Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) in a refugee context in East Africa: Kitchen gardening helps with mineral provision.

Kitchen gardening is considered a way to reconnect with agriculture and complement the cereal-based relief food offered to refugees in East Africa. This work aimed at profiling mineral content of okra in four refugee camps and settlements located in Ethiopia and Uganda and its contribution to adequate intake (AIs) or recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) for young children and pregnant and lactating women (PLW). The study also evaluated the applicability of portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) as compared with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for mineral profiling of okra powder samples. The contents of minerals (mg kg-1) from the ICP-MS readings were in the following ranges: K (14,385-33,294), Ca (2610-14,090), P (3178-13,248), Mg (3896-7986), Cu (3.81-19.3), Fe (75.7-1243), Zn (33-141) and Mn (23.1-261). Regardless of geographic origin, at low-end consumption probability (17 g day-1 for young children and 68 g day-1 for PLW), okra could contribute ˂ 15% (2.7-12.9%) AI for macro-minerals (K and Ca). In addition, the contributions to RDA values for Fe and Zn, elements of known public health interest, ranged from 4.5 to 34.7% for young children. Interestingly, regression lines revealed strong agreement between ICP-MS and PXRF readings for Mn and Zn, with R2 values > 0.91. This information is useful in support of nutrition-sensitive kitchen gardening programs through scaling culturally important crops in refugee settings. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42452-021-04898-6.

Traditionally Used Lathyrus Species: Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant Activity, Enzyme Inhibitory Properties, Cytotoxic Effects, and in silico Studies of L. czeczottianus and L. nissolia.

Members of the genus Lathyrus are used as food and as traditional medicines. In order to find new sources of biologically-active compounds, chemical and biological profiles of two Lathyrus species (L. czeczottianus and L. nissolia) were investigated. Chemical profiles were evaluated by HPLC-ESI-MSn, as well as by their total phenolic and flavonoid contents. In addition, antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, and cytotoxic effects were also investigated. Antioxidant properties were tested by using different assays (DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP, phosphomolybdenum, and metal chelation). Cholinesterases (AChE and BChE), tyrosinase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase were used to evaluate enzyme inhibitory effects. Moreover, vitexin (apigenin-8-C-glucoside) and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid were further subjected to molecular docking experiments to provide insights about their interactions at molecular level with the tested enzymes. In vitro cytotoxic effects were examined against human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) by using iCELLigence real time cell analysis system. Generally, L. czeczottianus exhibited stronger antioxidant properties than L. nissolia. However, L. nissolia had remarkable enzyme inhibitory effects against cholinesterase, amylase and glucosidase. HPLC-ESI-MSn analysis revealed that flavonoids were major components in these extracts. On the basis of these results, Lathyrus extracts were rich in biologically active components; thus, these species could be utilized to design new phytopharmaceutical and nutraceutical formulations.

Flow-through optosensing device implemented with photochemically-induced fluorescence for the rapid and simple screening of metsulfuron methyl in environmental waters.

This paper describes the implementation of a flow-injection solid phase spectroscopy (FI-SPS) system with photochemically induced fluorescence (PIF) in micellar medium for the determination of metsulfuron-methyl (MET). The micelles containing a strongly fluorescent photoproduct generated after UV irradiation of the herbicide are strongly retained on C(18) silica gel filling the flow-cell placed in the detection area and the photoproduct is monitored at 323 and 378 nm for excitation and emission wavelengths, respectively. The solid support is easily regenerated for subsequent sample injections (at least up to 500 cycles tested). The system was calibrated for two injection volumes, 300 and 1000 microl. The detection limits and relative standard deviations were 0.71 and 0.14 ng ml(-1), and 4.5 and 3.3% for each injection volume, respectively. The system shows a very high throughput, 34 (300 microl) and 36 (1000 microl) analysis per hour. The optosensor was successfully applied to the herbicide determination in river, well and irrigation waters (recovery ranges from 96.0 to 106.0%).

Flow-through optosensor combined with photochemically induced fluorescence for simultaneous determination of binary mixtures of sulfonamides in pharmaceuticals, milk and urine.

