Anniversaries and dates

Anniversaries and Dates

Anniversaries and dates     

14 MeV neutron activation analysis of chicken dung and dates

Simultaneous determination of N, Mg, Al, Si, P, Cl, K, Ca and Fe in chicken dung and dates was carried out using fast neutron activation analysis (FNAA) with a SAMES J25 neutron generator. The activities were measured with a 72 cm³ high purity germanium detector using the relative method. The accuracy was checked with the aid of a standard reference material of milk powder A11 supplied by the IAEA. For the nitrogen contents, the results were compared to those obtained by the classical KJELDAHL method.     

The calculation of lead-210 dates for McKay Lake sediments

Lead-210 dates are assigned to a sediment core retrieved from McKay Lake, Ottawa, Canada. Sediment mixing is found to have little, but discernible, influence on the age/depth profile. Consideration of mixing yields lower estimates of the derived ages, in agreement with the prediction based on a mathematical model. The inferred dates support the previous assignments based on Ambrosia horizon and the known occurrence of a catastrophic event. The procedures used in the calculation of the age profiles are fully described.     

Investigation of the irradiation history of the Iranian dates and pistachio nuts using thermoluminescence technique

Three different varieties of Iranian fresh dates and five types of raw and salted pistachio nuts have been tested for identification of irradiation histories. Doses of 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 kGy from a gamma cell Gc-220 have been administrated to the samples under investigation.TL response versus dose for date and for pistachio nuts have been obtained. The effect of added ingredients such as salt in pistachio nuts, and moisture in date samples on the TL response have been studied. The fading of TL intensity of the irradiated dates and pistachio nuts have also been measured. Based on the latter results, it appears possible to identify the irradiated dates (10 kGy), within (1–2) months post-irradiation.In the salted pistachio nuts, the salt itself gives a very significant and distinguishable response. In the unsalted case, however, the difference between the irradiated and unirradiated samples seem difficult to detect due to partial overlapping of the respective responses.     

Irradiation of dates: insect disinfestation,microbial and chemical assessments,and use of thermoluminescence technique

Irradiation of dates (Khalas variety) at 0.9 kGy was sufficient to eliminate single insect infestation (Oryzaephilus surinamensis) and mixed infestation (O. surinamensis and Tribolium castaneum), whereas 0.3 kGy was effective only in controlling single infestation. Sensory properties were not affected but irradiation contributed to some reduction in microbial counts immediately after irradiation and counts remained low till the end of 6 months storage period. All sugars were significantly reduced immediately after irradiation but they increased gradually with increasing storage time. Thermoluminescence (TL) technique was useful in discriminating between irradiated and unirradiated dates during the entire storage period but was less sensitive as far as the dose estimation is concerned.     

Monitoring of pesticide residues in Riyadh dates by SFE,MSE, SFC,and GC techniques

In the present work, simple and rapid extraction and analysis techniques of insecticide (OCPs, OPPs, pyrethroids), fungicide, acaricide, and herbicide residues in three cultivars’ of date fruits viz., Khalas, Sukkari, Nabout Seif and their seeds have been applied. The date cultivars were collected from eight local markets of Riyadh, KSA. The extraction of pesticide residues from the three varieties of date samples was conducted by rapid and new extraction techniques, Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) and Microwave Solvent Extraction (MSE). The analysis was performed, without clean-up, by Supercritical Fluid Chromatography (SFC) and Gas Chromatography (GC) using different detectors. The results showed that the SFE, MSE, SFC and GC techniques are clearly faster, more sensitive and more cost effective than conventional methods. The recovery efficiency of SFE and MSE was 99% and 97%, respectively. The recoveries, MDL (Minimum Detection Limit) and repeatability achieved in this study meet the standards set for tolerance level monitoring of these pesticides. The mean levels of some tested residues of pyrethroids, herbicides, and fungicides in dates and their seeds are below the MRL (Maximum Residue Level). However, lindane (BHC gamma isomer), dieldrin, dimethoate, chlorpyrifos and all tested acaricide residues in date fruit samples exceeded the MRLs indicating a hazardous trend in the date palm cultivation. The data also showed a higher concentration of OP dimethoate in the date seeds, which is sometimes, used as animal feed. The present results provide important information on the current contamination status of the date fruits in Riyadh markets and point to the action needed for controlling the excessive application of pesticides. This study is the first monitoring and screening of pesticide residues of 6 groups in Saudi Arabian dates.     

