Simple and surprisingly effective one-step extraction-cleanup by Soxflo for DDT and its metabolites from environmental samples

A pilot study found that DDT breakdown at the GC inlet was extensive in extracts from some-but not all-samples with high organic carbon contents. However, DDT losses could be prevented with a one-step extraction-cleanup in the Soxflo instrument with dichloromethane and charcoal. This dry-column procedure took 1 h at room temperature. It was tested on spiked soil and peat samples and validated with certified soil and sediment reference materials. Spike recoveries from freshly spiked samples ranged from 79 to 111% at 20-4000 mug/kg concentrations. Recoveries from the real-world CRMs were 99.7-100.2% of DDT, 89.7-90.4% of DDD and 89.6-107.9% of DDE. It was concluded that charcoal cleanups should be used routinely during surveys for environmental DDX pollution in order to mitigate against unpredictable matrix-enhanced breakdown in the GC. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Soil carbon and litter development along a reconstructed biodiverse forest chronosequence of South-Western Australia

Soil organic matter (SOM) increases with time as landscape is restored. Studying SOM development along restored forest chronosequences would be useful in clarifying some of the uncertainties in quantifying C turnover rates with respect to forest clearance and ensuing restoration. The development of soil organic matter in the mineral soils was studied at four depths in a 16-year-old restored jarrah forest chronosequence. The size-separated SOM fractionation along with δ13C isotopic shift was utilised to resolve the soil C temporal and spatial changes with developing vegetation. The restored forest chronosequence revealed several important insights into how soil C is developing with age. Litter accumulation outpaced the native forest levels in 12 years after restoration. The surface soils, in general, showed increase in total C with age, but this trend was not clearly observed at lower depths. C accumulation was observed with increasing restoration age in all three SOM size-fractions in the surface 0–2 cm depth. These biodiverse forests show a trend towards accumulating C in recalcitrant stable forms, but only in the surface 0–2 cm mineral soil. A significant reverse trend was observed for the moderately labile SOM fraction for lower depths with increasing restoration age. Correlating the soil δ13C with total C concentration revealed the re-establishment of the isotopically depleted labile to enriched refractory C continuum with soil depth for the older restored sites. This implied that from a pedogenic perspective, the restored soils are developing towards the original native soil carbon profile.

Desenvolvimento e validação de método analítico empregando cromatografia gasosa ultrarrápida para quantificação de teor total de ésteres em amostras de biodiesel

Pós-graduação em Química - IQ

Síntese e atividade anti-HCV, anti-candida e antibacteriana de nitrochalconas

Pós-graduação em Química - IBILCE

Land use change to perennial energy crops in Northern Italy: Effects on soil organic carbon sequestration and distribution, soil enzyme activities and microbial communities.

Studies on soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in perennial energy crops are available for North-Central Europe, while there is insufficient information for Southern Europe. This research was conducted in the Po Valley, a Mediterranean-temperate zone characterised by low SOC levels, due to intensive management. The aim was to assess the factors influencing SOC sequestration and its distribution through depth and within soil fractions, after a 9-year old conversion from two annual systems to Miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) and giant reed (Arundo donax). The 13C natural abundance was used to evaluate the amount of SOC in annual and perennial species, and determine the percentage of carbon derived from perennial crops. SOC was significantly higher under perennial species, especially in the topsoil (0-0.15 m). After 9 years, the amount of C derived from Miscanthus was 18.7 Mg ha-1, mostly stored at 0-0.15 m, whereas the amount of C derived from giant reed was 34.7 Mg ha-1, evenly distributed through layers. Physical soil fractionation was combined with 13C abundance analysis. C derived from perennial crops was mainly found in macroaggregates. Under giant reed, more newly derived-carbon was stored in microaggregates and mineral fraction than under Miscanthus. A molecular approach based on denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) allowed to evaluate changes on microbial community, after the introduction of perennial crops. Functional aspects were investigated by determining relevant soil enzymes (β-glucosidase, urease, alkaline phosphatase). Perennial crops positively stimulated these enzymes, especially in the topsoil. DGGE profiles revealed that community richness was higher in perennial crops; Shannon index of diversity was influenced only by depth. In conclusion, Miscanthus and giant reed represent a sustainable choice for the recovery of soils exhausted by intensive management, also in Mediterranean conditions and this is relevant mainly because this geographical area is notoriously characterised by a rapid turnover of SOC.