A sensitive and selective flow-through optosensor implemented with photochemically induced fluorescence (PIF) is proposed for the simultaneous determination of mixtures sulfamethoxazole/sulfanilamide and sulfathiazole/sulfanilamide. The resolution was accomplished by placing in the flow system a minicolumn filled with an appropriate solid support. Whereas one of the sulfonamides is not retained in the minicolumn and is determined by measuring its native fluorescence on the solid surface of the sensing microbeads in the detection area, the other one is retained and, after its elution, it is photochemically converted into a strongly fluorescent photoproduct which is transitorily retained on the sensing support in the flow cell and monitored. Linear calibration graphs were obtained over a concentration range of 2-3 orders of magnitude. The detection limits for the determination of sulfamethoxazole, sulfanilamide and sulfathiazole are 8.1, 2.9 and 5.7 ng mL(-1), respectively. The method was applied to pharmaceuticals, milk and human urine. The recovery of sulfamethoxazole from pharmaceuticals was 102.5% indicating no interference from trimethoprim which is not photochemically active. The recoveries for urine and milk samples fortified with sulfonamides at levels between 0.1 and 0.7 microgmL(-1) agreed within 95.0-107.5% of spiked levels.

Determination of sub-ppb reserpine by an optosensing device based on photochemically induced fluorescence.

A flow injection-solid-phase spectroscopy (FI-SPS) system implemented with photochemically induced fluorescence (PIF) is described for the rapid and very sensitive determination of reserpine in biological fluids and pharmaceutical formulations. An intensively fluorescent photoproduct is in-line generated, retained on C18 silica gel in the detection area and monitored at 394/489 nm (lambdaex/lambdaem). After the establishment of the appropriate working variables, the system is calibrated at two different injection volumes, 100 and 800 microL, achieving detection limits of 0.33 and 0.05 ng mL(-1), respectively. The RSD for reserpine at 2 ng mL(-1) (800 microL) was 1.5% (n=10). The sampling rates were 46 and 43 h(-1) for each injection volume, respectively. The potential interference of some common species coexisting with reserpine in the analysed samples was also studied. The procedure was successfully applied to commercial formulations, urine and serum without any previous treatment of samples. Recoveries ranged from 94.9 to 100.2%.

Determination of azoxystrobin residues in grapes, musts and wines with a multicommuted flow-through optosensor implemented with photochemically induced fluorescence.

In this paper, the conversion of azoxystrobin in a strongly fluorescent degradation product by UV irradiation with quantitative purposes and its fluorimetric determination are reported for the first time. A multicommuted flow injection-solid phase spectroscopy (FI-SPS) system combined with photochemically-induced fluorescence (PIF) is developed for the determination of azoxystrobin in grapes, must and wine. Grape samples were homogenized and extracted with methanol and further cleaned-up by solid-phase extraction on C(18) silica gel. Wine samples were solid-phase extracted on C(18) sorbent using dichloromethane as eluent. Recoveries of azoxystrobin from spiked grapes (0.5-2.0 mg Kg(-1)), must (0.5-2.0 microg mL(-1)) and wine (0.5-2.0 microg mL(-1)) were 84.0-87.6%, 95.5-105.9% and 88.5-111.2%, respectively. The quantification limit for grapes was 0.021 mg Kg(-1), being within European Union regulations, and 18 microg L(-1) and 8 microg L(-1) for must and wine, respectively.

Multicommutated flow-through optosensors implemented with photochemically induced fluorescence: determination of flufenamic acid.

This article describes a multicommutated flow injection-solid phase spectroscopy system implemented with photochemically induced fluorescence for the determination of flufenamic acid (FFA). A strongly fluorescent photoproduct is generated when FFA is irradiated online under UV light in a strong sulfuric medium. The photoproduct generated is retained on C(18) silica gel (which fills the detection area of the flow cell) and directly monitored on the active solid support at 258/442 nm (lambda(ex)/lambda(em)). After maximum signal recording, the sensing zone is regenerated by eluting the retained photoproduct with an appropriate H(2)SO(4)/MeOH solution. The sensor, completely automated, is based on the use of three-way solenoid valves conveniently operated by a homemade multicommutation software written in Java language. The system is calibrated at 10 and 60s for sampling time, showing detection limits of 1.28 x 10(-9) and 5.33 x 10(-10) molL(-1) and sampling rates of 38 and 28 h(-1), respectively, with relative standard deviations of 0.9 and 1.2%. The applicability of the method is demonstrated for the determination of FFA in human serum, human urine, and a pharmaceutical preparation without any pre-treatment. Good recovery levels were achieved between 90.5 and 103.7%.