Radical scavenging activity of orange and tangerine varieties cultivated in Brazil

Four citrus fruit varieties cultivated in Brazil (two kinds of sweet orange and two kinds of tangerine) were analyzed for physicochemical characteristics contents of total phenolics, total carotenoids and ascorbic acid, and antioxidant activities. The antioxidant activities of aqueous, methanolic, and acetone extracts of the citrus fruit juices were assessed on the basis of their ability to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(center dot)). The cravo tangerine has the highest content of citric acid, while the pera orange is richest in ascorbic acid. The lima orange has the highest total phenolic contents, and the ponkan the highest total carotenoids. The antioxidant activities, expressed as the concentration of antioxidant able to scavenge 50% of the initial DPPH(center dot) (EC(50)), ranged from 139.1+/-27.3 to 182.2+/-28.8 g extract/l for juice of orange varieties and 186.3+/-29.6 to 275.5+/-3.3g extract/l for juice of tangerine citrus varieties. In methanolic extracts the EC(50) ranged from 192.5+/-43.1 to 267.4+/-41.4 g extract/l for orange varieties and from 225.2+/-69.8 to 336.3+/-27.2 g extract/l for tangerine varieties. For EC(50) values of acetone fractions, there were no statistically significant differences between the different varieties. For every citrus fruit in the present study, the radical scavenging capacity was higher in the aqueous than in the methanolic or acetone fractions.

Orange juice decreases low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic subjects and improves lipid transfer to high-density lipoprotein in normal and hypercholesterolemic subjects

Orange juice (OJ) is regularly consumed worldwide, but its effects on plasma lipids have rarely been explored. This study hypothesized that consumption of OJ concentrate would improve lipid levels and lipid metabolism, which are important in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) function in normolipidemic (NC) and hypercholesterolemic (HCH) subjects. Fourteen HCH and 31 NC adults consumed 750 mL/day OJ concentrate (1:6 OJ/water) for 60 days. Eight control subjects did not consume OJ for 60 days. Plasma was collected before and on the last clay for biochemical analysis and an in vitro as

Effect of thermal pasteurization and concentration on carotenoid composition of Brazilian Valencia orange juice

Changes in carotenoid pigment content of Brazilian Valencia orange juices due to thermal pasteurization and concentration were studied. Total carotenoid pigment content loss was not significant after thermal pasteurization and concentration. However, thermal effects on carotenoid pigment contents, especially violaxanthin and lutein, were clearly observed and significant (P < 0.05). Pasteurization reduced the content of violaxanthin by 38% and lutein by 20%. The concentration process resulted in loss of lutein (17%). With the loss of lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin became the major carotenoid in the pasteurized and concentrated juices. The provitarnin A content of the juice (beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin) and the amount of zeaxanthin, which are considered to be active against age-related macular degeneration and cataracts, did not significantly decrease after pasteurization and concentration. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Major carotenoid composition of Brazilian Valencia orange juice: Identification and quantification by HPLC

The carotenoid composition of Brazilian Valencia orange juice was determined by open column chromatography (OCC) and high-performance liquid chromatography. Carotenoid pigments were extracted using acetone and saponified using 10% methanolic potassium hydroxide. Sixteen pigments were isolated by OCC and identified as alpha-carotene, zeta-carotene, beta-carotene, alpha-cryptoxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein-5,6-epoxide, violaxanthin, lutein, antheraxanthin, zeaxanthin, luteoxanthin A, luteoxanthin B, mutatoxanthin A, mutatoxanthin B, auroxanthin B and trollichrome B. Thirteen carotenoid pigments were separated using a ternary gradient (acetonitrile-methanol-ethyl acetate) elution on a C-18 reversed-phase column. Among these, violaxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, zeta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene were quantified. The total carotenoid content was 12 +/- 6.7 mg/1, and the major carotenoids were lutein (23%), beta-cryptoxanthin (21%), and zeaxanthin (20%). 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combined cycle versus one thousand diesel power plants: pollutant emissions, ecological efficiency and economic analysis

