Investigation on molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy of the novel 2BCA molecule to analyse its biological activities and binding interaction with nipah viral protein.

The molecule of 2-Biphenyl Carboxylic Acid (2BCA), which contains peculiar features, was explored making use of density functional theory (DFT) and experimental approaches in the area of quantum computational research. The optimised structure, atomic charges, vibrational frequencies, electrical properties, electrostatic potential surface (ESP), natural bond orbital analysis and potential energy surface (PES) were obtained applying the B3LYP approach with the 6-311++ G (d,p) basis set.. The 2BCA molecule was examined for possible conformers using a PES scan. The methods applied for spectral analyses included FT-IR, FT-RAMAN, NMR, and UV-Vis results. Vibrational frequencies for all typical modes of vibration were found using the Potential Energy Distribution (PED) data. The UV-Vis spectrum was simulated using the TD-DFT technique, which is also seen empirically. The Gauge-Invariant Atomic Orbital (GIAO) approach was employed to model and study the 13C and 1H NMR spectra of the 2BCA molecule in a CDCL3 solution. The spectra were then exploited experimentally to establish their chemical shifts. To predict the donor and acceptor interaction, the NBO analysis was used. The electrostatic potential surface was employed to anticipate the locations of nucleophilic and electrophilic sites. Hirshfeld surfaces and their related fingerprint plots are exploited for the investigation of intermolecular interactions. Reduced Density Gradient (RDG) helps to measure and illustrate electron correlation effects, offering precise insights into chemical bonding, reactivity, and the electronic structure of 2BCA. According to Lipinski and Veber's drug similarity criteria, 2BCA exhibits the typical physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties that make it a potential oral pharmaceutical candidate. According to the findings of a molecular docking study, the 2BCA molecule has promise as a treatment agent for the Nipah virus (PDB ID: 6 EB9), which causes severe respiratory and neurological symptoms in humans.

Comparative Study on the Removal Efficiency of Clomazone and Amitriptyline via Adsorption and Photocatalysis in Aqueous Media: Kinetic Models and Toxicity Assessment.

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of adsorption and photocatalysis techniques at removing the herbicide clomazone (CLO) and the antidepressant known as amitriptyline (AMI) from water. This study employed kinetic models to analyze the removal processes and assess the potential toxicity of the treated water. The structure and morphology of the prepared multi-walled carbon nanotubes were characterized as adsorbents by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared techniques, and Raman spectroscopy. The adsorption kinetics of CLO and AMI were studied on the pristine and functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Kinetic studies were performed by modeling the obtained experimental data using three kinetic models: pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Elovich kinetic models. On the other hand, the efficiency of CLO and AMI photodegradation was examined as a function of the type of irradiation (UV and simulated solar irradiation) and type of TiO2 photocatalyst (Aeroxide and Kronos). Under the experimental conditions employed, the reaction followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. Additionally, in order to assess the toxicity of water containing CLO, AMI, and their intermediates, toxicity assessments were conducted using human fetal lung fibroblast cells. The results obtained indicate the effectiveness of both methods and provide valuable insights into their removal mechanisms, contributing to the advancement of sustainable water treatment strategies.

Rapid Removal of Organic Pollutants from Aqueous Systems under Solar Irradiation Using ZrO2/Fe3O4 Nanoparticles.

Pure water scarcity is an emerging, all-around problem that globally affects both the life quality and the world's economy. Heterogeneous photocatalysis under solar irradiation is a promising technique for the organic pollutants (e.g., pesticides, drugs) removal from an aqueous environment. Furthermore, the drawbacks of commercially available photocatalysts can be successfully overcome by using innovative nanoparticles, such as ZrO2/Fe3O4. Four ZrO2/Fe3O4 nanopowders with a different mass ratio of ZrO2 and Fe3O4 were synthesized using the chemical co-precipitation method. XRD analysis showed the presence of magnetite and hematite Fe-oxide phases in all samples. The content of the magnetite phase increased with the addition of 19% ZrO2. The efficiency of the newly synthesized ZrO2/Fe3O4 nanoparticles was investigated in the rapid removal of selected pollutants under various experimental conditions. Nevertheless, the influence of the water matrix on photocatalytic degradation was also examined. The obtained data showed that using ZrO2/Fe3O4 nanosystems, an appropriate removal rate of the selected pesticides and pharmaceuticals can be reached after 120 min of solar irradiation. Further, the total organic carbon measurements proved the mineralization of the target emerging pollutants. ZrO2/Fe3O4 nanoparticles are economically feasible, as their removal from the suspension can be easily achieved using affordable, environmentally-friendly magnetic separation.

