Spherical silver oxide nanoparticles for fabrication of electrochemical sensor for efficient 4-Nitrotoluene detection and assessment of their antimicrobial activity.

This research article reports an economic and affordable microwave-assisted synthesis of spherical silver oxide nanoparticles (Ag2O NPs) (80-90 nm) for an efficient electrochemical sensing of a hazardous organic pollutant 4-nitrotoluene (4-NT). Such well-characterized Ag2O NPs were utilized to modify gold (Au) electrode in order to fabricate Ag2O-NPs/Au sensor to detect 4-NT using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) techniques. Ag2O-NPs/Au sensor exhibited a distinguished electrical response as a function of varying 4-NT concentration in neutral medium samples. Ag2O-NPs/Au sensor demonstrated an ultrahigh sensitivity as 15.33 µA (µM)-1 cm-2, a low detection limit of 62.3 nM, and linear response in detection ranges of 0.6-5.9 µM and 37-175 µM. The sensing performance of fabricated Ag2O-NPs/Au sensor is reproducible, reusable, selective in presence of other chemical species, and validated using real samples. The Ag2O/Au sensor had much rapid and easy fabrication process and offered much lower LOD for 4-NT detection than many previously reported sensors. Along with efficient electrochemical activity, the spherical Ag2O NPs also exhibit remarkable antimicrobial activity against harmful gram negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and gram positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria. Herein projected efficient Ag2O-NPs/Au electrochemical sensor for 4-NT is affordable with the capability of scaling up to perform point-of-care 4-NT testing needed for successful environmental monitoring and water quality assurance.

Flow Cytometry Assessment of Procoagulant Platelets Using a Dithiol-Reactive Probe.

Flow cytometry assessment of platelets using the combination of GSAO [4-(N-(S-glutathionylacetyl)amino)phenylarsonous acid], a dithiol-reactive probe, and P-selectin, a platelet activation marker, is a novel and powerful assay in the identification and quantification of the procoagulant subpopulation of platelets that has the capacity to support thrombin generation. In this chapter, we provide the flow cytometry protocols aimed at the study of procoagulant platelets under resting and agonist-stimulated conditions in whole blood and washed platelets of both human and murine (mouse) samples.

[Total dietary exposure assessment of emerging brominated flame retardants in Beijing].

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the exposure characteristic of six emerging brominated flame retardant for Beijing residents by dietary intake. METHODS: 2,3,5,6-tetrabromo-p-xylene (pTBX), pentabromotoluene (PBT), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-pentabromo-6- ethylbenzene (PBEB), hexahromobenzene (HBB), hexachlorocyclopentadienyl- dibromocyclooctane (DBHCTD) and 1,2-bis(2 ,4 ,6-tribromo phenoxy) ethane (BTBPE) were detected by atmospheric pressure gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (APGC-MS/MS) in total dietary samples from Beijing. Dietary intake assessments of human exposure were carried out according to results of determination. RESULTS: PBT, PBEB, HBB and BTBPE were occurred with concentration between 1.2-29.4 pg/g wet weight. The detection rates of HBB and BTBPE in animal--origin samples were higher than those in plant-origin samples, and there were significant differences (P < 0.05). The exposure level of Beijing residents to six emerging brominated flame retardants were 296.8 pg/(kg-d). CONCLUSION: The exposure level of emerging brominated flame retardants by dietary intake in Beijing is relatively low, and meat is the main source of BTBPE dietary intake.

Brominated flame retardants in food and environmental samples from a production area in China: concentrations and human exposure assessment.

Human exposure to brominated flame retardants (BFRs: decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), hexabromobenzene (HBB), pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), pentabromotoluene (PBT), 1,2,3,4,5-pentabromobenzene (PBBz), and 2,3,5,6-tetrabromo-p-xylene (TBX)) in a brominated flame retardant production area (Weifang, Shandong Province, China) was estimated. Thirty food samples, 14 air samples, and 13 indoor dust samples were analyzed. BDE209 and DBDPE were the dominant BFRs in all samples. Higher alternative brominated flame retardant (including DBDPE, HBB, PBEB, PBT, PBBz, and TBX) concentrations were found in vegetables than in fish and meat; thus, plant-original foods might be important alternative BFR sources in the study area. The BDE209 and alternative BFR concentrations in air were 1.5×10(4) to 2.2×10(5) and 620 to 3.6×10(4) pg/m3, respectively. Mean total BFR exposures through the diet, inhalation, and indoor dust ingestion were 570, 3000, and 69 ng/d, respectively (16, 82, and 2% of total intake, respectively). Inhalation was the dominant BFR source except for DBDPE, for which diet dominated. BDE209 contributed 85% of the total BFR intake in the study area.

[Quantitative methods of cancer risk assessment in exposure to chemicals]. / Ilosciowe metody oceny ryzyka raka bedacego skutkiem narazenia na substancje chemiczne.