The increase in the use of natural gas in Brazil has stimulated public and private sectors to analyse the possibility of using combined cycle systems for generation of electrical energy. Gas turbine combined cycle power plants are becoming increasingly common due to their high efficiency, short lead times, and ability to meet environmental standards. Power is produced in a generator linked directly to the gas turbine. The gas turbine exhaust gases are sent to a heat recovery steam generator to produce superheated steam that can be used in a steam turbine to produce additional power. In this paper a comparative study between a 1000 MW combined cycle power plant and 1000 kW diesel power plant is presented. In first step, the energetic situation in Brazil, the needs of the electric sector modification and the needs of demand management and integrated means planning are clarified. In another step the characteristics of large and small thermoelectric power plants that use natural gas and diesel fuel, respectively, are presented. The ecological efficiency levels of each type of power plant is considered in the discussion, presenting the emissions of particulate material, sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mercury emissions from forest burning in southern Amazon

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

Laboratory evaluation of Amazon forest biomass burning emissions

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

Biomass consumption and CO2, CO and main hydrocarbon gas emissions in an Amazonian forest clearing fire

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

Biodiesel CO2 emissions: A comparison with the main fuels in the Brazilian market

The use of biodiesel is increasing as an attractive fuel due to the depleting fossil fuel resources and environmental degradation. This paper presents results of an investigation on the potentials of biodiesel as an alternative fuel and main substitute of diesel oil, comparing the CO2 emissions of the main fuels in the Brazilian market with those of biodiesel, in pure form or blended in different proportions with diesel oil (2%, 5%, and 20%, called B2, B5, and B20, respectively). The results of the study are shown in ton CO2 per m(3) and ton CO2 per year of fuel. The fuels were analyzed considering their chemical composition, stoichiometric combustion parameters and mean consumption for a single vehicle. The fuels studied were: gasoline, diesel oil, anhydrous ethyl alcohol (anhydrous ethanol), and biodiesel from used frying oil and from soybean oil. For the case of biodiesel, its complete life cycle and the closed carbon cycle (photosynthesis) were considered. With data provided by the Brazilian Association of Automotive Vehicle Manufacturers (ANFAVEA) for the number of vehicles produced in Brazil, the emissions of CO2 for the national fleet in 2007 were obtained per type of fuel. With data provided by the Brazilian Department of Transit (DENATRAN) concerning the number of diesel vehicles in the last five years in Brazil, the total CO2 emissions and the percentage that they would decrease in the case of use of pure biodiesel, B100, or several mixtures, B2, B5 and B20, were calculated. Estimates of CO2 emissions for a future scenario considering the mixtures B5 and B20 are also included in this article. Crown Copyright (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The vinyl bromide optically pumped far infrared laser: New large offset emissions

We present the results of a study on vinyl bromide for the search for new far infrared (FIR) laser lines. As the pump source, we use a CW waveguide CO2 laser with a tunability of 290 MHz around each line in order to pump large offset vibrational transitions. As a consequence, we obtained 28 new FIR laser emissions; 24 of them have wavelengths greater than 500 mum and are, therefore, suitable to be used in high-field EPR spectroscopy, For each of the new lines, we give the wavelength, the offset of the pumping transition with respect to the center Frequency of the CO2 emission, the polarization relative to that of the pumping laser line, the operating pressure, and the relative intensity. We also present a catalog including data of all of the FIR laser lines observed from this molecule up to now.

Thermal and pasting properties of cassava starch-dehydrated orange pulp blends

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Isolation of Staphylococcus epidermidis from inflamed upper respiratory tract of an orange-spined hairy dwarf porcupine (Sphiggurus villosus)

The orange-spined hairy dwarf porcupine (Sphiggurus villosus) is a rodent species common in most parts of South America, and little is known about the pathologies that can afflict it. A specimen was delivered at the Wildlife Research and Medical Center (CEMPAS), School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil. The animal showed intense apathy, with purulent secretion in the nasal cavity and fracture of the lumbar spine. Due to the unfavorable prognosis, the porcupine was euthanized and microbiological culture of nasal discharge showed Staphylococcus epidermidis. The antimicrobial resistance test revealed sensitivity to all tested antimicrobials (ampicillin, oxacillin, tetracycline, penicillin G, neomycin, cephalexin, gentamicin, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazol, cefoxitin and cephalothin). This bacterium is part of the nasal flora of humans and other animals, and may cause infection under certain conditions. In the present study, the infection and colonization by S. epidermidis was the probable cause of the inflammatory process. The sensitivity to all tested antimicrobials suggests that this strain has not been previously exposed to such drugs.