Quantitative determination of selected heavy metals and micronutrients in branded dairy products sold in Nigeria using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS)

Quantitative analysis of heavy metals and nutrients in food helps indicate the safety and quality of food for final consumers. The present study was conducted to assess the presence of heavy metals (arsenic, copper, mercury, chromium, and lead) and the nutritional value of calcium in branded milk and yogurt to evaluate health risks for consumers. Ten (10) samples of branded milk and dairy products manufactured in Nigeria were purchased. The metal contents of the samples were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The concentrations of calcium in the milk samples were between 9.33 ± 0.0023 and 18 ± 0.0071 ppm and were detected in all samples. Arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.45 ± 0.00042 to 2.48 ± 0.00064 ppm in eight branded samples but were undetected in two samples. Chromium levels were undetected in most samples, except for two with concentrations of 0.12±0.00049 ppm and 0.23±0.00021 ppm, respectively. Copper ranged from 0.032±0.00021 ppm to 0.129±0.00021 ppm in six samples. Mercury levels were detected in six samples at a concentration of 1.0±1.0 ppm. Lead concentrations ranged from 0.15±0.00064 to 0.29±0.00028 ppm in three samples. The study found heavy metals above the ideal concentration in branded milk and dairy products in Nigeria, highlighting the need for quality control measures during production to prevent contamination.

Evaluation of the heavy metals tolerant UV rays treated bacteria isolated from anthropogenic sites of Chambal region, India

Industrial waste is released into the environment and leads to various types of heavy metal, which are toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic in nature. Heavy metals are not biodegradable but accumulated by living organisms and cause diseases at even low concentrations. In this study, we selected four anthropogenic sites from Chambal region, isolated bacteria and investigated its heavy metal removal capability. The bacteria was isolated and identified as Escherichia coli (Ag-5), on the basis of biochemical and 16S rRNA gene sequence. Among the five (cadmium, cobalt, lead, nickel and zinc) heavy metals studied, Ni2+ has been observed to be highly toxic with minimum inhibitory concentration score of 200 ppm. E. coli could tolerate Zn2+ (300 ppm), Cd2+ (400 ppm), Co2+ (400 ppm) and Pb+2 (500 ppm). Heavy metal tolerance capability was also evaluated by UV rays treated E. coli (Ag-5) isolate and compared with wild strain Ag-5. The result indicated that the tolerance capability was enhanced by UV rays treated bacterial isolate as compared to wild strain with respect to all tested heavy metals. Atomic absorption spectroscopy results revealed that wild strain removed 78.2% cadmium nitrate, while UV rays 30 and 60 s. exposed strain removed 85.9 and 83% cadmium nitrate. Wild strain removed 64.4% nickel chloride, while UV rays 30 and 60 s exposed strain removed 66.9 and 74.5% nickel chloride. The results indicate that indigenous E. coli treated with UV rays could serve as heavy metal tolerant bacteria and utilized in bioremediation processes.

Assessment of Arsenic (As), Lead (Pb) and Chromium (Cr) Accumulation in Different Organs of Commercially Important Fish Species Collected from Chattogram Coastal Region of Bangladesh.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether there are any significant toxic effects of the widely exposed metals on different organs (gill, liver, kidney, and muscle) of some commercially important marine fish species (Herpodon nehereus, Pampus chinensis and Hilsa ilisha). Study Design: The collection of the samples was done from January to March 2018 from Bay of Bengal near Chattogram city of Bangladesh. The study is based on randomly collected samples from the intended sampling sites (Randomized Block Design) to ensure the evenness and unbiases of the collected samples. Methodology: Analyses were performed for metals such as arsenic (As), lead (Pb) and chromium (Cr) using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). During each month, five individuals each with three replications from the three targeted species were collected, with a total of 135 (45*3) fishes in the study period. Results: The concentrations of the metals found in the fishes varied in the following ranges: As: 0.029-0.071 ppm, Pb: 0.008-0.083 ppm and Cr: 0.0001-0.03 ppm. The obtained result revealed the highest concentrations of all three metals were recorded in H.nehereus fish. The organ wise lead concentration was recorded highest in kidneys and gills of examined fishes with significant variation in muscles and liver. The scenario depicted quite differently in case of chromium where concentration in gills was found to be the highest with insignificant variation in accumulation in other three organs. In case of Arsenic, kidneys and livers were the most exposed two organs in comparison to significant exposure to muscles and gills. The obtained values of arsenic accumulation were considered critical for human consumption as it was higher than the recommended values stated by WHO and FAO; but the concentration of lead and chromium were found to be safe for human consumption. The values recorded for lead were increasingly approached to the safety values. Conclusion: So, crucial steps should be taken regarding safety and environmentally friendly discharge of arsenic and lead; high levels of pollution will not only affect aquatic life but will also invite socio-economic disasters.

