Comparison of antioxidant capacity and phenolic composition of peel and flesh of some apple varieties

BACKGROUND: Apples contain a large concentration of phenolic compounds, dependent on factors such as cultivar, harvest, storage conditions, and processing. This study aims to identify the essential phenolic compounds present in various apple varieties, to measure their total antioxidant capacity (TAC) with the CUPRAC (cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity) and ABTS (2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonate)) methods, and to correlate their TAC values with HPLC findings. RESULTS: The order of TAC (mmol Trolox g^?1 fresh weight) of apple peels determined with the CUPRAC method was: Granny Smith > Amasya > Sky Spur > Ervin Spur > King Luscious ≥ Arap Kizi ≥ Lutz Golden. The theoretically calculated TAC values of HPLC‐quantified compounds, with the aid of the combined HPLC‐CUPRAC method, accounted for 18.4–33.5% of the experimentally observed CUPRAC capacity of peel extracts and 19.5–56.3% of flesh extracts, depending on apple variety. CONCLUSION: In synthetic samples of apple antioxidants, the CUPRAC‐TAC values of constituents, identified and analyzed by HPLC, proved to be additive, enabling measurement of the cooperative action of antioxidants using the proposed methodology. Apple peel showed higher contents of phenolics and therefore higher TAC than apple flesh, confirming the health benefit of the consumption of apples together with peel. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Evaluation of damage to light structures erected on a fill material rich in expansive soil

The paper reports a study of the cause of defects in light structures and the toppling of a wall constructed on a fill material rich in Ankara clay. Laboratory tests were carried out on vertical and horizontal samples from boreholes and a trial pit was excavated near the damaged structures. The results showed that in the vicinity of the toppled wall, swelling pressures in the horizontal direction were greater than those measured in the vertical direction. The swelling properties of the fill material were higher than those of original Ankara clay as determined previously by other investigators, suggesting that breakdown of the cementing bonds and a change in the fabric are the main factors affecting the swelling pressure of disturbed and compacted expansive soils. The calculations to predict uplift showed a good agreement with the observations in the damaged structures. It is concluded that swelling was the main cause of the damage to the light structures at the study site and resulted from the highly expansive nature of the fill material, poor drainage, the semi-arid climate, poor construction methods and ineffective precautions. Some recommendations for minimizing the effects of swelling at the study site are briefly outlined.     

Empirical correlations between shear wave velocity and penetration resistance for ground shaking assessments

Prediction of the ground shaking response at soil sites requires knowledge of the soil, expressed in terms of shear wave velocity. Although it is preferable to measure this dynamic soil parameter in situ, this is often not economic at all locations. Existing correlations between shear wave velocity and penetration resistance have been assessed in this study and compared with correlations with SPT values obtained based on geotechnical and geoseismic data collected from a first-degree earthquake zone in Turkey. The results obtained support the findings of earlier studies that blow-count is a significant parameter in these correlations while type of soil has no important influence. The regression equations developed in this study compare well with most of the previous equations and exhibit good prediction performance. It is noted that better correlations are obtained when uncorrected blow-counts are used.      

Total Antioxidant Capacity Assay Using Optimized Ferricyanide/Prussian Blue Method

The existing ferricyanide/Prussian blue assay of reducing capacity measurement was optimized so as to obtain a more reproducible, linear and additive response from antioxidants. The modification involved the simultaneous use of ferricyanide and iron(III) to regulate more favorable redox conditions for a greater variety of antioxidants. Prussian blue precipitation was hindered with the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate, and the optimal pH was adjusted to 1.7 to maintain the redox activity of ferric ion while preventing its hydrolysis. Incubation of the reaction mixture at room temperature for 30 min enabled more complete oxidations than observed in the conventional ferricyanide method. The order of trolox equivalent antioxidant capacities was quercetin > rosmarinic acid > gallic acid > ferulic acid ≥ catechin > caffeic acid ≥ rutin ≥ ascorbic acid ≈ trolox. Synthetic antioxidant mixtures gave the theoretically expected total antioxidant capacities conforming to Beer’s law. The assay was nonresponsive to simple sugars and citric acid (which are not true antioxidants) but responsive to biologically important thiols which are not oxidized by other Fe(III)-based assays. The assay was used in real sample solutions by using the method of standard additions to green tea, nettle, and sage, and validated against other similar antioxidant assays.     

