Development of a method for the simultaneous determination of ionic nutrients in hydroponic solutions using cation-/anion-exchange chromatography with a neutral eluent.

Nutrient availability in hydroponic solutions must be accurately monitored to maintain crop productivity; however, few cost-effective, accurate, real-time, and long-term monitoring technologies have been developed. In this study, we describe the development and application of cation-/anion-exchange chromatography with a neutral eluent (20-mmol/L sodium formate, pH 7.87) for the simultaneous separation (within 50 min) of ionic nutrients, including K+, NH4+, NO2-, NO3-, and phosphate ion, in a hydroponic fertilizer solution. Using the neutral eluent avoided degradation of the separation column during precipitation of metal ion species, such as hydroxides, with an alkaline eluent and oxidation of NO2- to NO3- with an acidic eluent. The suitability of the current method for monitoring ionic components in a hydroponic fertilizer solution was confirmed. Based on our data, we propose a controlled fertilizer strategy to optimize fertilizer consumption and reduce the chemical load of drained fertilizer solutions.

Capillary electrophoresis using triple layer modified capillary facilitating salivary ion analyses: Application to search for potential stress markers induced by cold pressure test.

In this study, we introduce a novel approach for the analysis of salivary ions using capillary electrophoresis (CE) with a triple-layer coated capillary. The capillary is sequentially coated with cationic silylating reagents, poly(vinylsulfonate), and polybrene to form a custom designed surface that effectively inhibits adsorption of protein matrix on the capillary inner wall and allows for reproducible ion analysis. For the CE with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection, we used suitable background electrolytes (BGEs) for salivary ion analysis. Anions were separated using a mixture of 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid and l-arginine, and cations were separated using that with 18-crown-6. This setup enabled rapid separation, within 4 min, together with sensitive detection. We quantified nine common anions and five cations typically found in saliva samples using this CE method, both before and after a cold pressure test (CPT, a standard stress test). The CE system demonstrated consistent ion separation across 30 consecutive measurements without requiring capillary replacement. Notably, the salivary ion balance remained predominantly anion-rich, regardless of the CPT. Cold water exposure induced greater variation in the total anion concentration than in the total cation concentration. Further analysis using multiple regression analysis revealed strong relationships between nitrate and nitrite, formate and phosphate, and potassium and nitrate, before and after the CPT. Notably, potassium and nitrate ions exhibited variations in response to stress. These results provided a method for assessing salivary ion composition and insights into the potential of salivary ions as biomarkers for stress.

Selective determination of 2-aminobenzothiazole in environmental water and organic extracts from fish and dust samples.

In the present study, a homemade mixed-mode ion-exchange sorbent based on silica with embedded graphene microparticles is applied for the selective extraction of 2-aminobenzothiazole (NH2BT) followed by determination through liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry. The sorbent was evaluated for the solid-phase extraction of NH2BT from environmental water samples (river, effluent wastewater, and influent wastewater), and NH2BT was strongly retained through the selective cation-exchange interactions. Therefore, the inclusion of a clean-up step of 7 mL of methanol provided good selectivity for the extraction of NH2BT. The apparent recoveries obtained for environmental water samples ranged from 62 to 69% and the matrix effect from -1 to -14%. The sorbent was also evaluated in the clean-up step of the organic extract for the extraction of NH2BT from organic extracts of indoor dust samples (10 mL of ethyl acetate from pressurized liquid extraction) and fish (10 mL of acetonitrile from QuEChERS extraction). The organic extracts were acidified (adding a 0.1% of formic acid) to promote the cation-exchange interactions between the sorbent and the analyte. The apparent recoveries for fish samples ranged from 22 to 36% depending on the species. In the case of indoor dust samples, the recovery was 41%. It should be highlighted the low matrix effect encountered in such complex samples, with values ranging from -7 to 5% for fish and dust samples. Finally, various samples were analyzed. The concentration in river samples ranged from 31 to 136 ng/L; in effluent wastewater samples, from 55 to 191 ng/L; in influent wastewater samples, from 131 to 549 ng/L; in fish samples, from 14 to 57 ng/g dried weight; and in indoor dust samples, from

Geochemical modeling and hydrochemical analysis for water quality determination around mine drainage areas.

