Heavy metal contamination in Sungai Petani, Malaysia: a wastewater-based epidemiology study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the use of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to estimate heavy metal exposure in Sungai Petani, Malaysia. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to detect copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and cadmium (Cd) in wastewater from eight sewage treatment facilities in Sungai Petani in January 2022. The heavy metal concentrations were measured in both influent and effluent, and the mean concentrations in the wastewater were found to be in the following order: Fe > Ni > Zn > Cd > Cu, with a 100% detection frequency. The results of WBE estimation showed that Fe, Ni, and Zn had the highest estimated per population exposure levels, while Cd had the lowest. Compared to a similar study conducted in Penang, Malaysia, all metals except Cu were found to have higher concentrations in Sungai Petani, even though it is a non-industrial district. These findings highlight the importance of addressing heavy metal contamination in Sungai Petani and implementing effective risk management and prevention strategies.

Deep eutectic solvents as sustainable extraction media for extraction of polysaccharides from natural sources: Status, challenges and prospects.

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) emerge as promising alternatives to conventional solvents, offering outstanding extraction capabilities, low toxicity, eco-friendliness, straightforward synthesis procedures, broad applicability, and impressive recyclability. DES are synthesized by combining two or more components through various synthesis procedures, such as heat-assisted mixing/stirring, grinding, freeze drying, and evaporation. Polysaccharides, as abundant natural materials, are highly valued for their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and sustainability. These versatile biopolymers can be derived from various natural sources such as plants, algae, animals, or microorganisms using diverse extraction techniques. This review explores the synthesis procedures of DES, their physicochemical properties, characterization analysis, and their application in polysaccharide extraction. The extraction optimization strategies, parameters affecting DES-based polysaccharide extraction, and separation mechanisms are comprehensively discussed. Additionally, this review provides insights into recently developed molecular guides for DES screening and the utilization of artificial neural networks for optimizing DES-based extraction processes. DES serve as excellent extraction media for polysaccharides from different sources, preserving their functional features. They are utilized both as extraction solvents and as supporting media to enhance the extraction abilities of other solvents. Continued research aims to improve DES-based extraction methods and achieve selective, energy-efficient processes to meet the demands of this expanding field.

Induced sample via transient isotachophoresis mediated with sweeping in micellar electrokinetic chromatography for the dual-stacking strategy of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in environmental water samples.

Realising the need to devise a simple, sensitive, and reliable detection method, this study investigated the development of a dual-stacking transient isotachophoresis (t-ITP) and sweeping in micellar electrokinetic chromatography with diode array detector (t-ITP/sweeping-MEKC-DAD) for the determination of selected non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs); ketoprofen, diclofenac and naproxen from aqueous matrices. Prior to the system setup, various parameters were optimised to assess the potential use of the t-ITP paired with the sweeping stacking technique in micellar background electrolyte for dual preconcentration and separation of trace amounts of NSAIDs. Once the optimum conditions have been established, the method performance was validated and applied to 17 environmental water samples. Based on the results, the combined t-ITP and sweeping approach significantly improved the stacking and separation sensitivity. A large volume of samples could also be introduced and subsequently separated by MEKC with greater focusing effects due to the sweeping. Under optimised conditions, the developed method exhibited excellent linearity at a high range (0.1-500 ng/mL, r2 ≥ 0.998), low limits of detection (LODs) of 0.01-0.07 ng/mL, and a remarkable relative recovery (RR) of 99.6-101.9% with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.4-8.6% (n = 9). Ultimately, the sensitivity enhancement factors improved up to 666-fold using the optimised method. Therefore, the proposed method presents a simplified yet effective and suitable for the determination of NSAIDs from aqueous matrices.

Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Effects of Cannabinoids: An Updated Review with Future Perspectives and Current Challenges.

The development of new antibiotics is urgently needed to combat the threat of bacterial resistance. New classes of compounds that have novel properties are urgently needed for the development of effective antimicrobial agents. The extract of Cannabis sativa L. has been used to treat multiple ailments since ancient times. Its bioactivity is largely attributed to the cannabinoids found in its plant. Researchers are currently searching for new anti-infective agents that can treat various infections. Although its phytocannabinoid ingredients have a wide range of medical benefits beyond the treatment of infections, they are primarily associated to psychotropic effects. Different cannabinoids have been demonstrated to be helpful against harmful bacteria, including Gram-positive bacteria. Moreover, combination therapy involving the use of different antibiotics has shown synergism and broad-spectrum activity. The purpose of this review is to gather current data on the actions of Cannabis sativa (C. sativa) extracts and its primary constituents such as terpenes and cannabinoids towards pathogens in order to determine their antimicrobial properties and cytotoxic effects together with current challenges and future perspectives in biomedical application.