Studies of the effects of molecular encounters on N.M.R. spin-lattice relaxation times

This thesis is concerned with investigations of the effects of molecular encounters on nuclear magnetic resonance spin-lattice relaxation times, with particular reference to mesitylene in mixtures with cyclohexane and TMS. The purpose of the work was to establish the best theoretical description of T1 and assess whether a recently identified mechanism (buffeting), that influences n.m.r. chemical shifts, governs Tl also. A set of experimental conditions are presented that allow reliable measurements of Tl and the N. O. E. for 1H and 13C using both C. W. and F.T. n.m.r. spectroscopy. Literature data for benzene, cyclohexane and chlorobenzene diluted by CC14 and CS2 are used to show that the Hill theory affords the best estimation of their correlation times but appears to be mass dependent. Evaluation of the T1 of the mesitylene protons indicates that a combined Hill-Bloembergen-Purcell-Pound model gives an accurate estimation of T1; subsequently this was shown to be due to cancellation of errors in the calculated intra and intemolecular components. Three experimental methods for the separation of the intra and intermolecular relaxation times are described. The relaxation times of the 13C proton satellite of neat bezene, 1,4 dioxane and mesitylene were measured. Theoretical analyses of the data allow the calculation of Tl intra. Studies of intermolecular NOE's were found to afford a general method of separating observed T1's into their intra and intermolecular components. The aryl 1H and corresponding 13C T1 values and the NOE for the ring carbon of mesitylene in CC14 and C6H12-TMS have been used in combination to determine T1intra and T1inter. The Hill and B.P.P. models are shown to predict similarly inaccurate values for T1linter. A buffeting contribution to T1inter is proposed which when applied to the BPP model and to the Gutowsky-Woessner expression for T1inter gives an inaccuracy of 12% and 6% respectively with respect to theexperimentally based T1inter.

Evidence for classification of c.1852_1853AA>GC in MLH1 as a neutral variant for Lynch syndrome

Background: Lynch syndrome (LS) is an autosomal dominant inherited cancer syndrome characterized by early onset cancers of the colorectum, endometrium and other tumours. A significant proportion of DNA variants in LS patients are unclassified. Reports on the pathogenicity of the c.1852_1853AA>GC (p.Lys618Ala) variant of the MLH1 gene are conflicting. In this study, we provide new evidence indicating that this variant has no significant implications for LS.Methods: The following approach was used to assess the clinical significance of the p.Lys618Ala variant: frequency in a control population, case-control comparison, co-occurrence of the p.Lys618Ala variant with a pathogenic mutation, co-segregation with the disease and microsatellite instability in tumours from carriers of the variant. We genotyped p.Lys618Ala in 1034 individuals (373 sporadic colorectal cancer [CRC] patients, 250 index subjects from families suspected of having LS [revised Bethesda guidelines] and 411 controls). Three well-characterized LS families that fulfilled the Amsterdam II Criteria and consisted of members with the p.Lys618Ala variant were included to assess co-occurrence and co-segregation. A subset of colorectal tumour DNA samples from 17 patients carrying the p.Lys618Ala variant was screened for microsatellite instability using five mononucleotide markers.Results: Twenty-seven individuals were heterozygous for the p.Lys618Ala variant; nine had sporadic CRC (2.41%), seven were suspected of having hereditary CRC (2.8%) and 11 were controls (2.68%). There were no significant associations in the case-control and case-case studies. The p.Lys618Ala variant was co-existent with pathogenic mutations in two unrelated LS families. In one family, the allele distribution of the pathogenic and unclassified variant was in trans, in the other family the pathogenic variant was detected in the MSH6 gene and only the deleterious variant co-segregated with the disease in both families. Only two positive cases of microsatellite instability (2/17, 11.8%) were detected in tumours from p.Lys618Ala carriers, indicating that this variant does not play a role in functional inactivation of MLH1 in CRC patients.Conclusions: The p.Lys618Ala variant should be considered a neutral variant for LS. These findings have implications for the clinical management of CRC probands and their relatives.

