Pesticides in the distilled spirits of wine and its byproducts

The fate of eight fungicides (benalaxyl, fenarimol, iprodione, metalaxyl, myclobutanil, procymidone, triadimefon, and vinclozolin) and five insecticides (dimethoate, fenthion, methidathion, parathion methyl, and quinalphos) in wine and its byproducts (cake and lees) during the production of distilled spirits was studied. Among the pesticides studied, only fenthion, quinalphos, and vinclozolin residues were present in the distilled spirits. During wine distillation, respectively 13% and 5% of the initial residues of fenthion and vinclozolin were transferred to the distilled spirit. Low percentages (2% for fenthion and 0.1% for vinclozolin) of these active ingredients (AI) also passed from the lees to the final-distilled spirit, when samples were fortified at 10.1 and 26.1 ppm for fenthion and vinclozolin, respectively. Quinalphos passed only from the lees to the final-distilled spirit in percentages lower than 1% when samples were fortified at the highest concentration (4.6 ppm).

Effect of heated solutions on decay control and residues of imazalil in lemons

Freshly harvested lemons [(Citrus limon (L.) Burm)] were dipped 3 min in water with and without imazalil (IMZ) at 50, 100, and 200 ppm at 50 degrees C and at 1000 ppm IMZ at 20 degrees C. Following treatments fruit were kept at 9 degrees C and 90%-95% relative humidity (RH) for 13 weeks and an additional week at 21 degrees C and ca. 75% RH, to simulate a marketing period (SMP). No decay control was observed with fruit dipped in water at 50 degrees C. In contrast, IMZ treatments provided 90%-96% control of Penicillium rots during cold storage and SMP. Fungi other than Penicillium spp. were also found in all samples as differences among treatments were negligible. IMZ treatment caused some external damage to the fruit (peel browning), and the percentage of damaged fruit was related to the amount of active ingredient (AI) present in it. Dipping in 200 or 1000 ppm IMZ promoted off-flavor development after 10 weeks of storage, and fruit were judged to be unacceptable for consumption after 13 weeks of cold storage. After 1000 ppm IMZ dipping at 20 degrees C, residue concentration in fruit was 8.20 ppm; this value doubled that found in a previous investigation on lemons treated with comparable IMZ levels. Residue concentrations in fruit after treatment at 50 degrees C was strictly related to the amount of fungicide employed. After 13 weeks Al residues in fruit decreased to average ca. 35% of the initial values. During the 1 week SMP, residue levels decreased by a further ca. 25%. It was concluded that it is possible to achieve significant control of decay in lemons during longterm storage by dipping fruit in 50 ppm IMZ mixtures at 50 degrees C. Such treatment should be advised to remarkably reduce potential pollution in the environment due to packinghouse wastewater disposal.

Optimum design of microirrigation systems in sloping lands

When an area to be irrigated has a high slope gradient in the manifold line direction, an option is to use a tapered pipeline to economize on pipe costs and to keep pressure head variations within desired limits. The objective of this paper is to develop a linear optimization model to design a microirrigation system with tapered, downhill manifold lines, minimizing the equivalent annual cost of the hydraulic network and the annual pumping cost, and maximizing the emission uniformity previously established to the subunit. The input data are irrigation system layout, cost of all hydraulic network components, and electricity price. The output data are equivalent annual cost, pipeline diameter in each line of the system, pressure head in each node, and total operating pressure head. To illustrate its capability, the model is applied in a citrus orchard in Sao, Paulo State, Brazil, considering slopes of 3, 6, and 9%. The model proved to be efficient in the design of the irrigation system in terms of the emission uniformity desired.

Anthracnose control and mango quality (Mangifera indica L.) cv. van dyke after hydrothermal and chemical treatment