UHPLC-Triple-TOF-MS Characterization, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Activity of Raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) Seed Extracts.

The primary aim of this experiment was to investigate the bioactivity potential and polyphenolic profile of defatted raspberry seeds (DRS) extracts from three varieties (Willamette, Meeker, and Polka) using the in vitro tests HPLC-DAD and UHPLC-Triple-TOF-MS. Extracts were obtained using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) or hydrolysis. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was tested using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic) cation (ABTS), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Furthermore, the extracts were tested for antimicrobial activity using the disk diffusion method for four bacterial cultures (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Enteritidis). In vitro antiproliferative activity was tested using cervical carcinoma (HeLa), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF7), and fetal lung (MRC-5) human cell lines. In total, 32 phenolic compounds were detected in DRS extracts. A small quantity of ellagic acid (EA) was in free form, while EA content increased after the hydrolysis process. The extracts from the Meeker variety exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, analyzed with DPPH and FRAP assays, while extracts from the Polka variety had the highest activity towards ABTS•+ radical scavenging activity. The UAE samples expressed higher antiproliferative activity in comparison to hydrolysis extracts. The results indicate that DRS extracts have certain bioactivity, and their use in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries is recommended.

UV-induction of photolytic and photocatalytic degradation of fumonisins in water: reaction kinetics and toxicity.

Although fumonisins are toxic and carcinogenic mold products that contaminate feed, food, and water, their photodegradation has not yet been reported. In this work, the efficiency of photolysis (UV, UV/H2O2, and UV/[Formula: see text]) and photocatalysis (TiO2 (Degussa P25/Wackherr) and ZnO) for the degradation of fumonisins in an aqueous medium were investigated. In the case of fumonisin B1 (FB1) optimal conditions in terms of pH, the initial concentrations of H2O2/[Formula: see text] for UV, UV/H2O2, and UV/[Formula: see text] treatments were investigated. The photocatalytic degradation using TiO2 Wackherr as catalyst at natural pH (about 8) proved to be the most efficient treatment for removal of FB1 and FB3. Namely, during the first 30 min of irradiation, 99% of FB1 (1.39 µM) was degraded, while FB3 (0.425 µM) was completely removed during the first 20 min of irradiation. In the case of FB2 (0.687 µM), UV/[Formula: see text] was the most efficient treatment, and complete removal occurred in the first 90 min of irradiation. All applied treatments for fumonisins removal have followed pseudo-first-order kinetics under the relevant experimental conditions. Toxicity of fumonisins and their mixtures formed during photodegradation were investigated using mammalian cell lines (BHK, H-4-II-E, Neuro-2a, and MRC-5). The BHK cell line was the most sensitive to fumonisins, especially FB2 and FB3, and its photodegradation mixtures.

Environmental Photocatalytic Degradation of Antidepressants with Solar Radiation: Kinetics, Mineralization, and Toxicity.

