Phytochemical Markers Of Different Types Of Red Propolis.

Propolis is a resin that bees collect from different plant sources and use in the defense of the bee community. The intricate composition of propolis varies depending on plant sources from different geographic regions and many types have been reported. Red coloured propolis found in several states in Brazil and in other countries has known antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. Different analytical methods have been applied to studies regarding the chemical composition and plant origins of red propolis. In this study samples of red propolis from different regions have been characterised using direct infusion electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI(-)-MS) fingerprinting. Data from the fingerprints was extracted and analysed by multivariate analysis to group the samples according to their composition and marker compounds. Despite similar colour, the red coloured propolis samples were divided into three groups due to contrasting chemical composition, confirming the need to properly characterise the chemical composition of propolis.

Determination Of Flavanones In Orange Juices Obtained From Different Sources By Hplc/dad.

Flavanones (hesperidin, naringenin, naringin, and poncirin) in industrial, hand-squeezed orange juices and from fresh-in-squeeze machines orange juices were determined by HPLC/DAD analysis using a previously described liquid-liquid extraction method. Method validation including the accuracy was performed by using recovery tests. Samples (36) collected from different Brazilian locations and brands were analyzed. Concentrations were determined using an external standard curve. The limits of detection (LOD) and the limits of quantification (LOQ) calculated were 0.0037, 1.87, 0.0147, and 0.0066 mg 100 g(-1) and 0.0089, 7.84, 0.0302, and 0.0200 mg 100 g(-1) for naringin, hesperidin, poncirin, and naringenin, respectively. The results demonstrated that hesperidin was present at the highest concentration levels, especially in the industrial orange juices. Its average content and concentration range were 69.85 and 18.80-139.00 mg 100 g(-1). The other flavanones showed the lowest concentration levels. The average contents and concentration ranges found were 0.019, 0.01-0.30, and 0.12 and 0.1-0.17, 0.13, and 0.01-0.36 mg 100 g(-1), respectively. The results were also evaluated using the principal component analysis (PCA) multivariate analysis technique which showed that poncirin, naringenin, and naringin were the principal elements that contributed to the variability in the sample concentrations.

In Vitro Evaluation Of Sun Protection Factor And Stability Of Commercial Sunscreens Using Mass Spectrometry.

Sunlight exposure causes several types of injury to humans, especially on the skin; among the most common harmful effects due to ultraviolet (UV) exposure are erythema, pigmentation and lesions in DNA, which may lead to cancer. These long-term effects are minimized with the use of sunscreens, a class of cosmetic products that contains UV filters as the main component in the formulation; such molecules can absorb, reflect or diffuse UV rays, and can be used alone or as a combination to broaden the protection on different wavelengths. Currently, worldwide regulatory agencies define which ingredients and what quantities must be used in each country, and enforce companies to conduct tests that confirm the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) and the UVA (Ultraviolet A) factor. Standard SPF determination tests are currently conducted in vivo, using human subjects. In an industrial mindset, apart from economic and ethical reasons, the introduction of an in vitro method emerges as an interesting alternative by reducing risks associated to UV exposure on tests, as well as providing assertive analytical results. The present work aims to describe a novel methodology for SPF determination directly from sunscreen formulations using the previously described cosmetomics platform and mass spectrometry as the analytical methods of choice.

Espécies reativas de oxigênio e de nitrogênio, antioxidantes e marcadores de dano oxidativo em sangue humano: principais métodos analíticos para sua determinação

We review here the chemistry of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, their biological sources and targets; particularly, biomolecules implicated in the redox balance of the human blood, and appraise the analytical methods available for their detection and quantification. Those biomolecules are represented by the enzymatic antioxidant defense machinery, whereas coadjutant reducing protection is provided by several low molecular weight molecules. Biomolecules can be injured by RONS yielding a large repertoire of oxidized products, some of which can be taken as biomarkers of oxidative damage. Their reliable determination is of utmost interest for their potentiality in diagnosis, prevention and treatment of maladies.

Contaminação de produtos de higiene e cosméticos por n-nitrosaminas

N-nitrosamines are carcinogenic compounds that have been found during the last three decades in a variety of consumer products, including cosmetic and personal care products, and their raw materials. These compounds are formed from amine precursors and nitrosating agents present in the formulations. This paper reviews the formation and occurrence of N-nitrosamines in cosmetic products, as well as presents considerations about analytical, toxicological and regulatory aspects.

