Antioxidant and functional properties of cowhide collagen peptides.

In the present study, antioxidant activities and functional properties of cowhide collagen antioxidant peptides (CCAPs) with different molecular weight (MW) were investigated. The optimum preparation conditions of CCAPs were hydrolysis time of 1.53 hr, temperature of 54.9 °C, pH 7.38, and neutral enzyme to trypsin ratio of 0.048 g: 0.016 g according to single factor test and response surface methodology (RSM). Three fractions (CCAP-I, CCAP-II, and CCAP-III) were obtained by ultrafiltration and lyophilization. Antioxidant activities revealed that CCAP-III had high reducing power activity (0.323 ± 0.035) and scavenging effect on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals (64.30 ± 5.99%), 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radicals (75.25 ± 3.14%), and hydroxyl radicals (68.26 ± 6.74%) compared to the other fractions. In addition, LC-MS/MS analysis showed that Ala-Gly-Glu-Arg, Gly-Ile-Ala-Gly-Glu-Arg, Gly-Pro-Ala-Gly-Pro-Ala-Gly-Pro-Arg, Gly-Val-Val-Gly-Pro-Glu-Gly-Ala-Arg and Gly-Phe-Ser-Gly-Leu-Asp-Gly-Ala-Lys were the major peptides of CCAP-III. CCAP-III showed good hygroscopicity (HYG), water holding capacity (WHC), and oil holding capacity (OHC) when compared with CCAP-I and CCAP-II. However, CCAP-II has great emulsifying properties, and CCAP-I has excellent foaming properties. Therefore, CCAPs can be used as a promising source of functional peptides with antioxidant properties. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study demonstrated the peptides of cowhide collagen has superior antioxidant and functional properties. This study provided a scientific basis for the preparation of antioxidant peptides from cowhide collagen.

Rapid determination of seven synthetic dyes in casual snacks based on packed-fibers solid-phase extraction coupled with HPLC-DAD.

Based on packed-fiber solid-phase extraction and HPLC-DAD, a simple analytical method for the determination of seven synthetic dyes has been successfully developed. Polystyrene/polypyrrole (PS/PPy) fibers were obtained via electro-spinning of polystyrene skeletal nanofibers, followed by the oxidation with FeCl3 to trigger the polymerization of pyrrole and the deposition of polypyrrole coatings on PS fibrous skeleton fibers. The relationship between the extraction performance of the fibers and the electrospinning process at different humidities was investigated based on morphologic study and BET surface area. In the extraction process, purification, concentration, and desorption could be accomplished in one step. The established method exhibited good sensitivity, selectivity, reproducibility, and good efficiency for synthetic dyes in casual snacks (preserved fruit, flavored yogurt, and fruity hard candy) samples. With optimal conditions, the LODs (S/N = 3) were 2.4 to 21.09 ng mL-1, and linearities were acceptable in liquid matrix and solid matrices. The recoveries were 93.9-103.9%.

Formaldehyde in "Nontoxic" Nail Polish.

BACKGROUND: Nail polish is known to contain potentially hazardous chemicals that have been linked to adverse health effects after overexposure. Formaldehyde is used as an antimicrobial, preservative, and nail hardener in select nail products, yet it is a recognized carcinogen and potent allergen in allergic contact dermatitis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether formaldehyde is present in nail polishes marketed as formaldehyde-free. METHODS: Twenty-nine cosmetic nail polishes were purchased for analysis; of these, 28 were advertised as formaldehyde-free and/or did not declare formaldehyde in their ingredient lists. Initial testing was pursued using the chromotropic acid method, which uses a red-purple color change to indicate the presence of formaldehyde. Products were subsequently analyzed at least twice using high-performance liquid chromatography, quantifying formaldehyde amount above the detection limit of 2 ppm. CONCLUSIONS: High-performance liquid chromatography analysis found 5 of 29 products containing formaldehyde, 4 of which were advertised as formaldehyde-free. All other products were negative for formaldehyde (<2 ppm). Further investigation is warranted among brands testing positive and whether multiple products within the same line contain formaldehyde. Nail products must be labeled appropriately to avoid adverse reactions among individuals with cutaneous sensitivities.