This work is focused on the kinetics, mineralization, and toxicological assessments of the antidepressant drug amitriptyline hydrochloride (AMI) in UV or solar illuminated aqueous suspensions of ZnO, TiO2 Degussa P25, and TiO2 Hombikat. ZnO was proven to be the most effective photocatalyst, and it was used for all further experiments under solar irradiation. The highest reaction rate was observed at 1.0 mg/mL of catalyst loading. In the investigated initial concentration range (0.0075-0.3000 mmol/L), the degradation rate of AMI increased with the increase of initial concentration in the investigated range. The effects of H2O2, (NH4)2S2O8, and KBrO3, acting as electron acceptors, along with molecular oxygen were also studied. By studying the effects of ethanol and NaI as a hydroxyl radical and hole scavenger, respectively, it was shown that the heterogeneous catalysis takes place mainly via free hydroxyl radicals. In the mineralization study, AMI photocatalytic degradation resulted in ~30% of total organic carbon (TOC) decrease after 240 min of irradiation; acetate and formate were produced as the organic intermediates; NH4+, NO3-, NO2- ions were detected as nitrogen byproducts. Toxicity assessment using different mammalian cell lines, showed that H-4-II-E was the most sensitive one.

Experimental and computational study of hydrolysis and photolysis of antibiotic ceftriaxone: Degradation kinetics, pathways, and toxicity.

In this work, we have experimentally and computationally investigated the process of hydrolysis and photolysis of cephalosporin antibiotics with ceftriaxone (CEF) as a model compound. The CEF hydrolysis was investigated in ultrapure and natural water, at 25 ± 1 °C and 4 ± 1 °C in the dark. It was found that CEF after 100 and 900 days at 25 ± 1°C and 4 ± 1 °C, respectively practically completely removed from ultrapure water. The CEF hydrolysis in natural water was five and three times slower at 25 ± 1 °C and 4 ± 1 °C, respectively than in ultrapure water. Further, the efficiency of direct photolysis (solar/UVA-B) and solar/H2O2 treatment of CEF was investigated. Under UVA-B radiation 95.6% of CEF was removed after 60 min, while for the same time of solar radiation degradation was practically not observed (only 3.2%). Also, the effects of different concentrations of H2O2 (0-150 mM) in the presence/absence of solar radiation were studied. The most efficient solar/H2O2 treatment was in the presence of 90 mM H2O2, whereby 66.8% of CEF was removed after 60 min (41.8% by indirect photolysis, 21.8% by H2O2-oxidation, and 3.2% by direct photolysis). Radial distribution functions (RDF) provided information about the distribution of water around the CEF molecule. Aside from the RDF, investigation of intramolecular noncovalent interactions and calculations of bond dissociation energies for hydrogen abstraction enabled understanding of degradation mechanism of CEF. In order to investigate sensitivity of CEF towards the radical attacks, the concept of Fukui functions was used. The structures of intermediates and degradation pathways were suggested by UHPLC-LTQ OrbiTrap MS and density functional theory calculations. Toxicity assessments showed that intermediates formed during hydrolysis exerted only mild cell growth effects in selected cell lines.

Removal of Emerging Pollutants from Water Using Environmentally Friendly Processes: Photocatalysts Preparation, Characterization, Intermediates Identification and Toxicity Assessment.

Pharmaceuticals and pesticides are emerging contaminants problematic in the aquatic environment because of their adverse effects on aquatic life and humans. In order to remove them from water, photocatalysis is one of the most modern technologies to be used. First, newly synthesized photocatalysts were successfully prepared using a sol-gel method and characterized by different techniques (XRD, FTIR, UV/Vis, BET and SEM/EDX). The photocatalytic properties of TiO2, ZnO and MgO nanoparticles were examined according to their removal from water for two antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone) and two herbicides (tembotrione and fluroxypyr) exposed to UV/simulated sunlight (SS). TiO2 proved to be the most efficient nanopowder under UV and SS. Addition of (NH4)2S2O8 led to the faster removal of both antibiotics and herbicide fluroxypyr. The main intermediates were separated and identified for the herbicides and antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Finally, the toxicity of each emerging pollutant mixture and formed intermediates was assessed on wheat germination and biomass production.

Potential of TiO2 with Various Au Nanoparticles for Catalyzing Mesotrione Removal from Wastewaters under Sunlight.

