Physical Properties of Starches Modified by Phosphorylation and High-Voltage Electrical Discharge (HVED).

High-voltage electrical discharge (HVED) is considered as a novel, non-thermal process and is currently being researched regarding its effect on microorganisms (decontamination of food), waste water treatment, and modification of different compounds and food components. In this paper, four native starches (maize, wheat, potato, and tapioca) were treated with HVED, phosphorylated with Na2HPO4 and Na5P3O10, and modified by a combination of HVED with each phosphorylation reaction both prior and after chemical modification. Pasting properties, swelling power, solubility, gel texture, and particle size were analyzed. Although HVED induced lower contents of P in modified starches, it had an effect on analyzed properties. The results revealed that HVED treatment alone had a limited effect on pasting properties of starches, but it had an effect on properties of phosphorylated starches, both when it was conducted prior and after the chemical modification, reducing the influence of Na5P3O10 and Na2HPO4 on the decrease of pasting temperature. With minor exceptions, the gel strength of starches increased, and the rupture strength decreased by all modifications. HVED treatment resulted in a decrease of the particle size after the modification of maize and wheat starches, while potato and tapioca starches were not significantly influenced by the treatment.

Pollen counts in Slavonski Brod, croatia during the pollination period 2008 to 2010.

Hay fever or pollinosis is the allergic reaction of the human body to allergic pollen grains and is a seasonal phenomenon. Pollen concentrations depend on the climate, geographic features, and vegetation. Trees, grass, and weed pollinosis is frequent in Croatia, common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisifolia L.) pollinosis in particular. Continuous monitoring of pollen air concentrations can provide timely information to the general public and can help sensitised patients and their physicians to prevent or alleviate allergic reactions. This is the task of health ecology services such as our Public Health Institute of the Brod-Posavina County. This article reports pollen concentrations in Slavonski Brod measured in March 2008 to November 2008, March 2009 to October 2009, and April 2010 to October 2010 and discusses the increasing exposure to ragweed and ways to control it.

[Mineral oil drinking water pollution accident in Slavonski Brod, Croatia]. / Zagadenje pitke vode mineralnim uljima u Slavonskom Brodu.

On 21 September 2008, heavy oil penetrated the drinking water supply in Slavonski Brod, Croatia. The accident was caused by the damage of heat exchange units in hot water supply. The system was polluted until the beginning of November, when the pipeline was treated with BIS O 2700 detergent and rinsed with water. Meanwhile, water samples were taken for chemical analysis using spectrometric and titrimetric methods and for microbiological analysis using membrane filtration and total plate count. Mineral oils were determined with infrared spectroscopy. Of the 192 samples taken for mineral oil analysis, 55 were above the maximally allowed concentration (MAC). Five samples were taken for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene analysis (BTEX), but none was above MAC. Epidemiologists conducted a survey about health symptoms among the residents affected by the accident. Thirty-six complained of symptoms such as diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting, rash, eye burning, chills, and gastric disorders.This is the first reported case of drinking water pollution with mineral oil in Slavonski Brod and the accident has raised a number of issues, starting from poor water supply maintenance to glitches in the management of emergencies such as this.