Water sources in mining areas do not retain their natural quality due to the influence of mine drainage. Water quality test was through hydrochemical analysis, speciation modeling, and saturation indices. Water samples were analyzed for pH, conductivity, nitrate, phosphate, sulfate, chlorite, sodium, magnesium, calcium, turbidity, total hardness, lead, zinc, iron, copper, cadmium, manganese, nickel, and chromium. Mean values of turbidity (0.13 mg/L), lead (0.01 mg/L), and cadmium (6.40 mg/L) exceeded their permissible values for potable water. Multivariate statistical analysis shows geogenic and anthropogenic sources of chemical species. Chemical speciation shows that the cations exist mostly in their soluble and mobile forms as free ions. Water quality index of 35-45.5 shows good water for drinking, irrigation, and industrial uses. The values of 63.8-68.8 and 103-121 reflect suitable water for industrial and irrigation uses. The research is integrated and credible in predicting groundwater pollutants to solve water pollution problems. PRACTITIONER POINTS: The mean value of turbidity, Pb, and Cd exceeded the WHO/NSDWQ standards for potable water. Correlation and principal component analyses show that the chemical species are from both geogenic and anthropogenic sources. Chemical speciation shows that the cations exist in their soluble and mobile forms as free ions except Cr. Saturation indices show that the minerals anhydrite, anglesite, vivianite, langite, larnakite, melanterite, and mirabilite are undersaturated in the water sources. Water quality index shows that the water is more suitable for irrigation than drinking and industrial uses.

Strategies for Improving Selectivity and Sensitivity of Schiff Base Fluorescent Chemosensors for Toxic and Heavy Metals.

Toxic cations, including heavy metals, pose significant environmental and health risks, necessitating the development of reliable detection methods. This review investigates the techniques and approaches used to strengthen the sensitivity and selectivity of Schiff base fluorescent chemosensors designed specifically to detect toxic and heavy metal cations. The paper explores a range of strategies, including functional group variations, structural modifications, and the integration of nanomaterials or auxiliary receptors, to amplify the efficiency of these chemosensors. By improving selectivity towards targeted cations and achieving heightened sensitivity and detection limits, consequently, these strategies contribute to the advancement of accurate and efficient detection methods while increasing the range of end-use applications. The findings discussed in this review offer valuable insights into the potential of leveraging Schiff base fluorescent chemosensors for the accurate and reliable detection and monitoring of heavy metal cations in various fields, including environmental monitoring, biomedical research, and industrial safety.

Effect of damming on hydrogeochemical characteristics and potential environmental risks in a large reservoir: Insights from different vertical layer sampling.

The water environment of large reservoirs is fragility due to effects from hydrological regulation of damming and anthropogenic inputs. As a critical path to quantify the natural chemical weathering and assess environmental risks, solute chemistry of river has been widely focused on. However, the complexed hydrological conditions of large reservoir affect the chemical compositions, and the significance of solute vertical geochemistry as an indicator of chemical weathering and water quality health remains explore. Therefore, the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) was selected as a typical study area, which is the world's largest hydropower project and subject to frequent water quality problems. Then, the chemical compositions in stratified water were determined. Ca2+ (52.8 ± 4.3 mg/L) and HCO3- (180.9 ± 8.9 mg/L) were the most abundant ions among cations and anions, respectively. Incremental mean concentration of total major ions followed with the increase of riverine depth and flow direction. An improved inversion model was used to quantify the source contribution, which weathering of dolomite (34%) and calcite (38%) contributed the most to total cations, and the influences of agriculture and sewage discharge were limited. Additional contributions of evaporite and pyrite oxidation were found in analysis of deeper water samples, which also results in 2%-67% difference in estimated CO2 release flux using data from different depth, indicating additional information about sulfuric acid driven weathering was contained. Finally, the water quality of the reservoir was assessed for irrigation and non-carcinogenic risks. Results showed the stratified water of TGR can be used as a good water source of irrigation. However, NO3- (5.1 ± 1.1 mg/L) may have a potential non-carcinogenic risk to children, especially in surface water. To sum up, this study provided an indispensable supplement to the water chemistry archives in the TGR basin, serving as theoretical references for environmental management of large reservoirs.

