Plant‐oil‐based lubricants and hydraulic fluids

It is estimated that, at present, approximately 50% of all lubricants sold worldwide end up in the environment via total loss applications, volatility, spills or accidents. More than 95% of these materials are currently mineral oil based. In view of their high ecotoxicity and low biodegradability, mineral oil‐based lubricants constitute a considerable threat to the environment. In contrast, most lubricants and hydraulic fluids based on plant oils are rapidly and completely biodegradable and are of low ecotoxicity; moreover, lubricants based on plant oils display excellent tribological properties and generally have very high viscosity indices and flashpoints. However, in order to compete with mineral‐oil‐based products, some of their inherent disadvantages must be corrected, such as their sensitivity to hydrolysis and oxidative attack, and their behaviour at low temperatures. Various methods to improve the undesirable properties of native plant oils will be discussed. In parallel, government regulations that encourage or enforce the use of bio‐based fluids, at least in ecologically sensitive areas, will help to increase their market share. Using the numerous possibilities for selective breeding and/or chemical improvement of the double bond systems of natural fatty acids by increased R&D, the major obstacles regarding the use of plant‐based raw materials for the production of lubricant base fluids can be overcome and bio‐based fluids should expect a future with increasing market shares. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Structural changes of casein micelles in a rennin gradient film with simultaneous consideration of the film morphology

The effect of rennin on the micelle structure and microstructure of casein films was investigated with micro-beam grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering and optical microscopy. Size distributions of casein micelles and colloidal calcium phosphate particles were determined as a function of rennin concentration within a rennin gradient film. While the size of the casein micelles decreased with increasing rennin concentration, the size of the colloidal calcium phosphate clusters remained constant. In accordance with a first-order enzyme reaction mechanism, the rennin-induced decay of the micellar sizes could be well described by an exponential function. Two distinct film morphologies at high and low rennin concentration were observed. At intermediate rennin concentration a two-phase surface structure was found, in which both film morphologies coexisted. The conclusions drawn on the behaviour of casein micelles in films can generally be applied to the rennin-induced changes in casein micelles in bulk solutions.     

Production of mycotoxins byFusarium species isolated in Germany

Summary Cultures ofFusarium tricinctum 434 formed large amounts of the trichothecene mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (AcDON), as well as the macrocyclic secondary metabolite zearalenone on moistened, autoclaved maize, rice and oats. The formation of zearalenone was low, with levels from 15 to 72 mg/kg as compared to the trichothecene production with maximum quantities of 917 mg/kg of AcDON on rice and 750 mg/kg DON on oats. In the cultures ofF. graminearum 183, total mycotoxin amounts found were lower, with maximum levels of zearalenone up to 150 mg/kg and AcDON up to 160 mg/kg on rice. DON, however, was produced in quantities of about 740 mg/kg on rice.

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Produktion von Mykotoxinen durch in Deutschland isolierte Fusarium-Arten1. Zeitverlauf der Deoxynivalenol-, 3-Acetyldeoxynivalenol-, und Zearalenon-Bildung auf festen Substraten

Zusammenfassung Kulturen vonFusarium tricinctum 434 bildeten auf feuchtem, autoklaviertem Mais, Reis bzw. Hafer relativ hohe Mengen der Trichothecen-Mykotoxine Deoxynivalenol (DON) und 3-Acetyldeoxynivalenol (AcDON) sowie das zu den makrocyclischen Lactonen zählende Mykotoxin Zearalenon. Die Zearalenonbildung war mit Werten von 15 bis 72 mg/kg gegenüber der Trichothecenproduktion mit maximal 917 mg/kg AcDON auf Reis und 750 mg/kg DON auf Hafer deutlich niedriger. In den Kulturen vonF. graminearum 183 wurden insgesamt geringere Toxinmengen gefunden mit maximalen Zearalenon-konzentrationen bis zu 150 mg/kg sowie AcDON Mengen bis zu 160 mg/kg auf Reis. Dagegen erreichte die DON-Bildung auf Reis 740 mg/kg.