Enriquecimento e alocação de 13C em plantas de eucalipto

Nas últimas décadas, a utilização de isótopos estáveis em várias áreas de pesquisa vem se destacando, como na análise de fluxos e rotas metabólicas, análise de efeitos de estresses em plantas e, em grande escala, no estudo da matéria orgânica do solo (MOS). Estudos de alterações e dinâmica da MOS usando a variação da abundância natural do 13C requerem mudanças na razão isotópica do C. Quando não existe essa possibilidade, uma das alternativas é enriquecer o material vegetal (planta) com 13C, via fixação de 13CO2, de modo que a razão isotópica seja distinta daquela da MOS original. O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar a magnitude e a homogeneidade do enriquecimento em 13C em diferentes componentes da planta de eucalipto. No processo de marcação, três plantas de eucalipto, com 4 meses de idade, cultivadas em solução nutritiva foram expostas a uma atmosfera enriquecida com 13CO2, em uma câmara de vidro (448 dm³), com temperatura em torno de 24 ºC. A concentração de CO2 e a razão 13C/12C foram monitoradas por um espectrômetro de massa de razão isotópica (IRMS) em amostras de ar retiradas ao longo do processo (126 dias com três pulsos de 13CO2 semanais). Após o período de marcação, as plantas foram separadas em folha (folha-fonte e folha-dreno), galho, casca, lenho e raiz e analisadas em IRMS. O resultado foi expresso em partes por mil (‰) em relação ao padrão internacional de C denominado Pee-Dee Belemnite (PDB), obtendo-se a δ13C PDB delas: folha-fonte (828,07 ‰), folha-dreno (645,72 ‰), galho (672,49 ‰), casca (691,86 ‰), lenho (632,02 ‰) e raiz (536,55 ‰). O padrão de alocação e enriquecimento de 13C entre os componentes das plantas foi homogêneo, embora com diferenças numéricas da ordem de 291 ‰ na δ13C PDB. As plantas de eucalipto mantiveram alta taxa de absorção de CO2 e, consequentemente, alta taxa fotossintética em concentrações de CO2 muito acima (180,4 mmol L-1 - 7.934 ppmv) da encontrada na atmosfera (8,64 mmol L-1 - 380 ppmv). O 13C fixado durante o dia foi liberado em menor escala na respiração noturna, em comparação com o 12C. O grau de enriquecimento com 13C obtido indica que a técnica empregada permite o enriquecimento suficiente do material para traçar o C em estudos de decomposição e estabilização de litter de eucalipto em frações da MOS.

Estoque de C e Abundância Natural de 13C em Razão da Conversão de Áreas de Floresta e Pastagem em Bioma Mata Atlântica

RESUMO Conversões da cobertura vegetal decorrentes do manejo podem alterar o estoque de carbono e a abundância natural de 13C. Objetivou-se avaliar o estoque de C e a abundância natural de 13C em áreas de sucessão de floresta (F) e pastagem (P), com diferentes tempos de uso, na Floresta Atlântica no Estado de Santa Catarina. Sete sucessões de uso entre F e P foram definidas por fotografias aéreas tomadas em 1957, 1978 e 2008, entrevistas com moradores e escolha de áreas com florestas em estádio médio de regeneração. As sucessões foram identificadas como FFP, FPF, FFP, FPP, PFF, PPF, PPP, em que a primeira letra se refere ao uso observado em 1957; a segunda, em 1978; e a terceira, em 2008. Foram coletadas amostras de solo nas camadas de 0,00-0,10; 0,10-0,20; 0,20-0,30; 0,30-0,40; 0,40-0,50; 0,50-0,60; 0,60-0,80 e 0,80-1,00 m. Quantificaram-se os teores de carbono orgânico total (COT), abundância de C (δ13C), densidade do solo (Ds) e estoque de carbono (ECOT). A conversão de F em P proporcionou aumento da Ds e reduções nos teores de COT e no ECOT do solo. O maior valor de ECOT ocorreu nas áreas atualmente ocupadas por florestas, mesmo tendo sido utilizadas como pasto anteriormente. Áreas de floresta secundária tenderam, em relação aos teores de COT, a um novo equilíbrio, dado que foram verificados teores de COT superiores aos quantificados em áreas de floresta primária. As áreas de floresta e pastagem, com diferentes idades de uso e nas diferentes profundidades de solo avaliadas, evidenciaram respostas na δ13C, resultando em diferentes assinaturas isotópicas, confirmando a mudança de uso de plantas C3 para C4. Em pastagens com 50 anos de uso, na camada de 0,00-0,10 m, 66 % do COT do solo ainda é derivado da floresta original. A análise de componentes principais (ACP) indicou que o COT foi o atributo que melhor discriminou as alterações em razão do uso da terra, nas diferentes camadas de solo.