Nowadays, great focus is given to the contamination of surface and groundwater because of the extensive usage of pesticides in agriculture. The improvements of commercial catalyst TiO2 activity using different Au nanoparticles were investigated for mesotrione photocatalytic degradation under simulated sunlight. The selected system was 2.43 × 10-3% Au-S-CH2-CH2-OH/TiO2 (0.5 g/L) that was studied by transmission electron microscopy and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. It was found that TiO2 particles size was ~20 nm and ~50 nm, respectively. The Au nanoparticles were below 10 nm and were well distributed within the framework of TiO2. For 2.43 × 10-3% Au-S-CH2-CH2-OH/TiO2 (0.5 g/L), band gap energy was 2.45 eV. In comparison to the pure TiO2, addition of Au nanoparticles generally enhanced photocatalytic removal of mesotrione. By examining the degree of mineralization, it was found that 2.43 × 10-3% Au-S-CH2-CH2-OH/TiO2 (0.5 g/L) system was the most efficient for the removal of the mesotrione and intermediates. The effect of tert-butanol, NaF and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt on the transformation rate suggested that the relative contribution of various reactive species changed in following order: h+ > ●OHads > ●OHbulk. Finally, several intermediates that were formed during the photocatalytic treatment of mesotrione were identified.

Kinetics, mechanism and toxicity of intermediates of solar light induced photocatalytic degradation of pindolol: Experimental and computational modeling approach.

In this work, we have investigated the stability of pindolol (PIN), a non-selective ß1-blocker detected in the river and wastewater of hospitals, in water solution under solar irradiation. Further, detailed insights into the stability of PIN were obtained by the density functional theory (DFT) calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. The kinetics of PIN photocatalytic degradation and mineralization has been studied using four commercial photocatalysts ZnO and TiO2 (P25, Hombikat, and Wackherr). It was found that the major role in degradation of PIN play the reactive hydroxyl radicals. The structures of degradation intermediates were suggested by LC-ESI-MS/MS and DFT calculations. Also, DFT calculations were used to refine molecular structures of intermediates and obtain their geometries. Toxicity of PIN and its mixtures formed during photocatalytic degradation were investigated using mammalian cell lines (H-4-II-E, HT-29, and MRC-5). The H-4-II-E cell line was the most sensitive to PIN and its photodegradation mixtures. The computational results were combined with the experimental data on the amounts of degradation intermediates for determination of the intermediates that were principally responsible for the toxicity. Intermediate with two hydroxyl groups, positioned on indole ring in meta and para positions, was proposed as the one with the highest contribution to toxicity.

Photocatalytic decomposition of selected biologically active compounds in environmental waters using TiO2/polyaniline nanocomposites: Kinetics, toxicity and intermediates assessment.

A comprehensive study of the removal of selected biologically active compounds (pharmaceuticals and pesticides) from different water types was conducted using bare TiO2 nanoparticles and TiO2/polyaniline (TP-50, TP-100, and TP-150) nanocomposite powders. In order to investigate how molecular structure of the substrate influences the rate of its removal, we compared degradation efficiency of the initial substrates and degree of mineralization for the active components of pharmaceuticals (propranolol, and amitriptyline) and pesticides (sulcotrione, and clomazone) in double distilled (DDW) and environmental waters. The results indicate that the efficiency of photocatalytic degradation of propranolol and amitriptyline was higher in environmental waters: rivers (Danube, Tisa, and Begej) and lakes (Moharac, and Sot) in comparison with DDW. On the contrary, degradation efficacy of sulcotrione and clomazone was lower in environmental waters. Further, of the all catalysts applied, bare TiO2 and TP-100 were found to be most effective in the mineralization of propranolol and amitriptyline, respectively, while TP-150 appeared to be the most efficient in terms of sulcotrione and clomazone mineralization. Also, there was no significant toxicity observed after the irradiation of pharmaceuticals or pesticides solutions using appropriate catalysts on rat hepatoma (H-4-II-E), mouse neuroblastoma (Neuro-2a), human colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29), and human fetal lung (MRC-5) cell lines. Subsequently, detection and identification of the formed intermediates in the case of sulcotrione photocatalytic degradation using bare TiO2 and TP-150 showed slightly different pathways of degradation. Furthermore, tentative pathways of sulcotrione photocatalytic degradation were proposed and discussed.

