Synthesis of cellulose functionalized with polyallylamine and its application to on-line collection/concentration and determination of phosphate by ICP/AES.

A novel cellulose-based resin functionalized with polyallylamine was synthesized. It was applied to the collection of phosphate in environmental water samples, followed by concentration determination using an inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP/AES). The synthesized resin, cellulose-glycidylmethacrylate-polyallylamine (CGP), showed good adsorption behavior toward trace amounts of phosphate over a wide pH range. The adsorbed-analyte can be easily eluted using 0.5 M hydrochloric acid; its recoveries was found to be 80 - 100%. The CGP resin synthesized was packed in a mini-column, which was then installed in a computer-controlled auto-pretreatment system for on-line collection/concentration and determination of trace phosphate by ICP/AES. The limit of detection for phosphate was found to be 0.6 µg P l(-1). The sample volumes were only 5 ml and the total analysis time was about 4 min. The developed method with CGP resin was successfully applied to the determination of phosphate in river water and tap water samples with satisfactory results. The recovery test showed that common matrices that may exist in environmental waters did not interfere with the determination of phosphate.

Diet supplemented with citrus unshiu segment membrane suppresses chemically induced colonic preneoplastic lesions and fatty liver in male db/db mice.

The modulatory effects of dietary citrus unshiu segment membrane (CUSM) on the occurrence of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and beta-catenin accumulated crypts (BCACs) were determined in male C57BL/KsJ-db/db (db/db) mice initiated with azoxymethane (AOM). Male db/db, db/+ and +/+ mice were given 5 weekly subcutaneous injections of AOM (15 mg/kg body weight), and then they were fed the diet containing 0.02%, 0.1% or 0.5% CUSM for 7 weeks. At Week 12, a significant increase in the numbers of ACF and BCAC was noted in the db/db mice in comparison with the db/+ and +/+ mice. Feeding with CUSM caused reduction in the frequency of ACF in all genotypes of mice and the potency was high in order of the db/db mice, db/+ mice and +/+ mice. The number of BCACs was also reduced by feeding with CUSM, thus resulting in a 28-61% reduction in the db/db mice, possibly due to suppression of cell proliferation activity in the lesions by feeding with CUSM-containing diet. Clinical chemistry revealed a low serum level of triglyceride in mice fed CUSM. In addition, CUSM feeding inhibited fatty metamorphosis and fibrosis in the liver of db/db mice. Our findings show that CUSM in the diet has a chemopreventive ability against the early phase of AOM-induced colon carcinogenesis in the db/db as well as db/+ and +/+ mice, indicating potential use of CUSM in cancer chemoprevention in obese people.

On-line preconcentration system using mini-column packed with a chelating resin for the characterization of seasonal variations of trace elements in seawater by ICP-MS and ICP-AES.

An on-line column preconcentration technique coupled with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and -atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) was developed using a mini-column (ca. 3 mm i.d., 40 mm length), that was packed with chelating resin (0.2 g) of iminodiacetic acid groups, Muromac A-1. After the preconcentration step, the column was washed with ammonium acetate buffer (pH 5.5) and water to remove major elements, such as Ca and Mg, and then eluted with 4 ml of 2 mol l(-1) nitric acid. Eleven trace elements (Al, V, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Th and U) in seawater were determined by ICP-MS/AES. Recoveries for most of the elements tested were over 90%, although those for Al, V and Th were around 70%. The accuracy of the proposed method was evaluated by analyzing a standard reference material of seawater (NASS-4, NRC Canada). The values of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb obtained with the present method showed good agreement with the certified values as judged from the standard deviation. The method was successfully applied to characterize seasonal variations of trace elements in deep seawater (DSW) and surface seawater (SSW). In addition, no serious decrease in analytical performance of the present column system was observed during the experimental period of about 1 year.

Speciation of chromium in seawater by ICP-AES with dual mini-columns containing chelating resin.

A method for the preconcentration and speciation of chromium in seawater was developed. On-line preconcentration and determination were carried out by using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) with dual mini-columns containing a chelating resin. In this system, Cr(III) was collected on the first column. The effluent containing residual chromium from the first column was collected on the second column after passing through a reduction-switching unit, in which the reducing agent was introduced, or not, for the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(lII). Cr(VI) was determined as the difference between the concentration of pre-reduced Cr(VI) and Cr(III) in the effluent from the first column. The detection limits for Cr(III) and Cr(VI) were 0.04 and 0.09 microg l(-1), respectively.