Analysis of self-organizing maps and explainable artificial intelligence to identify hydrochemical factors that drive drinking water quality in Haor region.

Water contamination undermines human survival and economic growth. Water resource protection and management require knowledge of water hydrochemistry and drinking water quality characteristics, mechanisms, and factors. Self-organizing maps (SOM) have been developed using quantization and topographic error approaches to cluster hydrochemistry datasets. The Piper diagram, saturation index (SI), and cation exchange method were used to determine the driving mechanism of hydrochemistry in both surface and groundwater, while the Gibbs diagram was used for surface water. In addition, redundancy analysis (RDA) and a generalized linear model (GLM) were used to determine the key drinking water quality parameters in the study area. Additionally, the study aimed to utilize Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) techniques to gain insights into the relative importance and impact of different parameters on the entropy water quality index (EWQI). The SOM results showed that thirty neurons generated the hydrochemical properties of water and were organized into four clusters. The Piper diagram showed that the primary hydrochemical facies were HCO3--Ca2+ (cluster 4), Cl---Na+ (all clusters), and mixed (clusters 1 and 4). Results from SI and cation exchange show that demineralization and ion exchange are the driving mechanisms of water hydrochemistry. About 45 % of the studied samples are classified as "medium quality"," that could be suitable as drinking water with further refinement. Cl- may pose increased non-carcinogenic risk to adults, with children at double risk. Cluster 4 water is low-risk, supporting EWQI findings. The RDA and GLM observations agree in that Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, Cl- and HCO3- all have a positive and significant effect on EWQI, with the exception of K+. TDS, EC, Na+, and Ca2+ have been identified as influencing factors based on bagging-based XAI analysis at global and local levels. The analysis also addressed the importance of SO4, HCO3, Cl, Mg2+, K+, and pH at specific locations.

Water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIs) in the aerosols from Central Asia via transboundary transport measured in Jimunai in 2020.

Air pollution is a global issue that often transcends national borders, leading to disputes over environmental concerns and climate-mitigation responsibilities. Between March and July 2020, we collected aerosol samples in Jimunai, a town in western China neighboring Kazakhstan, to assess transboundary air pollution in the region. Our analysis focused on major water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIs), with Ca2+ and SO42- accounting for almost 60% of the total ion loading. The ratio of cations to anions was greater than one (1.33 ± 0.27), indicating alkaline aerosols during the sampling period. Our results suggest that the pollutants measured were primarily sourced from Kazakhstan, as demonstrated by local meteorological data, air-mass trajectory analysis, and pollutant emission inventories in Kazakhstan. Correlation and primary component analysis indicated that NH4+ played an important role in neutralizing NO3- and SO42-, while Cl- was significantly depleted by the probable reaction HNO3↑ + NaCl = HCl↑ + NaNO3. These findings highlight the need for continued monitoring and regulation of air pollution sources in the region to address transboundary air pollution.

The influence of stormwater infiltration on downslope groundwater chemistry.

Stormwater infiltration basins have been used extensively around the world to restore urban hydrology towards more natural flow and water quality regimes. There is, however, significant uncertainty in the fate of infiltrated water and accompanying contaminants that depends on multiple factors including media characteristics, interactions with downslope vegetation, legacy contaminants, and presence of underground infrastructure. Understanding the influence of such factors is thus central to the design and siting of infiltration basins. An extensive field program was established to collect monthly data on ground water quality, including nutrients and major ion concentrations, in a bore network downstream of a stormwater infiltration basin in Victoria, Australia. The groundwater samples were analysed for temperature, pH, EC, turbidity, major ions (Na+, Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, Cl-, SO42-, NO3-, CO32-, HCO3-), NOx and heavy metals. The collected data were used to understand the origin and fate of water and solutes in the subsurface and their interactions with the soil matrix. The results revealed that Ca-HCO3, Na-Cl water types predominate in the study area, grouped in 3 clusters; shallow fresh groundwater in the vicinity of the basin (near basin), deep saline groundwater further downstream of the basin (near-stream) and a mid-section where rock-water interaction (Na-HCO3 water) through cation exchange control the chemistry of groundwater. The results also suggest that as the water moves downstream of the basin, it experiences significant evapotranspiration and concentration due to the presence of deep-rooted vegetation. The results suggest that while infiltration basins can remove infiltrated contaminants, the infiltrated stormwater can mobilise legacy contaminants such as nitrate. Overall, the efficacy of infiltration basins in urban regions depends substantially on the downstream vegetation, urban underground infrastructure and the presence of legacy contaminants in the soils. These all need to be considered in the design of stormwater infiltration basins.