     

A survey on the occurrence of Fusarium mycotoxins in Bavarian cereals from the 1987 harvest

Summary Bavarian cereals and wheat flour from the 1987 harvest were analysed for nivalenol (NIV) and deoxynivalenol (DON) using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and for T-2 toxin and zearalenone (ZEA) by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent as say (ELISA). The study included 190 field samples of wheat, barley, rye and oat with visibly damaged ears, 45 samples of wheat intended for feed production and two series of wheat flour (type 550) and whole wheat flour collected in October 1987 and June 1988. The field samples examined showed a high DON contamination of wheat (87%) with an average of 3.96 mg/kg and a maximum of 43.8 mg/kg. Mean levels between 0.33 mg/kg and 0.27 mg/kg DON could be detected in barley, rye and oat. Of the wheat samples, 58% contained ZEA with a maximum of 1.560 mg/kg. The highest levels of ZEA were detected in samples which also showed high concentrations of DON. The NIV and T-2 toxin levels were comparatively low. Thirty percent of the samples showed NIV concentrations between 0.04 mg/kg and 0.29 mg/kg and 38% contained between 0.005 and 0.60 mg/kg of T-2. In the wheat samples for feed production, only DON was detected with an average of 0.190 mg/kg and a maximum of 0.75 mg/kg. The highest DON levels (0.58 mg/kg) from October 1987 were found in the wheat flour samples which were lower than the highest DON concentration (3.24 mg/kg) detected in the samples collected during June 1988. This fact was probably due to a substantial amount of non-contaminated wheat from 1986. The toxin concentrations in the whole wheat flour were not higher than in the type 550 flour. The regional distribution of the mean DON concentrations showed the highest levels in Middle and Lower-Franconia.

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Vorkommen von Fusarium Mykotoxinen in bayerischem Getreide der Ernte 1987

Zusammenfassung Cerealien und Weizenmehle der bayerischen Ernte 1987 wurden mittels hochauflösender Flüssigchromatographie (HPLC) auf Nivalenol (NIV) und Deoxynivalenol (DON) Bowie mit Enzymimmunoassay auf T-2 Toxin und Zearalenon (ZEA) analysiert. Die Untersuchungen umfaßten 190 Feldproben von Weizen, Gerste, Roggen und Hafer, die alle optisch erkennbaren Fusarienbefall aufwiesen, 45 Futterweizenproben Bowie zwei Probenserien von Weizenmehlen der Type 550 und Vollkornweizenmehlen, die im October 1987 und im Juni 1988 gezogenwurden. — Die Untersuchungen der Feldproben ergaben eine hohe DON-Kontamination des Weizens (87%) mit einem durchschnittlichen Gehalt von 3,96 mg/kg und einem Maximalgehalt von 43,8 mg/kg. In Gerste, Roggen und Hafer konnten durchschnittlich zwischen 0,33 mg/kg und 0,27 mg/kg DON-nachgewiesen werden. 58% der Winterweizenproben wiesen Zearalenon mit einem Maximalgehalt von 1,56 mg/kg auf. Die höchsten ZEA-Werte wurden in Proben ermittelt, die gleichzeitig einen hohen DON-Gehalt aufwiesen. Die Konzentrationen von NIV und T-2 Toxin waren vergleichsweise niedrig. 30% der Proben hatten NIV-Gehalte zwischen 0,04 mg/kg und 0,29 mg/kg und 38% enthielten T-2 Toxin zwischen 0,005 mg/kg und 0,06 mg/kg. In den Futterweizenproben konnte DON als einziges Toxin mit einem Gehalt von durchschnittlich 0,19 mg/kg und maximal 0,75 mg/kg festgestellt werden. Die Weizenmehle, die im October 1987 gezogen wurden, wiesen maximal 0,58 mg/kg DON auf. Die Gehalte lagen damit medriger als die der Mehlproben vom Juni 1988, die maximal 3,24 mg/kg und durchschnittlich 0,26 mg/kg DON enthielten. Dieser Sachverhalt könnte auf Anteile von nicht kontaminiertem Weizen der Ernte 86 an den im October gezogenen Mehlproben zurückgeführt werden. Die Toxingehalte der Vollkornmehle waren nicht höher als die der Weizenmehle der Type 550. Die höchsten Durchschnittsgehalte von DON wurden in Mittel- und Unterfranken festgestellt.

