a colored product is produced within the film, which is analyzed spectroscopically, yielding a detection limit of 0.830 ppm (parts per million v/v or µL/L hereinafter) and a quantification limit of 2.77 ppm. When the chloroform concentration in pentane is ≥5 ppm, the color change of the EC sensor is visible to the naked eye. In aqueous chloroform solution, reaction in the sol-gel sensor film turns the sensor from colorless to dark yellow/brown, also visible to the naked eye, with a detection limit of 500 ppm. This is well below the solubility of chloroform in water (ca. 5,800 ppm). To our knowledge, these are the first optical quality thin film sensors using Fujiwara reactions for halogenated hydrocarbon detection.

Mutagenicity and genotoxicity of drinking water in Guelma region, Algeria.

In this study, a battery of genotoxicity assays for monitoring drinking water was performed to assess the quality of the water resulting from the treatment plants. Five different types of samples were collected: raw water (P1), treated after pre-chlorination (P2), treated after decantation (P3), treated post-chlorination (P4), and consumers' taps (P5-P12). This study aims to evaluate the formation/occurrence of mutagenic and/or genotoxic compounds in surface drinking waters treated with chlorine disinfectant, during four seasonal experiments: summer, autumn, winter, and spring between 2012 and 2013 by bacterial reverse mutation assay in both Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains with or without metabolic activation system (S9 mix) and Allium cepa root meristematic cells, respectively. All of water samples, except at P1, P2, and P5 in summer; P1 in autumn; and P1 and P3-P12 in spring without S9 mix, and at P1 and P2 in summer and P6 and P8-P12 in spring with S9 mix, were found to be mutagenic in S. typhimurium TA98. However, only P11 and P12 in winter were found to be mutagenic for TA100 without S9 mix. The tested preparations in Allium anaphase-telophase test revealed a significant decrease in mitotic index (MI) and a simultaneous increase in chromosome aberrations (CAs) compared to the control. The bridge, stickiness, vagrant chromosomes, and disturbed chromosome aberrations were observed in anaphase-telophase cells. Physicochemical analysis, trihalomethanes (THMs), romoform (CHBr3), chloroform (CHCl3), bromodichloromethane (CHBrCl2), and dibromochloromethane (CHBr2Cl) levels in water samples were also determined. The results show also that this short-term battery tests are applicable in the routine monitoring of drinking water quality before and after distribution.

[Development of lipids and carbohydrates metabolism disorders caused by drinkable water with high content of chlorine organic compounds].

Evaluation of effects caused by environmental peroral exposure to chlorine organic compounds revealed that individuals with AG variation of HTR2A gene are a community with increased sensitivity to chloroform and a risk group for lipid and carbohydrates metabolism disorders. Individual risk of endocrine disorders (ICD: E67.8 excessive nutrition and E66.0 obesity) in these individuals is higher than in general population exposed to chloroform at residence (HQ1.72). Serum serotonin level, that is functionally connected with HTR2A gene, is 1.3 times lower vs. the reference group value.

Predictive model for chloroform during disinfection of water for consumption, city of Montevideo.

The objective of this study was to predict chloroform formation resulting from the process of disinfecting water, particularly trihalomethane which is most frequently produced. A statistical model was used which included repeated measurements of water parameters used for monitoring water quality at 51 sites covering the municipal water system of Montevideo. Samples were taken considering different seasons from June 2009 to July 2011 in Montevideo. Total samples (n = 330) were analytically studied using the headspace-gas chromatography method coupled with mass spectrometry. Chloroform was the dependent variable and the covariables were pH, temperature, free chlorine, and total chlorine. A Tobit analysis with an unstructured correlation matrix was performed, and a significant interaction was found between pH and free chlorine for the prediction of chloroform formation. We concluded that parameters for the continuous control of water quality for consumption can be used to predict the levels of chloroform that may be present. Given the large measurement to variability found in the repeated measurements, the use of averages that include more than one season is not recommended to determine the degree of compliance with acceptable levels established by norms.

[Determination of six halogenated solvent residues in olive oil by headspace gas chromatography].