An AIE active fluorescence sensor for measuring Fe3+ in aqueous media and an iron deficiency anemia drug.

In this study, a new tetraphenylethene derivative bearing triazole and pyridine moieties (TPE-TAP) was synthesized using click chemistry. The fluorescence sensing properties of TPE-TAP were investigated in almost 100% aqueous media. For this purpose, first of all, structural characterization of the newly synthesized compound TPE-TAP was performed by NMR and HRMS analyses. Then, the optical behavior of TPE-TAP was investigated in different ratios of a THF-water mixture (0-98%). The obtained results showed that the best fluorescence for TPE-TAP was observed in the presence of 98% water in the medium. Then, the ion selectivity of TPE-TAP was determined using 19 different cations in the THF-water medium (2 : 98 v/v%). It was observed that among the cations studied, only Fe3+ quenched the fluorescence of TPE-TAP. The detection limit and binding constant values of TPE-TAP for Fe3+ were calculated as 1.3 µM and 26.65 M-2, respectively, from the graph results of the decrease in the fluorescence intensity of TPE-TAP in the presence of Fe3+ at different concentrations. In addition, the study investigating the selectivity of TPE-TAP in the presence of 18 cations other than Fe3+ showed that none of the studied cations interfered with Fe3+. Practical application of TPE-TAP was also carried out using a commercial iron drug. All results showed that TPE-TAP is a fluorometric sensor highly selective, sensitive, and suitable for practical application for Fe3+ ions in aqueous medium.

Hydrogeochemical characterisation and geospatial analysis of groundwater for drinking water quality in Ludhiana district of Punjab, India.

This study characterises the quality of groundwater for the Ludhiana district of Punjab, India by analysing water samples collected from 152 locations spread across 3767 km2. The samples were analysed for 18 parameters consisting of pH, EC, TDS, TA, TH, major anions and cations. The parameter values have been used to calculate the drinking water quality index of the study area which suggests that 2.6, 57.9, 32.9, 4 and 2.6% of the samples fall under the excellent, good, poor, very poor and unsuitable categories, respectively. The sequence of abundance for ions (in meq/l) as revealed from the laboratory tests is Na+ (37.1%) > Ca2+ (30.8%) > Mg2+ (29.1%) > K+ (2.8%) for cations and HCO3- (80%) > Cl¯ (8.9%) > CO32- (6.5%) > SO42- (3.9%) > NO3-, F-, PO43- (< 1%) for anions. The spatial variability of these parameters has been depicted through the use of interpolation maps. Evaluation of different ionic ratios indicates that carbonate weathering and silicate weathering are both significantly affecting the groundwater chemistry with a slight dominance of carbonate weathering. Also, the ion exchange process is taking place in the area as confirmed by CAI index values. In terms of saturation index, the groundwater is undersaturated with respect to halite, fluorite and sylvite, whereas it is supersaturated for calcite, dolomite and aragonite minerals. The principal components in PCA explained 75.4% of the total variance with 29.1 and 28.3% contributions from PC1 and PC2. Both of these components indicate towards the geogenic and anthropogenic influence on groundwater mineralization of the area. The analysis suggests that groundwater for the study area is suitable for drinking in most of the region expect in a few places. Such a study could be used to understand the current status of groundwater quality in the area, the results of which can be used to prevent further contamination and sustain the resource for the future.

Investigating spatial distribution of fluoride in groundwater with respect to hydro-geochemical characteristics and associated probabilistic health risk in Baruipur block of West Bengal, India.