Química forense: perspectivas sobre novos métodos analíticos aplicados à documentoscopia, balística e drogas de abuso

In this review recent methods developed and applied to solve criminal occurences related to documentoscopy, ballistic and drugs of abuse are discussed. In documentoscopy, aging of ink writings, the sequence of line crossings and counterfeiting of documents are aspects to be solved with reproducible, fast and non-destructive methods. In ballistic, the industries are currently producing ''lead-free'' or ''nontoxic'' handgun ammunitions, so new methods of gunshot residues characterization are being presented. For drugs analysis, easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry (EASI-MS) is shown to provide a relatively simple and selective screening tool to distinguish m-CPP and amphetamines (MDMA) tablets, cocaine and LSD.

O processo de ensino-treinamento da tecnica e tatica no basquetebol do Brasil : um estudo sobe a otica de professores do ensino superior e tecnicos de elite

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Contaminantes voláteis provenientes de embalagens plásticas: desenvolvimento e validação de métodos analíticos

Plastic packaging materials intended for use in food packaging is an area of great interest from the scientific and economic point of view due to the irreversible internationalization and globalization process of food products. Nevertheless, a debate related to food safety aspects has emerged within the scientific community. Therefore, the development of analytical methods that allow identifying and quantifying chemical substances of toxicological potential in the packaging is considered essential. This article focuses on the main analytical methods, including validation parameters, as well as extraction and quantification techniques for determination of volatile organic compounds from food packaging materials.

Fidedignidade de rótulos de alimentos comercializados no município de São Paulo, SP

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a fidedignidade das informações sobre dados nutricionais declarados em rótulos de alimentos comercializados. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados 153 alimentos industrializados habitualmente consumidos por crianças e adolescentes, comercializados no município de São Paulo (SP) entre os anos de 2001 e 2005. Os teores de nutrientes informados pelos rótulos foram confrontados com os resultados obtidos por métodos analíticos (físico-químicos) oficiais, considerando a variabilidade de 20% tolerada pela legislação vigente, para aprovar ou condenar as amostras. Foram calculadas médias, desvios-padrão e intervalos com 95% de confiança para os nutrientes analisados, assim como a distribuição da freqüência percentual de amostras condenadas. RESULTADOS: Todos os produtos salgados analisados apresentaram inconformidades relativamente ao conteúdo de fibra alimentar, sódio ou de gorduras saturadas. Os produtos doces apresentaram variação de zero a 36% de condenação relativamente ao teor de fibra alimentar. Mais da metade (52%) dos biscoitos recheados foram condenados quanto à quantidade de gorduras saturadas. Os nutrientes implicados com a obesidade e suas complicações para a saúde foram aqueles que apresentaram maiores proporções de inconformidade. A falta de fidedignidade das informações de rótulos nas amostras analisadas viola as disposições da Resolução da Diretoria Colegiada 360/03 da ANVISA e os direitos garantidos pela lei de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional e pelo Código de Defesa do Consumidor. CONCLUSÕES: Foram encontrados altos índices de não conformidade dos dados nutricionais nos rótulos de alimentos destinados ao público adolescente e infantil, indicando a urgência de ações de fiscalização e de outras medidas de rotulagem nutricional

Enzymatic differences between the endophyte Guignardia mangiferae (Botryosphaeriaceae) and the citrus pathogen G. citricarpa

The endophyte Guignardia mangiferae is closely related to G. citricarpa, the causal agent of citrus black spot; for many years these species had been confused with each other. The development of molecular analytical methods has allowed differentiation of the pathogen G. citricarpa from the endophyte G. mangiferae, but the physiological traits associated with pathogenicity were not described. We examined genetic and enzymatic characteristics of Guignardia spp strains; G. citricarpa produces significantly greater amounts of amylases, endoglucanases and pectinases, compared to G. mangiferae, suggesting that these enzymes could be key in the development of citrus black spot. Principal component analysis revealed pectinase production as the main enzymatic characteristic that distinguishes these Guignardia species. We quantified the activities of pectin lyase, pectin methylesterase and endopolygalacturonase; G. citricarpa and G. mangiferae were found to have significantly different pectin lyase and endopolygalacturonase activities. The pathogen G. citricarpa is more effective in pectin degradation. We concluded that there are significant physiological differences between the species G. citricarpa and G. mangiferae that could be associated with differences in pathogenicity for citrus plants.

Fluorescence images combined to statistic test for fingerprinting of citrus plants after bacterial infection

The citrus greening (or huanglongbing) disease has caused serious problems in citrus crops around the world. An early diagnostic method to detect this malady is needed due to the rapid dissemination of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) in the field. This analytical study investigated the fluorescence responses of leaves from healthy citrus plants and those inoculated with CLas by images from a stereomicroscope and also evaluated their potential for the early diagnosis of the infection caused by this bacterium. The plants were measured monthly, and the evolution of the bacteria on inoculated plants was monitored by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) amplification of CLas sequences. A statistical method was used to analyse the data. The selection of variables from histograms of colours (colourgrams) of the images was optimized using a paired Student's t-test. The intensity of counts for green colours from images of fluorescence had clearly minor variations for healthy plants than diseased ones. The darker green colours were the indicators of healthy plants and the light colours for the diseased. The method of fluorescence images is novel for fingerprinting healthy and diseased plants and provides an alternative to the current method represented by PCR and visual inspection. A new, non-subjective pattern of analysis and a non-destructive method has been introduced that can minimize the time and costs of analyses.

