Caferana seeds (Bunchosia glandulifera) as a new source of nutrients: Evaluation of the proximal composition, solvent extraction, bioactive compounds, and δ-lactam isolation.

The proximal composition, amino acid, carbohydrate, and volatile profiles of caferana (Bunchosia glandulifera) seeds flour were here assessed. Seeds were also subjected to the following extraction processes: one with pressurized ethanol (PLE) and two with ethanol + supercritical CO2 mixture at different temperatures and pressures (SC1 and SC2). Extracts were characterized in terms of caffeine, total phenolic, and δ-lactam. The characterization of caferana seed and its extracts is unprecedented in terms of carbohydrate and volatiles profiles, besides the δ-lactam identification/isolation. SC2 extract exhibited a higher caffeine (9.3 mg/g) and δ-lactam (29.4 mg/g) content, whereas the PLE extract contained a higher total phenolic amount (3.0 mgGAE/g). Caferana is regionally associated to protective effects on mental health. Its byproduct (seed) revealed to be a promising source of bioactive compounds, and a potential raw material of nutritive extracts and flours that can be incorporated into pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic, and food products.

Pre-colonial culture and technology through elemental and molecular analysis of ceramics with decorative paintings found at Tapera beach, Florianópolis, Brazil.

The chemical analysis of archaeological ceramic artifacts can help archaeologists to characterize the technology used in the manufacturing process, and to elucidate aspects related to the way of life of past peoples. In this context, six ceramic fragments found at Tapera Beach in Florianópolis were analyzed. FTIR spectroscopy was used to identify carbonates and oxalic acid originating from the biodegradation process. In the pictorial regions of the ceramics, iron oxides, manganese and chromium were present, along with calcium carbonate, which were used as pigments. In addition, the absence of characteristic bands for kaolinite suggests low firing temperatures (up to 900 °C). EDS confirmed the elements of the molecules identified by FTIR and showed the presence of Al and Si in the primary structure and Fe in the secondary structure of the ceramics. In addition, there were traces of rare earth elements in samples A3 and A5, which may be related to the geochemistry at the site from which the raw material was excavated. The GC-MS results showed the presence of lipids and the profile of the fatty acids detected suggested that the source of the oils adsorbed in the ceramic structure is vegetable.

MS2 coliphage inactivation by Al/Fe PILC-activated Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation: multiresponse statistical optimization.

The optimization of the Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation (CWPO) assisted by an Al/Fe-pillared clay (Al/Fe-PILC) was assessed in the inactivation of the MS2 coliphage in the presence of a synthetic surrogate of natural organic matter (NOM). The simultaneous effect of two experimental factors (i) H2O2 dose - (H2O2)d (3.00-25.50 % of the H2O2 theoretically required for full mineralization) and (ii) catalyst concentration (0.33-2.60 g/L), and four non-controllable variables (covariates) (a) circumneutral pH (6.00-9.00), (b) temperature (5.00-25.0 °C), (c) synthetic NOM concentration (2.0-20.0 mg C/L) and (d) MS2 titer (104, 105 and 106 PFU/mL) was investigated by Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Every response was modeled and maximized: (1) MS2 inactivation, (2) fraction of reacted H2O2, (3) decolourization and (4) NOM mineralization. Multi-response optimization via desirability function based on responses (1) to (3) achieved excellent fitting (0.94 out of 1.0) and following set of optimal experimental conditions: 0.33 g Al/Fe-PILC/L, 3.36 % (H2O2)d â€‹(Feactive/H2O2) = 0.46, giving rise to 92.9 % of MS2 inactivation and 100 % of reacted H2O2 at pH 7.07, 25.0 +/- 0.1 °C, 16.06 mg C/L as starting NOM concentration, and MS2 titer of 106 PFU/mL after just 70 min â€‹of reaction.