An INAA study of trace elements in hair samples from two children on different sampling dates

A study of trace elements in hair samples from two children of different sex on different sampling dates has been carried out using INAA. Using several combinations of irradiation, cooling and counting times, about thirty elements were quantitatively determined. Some conclusions could be drawn from the data obtained.Visiting scientist in ENEA C.R.E. Casaccia, Rome, Italy during 1989.     

The in vitro antioxidant activity of different types of palm dates (Phoenix dactylifera) syrups

Palm date fruits have been used for nutritional and medicinal purposes in Middle Eastern countries. They are used in folk medicine for treatment of liver diseases and highly recommended to be consumed by pregnant women before and after delivery. Therefore, the present work aimed to determine the total phenolic content and total flavonoids in three syrups obtained from palm dates extracted with aqueous ethanol (80%) and to evaluate in vitro their antioxidative properties. The new findings showed that the three tested syrups contained significantly different amounts of both total phenolic content and total flavonoids. Syrups can be arranged according to the increase of total phenolic contents and total flavonoids as follows: Yemeni-Rotab > Saudi-Tamr > Iraqi-Tamr. The results of antioxidant activities of palm dates syrups obtained by using different in vitro methods were varied depending on the method used. According to the TBARS method, H₂O₂ scavenging ability and DPPH methods, all syrups showed to have high to very high antioxidant activities. On the other hand, syrups showed low to intermediate antioxidant activities when other methods were used, such as the scavenging ability of OH and NO and the ability to chelate Fe²⁺ ions. Generally, the values of antioxidant activities of Rotab-syrup have been shown to be always the highest.     

Water vapor molecule adsorption onto 'Ajwa' dates: Analytical investigation via infinite multilayer statistical physics model

A gravimetric technique was used to examine the water activity onto the ‘Ajwa’ dates. The equilibrium adsorption isotherms of water molecules were carried out at three temperatures (between 303 K and 323 K). A theoretical method was developed using statistical physics treatment to describe the experimental data at the ionic scale. The date’s isotherms were analyzed via the infinite multilayer adsorption model (formation of a high number of adsorbed layers) which is established based on the ideal gas law (there are no lateral interactions influences on the adsorption mechanism). The chosen model gave significant interpretation of the adsorption of water on the Ajwa dates based on the physicochemical model’s parameters (the density of binding sites (D_m), the number of water molecules per site (n) and the energetic parameters (a₁) and (a₂)). The physicochemical interpretation of the appropriate model indicated that the adsorption of water on the Ajwa dates occurred via a multi-anchorage process since the n values are lower than 1 for the three tested temperatures. The Ajwa dates adsorption was found typical to an exothermic process by the intermediate of the steric parameter D_m (D_m (303 K) = 0.58 kg/kg? D_m (323 K) = 0.33 kg/kg). Moreover, the energies values |?ε₁| and |?ε₂|, which varied from 27.8 KJ/mol to 51.2 KJ/mol, confirmed that the ‘Ajwa’ dates adsorption was a chemical process presenting covalent bonds between the water molecules and the dates’ sites.     