Anthracnose causes severe damage to the mango skin. Therefore, there is need to do the post-harvest phytosanitary treatment of the fruits through soaking in fungicide solution, which associated with the hydrothermal treatment has resulted into improved benefits. The present work has aimed at studying anthracnose control and post-harvest quality of mangoes (Mangifera indica L.), cv. Van Dyke after hydrothermal treatment associated with chemical through the physical, physicochemical, chemical and phytopathologic analyses. The mangoes coming from the commercial orchard of the town of Jana ba-MG, of the 2000 crop, were harvested at the commercial maturation stage. After selection according to color uniformity, size and absence of mechanic and physiologic injuries, they were shipped in plastic boxes to the EPAMIG - CTNM - Nova Porteirinha - MG, fruit post-harvest laboratory, where the samples were submitted to the hydrothermal treatment in cold bath in solution containing the fungicides Thiabendazole (Tecto 400 mL/100L), Proclaraz (Sportak 10L/100L) and Imazalil (Magnate 200mL/100L). After air-drying, the fruits were packed in plastic trays and stored at room temperature (25 +/- 2 degrees C and RH 70%) for a 12-day period and evaluated as to the intrinsic quality characteristics every 4 days. The experiment was conducted a completely randomized with 8 treatments, 4 replicates and experimental unit consisting of 4 fruits. The variations of pH, total soluble solids, total titrable acidity and total soluble sugars have not endangered the organoleptic characteristics of mangoes cv. Van Dyke stored under room temperature (25 +/- 2 degrees C and RH 70%) till 8 days' storage. The association of the hydrothermal treatment with the chemical was efficient in fruit anthracnose control for till 12 days' storage. The fungicide Prochloraz (Sportak 110 mL/100L), associated with the hydrothermal treatment, completely inhibited the appearance of anthracnose symptoms.

Use of FIA systems for on-line dilution in multielement determination by ICP-MS

A flow-injection (FI) system to match concentrations was used as an auto-diluter in multielement determination by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The flow system comprised loop-based injection or a timed valve that introduced a variable sample volume info a spray chamber through a standard Meinhard nebulizer of an ICP-MS. Routinely analyzed samples such as water, plant, and steel were selected. The accuracy of multielement determination was checked against water standard reference material from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (1643d), plant standard reference material from the National Bureau of Standards (1572 citrus leaves), and steel standard reference material from the National Bureau of Standards (AISI 4340). The measuring system was calibrated with a multielement solution, yielding a linear plot with good precision [relative standard deviation (RSD) < 3%, n = 12]. The results were in agreement at a 95% confidence level with the certified values for the reference materials and also with those obtained by continuous aspiration and by (FI) with a discrete volume. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Spectrophotometric detection of arsenic using flow-injection hydride generation following sorbent extraction preconcentration

An automated system with a C-18 bonded silica gel packed minicolumn is proposed for spectrophotometric detection of arsenic using flow-injection hydride generation following sorbent extraction preconcentration. Complexes formed between arsenic(III) and ammonium diethyl dithiophosphate (ADDP) are retained on a C-18 sorbent. The eluted As-DDP complexes are merged with a 1.5% (w/v) NaBH4 and the resulting solution is thereafter injected into the hydride generator/gas-liquid separator. The arsine generated is carried out by a stream of N-2 and trapped in an alkaline iodine solution in which the analyte is determined by the arsenomolybdenum blue method. With preconcentration time of 120 s, calibration in the 5.00-50.0 mu g As l(-1) range and sampling rate of about 20 samples h(-1) are achieved, corresponding to 36 mg ADDP plus 36 mg ammonium heptamolybdate plus 7 mg hydrazine sulfate plus 0.7 mg stannous chloride and about 7 mi sample consumed per determination. The detection limit is 0.06 mu g l(-1) and the relative standard deviation (n = 12) for a typical 17.0 mu g As l(-1) sample is ca. 6%. The accuracy was checked for arsenic determination in plant materials from the NIST (1572 citrus leaves; 1573 tomato leaves) and the results were in agreement with the certified values at 95% confidence level. Good recoveries (94-104%) of spiked tap waters, sugars and synthetic mixtures of trivalent and pentavalent arsenic were also found. (C) 1999 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Pharmacokinetic Study of Nobiletin and Tangeretin in Rat Serum by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry

Nobiletin (NOB) and tangeretin (TAN), two of the main polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) in citrus, influence a number of key biological pathways in mammalian cells. Although the impacts of NOB and TAN on glucose homeostasis and cholesterol regulation have been investigated in human clinical trials, much information is still lacking about the metabolism and oral bioavailability of these compounds in animals. In this study, NOB and TAN were administered to rats by gavage and intraperitoneal (ip) injection, and the blood serum concentrations of these compounds and their main metabolites were monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS). In addition to the administered compounds, two metabolites of TAN and eight metabolites of NOB were detected and measured over 24 h. With identical oral doses, nearly 10-fold higher absorption of NOB occurred compared to TAN. For both compounds, maximum levels of glucuronidated metabolites occurred in the blood serum at later time points (similar to 5-8 h) compared to the earlier T(max) a values for NOB and TAN. In most cases the glucuronides occurred at substantially higher concentrations than the aglycone metabolites. Low levels of NOB and TAN and their metabolites were detectable in rat blood serum even at 24 h after treatment.