This is a methodology paper--it contains a review of different quantitative risk assessment methods and their comparison. There are two aspects of cancer risk modeling discussed here: 1. When there is one effective dose only. There were compared two models in this evaluation: one proposed by the Dutch Expert Committee on Occupational Standards and the other--a classical two-stage model. It was taken into account that in both models the animals were exposed for less than two years. An exposure period and a study period of animals were considered in the Dutch methodology. If we use as an exposure measure average lifespan dose estimated with different coefficients of exposure time in an experiment, we get two different dose-response models. And each of them will create different human risk models. There is no criterion that would let us assess which of them is better. 2. There are many models used in the BenchMark Dose (BMD) method. But there is no criterion that allows us to choose the best model objectively. In this paper a two-stage classical model and three BMD models (two-stage, Weibull and linear) were fit for particular data. Very small differences between all the models were noticed. The differences were insignificant because of uncertainties in the risk modeling. The possibility of choice of one model from a bigger set of models is the greatest benefit of this comparison. If the examined chemical is a genotoxic carcinogen, nothing more is needed than to estimate the threshold value.

The energetic cost of activation in mouse fast-twitch muscle is the same whether measured using reduced filament overlap or N-benzyl-p-toluenesulphonamide.

AIM: Force generation and transmembrane ion pumping account for the majority of energy expended by contracting skeletal muscles. Energy turnover for ion pumping, activation energy turnover (E(A)), can be determined by measuring the energy turnover when force generation has been inhibited. Most measurements show that activation accounts for 25-40% of isometric energy turnover. It was recently reported that when force generation in mouse fast-twitch muscle was inhibited using N-benzyl-p-toluenesulphonamide (BTS), activation accounted for as much as 80% of total energy turnover during submaximal contractions. The purpose of this study was to compare E(A) measured by inhibiting force generation by: (1) the conventional method of reducing contractile filament overlap; and (2) pharmacological inhibition using BTS. METHODS: Experiments were performed in vitro using bundles of fibres from mouse fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle. Energy turnover was quantified by measuring the heat produced during 1-s maximal and submaximal tetanic contractions at 20 and 30 degrees C. RESULTS: E(A) measured using reduced filament overlap was 0.36 +/- 0.04 (n = 8) at 20 degrees C and 0.31 +/- 0.05 (n = 6) at 30 degrees C. The corresponding values measured using BTS in maximal contractions were 0.46 +/- 0.06 and 0.38 +/- 0.06 (n = 6 in both cases). There were no significant differences among these values. E(A) was also no different when measured using BTS in submaximal contractions. CONCLUSION: Activation energy turnover is the same whether measured using BTS or reduced filament overlap and accounts for slightly more than one-third of isometric energy turnover in mouse EDL muscle.

Prediction of the adaptability of Pseudomonas putida DOT-T1E to a second phase of a solvent for economically sound two-phase biotransformations.

The strain Pseudomonas putida DOT-T1E was tested for its ability to tolerate second phases of different alkanols for their use as solvents in two-liquid-phase biotransformations. Although 1-decanol showed an about 10-fold higher toxicity to the cells than 1-octanol, the cells were able to adapt completely to 1-decanol only and could not be adapted in order to grow stably in the presence of a second phase of 1-octanol. The main explanation for this observation can be seen in the higher water and membrane solubility of 1-octanol. The hydrophobicity (log P) of a substance correlates with a certain partitioning of that compound into the membrane. Combining the log P value with the water solubility, the maximum membrane concentration of a compound can be calculated. With this simple calculation, it is possible to predict the property of an organic chemical for its potential applicability as a solvent for two-liquid-phase biotransformations with solvent-tolerant P. putida strains. Only compounds that show a maximum membrane concentration of less than 400 mM, such as 1-decanol, seem to be tolerated by these bacterial strains when applied in supersaturating concentrations to the medium. Taking into consideration that a solvent for a two-liquid-phase system should possess partitioning properties for potential substrates and products of a fine chemical synthesis, it can be seen that 1-decanol is a suitable solvent for such biotransformation processes. This was also demonstrated in shake cultures, where increasing amounts of a second phase of 1-decanol led to bacteria tolerating higher concentrations of the model substrate 3-nitrotoluene. Transferring this example to a 5-liter-scale bioreactor with 10% (vol/vol) 1-decanol, the amount of 3-nitrotoluene tolerated by the cells is up to 200-fold higher than in pure aqueous medium. The system demonstrates the usefulness of two-phase biotransformations utilizing solvent-tolerant bacteria.

Non-targeted multi-component analytical surveillance of plastic food contact materials: Identification of substances not included in EU positive lists and their risk assessment.

A procedure used by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority for surveillance of contaminants from plastic food contact materials (polyolefin drinking bottles, water boilers, polyamide cooking utensils and plastic multi-layer materials) is described. It is based on gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC/MS) analysis of food simulants exposed to plastic materials. Most migrants were substances not-intentionally added to the plastic (degradation products, impurities) or originated from non-plastic components, such as printing inks, adhesives, not-listed additives, solvents and coatings. Hence, the majority of the identified migrants were regulated by the general statements in the EU Framework Regulation, which neither specify limits nor requirements regarding risk assessment, rather than by specific migration controls. Risk assessment has been carried out for selected non-authorized substances. The analysis and the management of these substances and materials with respect to safety represents a challenge to the food authorities.