Quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalic acid esters in deodorizer distillates obtained from soybean, rapeseed, corn and rice bran oils.

In this study, simple GC-MS methods for analysising sixteen PAHs and seven PAEs were individually established. The LOQs for PAHs and PAEs were ranging from 0.18 to 0.42 µg/kg and 0.19 to 1.50 µg/kg, respectively. The recoveries for DD samples were in the range of 84.8-115.5% and 84.2-109.3% for PAHs and PAEs, respectively. Furthermore, PAHs and PAEs concentrations in soybean, rapeseed, corn and rice bran oil distillates were evaluated. PAHs were found in all the DD samples and the concentrations of BaP, PAH4 and total PAHs were 0.89-55.58, 8.11-326.07 and 115.77-966.40 µg/kg, respectively. Correspondingly, total PAEs concentrations ranged from 2.45 to 24.52 mg/kg, and the mean value was 7.76 mg/kg. The results illustrated that the contents of PAHs and PAEs in the DDs were extremely higher than those in the edible oils, thus indicating that specific issues should be considered in the vegetable oil DDs and DD-based products.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons content and fatty acids profile in coconut, safflower, evening primrose and linseed oils.

This study aimed at evaluating the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contamination of commercial vegetable oils and examined the identity through the fatty acids profiles. Coconut, safflower, evening primrose, and linseed oils marketed in São Paulo (Brazil) were investigated totaling 69 samples. Four PAHs, benzo[a]anthracene (BaA), chrysene (Chr), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF), and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), were detected in 96% of the samples at individual levels ranging from not detected to 14.99 µg kg-1. Chrysene was the abundant hydrocarbon found among all types of oils, with the highest median values. The results of the fatty acid profiles revealed that 43% showed different profiles according to the ones on their labels, with a higher incidence of adulteration of evening primrose oils. The maximum tolerable limits by European Regulation No. 835/2011 were exceeded for BaP in 12%, and for total 4 PAHs in 28%, with a greater contribution of adulterated samples.

Optimization and validation of a method using UHPLC-fluorescence for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cold-pressed vegetable oils.

Among the different food categories, the oils and fats are important sources of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a group of organic chemical contaminants. The use of a validated method is essential to obtain reliable analytical results since the legislation establishes maximum limits in different foods. The objective of this study was to optimize and validate a method for the quantification of four PAHs [benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene] in vegetable oils. The samples were submitted to liquid-liquid extraction, followed by solid-phase extraction, and analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography. Under the optimized conditions, the validation parameters were evaluated according to the INMETRO Guidelines: linearity (r2 >0.99), selectivity (no matrix interference), limits of detection (0.08-0.30µgkg-1) and quantification (0.25-1.00µgkg-1), recovery (80.13-100.04%), repeatability and intermediate precision (<10% RSD). The method was found to be adequate for routine analysis of PAHs in the vegetable oils evaluated.

Synthesis of modified potato starches for aqueous solubilization of benzo[a]pyrene.

For soil rehabilitation, the surfactant-enhanced remediation has emerged as a promising technology. For this purpose, starch derivatives were difunctionalized by 1,4-butane sultone (BS) and 2-octen-1-ylsuccinic anhydride (OSA). Eight distinct products were obtained under different synthesis conditions. The chemical structural characteristics were investigated by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The compounds were evaluated for their apparent aqueous solubility and their ability to increase the solubility of a hydrophobic pollutant such as benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), used as a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon model. In comparison with native starch, the best obtained compound increased starch apparent aqueous solubility by a factor of 10 (up to 3.50g/L) and also stimulated 77-fold BaP aqueous solubilization (up to 232.97µg/L) underlining its very high surfactant property. In this study, the right balance between hydrophobic character (octenyl succinate group (OS) grafted) of starch derivatives and starch apparent aqueous solubility (BS grafted) was highlighted.