On-line preconcentration using dual mini-columns for the speciation of chromium(III) and chromium(VI) and its application to water samples as studied by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry.

On-line preconcentration system for the selective, sensitive and simultaneous determination of chromium species was investigated. Dual mini-columns containing chelating resin were utilized for the speciation and preconcentration of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in water samples. In this system, Cr(III) was collected on first column packed with iminodiacetate resin. Cr(VI) in the effluent from the first column was reduced to Cr(III), which was collected on the second column packed with iminodiacetate resin. Hydroxyammonium chloride was examined as a potential reducing agent for Cr(VI) to Cr(III). The effects of pH, sample flow rate, column length, and interfering ions on the recoveries of Cr(III) were carefully studied. Five millilitres of a sample solution was introduced into the system. The collected species were then sequentially washed by 1M ammonium acetate, eluted by 2M nitric acid and measured by ICP-AES. The detection limit for Cr(III) and Cr(VI) was 0.08 and 0.15mugl(-1), respectively. The total analysis time was about 9.4min. The developed method was successfully applied to the speciation of chromium in river, tap water and wastewater samples with satisfied results.

Oral administration of beta-cryptoxanthin induces anabolic effects on bone components in the femoral tissues of rats in vivo.

The effect of beta-cryptoxanthin on bone components in the femoral tissues of rats was investigated. Beta-cryptoxanthin was isolated from Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu MARC.). Bone tissues were cultured for 48 h in serum-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing either vehicle or beta-cryptoxanthin (10(-7) or 10(-6) M). The presence of beta-cryptoxanthin (10(-7) or 10(-6) M) caused a significant increase in calcium content and alkaline phosphatase activity in the femoral-diaphyseal and femoral-metaphyseal tissues. These increases were completely abolished in the presence of cycloheximide (10(-6) M), an inhibitor of protein synthesis. Thus beta-cryptoxanthin had an anabolic effect on bone calcification in vitro. Moreover, beta-cryptoxanthin (10, 25, or 50 microg/100 g body weight) was orally administered once daily for 7 d to young male rats. The administration of beta-cryptoxanthin (10, 25, or 50 microg/100 g body weight) caused a significant increase in calcium content and alkaline phosphatase activity in the femoral-diaphyseal and femoral-metaphyseal tissues. Femoral-diaphyseal and femoral-metaphyseal DNA contents were significantly increased by the dose of 25 or 50 microg/100 g body weight. A significant increase in metaphyseal DNA content was also seen with the dose of 10 microg/100 g body weight of beta-cryptoxanthin. This study demonstrates that beta-cryptoxanthin has an anabolic effect on bone components in rats in vitro and in vivo.

Effect of extraction method on the concentrations of selected bioactive compounds in mandarin juice.

A mandarin-type citrus fruit, ponkan (Citrus reticulata), was processed by in-line, chopper pulper, and hand-press extractions to investigate the effect of extraction method on the concentrations of bioactive compounds in processed juice. Concentrations of polymethoxylated flavones (tangeretin, nobiletin, and sinensetin) and beta-cryptoxanthin in juice, and inhibitory activities against arachidonate cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenases of the juice extract were analyzed. The juice processed by hand-press extraction contained the largest amounts of nobiletin (3.56 mg/100 mL), tangeretin (4.10 mg/100 mL), and sinensetin (0.13 mg/100 mL). Concentrations of beta-cryptoxanthin were 0.66, 0.59, 0.55, and 0.50 mg/100 mL in chopper pulper, in-line (5/64 in.), in-line (8/64 in.) and hand-press juices, respectively. Both extracts of in-line juices showed greater inhibitory activity toward platelet 12-lipoxygenase than the others. The inhibitory effect of hand-press juice extract on platelet cyclooxygenase activity was remarkable among juice extracts. All juice extracts effectively inhibited polymorphonuclear 5-lipoxygenase activity at nearly the same rate.

Effects of oxygenated carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin on morphological differentiation and apoptosis in Neuro2a neuroblastoma cells.

Beta-Cryptoxanthin (beta Cx) was investigated for cell functions in neuroblastoma Neuro2a cells. The following results were obtained. 1. Beta-Cx induced neurite outgrowth. 2. Beta-Cx inhibited the etoposide-induced activation of caspase-3 activity in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest a bioregulatry function of beta Cx in the control of differentiation and apoptosis in Neuro2a cells.