Formaldehyde Release From Baby Wipes: Analysis Using the Chromotropic Acid Method.

BACKGROUND: Formaldehyde is a common preservative and strong sensitizer. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the release of formaldehyde from baby/toddler wet wipes using the chromotropic acid method (CAM). METHODS: An online search of best-selling baby wipes was conducted. None declared formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. Standard CAM procedures were used: a 1 × 1-in square of fresh wipe was placed in a bottle with an open vial of 4 mg/1 mL of chromotropic acid and sulfuric acid solution, sealed, and stored for 48 hours. Formalin and water served as controls. A blinded investigator graded color change (negative, indeterminate, mild, moderate, or strong). For quality control, 20% of all samples as well as all positives were retested. RESULTS: Fifty-one popular and highly reviewed baby and toddler wet wipe products were tested using CAM. Twelve wipes (24%) released formaldehyde (8 mild, 4 moderate/strong). Chromotropic acid method testing of 9 wipes (18%) was indeterminate and 30 (59%) were negative. CONCLUSIONS: Almost one quarter of baby/toddler wet wipes released formaldehyde when evaluated with CAM. Patients and clinicians should be aware of this potentially undeclared source of this common allergen.

Electrochemical detection and quantification of Reactive Red 195 dyes on graphene modified glassy carbon electrode.

Reactive Red 195 was detected from industrial waste samples electrochemically on graphene modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE), using both bare and surface changed GCE at different pH media from 1.0 to 13.0. The optimum pH was determined to be 4.0. RR 195 exhibited good linear responds at pH 4.0 on both electrode surfaces. Other parameters, such as accumulation potential, accumulation time, initial scan potential, pulse height, pulse width, and potential scan increment and scan rate are optimized and calibration plot was also derived on different concentrations of the dye. The stripping voltammetric behavior of dye exhibits very low limit of detection on graphene coated electrode (30 ppb). The adsorption of compound on GCE and graphene coated GCE are confirmed using atomic force microscopy studies.

Biodecoloration of Reactive Black 5 by the methylotrophic yeast Candida boidinii MM 4035.

Azo dyes are extensively used in textile dyeing and other industries. Effluents of dying industries are specially colored and could cause severe damage to the environment. The anaerobic treatment of textile dying effluents is nowadays the preferred option, but it could generate carcinogenic aromatic amines. Recently, yeasts have become a promising alternative, combining unicellular growth with oxidative mechanisms. This work reports the characterization of the first methylotrophic yeast with dye decolorizing ability, Candida boidinii MM 4035 and some insights into its decoloration mechanism. The analysis of two selected media revealed a possible two stages mechanism of Reactive Black 5 decoloration. In glucose poor media, decoloration is incomplete and only the first stage proceeds, leading to the accumulation of a purple compound. In media with higher glucose concentrations, the yeast is able to decolorize totally an initial concentration of 200mg/L. The entire process is co-metabolic, being largely dependent on glucose concentration but being able to proceed with several nitrogen sources. Manganese dependent peroxidase but not laccase activity could be detected during decoloration. Aromatic amines do not accumulate in culture media, supporting an oxidative decoloration mechanism of unknown ecophysiological relevance.

Reactive Black 5 dye degradation using filters of smuggled cigarette modified with Fe3.

This study presents an attempt to solve two serious environmental problems: the generation of toxic effluents and solid waste disposal. The work proposes recycling cigarette filters with the purpose of degrading reactive dyes, which are used in the textile industry. Filters of smuggled cigarettes were recycled through Fe3+ immobilization on their surface. The material obtained was characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis). The factorial design revealed that the most suitable conditions for the degradation of Reactive Black 5 dye were obtained by using 1 g of material at pH 3.0 in a 100 mg L-1 hydrogen peroxide solution. The material showed excellent performance in the Reactive Black 5 dye degradation process; in 60 min, 99.09 % dye was removed. At pH 7.0, the dye degradation was 72.67 %, indicating that the material prepared can be used at pH values greater than 3.0 without the occurrence of hydrated Fe3+ oxide precipitation. Furthermore, the material showed no loss of catalytic activity after three degradation studies.