Electromagnetic absorption cross section of Reissner-Nordstrom black holes

The absorption cross section of Reissner-Nordstrom black holes for the electromagnetic field is computed numerically for arbitrary frequencies. The numerical results are in excellent agreement with the low- and high-frequency limits, which are obtained with analytical methods. Special emphasis is given to the extreme Reissner-Nordstrom black hole case.

An apparatus for in situ spectroscopy of radiation damage of polymers by bombardment with high-energy heavy ions

A new target station providing Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and residual gas analysis (RGA) for in situ observation of ion-induced changes in polymers has been installed at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research. The installations as well as first in situ measurements at room temperature are presented here. A foil of polyimide Kapton HN (R) was irradiated with 1.1 GeV Au ions. During irradiation several in situ FT-IR spectra were recorded. Simultaneously outgassing degradation products were detected with the RGA. In the IR spectra nearly all bands decrease due to the degradation of the molecular structure. In the region from 3000 to 2700 cm(-1) vibration bands of saturated hydrocarbons not reported in literature so far became visible. The outgassing experiments show a mixture of C(2)H(4), CO, and N(2) as the main outgassing components of polyimide. The ability to combine both analytical methods and the opportunity to measure a whole fluence series within a single experiment show the efficiency of the new setup. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3571301]

Ionic mobility of the solvated proton and acid-base titration in a four-compartment capillary electrophoresis system

Although H(+) and OH(-) are the most common ions in aqueous media, they are not usually observable in capillary electrophoresis (CE) experiments, because of the extensive use of buffer solutions as the background electrolyte. In the present work, we introduce CE equipment designed to allow the determination of such ions in a similar fashion as any other ion. Basically, it consists of a four-compartment piece of equipment for electrolysis-separated experiments (D. P. de Jesus et at, Anal. Chem., 2005, 77, 607). In such a system, the ends of the capillary are placed in two reservoirs, which are connected to two other reservoirs through electrolyte-filled tubes. The electrodes of the high-voltage power source are positioned in these reservoirs. Thus, the electrolysis products are kept away from the inputs of the capillary. The detection was provided by two capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detectors (CD), each one positioned about 11 cm from the end of the capillary. Two applications were demonstrated: titration-like procedures for nanolitre samples and mobility measurements. Strong and weak acids (pK(a) < 5), pure or mixtures, could be titrated. The analytical curve is linear from 50 mu M up to 10 mM of total dissociable hydrogen (r = 0.99899 for n =10) in 10-nL samples. By including D(2)O in the running electrolyte, we could demonstrate how to measure the mixed proton/deuteron mobility. When H(2)O/D(2)O (9 : 1 v/v) was used as the solvent, the mobility was 289.6 +/- 0.5 x 10(-5) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). Due to the fast conversion of the species, this value is related to the overall behaviour of all isotopologues and isotopomers of the Zundel and Eigen structures, as well as the Stokesian mobility of proton and deuteron. The effect of neutral (o-phenanthroline) and negatively charged (chloroacetate) bases and aprotic solvent (DMSO) over the H(+) mobility was also demonstrated.

Method for cadmium and lead longitudinal profiles determination in hair by solid sampling graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

This paper describes methods for the direct determination of Cd and Pb in hair segments (c.a. 5 mm similar to 80 mu g) by solid sampling graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, becoming possible longitudinal profiles in a single strand of hair. To distinguish endogenous and exogenous content. strands of hair were washed by using two different procedures: IAEA protocol (acetone + water + acetone) and the combination of IAEA protocol with HCl washing (acetone + water + acetone + 0.1 mol l(-1) HCl). The concentration of Cd and Pb increased from the root Until the tip of hair washed according to IAEA protocol. However, when the strand of hair was washed using the combination of IAEA protocol and 0.1 mol l(-1) HCl, Cd concentrations decreased in all segments, and Pb concentrations decreased drastically near to the root (5 to 12 mm) and was systematically higher ill the end. The proposed method showed to be useful to assess the temporal variation to Cd and Pb exposure and call be Used for toxicological and environmental investigations. The limits of detection were 2.8 ng g(-1) for Cd and 40 ng g(-1) for Pb. The characteristic masses based oil integrated absorbance were 2.4 pg for Cd and 22 pg for Pb.