Fluoride (F-) enrichment in groundwater of the lower Gangetic plain in West Bengal, India is a major concern. Fluoride contamination and its toxicity were reported earlier in this region; however, limited evidence was available on the precise site of contamination, hydro-geochemical attributions of F- mobilization and probabilistic health risk caused by fluoridated groundwater. The present study addresses the research gap by exploring the spatial distribution and physico-chemical parameters of fluoridated groundwater along with the depth-wise sedimental distribution of F-. Approximately, 10 % of the groundwater samples (n = 824) exhibited high F- ≥ 1.5 mg/l from 5, out of 19 gram-panchayats and Baruipur municipality area and the maximum F- was observed in Dhapdhapi-II gram-panchayat with 43.7 % of samples showed ≥1.5 mg/l (n = 167). The distribution patterns of cations and anions in fluoridated groundwater were Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Fe > K+ and Cl- > HCO3- > SO42- > CO32- > NO3- > F-. Different statistical models like Piper and Gibbs diagram, Chloro Alkaline plot, Saturation index were applied to better understand the hydro-geochemical characteristics for F- leaching in groundwater. Fluoridated groundwater is of Na-Cl type which implies strong saline character. The intermediate zone between evaporation and rock dominance area controls F- mobilization along with ion-exchange process occurring between groundwater and host silicate mineral. Furthermore, saturation index proves geogenic activities related to groundwater F- mobilization. All cations present in sediment samples are closely interlinked with F- in the depth range of 0-18.3 m. Mineralogical analyses revealed that muscovite is the most responsible mineral for F- mobilization. The probabilistic health risk assessment disclosed severe health hazard in the order of infants > adults > children > teenagers through F- tainted groundwater. At P95 percentile dose, all the studied age groups showed THQ >1 from Dhapdhapi-II gram-panchayat. Supply of F- safe drinking water is required through reliable water supply strategies in the studied area.

Groundwater quality assessment using SPSS based on multivariate statistics and water quality index of Gaya, Bihar (India).

Groundwater is a valuable resource for developmental activities, and its demand is growing as surface water becoming scarce. Groundwater demand is increasing, resulting in reduction in water level and deterioration in water quality. A total of 156 groundwater samples were taken from Gaya, a district in Bihar (India), to check the safety of drinking water. The quality of groundwater was assessed using a water quality index (WQI). Analysed samples were assessed using a variety of physicochemical characteristics, and statistical methods principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were used as they are effective and efficient. As per the Gibbs, plot majority of the sample falls in the rock-water interaction and some evaporation dominance field. The domination of major cation in the order of Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ and the major anions followed the order of HCO3- > [Formula: see text]>[Formula: see text]>[Formula: see text]>[Formula: see text]. The KMO's sample adequacy value of 0.703 and the significance level of Bartlett's test of sphericity (0.0001) were indicating that PCA may be implemented. Using the PCA, the three components recovered explained 69.58% of the total variation. Cluster analysis classified the groundwater sample into three cluster based on the similarities among chemical parameters involved in groundwater quality. HCA exhibit less, intermediate, and heavily mineralized groundwater characteristics of groups I, II, and III, respectively. The major parameters affecting the water quality in the study region are TDS, Ca2+, Mg2+, HCO3-, [Formula: see text]. WQI indicates 17% of the sample were found to be of very poor quality and not consumable. The study's findings offer insights and understanding into groundwater pollution regimes. These results used for water quality assessment leading to improved environmental management and planning and in decision-making for water quality management.

Hydrochemical characteristics and driving factors of travertine deposition in Huanglong, Sichuan, SW, China.