Methodological evaluation of urinary mercury detection using Zeeman atomic absorption mercury analyzer / 中国比较医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the method for detection of urinary mercury using a Zeeman atomic absorption mercury analyzer and to provide a reference for selecting a convenient method for mercury detection in experiments and clinical diagnoses. Methods Urinary mercury was detected by Zeeman atomic absorption spectroscopy (ZAAS) and hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS), and the detection limit, accuracy, precision and consistency of the two methods were compared. Results The Data collected by ZAAS and HG-AAS showed a good linear relationship in the range of 0 -1000 ng/mL (ZASS, R2 =1. 0000) and 0 -20 ng/mL (HG-AAS, R2 =0. 9990). The detection limits of ZAAS was 0. 156 ng/mL and that of HG-AAS was 1. 593 ng/mL, indicating that ZAAS is more sensitive. The recovery rate of standard addition of ZAAS was between 97. 5％ and 103. 2％, and that of HG-AAS was between 95. 6％ and 104. 5％. After measurement of 10 ng/mL and 100 ng/mL mercury standard solutions repeated for 10 times, the relative standard deviation (RSD) of ZAAS was 0. 30％ and 0. 36％ respectively, and the RSD of HG-AAS was 2. 82％ and 1. 11％, respectively. The accuracy and precision of both the two method met the standards of GBZ/T 210. 5-2008, and the precision of ZAAS was better. A total of 30 urine samples were measured by these two methods. The results were compared with paired-samples t-test and showed a non-significant difference (P ＞ 0. 05), indicating a high consistency of these two method (R2 =0. 9961). Conclusions ZAAS is a convenient and accurate method for the detection of urinary mercury, with a relatively low detection limit and better precision.

Quantitative Analysis of Trace Elements in Sound and Carious Enamel of Primary and Permanent Dentitions.

Aims: Quantitative assessment of trace elements in enamel of sound and carious permanent and deciduous teeth, and evaluation of correlation between the presence of caries and trace elements Study Design: Using powdered enamel from extracted primary and permanent human dentitions and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Dentistry and clinical Dentistry section of the Jordan University Hospital, between October 2014 and May 2015. Methodology: Forty extracted human deciduous and permanent dentitions were collected from patients attended the dental surgery and pedodontic departments of the Jordan University Hospital. After proper cleaning and drying, four groups of ten teeth each from which enamel samples were collected in four containers labelled as, sound permanent, carious permanent, sound primary, and carious primary enamel. In each group the corresponding teeth were mechanically ground using a different bur; the grinding was within the enamel layer and without exposing dentine. The powdered enamel samples were acid-digested and transferred to liquid solutions in order to measure their content of heavy metal ions by means of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (GFAAS). Results: Eight trace elements were detected, namely, Cu, Pb, Sr, Fe, Mn, Zn, Al, and Se and their concentrations were estimated in all four enamel samples. The concentrations of Sr, Cu, and Fe were significantly higher in sound than in carious enamel of primary and permanent teeth. The concentrations of Al, Mn, and Se were significantly higher in carious than in sound enamel of primary and permanent teeth. Zn and Pb demonstrated comparable concentrations in carious and normal enamel of primary and permanent teeth. Conclusions: In the light of the obtained results, it could be concluded that Sr, Cu, and Fe function as cariostatic elements and there presence enhances caries resistance of primary and permanent teeth, whereas, the presence of Al, Mn, and Se is associated with caries.

Isolation, Characterization and Protein Profiling of Lead Resistant Bacteria.

Aims: To isolate lead resistant bacteria from industrial effluent and characterize them by biochemical tests, effect of physical and chemicals factors on their growth and protein profiling of the isolates on with or without metal stress. Study Design: Cross-sectional study of related research articles and papers. Place and Duration of Study: Samples were collected from effluent water of Indian Iron and Steel Company (IISCO), Burnpur, West Bengal, India and studied at The Department of Biotechnology, The University of Burdwan. West Bengal, India, between September 2010 and June 2011. Methodology: Isolation of the isolates was done by pour plating the diluted effluent water onto the metal (Lead acetate) containing agar plates. The basic characterization of the isolates was done on the basis of morphological, physical, biochemical and antibiogram tests. Quantification of metal absorption was determined by Atomic absorption Spectrophotometric analysis. Protein expressions of the isolates on metal stress were studied by SDS-PAGE. Results: Two bacterial isolates namely PbrB1 and PbrB2 were isolated; they showed resistance to lead up to 6mM Lead (Lead acetate) and also to different antibiotics. They are able to ferment different sugars even in presence of low concentration of metals. Their protein profiling by SDS-PAGE shows different expressions of proteins upon metal stress. Conclusion: The isolates can be utilized to bioremediate lead from contaminated environment and further study of molecular mechanisms underlying lead accumulation process can be studied.