Monitoring and toxicity of sulfonated derivatives of benzene and naphthalene in municipal sewage treatment plants.

Monitoring benzenesulfonates (BS) and naphthalenesulfonates (NS) took place in five municipal sewage treatment plants (STP). A previously optimized method based on solid phase extraction with polymeric cartridges followed by ion-pair liquid chromatography-electrospray-mass spectrometry (SPE-IPC-ESI-MS) was used. This work confirmed the little or no effect of primary settlement on total organic carbon (TOC) and monosulfonated compounds removal, whereas the main reduction is obtained at the biological stage. However, the most polar compounds, such as naphthalenedisulfonates (NDS), were not effectively removed using the biological treatment. An aromatic sulfonated compound is suggested to be used as a tracer of the origin of industrial pollutants discharged into STPs. A bioluminescence inhibition test, Microtox assay, allowed toxicity determination of the most relevant aromatic sulfonated compounds detected and toxicity comparison between primary and secondary effluents.

Stability study and determination of benzene- and naphthalenesulfonates following an on-line solid-phase extraction method using the new programmable field extraction system.

Seven benzene- and naphthalenesulfonates (3-nitrobenzenesulfonate, 4-methylbenzenesulfonate, 1-hydroxy-4-naphthalenesulfonate, 1-amino-7-naphthalenesulfonate, 4-chlorobenzenesulfonate, 1-naphthalenesulfonate and 2-naphthalenesulfonate) were studied. A rapid method for quantifying aromatic sulfonated compounds from waste water samples was developed. This method consists in on-line in-field sampling and monitoring based on ion-pair solid-phase extraction with PLRP-S sorbent, using the new programmable field extraction system and ion-pair liquid chromatography with UV diode-array and electrospray mass spectrometry. Limits of detection for the studied compounds, using the SIM acquisition mode, ranged from 0.01 to 0.33 ng ml(-1). The influence of the aqueous matrix on the on-line SPE was checked by spiking ground and waste waters. Recoveries varied from 70 to 99% when 10 ml of water sample were enriched. The method was applied to the analysis of some environmental sewage samples. This study confirmed that high concentration levels of aromatic sulfonated compounds can be found in sewage samples. In addition, the stability of the seven studied sulfonated benzene and naphthalene compounds was investigated using on-line polymeric SPE pre-columns, based on the styrene-divinylbenzene polymer PLRP-S. Different storage conditions were tested to carry out the stability survey, which included storage at room temperature, at 4 degrees C and at -20 degrees C, during a period of up to 2 weeks. This study showed that the stability of aromatic sulfonic acids on disposable on-line SPE polymeric pre-columns is related to temperature and that the target compounds are more stable at lower temperatures.

Novel reagents for the sensitive spectrophotometric determination of flutamide, an anticancer drug in pharmaceutical preparations.

Simple and sensitive spectrophotometric methods for the determination of flutamide (FLA) in either pure form or in its pharmaceutical preparations are described. The first method is based on the diazotisation of reduced FLA, followed by coupling with alcoholic iminodibenzyl (IDB) in acid medium to give a purple coloured product having a lambda(max) of 570 nm. In the second method, the diazotisation of reduced FLA followed by coupling with 4-amino-5-hydroxy-2,7-naphthalenedisulphonic acid monosodium salt (AHND) in a buffer medium of pH 12, gives a red coloured product having a lambda(max) of 520 nm. Common excipients used as additives in pharmaceutical preparations do not interfere in the proposed methods. Both the methods are highly reproducible and have been applied to a wide variety of pharmaceutical preparations and the results compare favourably with the reported method.