The hydrochemical characteristics were analyzed by mathematical statistics, the hydrochemical types were analyzed by Piper three line diagram, and the sources and influencing factors of main ions in surface water were discussed by Gibbs diagram and ion correlation analysis. The results show that the TDS of surface water in the study area is 109-559 mg·L-1, and the average value is 318.67 mg·L-1; The pH value is 6.81-8.62, and the average value is 7.85. Most of them belong to weakly alkaline water. The surface water cation is mainly Ca2+ and Mg2+, the anion is mainly HCO3- and the hydrochemical type is HCO3-Ca. Through the correlation analysis of the main ions, it can be seen that TDS has a significant positive correlation with Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+ and HCO3-, and these ions contribute to TDS. HCO3- has a significant correlation with Na+, K+ and Mg2+ and comes from carbonate rocks. According to the analysis of water-rock model, the hydrochemical genesis of surface water in the study area is mainly controlled by rock weathering, most ions are weathered and dissolved by carbonate rock and evaporated salt rock and a few cations are affected by water ion exchange.

Development of reusable chitosan-supported nickel sulfide microspheres for environmentally friendlier and efficient bio-sorptive decontamination of mercury toxicant.

Mercury emissions from the industrial sector have become an undeniable concern for researchers due to their toxic health effects. Efforts have been made to develop green, efficient, and reliable methods for removal of mercury from wastewater. Sorption process promises fruitful results for the decontamination of cations from wastewater. Among the number of used sorbents, metal sulfides have been emerged as an appropriate material for removing toxic metals that possess good affinity due to sulfur-based active sites for Hg through "Lewis's acid-based soft-soft interactions." Herein, nickel-sulfide nanoparticles were synthesized, followed by their incorporation in chitosan microspheres. FTIR analysis confirmed the synthesis of nickel sulfide-chitosan microspheres (NiS-CMs) displaying sharp bands for multiple functional groups. XRD analysis showed that the NiS-CMs possessed a crystallite size of 42.1 nm. SEM analysis indicated the size of NiS-CMs to be 950.71 µm based on SEM micrographs. The sorption of mercury was performed using the NiS-CMs, and the results were satisfactory, with a sorption capacity of 61 mg/g at the optimized conditions of pH 5.0, 80 ppm concentration, in 60 min at 25 °C. Isothermal models and kinetics studies revealed that the process followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir isothermal model best fitted to experimental data. It was concluded that the NiS-CMs have emerged as the best choice for removing toxic mercury ions with a positive impact on the environment.

Hydrogeochemical processes in rural coastal aquifer (Haha region, Morocco).

In arid and semi-arid regions, groundwater is the principal source of urban and rural water supply. Given that groundwater is the only source of water supply in the Haha region (Moroccan Atlantic coast), the evaluation of this vital resource, using the hydrogeochemical approach, is the main objective of this study. The interpretation of these analytical data showed that the chemical composition of the groundwater is of Ca-Mg-Cl, Na-HCO3, and Na-Cl, with the dominance of the first type. Hydrochemical characteristics using the bivariate diagrams of major (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3-, Cl-, NO3-, and SO42-) and some trace elements (Br- and F-), mineral saturation indices, and statistical analysis show that the water-rock interaction, cation exchange processes, and marine effect are the main processes that control groundwater mineralization. Also, the majority of analyzed samples have concentrations above the thresholds for human consumption fixed by WHO, especially F-, NO3-, K+, Cl-, and HCO3- concentrations. This requires treatment of this groundwater before any consumption and domestic uses. For agricultural uses, the groundwater of the Haha region remains adequate, especially for plants, which can withstand water with electrical conductivity greater than 1000 µS/cm. However, the results obtained can be used as a basis for decision-makers for better water management in the Haha region.

Microbial contamination effects on the hydrochemical parameter in a Thettiyar watershed, Kerala, India, using GIS.

The present study has been carried out to assess the quality of groundwater and surface water resources of Thettiyar watershed, Kerala, India. Sixty-six water samples were collected during pre-monsoon (April, 2019) and monsoon (July, 2019) season, and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness and major cations and anions and microbiological parameters as well. According to the piper diagram's plot, Ca and Mg dominate over Na among the cations, and Cl is the most prevalent anion in groundwater throughout both the studied seasons. The hydrochemical analysis of water samples revealed that all the parameters are within the permissible limit except for pH. For microbiological analysis, the samples were tested for total coliform and fecal coliform. Most of the groundwater samples collected have higher total coliform and fecal coliform (E. coli) content than the recommended count by BIS (2012). The pre-monsoon surface water samples owned a maximum number of 3700 cfu/100 ml (TNTC-too numerous to count) of total coliform and 1400 cfu/100 ml (TNTC) of fecal coliform. In monsoon, the number of total coliform and fecal coliform has increased to 3800 cfu/100 ml and 1900 cfu/100 ml respectively. E. coli and total coliform are effectively correlated with each other in both seasons, in accordance with the statistical study. Domestic, sewage dump, and other household wastes are the main sources of bacterial contamination in the study area, which in turn nourishes contaminant organisms. According to the results, the government or municipality should implement an appropriate system for managing solid waste and should take all necessary measures to clean up the study area.