Exploring a novel silicone surfactant-based deep eutectic solvent functionalized magnetic iron particles for the extraction of organophosphorus pesticides in vegetable samples.

The current study discussed the use of silicone surfactant-based deep eutectic solvent as a surface modifier for magnetic iron particles (Fe3O4) to produce a novel adsorbent and its application for the extraction of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) in vegetable samples. A deep eutectic solvent (DES) was prepared using low toxic and inexpensive substances such as silicone surfactant (SS) and dodecanoic acid (DoAc). This new eco-friendly SS:DoAc based DES was explored as a substitution to traditional organic reagents for surface modification of Fe3O4 to increase the adsorption capacity and to reduce the matrix interferences, hazardous waste generation and environmental pollution. The newly synthesized SS:DoAc@Fe3O4 adsorbent was successfully characterized and applied in magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE). Under optimized conditions, the proposed approach exhibited excellent linearity ranging from 0.1 to 200 µg/kg (R2 ≥ 0.9970), low detection limit (0.03-0.1 µg/kg) and acceptable relative recovery (80-119 %) for the studied OPPs.

Evaluation of green silicone surfactant-based vortex assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for sample preparation of organophosphorus pesticide residues in honey and fruit sample.

A vortex-assisted surfactant enhanced emulsification liquid-liquid microextraction based on non-ionic silicone surfactant was successfully developed for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides in food samples coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A new type of non-ionic silicone surfactant composed of polysiloxane chains was employed as a green emulsifier to facilitate the emulsification of extraction solvent into the sample matrix, thereby intensifying the mass transfer of target analytes into the organic phase. The variables that affect the extraction were systematically optimized: 80 µl of hexane and 0.5% (v/v) of silicone surfactant were used as extraction solvent and surfactant respectively, the solution was mixed well under vortex agitation for 1 min with the addition of 4% (w/v) sodium sulfate. Under optimum conditions, the linearity of the method was obtained in the range of 0.1-200 µg/kg with a good coefficient of determination varying from 0.9986 to 0.9996. The limit of detection and the limit of quantitation were between 0.008-0.1 and 0.02-0.3 µg/kg, respectively. Application of the proposed method to real samples gave satisfactory recovery values (80%-118%) for the target analytes. The suggested approach has also proven to be convenient, expeditious, and environmentally benign.

Exploring a novel deep eutectic solvents combined with vortex assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and its toxicity for organophosphorus pesticides analysis from honey and fruit samples.

A novel deep eutectic solvents (DES) was successfully applied as an emulsifier in vortex assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (VALLME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides in honey and fruit samples. Based on the result of toxicity study, DES provides new opportunities for the safe delivery and application. The predominant parameters affecting extraction efficiency were thoroughly optimized and studied in detail. Under optimum parameters, the calibration curve was determined in the concentration range of 0.1 to 200 µgL-1 with excellent determination coefficients values of 0.9989 to 0.9999. Limit of detection and limit of quantification were found to be 0.01 - 0.09 µgL-1 and 0.03 - 0.2 µgL-1, respectively. Application of the developed method to honey and fruit samples gave acceptable recovery values 83 - 109% with relative standard deviation below than 9.5%. The suggested approach has also proven to be simple, cost-effective, rapid, and non-toxic in nature.

An efficient biosorption-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction with extractant removal by magnetic nanoparticles for quantification of bisphenol A in water samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detection.

In this work, a simple, fast, sensitive, and environmentally friendly method was developed for preconcentration and quantitative measurement of bisphenol A in water samples using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. The preconcentration approach, namely biosorption-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction with extractant removal by magnetic nanoparticles was performed based on the formation of microdroplet of rhamnolipid biosurfactant throughout the aqueous samples, which accelerates the mass transfer process between the extraction solvent and sample solution. The process is then followed by the application of magnetic nanoparticles for easy retrieval of the analyte-containing extraction solvent. Several important variables were optimized comprehensively including type of disperser solvent and desorption solvent, rhamnolipid concentration, volume of disperser solvent, amount of magnetic nanoparticles, extraction time, desorption time, ionic strength, and sample pH. Under the optimized microextraction and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry conditions, the method demonstrated good linearity over the range of 0.5-500 µg/L with a coefficient of determination of R2  = 0.9904, low limit of detection (0.15 µg/L) and limit of quantification (0.50 µg/L) of bisphenol A, good analyte recoveries (84-120%) and acceptable relative standard deviation (1.8-14.9%, n = 6). The proposed method was successfully applied to three environmental water samples, and bisphenol A was detected in all samples.