毛细管电泳-激光诱导荧光分离检测红枣中四种色素成份

建立了毛细管电泳-激光诱导荧光法同时测定红枣中的罗丹明6G、藏红T、孟加拉玫瑰红和荧光桃红B四种工业染料的方法。对电泳介质的种类、浓度、p H值及分离电压和进样量等因素进行了优化。在0.01 mol·L-1硼砂-30%乙腈(p H=9.5)条件下,可在8 min内实现罗丹明6G、藏红T、孟加拉玫瑰红和荧光桃红B的分离检测。线性范围分别为7.2~407.2、70.2~350.8、101.8~1017.6和41.5~705.2 ng·m L-1,检出限分别为3.7、38.2、64.4和20.9 ng·m L-1,回收率分别为101.8%、98.3%、97.7%和103.0%。可用于红枣中四种工业染料的分离检测。     

Statistical physics modeling of water vapor adsorption isotherm into kernels of dates: Experiments,microscopic interpretation and thermodynamic functions evaluation

In this paper, water sorption isotherms into date kernels give interesting insights about the sorption mechanism. The equilibrium adsorption data expressing the change in moisture content of date kernels were collected at three different temperatures using the static gravimetric technique. The adsorption isotherm profiles demonstrated that this process was performed via an infinite number of layers. A modified form of the Brunauer, Emett and Teller (BET) model is obtained based on the use of the real gas law and statistical physics treatment so the interaction between molecules is considered. This advanced model is used to fit experimental isotherms by numerical simulation. The sorption mechanism is theoretically explained by the parameters that could be related to the water adsorption process. Based on fitting results, we find that the number of molecules per site (parameter n) has a linear tendency with temperature thanks to the thermal agitation effect. A deeper analysis of adsorption energy demonstrates that the water vapors are physisorbed in the date kernels. Through the exploitation of our model, three classic thermodynamic functions are investigated to interpret the macroscopic aspect of the adsorption mechanism.     

Dose distribution of gamma radiation in a new geometric configuration of a standard carton date package and its experimental application for disinfestation of packed dates

A new geometrical configuration composed of three standard carton boxes (SCBs) full with polyethylene bags (PBs), where each bag contains 1 kg of date, was placed on a single turntable of Gammabeam-650 and irradiated with low doses. The mean “radiation absorbed dose” for disinfestation of this geometrical unit at 15 equally distributed positions (Fricke dosimeters) inside 3 SCBs put on a single turntable was calculated to be 0.46 ± 0.20 kGy and dose uniformity ratio (U) = 1.0019/0.2500 = 4.00. The development and genetic tests carried out on insects found in the PBs 1–2 days after irradiation resulted in that all insects were completely sterile and died within a short period of time. No sign of any reinfestation was recorded at all in the treated packages even after 30 days of storage in an insectory. Apparently the prevention of insects from invading and/or penetrating the date packages is due mainly to the new combination of standard carton boxes that are widely used for commercial purposes and hermetically heat-sealed polyethylene bags of dates in addition to the entire prevention of reproduction induced by the “low” doses of γ radiation. Therefore, by using similar geometrical configuration, 18 big standard carton date packages can be simultaneously disinfected, using the same range of doses or so, by utilizing all the 6 turntables inside the radiation chamber of the Gammabeam-650 irradiation facility.     

Monitoring pesticide residues in dates marketed in Al‐Qassim,Saudi Arabia using a QuEChERS methodology and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

A sensitive, simple and rapid QuEChERS extraction method and liquid chromatography equipped with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) were used to determine 42 pesticides in dates. Acidified acetonitrile and citrate buffer salts were used to extract re‐hydrated samples. Acceptable validation performances were achieved, i.e. recovery range of 70−120% and RSD values ≤20% for 42 analytes at three different concentrations:100, 50 and 10 μg/kg. This method was used to analyse 200 date fruit samples (var. Sukkari) collected from different large markets in the Al‐Qassim region in Saudi Arabia. Pesticide residues were detected in 36 (18%) of the date fruits samples, and 15 samples (7.5%) exceeded the maximum residue levels. The ruggedness test results showed that this method is robust and suitable for the determination of pesticide residues in dates. Additionally, the results showed that the monitored dates did not have a health impact on consumers in Saudi Arabia during the study period.