Solidification/Stabilization of Heavy Metal-Loaded Red Muds and Fly Ashes

Red muds and fly ashes, used as immobilization agents for heavy metal ions in aqueous solution, were loaded to saturation with Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cu(II), and solidified by cement-based CFS technology to hard concrete blocks which should not pose any risk to the environment. The setting and hardening characteristics of mortars as well as the flexural and mechanical strengths of the solidified specimens were optimized with respect to the dosage of natural and metal-loaded solid wastes. The fixed metals essentially did not leach out into water over extended periods. The matrix-disrupting effect of lead was eliminated by adding NaAlO₂, Ca₃(PO₄)₂ or Ca₃(PO₄)₂+CaCl₂ at optimal dosages so as to improve the setting, hardening and mechanical properties of the final concrete block. © 1997 SCI.     

The Effect of the Geometrical Non-Linearity on the Stress Distribution in the Infinite Elastic Body with a Periodically Curved Row of Fibers

In the framework of the piecewise homogeneous body model with the use of the three-dimensional geometrically non-linear exact equations of the theory of elasticity, the method for determination of the stress-strain state in the infinite body containing periodically located row of periodically curved fibers is developed. It is assumed that the midlines of the fibers are in the same plane. With respect to the location of the fibers according to each other the sinphase and antiphase curving cases are considered. Numerical results on the effect of the geometrical non-linearity to the values of the self balanced shear and normal stresses are presented. In particular, it is established that this effect causes to increase (to decrease) the absolute values of these stresses in compression (in tension) along the fibers.     

The interaction of antitumor-active anthraquinones with biologically important redox couples: I. Spectrophotometric investigation of the interaction of carminic acid and mitoxantrone with the iron (II, III) and copper (I, II) redox couples

Studying the interaction of antitumor-active anthraquinones with biologically important redox couples is important in understanding the possible reductive or oxidative mode of metabolism of these antineoplastic agents coupled with the formation of free radicals. The interactions of such anthraquinones, i.e., carminic acid (CA) and mitoxantrone (Mx) with iron(II, III) and copper(I, II) redox couples in oxygenated and deaerated solutions, were investigated by UV-Visible and IR-spectroscopy. The superoxide radical reagent, nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT), was added to the metal and anthraquinone solutions and their binary mixtures at varying pH. Formazan, the reduction product of NBT, was produced mainly as a result of Fe(II)-NBT and Fe(II)-Mx-NBT interactions. The ternary mixtures of the lower valencies of iron and copper with CA and NBT exhibited intensive charge-transfer bands in the visible region, while metal-Mx-NBT combinations did not produce such bands, possibly due to the blockage of the redox-active aminoethanolamine side-chains of Mx through coordination with the metals. Copper-Mx combinations showed an oxygen sensitivity as spectral evidence was obtained for the oxidative transformation of Mx to the cyclic primary metabolite. The results were evaluated in regard to the possible oxidative activation of the studied anthracenediones with iron and copper systems.     

Determination of Synthetic Food Colorants in Water-Soluble Beverages Individually by HPLC and Totally by Ce(IV)-Oxidative Spectrophotometry

Food colorants are an important class of food additives that give the first impression to consumers about the quality of food. Ce(IV)-reducing antioxidant capacity assay originally developed in our laboratories was adapted to the determination of synthetic food colorants for the first time. This method allowing for total antioxidant capacity assay of dietary polyphenols, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid in plant extracts is based on the room temperature oxidation of antioxidant compounds with Ce(IV) sulfate in dilute H₂SO₄ solution and measurement of the absorbance of unreacted Ce(IV) at 320?nm. The results of the proposed method were correlated with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) findings. Individual standard solutions, synthetic mixtures of synthetic colorants, and colorant extracts were identified and quantified with HPLC on a C₁₈ column equipped with a diode array detector, and slight modifications on the existing HPLC method were made to analyze synthetic colorant mixtures. This work proposes Ce(IV)-oxidative spectrophotometry as a complementary technique to HPLC in the analysis of food colorants.