Enhancement of nano titanium dioxide coatings by fullerene and polyhydroxy fullerene in the photocatalytic degradation of the herbicide mesotrione.

The surface modification of commercial TiO2 Hombikat (TiO2) using nanoparticles of fullerene C60 with tetrahydrofuran (THF-nC60), as well as fullerenol C60(OH)24 nanoparticles (FNP) was investigated in this study. Characterization of THF-nC60, FNP, TiO2, TiO2/THF-nC60, and TiO2/FNP was studied by using DES, ELS, TEM, SEM, DRS and BET measurements and their photoactivity has been examined on the mesotrione degradation under simulated sunlight. It was found that FNP in self-assembled nanocomposite TiO2/FNP increased negatively charge, as well as catalytic surface of TiO2. In addition, TiO2/FNP exhibits a shift of band gap energy to lower values compared to TiO2 and TiO2/THF-nC60. BET surface area has not showed significant differences among catalysts. Furthermore, it was found that the highest photoactivity was obtained for TiO2/FNP system. Besides, influence of different concentrations of electron acceptors (H2O2 and KBrO3), as well as scavengers on the kinetics of mesotrione removal in aqueous solution with/without TiO2 and FNP under simulated sunlight was investigated. Namely, addition of mentioned electron acceptors has resulted in higher mesotrione degradation efficiency compared to O2 alone. Besides, in the first period substrate degradation probably takes place via hydroxyl radicals and after 60 min of irradiation the reaction mechanism proceeds mainly via holes. The most efficient system for mesotrione degradation and mineralization were TiO2/7 mM KBrO3 and TiO2/7 mM KBrO3/40 µl FNP, respectively.

Photocatalytic degradation of 4-amino-6-chlorobenzene-1,3-disulfonamide stable hydrolysis product of hydrochlorothiazide: Detection of intermediates and their toxicity.

In this work we have investigated in details the process of degradation of the 4-amino-6-chlorobenzene-1,3-disulfonamide (ABSA), stable hydrolysis product of frequently used pharmaceutical hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), as one of the most ubiquitous contaminants in the sewage water. The study encompassed investigation of degradation by hydrolysis, photolysis, and photocatalysis employing commercially available TiO2 Degussa P25 catalyst. The process of direct photolysis and photocatalytic degradation were investigated under different type of lights. Detailed insights into the reactive properties of HCTZ and ABSA have been obtained by density functional theory calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. Specifically, preference of HCTZ towards hydrolysis was confirmed experimentally and explained using computational study. Results obtained in this study indicate very limited efficiency of hydrolytic and photolytic degradation in the case of ABSA, while photocatalytic degradation demonstrated great potential. Namely, after 240 min of photocatalytic degradation, 65% of ABSA was mineralizated in water/TiO2 suspension under SSI, while the nitrogen was predominantly present as NH4+. Reaction intermediates were studied and a number of them were detected using LC-ESI-MS/MS. This study also involves toxicity assessment of HCTZ, ABSA, and their mixtures formed during the degradation processes towards mammalian cell lines (rat hepatoma, H-4-II-E, human colon adenocarcinoma, HT-29, and human fetal lung, MRC-5). Toxicity assessments showed that intermediates formed during the process of photocatalysis exerted only mild cell growth effects in selected cell lines, while direct photolysis did not affect cell growth.

Theoretical investigation of loratadine reactivity in order to understand its degradation properties: DFT and MD study.