Multiresidue analysis of environmental pollutants in edible vegetable oils by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A novel multiresidue determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalate esters (PAEs) and alkylphenols (APs) in edible vegetable oils was developed. The samples were extracted with hexane-saturated acetonitrile, and after concentration, the extract was directly qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in positive ion mode. The calibration curve displayed good linearity in the range of 2-100 µg/L, with correlation coefficients greater than 0.99. The mean recoveries were 70.0-110.8% by analysis of spiked oil, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 2.1-10.2% (n=6), respectively. The limits of detection (LODs) for the 23 PAHs, 17 PAEs and 3 APs were 0.1-1.0 µg/kg, 0.1-4.0 µg/kg and 1.2-3.0 µg/kg, respectively. The established method effectively avoided interference from large amounts of lipids and pigments. It was applied to real sample and shown to be a rapid and reliable alternative for determination and confirmation in routine analysis.

Validation of analytical conditions for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in roasted coffee by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are of significant interest due to their genotoxicity in humans. PAHs quantification in coffee is complex since some of its compounds interfere in the chromatographic analysis, which hinders the reliable determination of the PAHs. Analytical conditions for the ultrasound extraction, purification and quantification of 16 PAHs in roasted coffee were studied. The better extraction efficiency of benzo[a]pyrene (68%) from ground-roasted coffee was achieved with a solvent ratio of Hex:MC (9:1 v/v) and three extraction periods of 20 min, followed by alkaline saponification and purification of the extracts. The detection limits were 0.85-39.32 ng mL(-1), and the quantification limits from 2.84 to 131.05 ng mL(-1), obtained for fluoranthene and chrysene, respectively. The extraction was effective for most of the analytes, with recoveries of 39.8% dibenzo[ah]anthracene and 69.0% benzo[b]fluoranthene. For coffee roasted in a spouted bed reactor, the summation of the 16 PAHs ranged from 3.5 to 16.4 µg kg(-1).

Thymoquinone and its therapeutic potentials.

Herbal medicine has attracted great attention in the recent years and is increasingly used as alternatives to chemical drugs. Several lines of evidence support the positive impact of medicinal plants in the prevention and cure of a wide range of diseases. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the most abundant constituent of the volatile oil of Nigella sativa seeds and most properties of N sativa are mainly attributed to TQ. A number of pharmacological actions of TQ have been investigated including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-histaminic, anti-microbial and anti-tumor effects. It has also gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective and neuroprotective activities. In addition, positive effects of TQ in cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, reproductive disorders and respiratory ailments, as well as in the treatment of bone complications as well as fibrosis have been shown. In addition, a large body of data shows that TQ has very low adverse effects and no serious toxicity. More recently, a great deal of attention has been given to this dietary phytochemical with an increasing interest to investigate it in pre-clinical and clinical researches for assessing its health benefits. Here we report on and analyze numerous properties of the active ingredient of N. sativa seeds, TQ, in the context of its therapeutic potentials for a wide range of illnesses. We also summarize the drug's possible mechanisms of action. The evidence reported sugests that TQ should be developed as a novel drug in clinical trials.

Genotoxicity profile of erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus mycelium.

Hericium erinaceus (H. erinaceus) has a long history of usage in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of gastric disorders. Recently, it has become a well-established candidate in causing positive brain and nerve health-related activities by inducing nerve growth factor (NGF) from its bioactive ingredient, erinacine A. This active compound, which exists only in fermented mycelium but not in its fruiting body, increases NGF levels in astroglial cells in vitro as well as catecholamine and NGF levels in vivo. With increasing recognition of erinacine A in H. erinaceus (EAHE) mycelium improving neurodegenerative diseases, numerous products are being marketed based on these functional claims. To our knowledge, there have been no reports on the mutagenicity of EAHE prior to this paper. Hence, the present study was undertaken to determine the mutagenicity and genotoxicity effects of EAHE mycelium conducted in three standard battery of tests (reverse mutation, chromosomal aberration, and micronuclei tests) according to the latest guidelines in order to meet all international regulatory requirements and provide information on the safety of this new and promising natural remedy. Our results have indicated that EAHE mycelium did not significantly increase the number of revertant colonies in the bacterial reverse mutation test nor induce higher frequency of aberrations in the chromosome aberration test. Moreover, no statistically significant EAHE mycelium-related increase was observed in the incidence of reticulocytes per 1000 red blood cells and micronucleated reticulocytes per 1000 reticulocytes. In conclusion, the three standard battery of tests suggested that EAHE mycelium was devoid of mutagenicity and genotoxicity in the tested doses and experimental conditions.