Comparison Study on Determination of Trace Element Content in Peach Pulp between Wet Digestion Method and Carbonize Acid Dissolution Method / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

This study was aimed to determine trace elements in Peach pulp . The wet digestion method and car-bonize acid dissolution method were applied to digest the sample, and flame atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to determine the content of trace elements (Fe, Cu, Mn) in Peach pulp . The results showed that the content is not consistent among different pretreatment methods. However, the metalion content among these three methods are in the order of Fe > Mn > Cu, with the average recovery rate between 92.6% and 119.6%. The RSD is less than 2.86%. It was concluded that this method is with high accuracy and stability as well as reliable accurate re-sults. It also proved that Peach pulp . is rich in Fe, Cu and Mn. It provides some useful information for further pharmacological study of Peach pulp .

Determinación sérica de cobre, cinc y relación sérica CU/ZN en pacientes con artritis reumatoide / Determination serum copper, zinc and serum ratio Cu / Zn in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

El presente estudio tiene por objetivo comparar los niveles séricos de cobre (Cu), cinc (Zn) y el cociente molar Cu/Zn en 129 pacientes con artritis reumatoide (RA), en 94 individuos sanos como grupo control (GC) y 21 pacientes con enfermedades reumáticas no artríticas (NER), como la fibromialgia, espondilitis anquilosante entre otras. Las concentraciones séricas de Cu y Zn fueron analizadas por espectroscopía de absorción atómica en llama acoplada a un sistema de inyección en flujo continuo (EAA/FIA). Los resultados muestran un incremento significativo (p<0,05), del cobre sérico en los pacientes con AR en comparación con los otros grupos (NER y GC), este aumento fue directamente proporcional a la actividad inflamatoria de la enfermedad. El nivel medio de cinc sérico mostró una disminución progresiva. Asimismo, el detrimento sérico del cinc está relacionado con la evolución de la enfermedad o la pérdida de capacidad funcional del paciente con los niveles alterados de cobre observados en pacientes con AR activo y en etapa temprana de la enfermedad (p<0,05). Los cocientes molares de Cu/Zn fueron de 1,88; 1,14 y 1,18 para la AR, GC, y NER, respectivamente, demostrando que su modificación es más notoria que evaluar cada oligoelemento por separado. Estos hallazgos sugieren que existe una redistribución tanto del cobre como del cinc en muchos compartimientos del cuerpo, como respuesta inflamatoria. Por lo que niveles séricos de Cu, Zn y Cu/Zn molar puede ser un criterio valioso para la evaluación clínica y posiblemente, para el estudio y seguimiento de los pacientes con AR.

The aim of this study was to measure the serum levels of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in 129 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in 94 healthy subjects (HS) and in 21 patients with non-rheumatic diseases (NRD) such as osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and ankylosing spondylitis. Serum concentrations of Cu and Zn were measured by flow injection analysis/flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FIA/FAAS). The Cu/Zn molar ratio in serum also was evaluated in these patients. The result shown that the average concentration of serum copper in patients with RA was significantly increased (p <0.05), on comparing with other patients. This increase was directly proportional to staging or disease progression while zinc concentration was significantly lower in patients with RA, but no differences were found between the stages of the disease. The values of Cu/Zn ratio were 1.88, 1.14 and 1.18, for AR, HS, and NRD patients, respectively. In conclusion, in patients with RA serum copper tend to increase and serum Zn tend to decrease and Cu/Zn molar ratio increases significantly (p<0.05). In conclusion, our results suggest that serum Cu, Zn and Cu/Zn molar ratio could be valuable criteria for clinical evaluation and possibly follow-up study of patients with RA.

Determination of Sodium Content in Danshen Injection by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To determine the total sodium in Danshen for injection.Methods Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to determine the total sodium in Danshen for injection.Results The calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.5～10 mg/L for sodium chloride.The average recovery rates of sodium chloride were 101.8%,RSD=1.60%.Conclusion This method was found to be simple,quick and accurate for simultaneous determination of sodium in Danshen for injection.