Elemental (C/N ratios) and isotopic (δ15N(org), δ13C(org)) compositions of sedimentary organic matter from a high-altitude mountain lake (Meidsee, 2661 m a.s.l., Switzerland): Implications for Lateglacial and Holocene Alpine landscape evolution

The deposition of Late Pleistocene and Holocene sediments in the high-altitude lake Meidsee (located at an altitude of 2661 m a.s.l. in the Southwestern Alps) strikingly coincided with global ice-sheet and mountain-glacier decay in the Alpine forelands and the formation of perialpine lakes. Radiocarbon ages of bottom-core sediments point out (pre-) Holocene ice retreat below 2700 m a.s.l., at about 16, 13, 10, and 9 cal. kyr BP. The Meidsee sedimentary record therefore provides information about the high-altitude Alpine landscape evolution since the Late Pleistocene/Holocene deglaciation in the Swiss Southwestern Alps. Prior to 5 cal. kyr BP, the C/N ratio and the isotopic composition of sedimentary organic matter (delta N-15(org), delta C-13(org)) indicate the deposition of algal-derived organic matter with limited input of terrestrial organic matter. The early Holocene and the Holocene climatic optimum (between 7.0 and 5.5 cal. kyr BP) were characterized by low erosion (decreasing magnetic susceptibility, chi) and high content of organic matter (C-org > 13 wt.%), enriched in C-13(org) (>-18 parts per thousand) with a low C/N (similar to 10) ratio, typical of modern algal matter derived from in situ production. During the late Holocene, there was a long-term increasing contribution of terrestrial organic matter into the lake (C/N > 11), with maxima between 2.4 and 0.9 cal. kyr BP. A major environmental change took place 800 years ago, with an abrupt decrease in the relative contribution of terrestrial organic material into the lake compared with aquatic organic material which subsequently largely dominated (C/N drop from 16 to 10). Nonetheless, this event was marked by a rise in soil erosion (chi), in nutrients input (N and P contents) and in anthropogenic lead deposition, suggesting a human disturbance of Alpine ecosystems 800 years ago. Indeed, this time period coincided with the migration of the Walser Alemannic people in the region, who settled at relatively high altitude in the Southwestern Alps for farming and maintaining Alpine passes.

Occurrence, biological activities and 13C NMR data of amides from Piper (Piperaceae)

This manuscript describes an update review with up to 285 references concerning the occurrence of amides from a variety of species of the genus Piper (Piperaceae). Besides addressing occurrence, this review also describes the biological activities attributed to extracts and pure compounds, a compiled 13C NMR data set, the main correlations between structural and NMR spectroscopic data of these compounds, and employment of hyphened techniques such as LC-MS, GC-MS and NMR for analysis of amides from biological samples and crude Piper extracts.

