Preparation of Test Material and Evaluation of a Proficiency Test for Official Food Control Laboratories on the Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Baby Food

A proficiency test on the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was organized by the German National Reference Laboratory for PAH in 2010. The test samples were produced by spiking cereal-based instant baby food with PAHs at concentration levels between 0.6 and 3.8 μg/kg; homogeneity and stability of the test material were verified before sample dispatch. Twenty-one official laboratories from Germany and Austria participated in the test and the evaluation of the test was done by applying methods of robust statistics. The individual performance was assessed with the help of z-scores. As to the quantitative results, the dispersion of data for the most important group of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), benz(a)anthracene (BaA), benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbF), and chrysene (CHR) appeared to be acceptable, with a relative robust standard deviation ranging from 13.2% for BbF to 26.7% for BaA. In total, the performance of one laboratory had to be rated as unsatisfactory because of a result for BaP outside the limits of tolerance. The methods applied in the test may be considered to be comparable, as no significant effects in the distribution of data could be attributed to certain analytical procedures.     

Chlorinated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Associated with Drinking Water Disinfection: Synthesis,Formation under Aqueous Chlorination Conditions and Genotoxic Effects

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are among the most persistent and toxic organic micropollutants present in water and several of them are mutagenic and carcinogenic. Although it has been shown that chlorinated derivatives of PAHs (Cl-PAHs) may be formed during the water chlorination procedure, little is known about their potential genotoxic and carcinogenic effects. The objectives of the present work were to prepare and characterize the major chlorinated derivatives of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and fluoranthene (Fluo), to develop an analytical methodology for their quantification in water samples and to analyse their potential genotoxicity. Chlorinated standards were prepared by a newly developed two phase method (water/n-hexane) using sodium hypochlorite. 6-Chloro-benzo[a]pyrene was selectively obtained from BaP, while 1,3-dichloro-fluoranthene and 3-chloro-fluoranthene were obtained from Fluo. All products were isolated and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. The formation of BaP- and Fluo-chlorinated derivatives under aqueous chlorination conditions was observed using a SPE-HPLC-FLD methodology. In addition, the cytotoxic and genotoxic activities of the three chlorinated derivatives were analyzed in comparison to their parent compounds, in a human-derived hepatoma cell line using the neutral red uptake and comet assays, respectively. The results showed that, at the equimolar doses of 100 and 125 μM, 6-Cl-BaP was able to induce a significantly higher level of DNA damage than BaP, suggesting a more potent genotoxic effect. In contrast, neither Fluo nor its chlorinated derivatives were genotoxic in the same cell line. The identification of new and possibly hazardous water chlorination by-product from PAHs emphasizes the need to minimize total organic carbon content of raw water and the implementation of safer water disinfection methods.     

Levels of 15 + 1 EU Priority Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Different Edible Oils Available in the Syrian Market

ABSTRACT

The levels of 15 + 1 EU priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (15 + 1 EU PAHs) have been determined in different edible oils (extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, and soybean oil) available in the Syrian market. The samples have been prepared by donor–acceptor complex chromatography and subsequently characterized by high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence and ultraviolet detection for quantification purposes. Variable levels of contamination have been found within different kinds of edible oil samples, and only chrysene has been detected in all the studied samples. Moreover, the mean total sum of 15 + 1 EU PAHs has shown variation from 29.8 µg/kg (corn oil) to 63.7 µg/kg (virgin olive oil). A total of 11 samples out of 38 samples (28.9%) have not fulfilled the European Union (EU) food law requirements. Nine samples have exceeded the EU legislation limit of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) (2 µg/kg) and only two samples have exceeded the EU legislation limit of PAH4 (10 µg/kg) and had acceptable level of BaP. Finally, the mean and maximum dietary exposures of PAHs through consumption of edible oils have been estimated.     

Synthesis and Structure Determination of the Adducts of Dibenzo[a,l]pyrene Diol Epoxides and Deoxyadenosine or Deoxyguanosine

Abstract

(±)?Syn?dibenzo[a,l]pyrene diol epoxide (DB[a,l]PDE) and (±)?anti?DB[a,l]PDE were reacted with deoxyadenosine (dA) or deoxyguanosine (dG) in dimethylformamide at 100 °C for 30 min. The crude products were purified by reverse phase HPLC under gradient and isocratic conditions. The structure of each adduct was assigned by 1D and 2D NMR spectra and by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. Five adducts were isolated from the reaction of (±)?syn?DB[a,l]PDE and dA: syn?DB[a,l]PDE?N⁶dA?1, syn?DB[a,l]PDE?N⁶dA?2, syn?DB[a,l]PDE?N⁶dA?3, syn?DB[a,l]PDE?N⁶dA?4 and syn?DB[a,l]PDE?N7Ade. Four adducts were isolated from the reaction of (±)?anti?DB[a,l]PDE and dA: anti?DB[a,l]PDE?N⁶dA?1, anti?DB[a,l]PDE?N⁶dA?2, anti?DB[a,l]PDE?N⁶dA?3 and anti?DB[a,l]PDE?N⁶dA?4. Two adducts were isolated from the reaction of (±)?syn?DB[a,l]PDE and dG: (±)?11,12,13?trihydroxy?tetrahydroDB[a,l]P?14?N²dG and (±)?11,12,13?trihydroxy?tetrahydroDB[a,l]P?14?N7Gua. Two adducts were isolated from the reaction of (±)?anti?DB[a,l]PDE and dG: (±)?11,12,13?trihydroxy?tetrahydroDB[a,l]P?14?N²dG and (±)?11,12,13?trihydroxy?tetrahydroDB[a,l]P?14?N7Gua.     