Antihistamines are frequently used pharmaceuticals that treat the symptoms of allergic reactions. Loratadine (LOR) is an active component of the second generation of selective antihistaminic pharmaceutical usually known as Claritin. Frequent usage of this type of pharmaceuticals imposes the need for understanding their fundamental reactive properties. In this study we have theoretically investigated reactive properties of LOR using both density functional theory (DFT) calculations and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. DFT study is used for collecting information related to the molecule stability, structure, frontier molecular orbitals, quantum molecular descriptors, charge distribution, molecular electrostatic potential surfaces, charge polarization, and local reactivity properties according to average local ionization energy surfaces. Based on these results, N24 atom of pyridine ring and oxygen atom O1 were identified with nucleophilic nature. In order to collect the information necessary for the proposition of degradation compounds we also calculated bond dissociation energies (BDE) for hydrogen abstraction and single acyclic bonds as well. According to BDE, the oxidation is likely to occur in the piperidine and cycloheptane rings. MD simulations were used in order to understand the interactions with water through radial distribution functions (RDF). Based on RDFs the most important interactions with solvent are determined for carbon atom C5, chlorine atom Cl15, and oxygen atom O1. Collected results based on DFT calculations and MD simulations provided information important for suggestion of possible degradation compounds. Covalent and noncovalent interactions between LOR and (•)OH have also been investigated.

Efficient removal of sulcotrione and its formulated compound Tangenta® in aqueous TiO2 suspension: Stability, photoproducts assessment and toxicity.

The photocatalytic degradation of the herbicide sulcotrione (0.05 mM) and its formulated compound Tangenta® in aqueous suspensions of TiO2 Degussa P25 was examined as a function of the different operational parameters. The optimum of the catalyst loading was found to be 2.0 mg mL(-1) under UVA light. In the first stage of the reaction, the photocatalytic degradation of sulcotrione alone and in Tangenta® followed the pseudo-first order kinetics, in which the heterogeneous catalysis proceeds via OH and holes. Further, it can be concluded that degradation rate of sulcotrione alone is about two times higher compared to formulated compound. The results showed that the disappearance of sulcotrione led to the formation of three organic intermediates and ionic byproducts (Cl(-), SO4(2-), acetate and formate), whereas their mineralization was about 90% after 4 h. Tentative photodegradation pathways were proposed and discussed. Also, there was no significant toxicity observed after the irradiation of sulcotrione solution and Tangenta® formulation using TiO2 catalyst on three mammalian cell lines.

Thermochromism, stability and thermodynamics of cobalt(II) complexes in newly synthesized nitrate based ionic liquid and its photostability.

In this work a 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-methylimidazolium nitrate ionic liquid, [HO(CH2)2mim]NO3, has been synthesized in order to serve as a new thermochromic material upon addition of cobalt(II) ions. Spectrophotometric measurements of a series of cobalt(II) nitrate and cobalt(II) chloride solutions in [HO(CH2)2mim]NO3 at 298.15, 308.15, 318.15, 328.15, and 338.15 K, were performed. Based on the recorded spectra, the overall stability constants and thermodynamic parameters for the cobalt(II) associations with chloride and nitrate ions were calculated. The thermodynamic calculations suggest that thermochromism is not observed in the ionic medium due to a small entropy change during the replacement of nitrate with chloride ions in the co-ordination sphere of cobalt(II). The absence of the molecular solvent was also the reason for the lack of thermochromism. Thus, cobalt(II) solutions in [HO(CH2)2mim]NO3 and water mixtures were studied as a new and green medium that can be used for the auto-regulation of the light intensity and shade protection. The investigated system with water upon addition of cobalt(II) was found to be a far more efficient and responsive thermochromic medium for all of the studied systems up until now. The structure of [HO(CH2)2mim]NO3 was confirmed by both (1)H NMR and IR spectroscopy. Also, the efficiency of different advanced oxidation processes (UV-induced photolysis, UV/H2O2 photolysis, heterogeneous photocatalysis using TiO2 Degussa P25 and TiO2 with 7.24%, w/w Fe catalysts) for [HO(CH2)2mim]NO3 degradation were investigated. The reaction intermediates formed during the photo-oxidation process were identified using LC-ESI-MS/MS and (1)H NMR techniques.

Incidence of deoxynivalenol in Serbian wheat and barley.