Optimierung der aminozucker-spezifischen δ13C-Analyse in Böden- und Pflanzenmaterialien zur Erfassung des Umsatzes von mikrobiellen Residuen

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde eine LC-IRMS Methode zur aminozucker-spezifischen δ13C-Analyse in Pflanzenmaterialien optimiert und etabliert, um die Bildung und den Umsatz von mikrobiellen Residuen in Boden- und Pflanzenmaterialien mit hoher Genauigkeit erfassen zu können. Weiterhin wurde mit der etablierten Methode ein Pilzwachstumsexperiment durchgeführt. Der Fokus dieser Arbeit lag jedoch auf der Methodenentwicklung. Ziel des ersten Artikels war es eine HPLC-Umkehrphasen-Methode zur simultanen Bestimmung von Muraminsäure, Mannosamin, Galaktosamin und Glucosamin so hingehend zu verbessern, dass an verschieden HPLC-Systemen zuverlässige Ergebnisse für alle vier Aminozucker in Boden- und Pflanzenhydrolysaten erhalten werden. Dafür wurde zunächst die mobile Phase optimiert. So wurde der Tetrahydrofurananteil erhöht, was kürzere Retentionszeiten und eine bessere Trennung zwischen Muraminsäure und Mannosamin zur Folge hatte. Weiterhin wurde ein höheres Signal durch das Herabsetzen der Extinktionswellenlänge und der Anpassung der OPA-Derivatisierungsreaktionszeit erzielt. Nach Optimierung der genannten Parameter erfolgte die Validierung der Methode. Für Muraminsäure wurde eine Bestimmungsgrenze (LOQ) von 0,5 µmol l-1 was 0,13 µg ml -1 entspricht und für die drei anderen Aminozucker 5,0 µmol l-1 (entspricht 0,90 µg ml)erhalten. Weiterhin wurden Wasser und Phosphatpuffer als Probenlösungsmittel getestet, um den Einfluss des pH-Wertes auf die OPA-Reaktion zu testen. Zur aminozucker-spezifischen δ13C–Analyse am IRMS ist eine HPLC-Methode mit einer kohlenstofffreien mobilen Phase notwendig, andernfalls kann aufgrund des hohen Hintergrundrauschens kein vernünftiges Signal mehr detektiert werden. Da die im ersten Artikel beschriebene Umkehrphasenmethode einen kohlenstoffhaltigen Eluenten enthält, musste eine ebenso zuverlässige Methode, die jedoch keine organische Lösungsmittel benötigt, getestet und mit der schon etablierten Methode verglichen werden. Es gibt eine Reihe von HPLC-Methoden, die ohne organische Lösungsmittel auskommen, wie z. B. (1) Hochleistungsanionenaustauschchromatographie (HPAEC), (2) Hochleistungskationenaustauschchromatographie (HPCEC) und (3) die Hochleistungsanionenausschlusschromatographie (HPEXC). Ziele des zweiten Artikels waren (1) eine zuverlässige Purifikations- und Konzentrierungsmethode für Aminozucker in HCl-Hydrolysaten und (2) eine optimale HPLC-Methode zu finden. Es wurden fünf Aufarbeitungsmethoden zur Purifikation und Konzentrierung der Probenhydrolysate und vier HPLC-Methoden getestet. Schlussfolgernd kann zusammengefasst werden, dass für Detektoren mit geringer Empfindlichkeit (z.B. IRMS) eine Konzentrierung und Purifikation insbesondere von Muraminsäure über ein Kationenaustauscherharz sinnvoll ist. Eine Basislinientrennung für alle Aminozucker war nur mit der HPAEC möglich. Da mit dieser Methode gute Validierungsdaten erzielt wurden und die Aminozuckergehalte mit der Umkehrphasenmethode vergleichbar waren, stellt die HPAEC die Methode der Wahl zur aminozucker-spezifischen δ13C–Analyse am IRMS dar. Der dritte Artikel befasst sich mit der Optimierung der aminozucker-spezifischen δ13C–Analyse mittels HPAEC-IRMS in Pflanzenhydrolysaten sowie mit der Bestimmung des Umsatzes von saprotrophen Pilzen in verschieden Substraten. Die in der Literatur beschriebene HPAEC-IRMS- Methode ist für die aminozucker-spezifische δ13C–Analyse in Bodenhydrolysaten jedoch nicht in Pflanzenhydrolysaten geeignet. In Pflanzenhydrolysaten wird der Glucosaminpeak von Peaks aus der Matrix interferiert. Folglich war das erste Ziel dieses Artikels, die Methode so zu optimieren, dass eine aminozucker-spezifische δ13C–Analyse in Pflanzenhydrolysaten möglich ist. Weiterhin sollten mit der optimierten HPAEC-IRMS-Methode die Bildung und der Umsatz von saprotrophen Pilzen bestimmt werden. Durch Erhöhung der Säulentemperatur und durch Herabsetzung der NaOH-Konzentration konnte eine Basislinientrennung erzielt werden. Die Validierungsparameter waren gut und die bestimmten Aminozuckergehalte waren mit der Umkehrphasen-HPLC-Methode vergleichbar. Zur Bestimmung der Bildung und des Umsatzes von saprotrophen Pilzen auf verschiedenen Substraten wurden Lentinula edodes P., Pleurotus ostreatus K. und Pleurotus citrinopileatus S. auf Mais-Holz- und auf Weizen-Holz-Substrat für vier Wochen bei 24 °C kultiviert. Dieser Pilzwachstumsversuch zeigte, dass 80% des neu gebildeten pilzlichen Glucusamins maisbürtig und nicht holzbürtig waren. Weiterhin wurde der bevorzugte Abbau von Maissubstrat im Vergleich zu Weizensubstrat an diesem Versuch verdeutlicht. Außerdem lassen die Ergebnisse darauf schließen, dass die beobachtete zunehmende δ13C Anreicherung in dem neu gebildeten pilzlichen Glucosamin während der vier Wochen auf die Inkorporation des angereichten 13C aus dem Substrat und eher weniger auf kinetische Isotopeneffekte zurückzuführen ist.