Design, ‘one-pot’ synthesis,characterization, antibacterial and antifungal activities of novel 6-aryl-1,2,4,5-tetrazinan-3-thiones in dry media

A novel ‘one-pot’ synthesis of 6-aryl-1,2,4,5-tetrazinan-3-thiones is carried out by the three-component coupling of thiourea, various structurally diverse aromatic aldehydes and ammonium acetate in the presence of reusable NaHSO₄·SiO₂ heterogeneous catalyst in dry media under microwave irradiation. FT-IR, ¹H NMR, D₂O Exchange, HOMOCOR, ¹³C NMR, MS and elemental analysis characterize all the synthesized compounds. In vitro antibacterial/fungal activities are carried out for all the synthesized eight new compounds. All the compounds are more active against bacterial strains namely Staphylococcus aureus, β-Heamolytic streptococcus, Vibreo cholerae, Salmonella typhii, Shigella felxneri, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas except compounds 1 and 6, while compound 6 shows promising activity against Salmonella typhii. Moreover, of all the compounds tested, compounds 3 and 8 are more effectual against all the tested fungal strains.     

Design,synthesis, and antimicrobial activity of novel spiroisoxazolo[2,3-b][1,2,4]thiadiazole-2,2′-thiazolidine- 4′-ones and spiroisoxazolo[2,3-b][1,2,4]oxadiazole-2, 2′-thiazolidine-4′-ones

A new synthetic strategy for the synthesis of novel 6-methyl-3′-aryl spiro[isoxazolo[2,3-b][1,2,4]thiadiazole-2,2′-thiazolidin]-4′-ones (9a–9e) and 6-methyl-3′-aryl spiro[isoxazolo[2,3-b][1,2,4]oxadiazole- 2,2′-thiazolidin]-4′-ones (12a–12e) analogs is described. These compounds showed significant antimicrobial activity against all the standard strains.     

A convenient [hydroxy(tosyloxy)iodo]benzene-mediated one-pot synthesis of 2-arylimidazo[2,1-b]benzothiazoles

Several 2-arylimidazo[2,1-b]benzothiazoles (4) have been conveniently synthesized in one-pot reactions via α-tosyloxylation of enolizable ketones (1) using [hydroxy(tosyloxy)iodo]benzene 2 in acetonitrile, followed by treatment with 2-amino-6-(substituted)benzothiazoles (3). The present protocol offers several advantages towards general access of 2-arylimidazo[2,1-b]benzothiazoles, including an intriguing alternative to the literature protocols, a readily available nontoxic reagent, operational simplicity and an environmentally benign procedure.     

An investigation of thermal and mechanical properties of synthesised polyamide-6/γ-alumina composites

Abstract

Polyamide based composites were formed by melt blending of polyamide 6 (PA6) with a γ) -alumina powder toughened with ethylene–octene copolymer grafted by maleic anhydride (EOC-g-MAH) and also without EOC in a corotating twin screw extruder. Mechanical properties, morphological structure and thermal stability of toughened PA6 (PA6-g-EOC) and PA6-g-EOC/alumina composites were investigated in this study.To study the effect of powder loading of γ-alumina on the mechanical properties of the composites such as tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, break point and impact strength, varied amounts of 5, 10 and 15?wt-% were deployed. The toughened PA6–γ-alumina composites, i.e. blended by EOC-g-MAH, revealed higher impact strength and more toughness compared to that of the PA6–γ-alumina composites without EOC-g-MAH. Morphology of the composites was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) from the as moulded specimens. Micrographs showed a fine dispersion of γ-alumina particles in polyamide matrix due to appropriate mixing. Furthermore, thermal stability and degradation characteristics of the toughened PA6–γ-alumina composites were measured by thermogravimetric analysis. The addition of γ-alumina into the polyamide matrix showed an increase in thermal resistance so that thermal stability was increased by a rise in the powder loading.     

7-氨基-6-氰基-5-(3-硝基苯基)吡喃并嘧啶-2,4-二酮的合成

报道了常温、超声辐射、水中、无催化剂条件下，以3-硝基苯甲醛、丙二腈和巴比妥酸为原料合成标题化合物的方法。考察了超声技术、反应时间及反应温度对反应的影响。最佳反应条件为：室温、超声辐射2h，收率为86．2％。