One hundred thirty-nine small-grain cereal (wheat and barley) samples collected during the 2010 harvest in Serbia were tested for deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination. Samples were classified into four different groups and then analyzed by analytical methods based on cleanup by solid-phase extraction and detection by liquid chromatography after the validation. Limits of detection of DON were 18 and 22 µg/kg for wheat and barley, respectively, and limits of quantification were 60 and 73 µg/kg for wheat and barley, respectively. Obtained recovery values for wheat and barley samples ranged from 93.7 to 105.8% and from 84.7 to 89.2%, respectively. Analysis of 128 wheat samples showed that 100 (78.1%) of them were contaminated with DON at the levels ranging from 64 to 4,808 µg/kg. The contamination level of even 16 (12.5%) samples was above the established maximum tolerable limits adopted by the European Commission (EC) and Serbian regulation. In the 11 examined barley samples, DON was found in 3 (27.3%), with the levels ranging from 118 to 355 µg/kg, although none of the samples were contaminated above the limit for this cereal. The results obtained were analyzed as a function of climatic conditions and compared with the previous data on the presence of DON in Serbia.

Toxicity assessment of metoprolol and its photodegradation mixtures obtained by using different type of TiO2 catalysts in the mammalian cell lines.

Toxicity of metoprolol (MET) alone and in mixtures with its photocatalytic degradation intermediates obtained by using TiO2 Wackherr and Degussa P25 under UV irradiation in the presence of O2 was evaluated in vitro in a panel of three histologically different cell lines: rat hepatoma (H-4-II-E), human colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29) and human fetal lung (MRC-5). Both catalysts promoted a time-dependent increase in the toxicity of the photodegradation products, and those obtained using Degussa P25 photocatalyst were more toxic. The most pronounced and selective toxic action of MET and products of its photodegradation was observed in the hepatic cell line. The higher toxicity of the mixtures obtained using Degussa P25 catalyst could be explained by a different mechanism of MET degradation, i.e. by the presence or higher concentrations of some intermediates. Although the concentrations of intermediates obtained using TiO2 Wackherr catalyst were higher, they did not affect significantly the growth of the examined cell lines, indicating their lower toxicity. This suggests that a treatment aiming at complete mineralization should be performed bearing in mind that the type of catalyst, the concentration of target molecule, and the duration of the process are significant factors that determine the nature and toxicity of the resulting mixtures. Although the EC50 values of MET obtained in mammalian cell lines were higher compared to the bioassays for lower trophic levels, the time-dependent promotion of toxicity of degradation mixtures should be attributed to the higher sensitivity of mammalian cell bioassays.

Photocatalytic degradation of the herbicide clomazone in natural water using TiO2: kinetics, mechanism, and toxicity of degradation products.

The photocatalytic degradation of the herbicide clomazone (0.05mM) in aqueous suspensions of TiO2 Degussa P25 was examined as a function of the different operational parameters. The optimum concentration of the catalyst was found to be 0.50mgmL(-1) under UV light at the pH 10.3. In the first stage of the reaction, the photocatalytic degradation of clomazone followed the pseudo-first order kinetics, with and the heterogeneous catalysis proceeding via OH radicals. The results also showed that the disappearance of clomazone led to the formation of a number of organic intermediates and ionic byproducts, whereas its complete mineralization occurred after about 55min. Tentative photodegradation pathways were proposed and discussed. A comparison of the evolution of toxicity that was evaluated in vitro in rat hepatoma (H-4-II-E) and human fetal lung (MRC-5) cell lines with the degradation kinetics indicates that the irradiation contributed to the decrease of the toxicity of the mixture that is no longer dominated by the parent compound. The study also encompassed the effect of the quality of natural water on the rate of removal of clomazone.

Co-occurrence of fumonisins and deoxynivalenol in wheat and maize harvested in Serbia.

A survey was undertaken to determine total fumonisins (FUMs) and deoxynivalenol (DON) in wheat and maize. Out of 75 wheat samples, 50.7% contained FUMs in the span from 27 to 614 ng/g, while 65.3% contained DON in the span from 64 to 1,604 ng/g. Out of 24 maize samples, contents of FUMs in one and of DON in three samples were above the maximal limit. This is the one of rare reports of the natural co-occurrence of FUMs and DON in wheat and maize, and the first report of their correlation in different wheat cultivars.