     

Aluminium in wild mushrooms and cultivated Agaricus bisporus

 The aluminium content in wild mushrooms (n = 271, 19 species) and in cultivated Agaricus bisporus (n = 15) was determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy. With an aluminium content of 30 – 50 μ/g dry matter (DM) Boletus and Xerocomus species, the most well-known and most popular mushrooms, proved to be poor in aluminium. Several species of the genus Suillus, Macrolepiota rhacodes, Hypholoma capnoides as well as individual samples of Russula ochroleuca and Amanita rubescens contained high aluminium concentrations of about 100 μg/g DM and more. Cultivated Agaricus bisporus had the lowest aluminium content, i. e. 14 μg/g DM. The site, its geological origin as well as the mushroom species influenced the aluminium content in the fruitbodies: these factors require further investigation. Mushrooms do not contribute significantly to aluminium intake by humans. Received: 23 January 1997     

Influence of edible coating on quality of plum (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus salicina</Emphasis> Lindl. cv. ‘Sapphire’)

Edible coating may enhance the boundary layer resistance resulting in enhanced shelf life of fruits. Plums (Prunus salicina Lindl. cv. ‘Sapphire’) were treated with coating material based on carbohydrate (Versasheen) with sorbitol as plasticizer and stored at 20 °C and 85% RH. The influence of coating on the gas transmission rates was estimated using a carrier of 100% cellulose paper. Coating treatment reduced the transmission rate of CO₂, O₂, and H₂O. Changes in fruit weight, fruit flesh firmness, color parameters (L*, a*, and hue angle), soluble solids content, pH, titratable acidity, ethylene, CO₂, malondialdehyde (MDA), and VIS/NIR fruit reflectance spectrum were recorded in 2-day interval. Edible coating was effective in delaying the increase of pH and the loss of firmness, titratable acidity, L*, hue angle, and MDA. The incorporation of sorbitol showed beneficial effects on decreasing the weight loss, CO₂, and ethylene exchange. In the room temperature storage period, not only fruit ripening was measurable in the VIS (350–750 nm) and NIR (750–1,400 nm) wavelength ranges due to the decrease in the fruit chlorophyll absorption but also water loss, respectively. After 5-day room temperature storage the chlorophyll absorption peak in the spectra was already beyond the detection limit in all treatments, while after 3-day storage, the coating effect on the spectral intensities was feasible to separate control from coated plums.     

Untersuchungen zum Transfer pharmakologisch wirksamer Substanzen aus der Nutztierhaltung in Porree und Weißkohl

Investigation on the transfer of pharmacologically active substances used in animal husbandry into leek and cabbage. The potential of leek and cabbage for uptake of highly prescribed veterinary drugs (antibiotics) was tested in hydroponically grown plants. For this purpose the antibiotics sulfadiazine (SFD), enrofloxacine (ENR), tetracycline (TC), chlortetracycline (CTC) and monensine (MON) were chosen. A further aim was to gain data on the situation of vegetables grown in agricultural practise with regard to antibiotic residues. The evident effects of the antibiotics on plants grown hydroponically (each antibiotic was administered at 5 μmol/l nutrient solution) were greatly different: With regard to leek there were no visible effects (MON, SFD), a weak bleaching of the younger leaf sections (CTC), and strong effects of ENR. The (phytotoxic) effects of antibiotics on cabbage were much more distinct. CTC caused a yellowing of the plant vasculature in cabbage. MON induced lesions on some leaves and finally led to leaf wilting. With administration of ENR a nearly complete bleaching of young leaves was observed. Using LC-MS/MS-methods (low-resolution and high-resolution MS) the administered antibiotics, as well as conversion products and metabolites, were separately identified and quantified in various organs of leek (roots, young and old sections of leaves) and cabbage (roots, stalks, young and old leaves). Depending on the type of antibiotic, vegetable species, and plant organ, the detected concentrations of antibiotic residues comprised several orders of magnitude ranging from μg/kg to mg/kg of fresh weight (fw). The highest concentrations of antibiotics were found in roots of both vegetable species: CTC and TC were detected at approximately 10 mg/kg fw in cabbage roots and at approximately 20 mg/kg fw in leek roots and ENR was determined at approximately 12 mg/kg fw in cabbage roots. Low amounts of ENR were metabolised to ciprofloxacine (CIP). ENR occurred at similar concentrations of approximately 7 mg/kg fw in roots and old leaves of cabbage, indicating a high transport rate of this antibiotic in the cabbage plant. In stalks, young and old leaves of cabbage and in young and old leaf sections of leek all administered antibiotics were detected. Within these antibiotics, ENR and CTC and their conversion products, e. g. demeclocycline (DMC) and TC, occurred at the highest concentrations. SFD and MON were found in considerably lower concentrations (<100 μg/kg fw). The results of our experiments in hydroponic cultures, using defined concentrations of antibiotics in the nutrient solution, evidently demonstrate that cabbage and leek have a very high potential for uptake of a number of veterinary antibiotic drugs, especially for tetracycline and ENR.