Fruit maturation as a parameter for selection of sweet orange cultivars in Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Influence of the cultivation system in the aroma of the volatile compounds and total antioxidant activity of passion fruit

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A putative twin-arginine translocation system in the phytopathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Viabilidade de crescimento micelial de Coprinus comatus em meio de cultura à base de resíduos orgânicos

The objective of this work was to evaluate the mycelial growth of the Coprinus comatus strain CCO 01/01 in culture based on organic residues of Saccharum officinarum (sugarcane bagasse), Citrus sinensis (orange bagasse), Ananas comosus (pineapple residues) and Musa sp. (banana leaf), supplemented with wheat bran in the proportions of 0, 10 and 20%, kept at 27 degrees C. The mycelial growth of C. comatus was evaluated daily by measurement of the diameter of the colony during seven days of incubation. The banana leaf was considered the best residue for the cultivation of the C. comatus even without supplementation, meaning lower production costs. The supplementation of pineapple residues with 10% of wheat bran favored fungi growth. Sugar-cane bagasse was suitable for the growth of the C. comatus provided it is enriched with wheat bran. The orange bagasse, without pH correction, was not appropriate for the mycelial growth of C. comatus.

The use of landforms to predict the variability of soil and orange attributes

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Stimulation of polygalacturonase production in an immobilized system by Aspergillus sp.: effect of pectin and glucose

The synthesis of polygalacturonases (PG) is known to be influenced by Aspergillus growth conditions, namely, environmental factors and pectin content in the cultivation medium containing a mixed carbon source. Optimal conditions were attained at a temperature of 30 A degrees C and an initial pH of 4.5. PG activity (3.29 and 2.48 U/mL) was determined after a two-day culture of Aspergillus sp. HC1 and Aspergillus sp. CC1, respectively, in a basic medium containing 2% citrus pectin as the sole carbon source. The addition of glucose (2% w/v) to the basic medium led to a 2-fold increase in PG production. However, enzyme synthesis was repressed when a higher concentration of glucose was used in the medium containing the mixed carbon source. Spores from the two fungi were immobilized in a 3% Ca-alginate system and the mechanical strength of the gel beads allowed the use of this process system 6-fold longer (288 h) than the free culture. In the Aspergillus sp. CC1 immobilized system, PG production increased nearly 10-fold in the medium with 2% glucose added (5.95 U/mL) in comparison to the medium without sugar (0.55 U/mL). The results demonstrate that a different response in activity was produced by free and entrapped spore systems. PG production remained approximately constant throughout the six 48 h cycles in the medium containing citrus pectin (2% w/v) as the sole carbon source.

Cloning, expression, purification and characterization of recombinant glutathione-S-transferase from Xylella fastidiosa

Xylella fastidiosa is an important pathogen bacterium transmitted by xylem-feedings leafhoppers that colonizes the xylem of plants and causes diseases on several important crops including citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) in orange and lime trees. Glutathione-S-transferases (GST) form a group of multifunctional isoenzymes that catalyzes both glutathione (GSH)-dependent conjugation and reduction reactions involved in the cellular detoxification of xenobiotic and endobiotic compounds. GSTs are the major detoxification enzymes found in the intracellular space and mainly in the cytosol from prokaryotes to mammals, and may be involved in the regulation of stress-activated signals by suppressing apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1. In this study, we describe the cloning of the glutathione-S-transferase from X. fastidiosa into pET-28a(+) vector, its expression in Escherichia coli, purification and initial structural characterization. The purification of recombinant xfGST (rxfGST) to near homogeneity was achieved using affinity chromatography and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). SEC demonstrated that rxfGST is a homodimer in solution. The secondary and tertiary structures of recombinant protein were analyzed by circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy, respectively. The enzyme was assayed for activity and the results taken together indicated that rxfGST is a stable molecule, correctly folded, and highly active. Several members of the GST family have been extensively studied. However, xfGST is part of a less-studied subfamily which yet has not been structurally and biochemically characterized. In addition, these studies should provide a useful basis for future studies and biotechnological approaches of rxfGST. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Distribution and habitat preference of Carabidae and Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) in an orange orchard and a forest fragment

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)