The residual amount of halogenated solvents in olive oil is an important indicator of its quality. The National Olive Oil Quality Standard GB/T 23347-2021 states that the residual amount of individual halogenated solvents in olive oil should be ≤0.1 mg/kg and that the total residual amount of halogenated solvents should be ≤0.2 mg/kg. COI/T.20/Doc. No. 8-1990, which was published by the International Olive Council, describes the standard method used for the determination of halogenated solvents in olive oil. Unfortunately, this method is cumbersome, has poor repeatability and low automation, and is unsuitable for the detection and analysis of residual halogenated solvents in large quantities of olive oil. At present, no national standard method for determining residual halogenated solvents in olive oil is available in China. Thus, developing simple, efficient, accurate, and stable methods for the determination of residual halogenated solvents in olive oil is imperative. In this paper, a method based on automatic headspace gas chromatography was established for the determination of residual halogenated solvents, namely, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, dibromochloromethane, tetrachloroethylene, and bromoform, in olive oil. The samples were processed as follows. After mixing, 2.00 g (accurate to 0.01 g) of the olive oil sample was added into a 20 mL headspace injection bottle and immediately sealed for headspace gas chromatography analysis. Blank virgin olive oil was used to prepare a standard working solution and the external standard method for quantification. The solvents used in the preparation of halogenated solvent standard intermediates were investigated and methanol was selected as a replacement for N,N-dimethylacetamide to prepare a halogenated solvent standard intermediate owing to its safety. The effects of different injection times (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 s), equilibration temperatures (60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120 ℃), and equilibration times (4, 5, 8, 10, 20, 30, 40 min) of the headspace sampler on the detection of the residual amounts of the six halogenated solvents were investigated. The optimal injection time and equilibration temperature were 3 s and 90 ℃, respectively. The method demonstrated good analytical performance for the six halogenated solvents when the equilibration time was 30 min. A methodological study was conducted on the optimized method, and the results showed that the six halogenated solvents exhibited good linear relationships in the range of 0.002-0.200 mg/kg, with correlation coefficients of ≥0.9991. The limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) of 1,1,1-trichloroethane and bromoform were 0.0006 and 0.002 mg/kg, respectively. The LODs and LOQs of chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, dibromochloromethane, and tetrachloroethylene were 0.0003 and 0.001 mg/kg, respectively. The average recoveries under different spiked levels were 85.53%-115.93%, and the relative standard deviations (n=6) were 1.11%-8.48%. The established method was used to analyze 13 olive oil samples available in the market. Although no halogenated solvents were detected in these samples, a limited number of samples does not represent all olive oils. Hence, monitoring residual halogenated solvents in olive oil remains necessary for its safe consumption. The LOQs of the method for the six halogenated solvents were significantly lower than that of the COI/T.20/Doc. No. 8-1990 standard method (0.02 mg/kg). In addition, the developed method can be conducted under short operation times with high precision and degree of automation as well as good accuracy. Thus, the proposed method is suitable for the determination and analysis of the residues of the six halogenated solvents in large batches of olive oil samples.

Portable chamber system for measuring chloroform fluxes from terrestrial environments--methodological challenges.

This study describes a system designed to measure chloroform flux from terrestrial systems, providing a reliable first assessment of the spatial variability of flux over an area. The study takes into account that the variability of ambient air concentrations is unknown. It includes quality assurance procedures, sensitivity assessments, and testing of materials used to ensure that the flux equation used to extrapolate from concentrations to fluxes is sound and that the system does not act as a sink or a source of chloroform. The results show that many materials and components commonly used in sampling systems designed for CO2, CH4, and N2O emit chloroform and other volatile chlorinated compounds (VOCls) and are thus unsuitable in systems designed for studies of such compounds. To handle the above-mentioned challenges, we designed a system with a non-steady-state chamber and a closed-loop air-circulation unit returning scrubbed air to the chamber. Based on empirical observations, the concentration increase during a deployment was assumed to be linear. Four samples were collected consecutively and a line was fitted to the measured concentrations. The slope of the fitted line and the y-axis intercept were input variables in the equation used to transform concentration change data to flux estimates. The soundness of the flux equation and the underlying assumptions were tested and found to be reliable by comparing modeled and measured concentrations. Fluxes of chloroform in a forest clear-cut on the east coast of Vancouver Island, BC, during the year were found to vary from -130 to 620 ng m(-2) h(-1). The study shows that the method can reliably detect differences of approximately 50 ng m(-2) h(-1) in chloroform fluxes. The statistical power of the method is still comparatively strong down to differences of 35 ng m(-2) h(-1), but for smaller differences, the results should be interpreted with caution.