Thiol-functionalized magnetic carbon nanotubes for magnetic micro-solid phase extraction of sulfonamide antibiotics from milks and commercial chicken meat products.

Thiol-functionalized magnetic carbon nanotubes (TMCNTs) were employed as the sorbent in the magnetic micro-solid phase extraction (M-µ-SPE) of sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs) in water, milks and chicken meat products prior to high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) analysis. The synthesized sorbent was characterized by several spectroscopic techniques. Optimum conditions were: 20 mg of TMCNTs at pH 4, 2 min extraction time, 10% addition of salt and 30 mL of sample volume. Under the optimized TMCNTs-M-µ-SPE and HPLC-DAD conditions, the method showed good linearity in the range of 0.1-500 µg L-1 (r2 ≥ 0.9950), low limits of detection (0.02-1.5 µg L-1), good analytes recovery (80.7-116.2%) and acceptable RSDs (0.3-7.7%, n = 15). The method was applied to tap water (1), milks (15) and commercial chicken meat products (35), SAs were detected in five chicken meat samples (3.0-25.7 µg L-1). The method is critically compared to those reported in the literature.

Polyaniline-dicationic ionic liquid coated with magnetic nanoparticles composite for magnetic solid phase extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in environmental samples.

In this present study, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) nanocomposites modified with polyaniline (PANI) coated newly synthesised dicationic ionic liquid (DICAT) forming MNP-PANI-DICAT were successfully synthesised as new generation material for magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE). MNP-PANI-DICAT was characterised by FT-IR NMR, CHN, BET, SEM, TEM, and VSM techniques and the results were compared with MNP-PANI and native MNP. This new material was applied as a magnetic adsorbent for the pre-concentration and separation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) due to the π-π interaction between polyaniline shell and dicationic ionic liquid (DICAT) with PAHs compounds. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed method was evaluated and applied for the analysis of PAHs in environmental samples using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The validation method showed good linearity (0.005-500µgL-1) with the coefficient of determination (R2) > 0.999. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of the developed method (MNP-PANI-DICAT-MSPE) were in the range of 0.0008-0.2086µgL-1 and 0.0024-0.6320µgL-1, respectively. The enrichment factor (EF) of PAHs on MNP-PANI-DICAT-MSPE were in the range of 7.546-29.632. The extraction recoveries of natural water, sludge, and soil samples were ranged from 80.2% to 111.9% with relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 5.6%. The newly synthesised MNP-PANI-DICAT possess good sensitivity, reusability, and fast extraction of PAHs under the MSPE procedure in various environmental samples.

Combination of Cyclodextrin and Ionic Liquid in Analytical Chemistry: Current and Future Perspectives.

The growth in driving force and popularity of cyclodextrin (CDs) and ionic liquids (ILs) as promising materials in the field of analytical chemistry has resulted in an exponentially increase of their exploitation and production in analytical chemistry field. CDs belong to the family of cyclic oligosaccharides composing of α-(1,4) linked glucopyranose subunits and possess a cage-like supramolecular structure. This structure enables chemical reactions to proceed between interacting ions, radical or molecules in the absence of covalent bonds. Conversely, ILs are an ionic fluids comprising of only cation and anion often with immeasurable vapor pressure making them as green or designer solvent. The cooperative effect between CD and IL due to their fascinating properties, have nowadays contributed their footprints for a better development in analytical chemistry nowadays. This comprehensive review serves to give an overview on some of the recent studies and provides an analytical trend for the application of CDs with the combination of ILs that possess beneficial and remarkable effects in analytical chemistry including their use in various sample preparation techniques such as solid phase extraction, magnetic solid phase extraction, cloud point extraction, microextraction, and separation techniques which includes gas chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis as well as applications of electrochemical sensors as electrode modifiers with references to recent applications. This review will highlight the nature of interactions and synergic effects between CDs, ILs, and analytes. It is hoped that this review will stimulate further research in analytical chemistry.