Real-time analysis of δ13C- and δD-CH4 in ambient air with laser spectroscopy: method development and first intercomparison results

In situ and simultaneous measurement of the three most abundant isotopologues of methane using mid-infrared laser absorption spectroscopy is demonstrated. A field-deployable, autonomous platform is realized by coupling a compact quantum cascade laser absorption spectrometer (QCLAS) to a preconcentration unit, called trace gas extractor (TREX). This unit enhances CH4 mole fractions by a factor of up to 500 above ambient levels and quantitatively separates interfering trace gases such as N2O and CO2. The analytical precision of the QCLAS isotope measurement on the preconcentrated (750 ppm, parts-per-million, µmole mole−1) methane is 0.1 and 0.5 ‰ for δ13C- and δD-CH4 at 10 min averaging time. Based on repeated measurements of compressed air during a 2-week intercomparison campaign, the repeatability of the TREX–QCLAS was determined to be 0.19 and 1.9 ‰ for δ13C and δD-CH4, respectively. In this intercomparison campaign the new in situ technique is compared to isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) based on glass flask and bag sampling and real time CH4 isotope analysis by two commercially available laser spectrometers. Both laser-based analyzers were limited to methane mole fraction and δ13C-CH4 analysis, and only one of them, a cavity ring down spectrometer, was capable to deliver meaningful data for the isotopic composition. After correcting for scale offsets, the average difference between TREX–QCLAS data and bag/flask sampling–IRMS values are within the extended WMO compatibility goals of 0.2 and 5 ‰ for δ13C- and δD-CH4, respectively. This also displays the potential to improve the interlaboratory compatibility based on the analysis of a reference air sample with accurately determined isotopic composition.

Isotopic ratios of methane, ethane, carbon dioxide, inorganic carbon and organic matter from ODP Leg 164 sites

The isotopic characteristics of CH4 (d13C values range from -101.3 per mil to -61.1 per mil PDB, and dD values range from -256 per mil to -136 per mil SMOW) collected during Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 164 indicate that the CH4 was produced by microbial CO2 reduction and that there is not a significant contribution of thermogenic CH4 to the sampled sediment gas from the Blake Ridge. The isotopic values of CO2 (d13C range -20.6 per mil to +1.24 per mil PDB) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC; d13C range -37.7 per mil to +10.8 per mil PDB) have parallel profiles with depth, but with an offset of 12.5 per mil. Distinct downhole variations in the carbon isotopic composition of CH4 and CO2 cannot be explained by closed-system fractionation where the CO2 is solely derived from the locally available sedimentary organic matter (d13C -2.0 per mil ± 1.4 per mil PDB) and the CH4 is derived from CO2 reduction. The observed isotopic profiles reflect the combined effects of upwards gas migration and decreased microbial activity with depth.