On the uptake of cationic liposomes by cells: From changes in elasticity to internalization.

In this study, we assessed the capacity of a previously reported engineered liposomal formulation, which had been tested against model membranes mimicking the lipid composition of the HeLa plasma membrane, to fuse and function as a nanocarrier in cells. We used atomic force microscopy to observe physicochemical changes on the cell surface and confocal microscopy to determine how the liposomes interact with cell membranes and released their load. In addition, we performed viability assays using methotrexate as an active drug to obtain proof of concept of the formulation´s capacity to function as a drug delivery-system. The interaction of engineered liposomes with living cells corroborates the information obtained using model membranes and supports the capacity of the engineered liposomal formulation to serve as a potential nanocarrier.

Radiochemical quality control of the radiopharmaceutical, 89SrCl2 produced in FBTR.

89SrCl2 radiopharmaceuticals is mainly used for bone pain palliation in the cancer patients, is being produced in FBTR via 89Y(n, p)89Sr using yttria target. The irradiated yttria target is chemically processed in high pure quartz distilled nitric acid medium in hot cell facility, to avoid the corrosion of components of hotcell due to chloride ions while using HCl medium. Being ionic species, the purified 89Sr(II) cation in aqueous solution containing bulk nitrate and other trace anions, exists as SrXn species where X: F-, Cl-, Br-, NO3-, PO43- and SO42-, n: stoichiometric anion content. The aim of the manuscript is to standardise an efficient ultra-low level anion purification method (ppb range) for the conversion of SrXn to SrCl2 and estimate the residual anionic impurities as recommended by the appropriate source specifications for its medical application. Various methods were standardised for the removal of anions in the SrCl2 source produced by the above process which include evaporation, calcination, anion exchange column, cation exchange column as well as its combination with pre-concentration column of ion chromatography (IC) technique using 89Sr tracers as well as FBTR produced 89Sr solution. Assay of 89Sr and other anions including nitrate for the above study were accomplished using Cerenkov counting and ion chromatography respectively. Thus evaporation-calcination-column chromatography mode was finalised to obtain pure SrCl2 source free from nitrate and other anionic impurities. This is the first ever systematic study for the Radiochemical quality control of nca 89SrCl2 radiopharmaceutical produced in a fast reactor. This study also finds its application to any analytical lab as well as industry where there is a requirement of anion purification in the ppb level.

Quantification of lactoferrin in human milk using monolithic cation exchange HPLC.

Human lactoferrin (hLF) is one of the most important whey proteins in human milk, known for its ability to modulate innate host immunity and multifunctional activities for neonatal growth. The objective of this study was to validate an efficient method for the detection and quantification of hLF using a unique technology of cation-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on CIM® monolithic columns. Human milk samples were collected using manual expression or a breast pump, at different weeks of lactation. After sample preparation, hLF was detected and measured by HPLC method and further confirmed by SDS-PAGE. Selected fractions were analysed also by LC-MS/MS. Presumably, due to the high density of positive charge on the surface of the N-terminal domain, hLF binds strongly to the column and elutes last, enabling the high specificity of this method. The LC-MS/MS analysis indicated that hLF eluted in two clearly separated peaks, presumably representing two different molecular species of hLF. hLF concentration in the human milk samples ranged from 2.03 mg/mL to 5.79 mg/mL and was not significantly affected by the sample collection method whereas it was negatively correlated with the stage of lactation. These results suggest that cation exchange chromatography is an accurate, efficient, and robust method for the detection and quantification of hLF.