Determination of naphthalenesulfonic acid isomers by large-volume on-line derivatization and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

This work presents a modified method to analyze polar and water-soluble naphthalene monosulfonic acid (NS) isomers in industrial effluents and river water samples. The method involves extraction of samples by a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer solid-phase extraction cartridge, and on-line derivatization in the GC injection port using a large-volume (10 microl) sample injection with tetrabutylammonium salts. The analytes were then identified and quantitatively determined by GC-MS. The large-volume injection-port derivatization technique provides sensitivity, fast and reproducible results for NS isomers, to quantitation at 0.05 microg/l in 200 ml of water sample. Enhanced extracted mass chromatograms of molecular ion and [M-56]+ ion of butylated NS isomers by electron impact ionization MS allows us to determine residues at trace levels in environmental samples. Recoveries of the NS isomers in spiked water samples ranged from 70 to 82% with RSDs around 10%. Naphthalene-2-sulfonic acid was found as a major pollutant and propagated in surface water and industrial effluents.

Stability of sulfonated derivatives of benzene and naphthalene on disposable solid-phase extraction pre-columns and in an aqueous matrix.

The stability of 14 sulfonated benzene and naphthalene compounds was investigated using polymeric solid-phase extraction cartridges, based on the styrene-divinylbenzene polymer Isolute ENV+. Several different storage conditions were tested to carry out the stability study in polymeric cartridges, which included storage at room temperature, at 4 degrees C and at -20 degrees C, during a period of up to 3 months. An additional stability study was carried out, not with the polymeric solid matrix, but in an aqueous matrix. This study was performed storing the samples at 4 degrees C, during 2 months under three different conditions: acidifying the water sample to pH 2.5-3 with sulfuric acid, adding 1% of formaldehyde (additive used in waste water analyses), and storing the water sample at 4 degrees C without any additives. The extraction of the SPE process is analyzed by ion-pair chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry, in the negative ion mode. This study showed that the stability of polar aromatic sulfonic acids on disposable polymeric cartridges and in the water matrix is related to temperature and pH, respectively. Target aromatic sulfonated compounds stored in polymeric solid-phase extraction cartridges, are more stable at lower temperatures. The target analytes showed also good stability when stored in water at acidic pH. From the different analytes studied, substituted naphthalenesulfonates suffered more degradation than mononaphthalenesulfonates or benzenesulfonates under the experimental conditions of this work.

Quantitation of taurolidine decomposition in polymer solutions by chromotropic acid formaldehyde assay method.

A sensitive, selective, and specific assay was needed to study the degradation kinetics of taurolidine and its stabilization by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the usefulness of the chromotropic acid method and other formaldehyde or amine derivatization methods. The methods evaluated included formaldehyde derivatization with chromotropic acid, acetylacetone, 4-amino-5-hydrazino-3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole, semicarbazide hydrochloride, or 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and taurolidine decomposition product derivatization with dansylchloride or 7-chloro-4-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole chloride. Results indicated that the chromotropic acid method provided sufficient selectivity, reproducibility and sensitivity. It was able to quench taurultam decomposition and avoided PVP interference. The method was optimized by performance based selection of reagent lots, appropriate reagent storage and preparation, and controlled derivatization conditions. In conclusion, the optimized chromotropic method was the most appropriate method for quantitating taurolidine decomposition.

The effect of myosin light chain phosphorylation and Mg2+ on the conformation of myosin in thick filaments of glycerinated fibers of rabbit skeletal muscle.

It has been shown by polarization microfluorimetry that phosphorylation of myosin light chain 2, in stretched single glycerinated fibers of rabbit skeletal muscle, results in changes in polarized fluorescence anisotropy of both the tryptophan residues of myosin molecules and the fluorescent label, N-iodoacetyl-N'-(5-sulfo-1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine, associated with the fast-reacting thiol group in myosin heads. These changes are also dependent on the presence or absence of Mg2+ in the medium: they are most pronounced in the presence of 5 mM MgCl2. It is assumed that both Mg2+ binding to myosin and phosphorylation of light chain 2 associated with myosin heads induce structural changes in myosin filaments of muscle fibres which are expressed as changes in the orientation of myosin heads and in the conformation of myosin rods.