Determination of uranium and impurities in Portuguese yellow-cakes

A method is described for separation of impurities in uranium yellow cakes from Urgeiriça (Portugal). The trace metals are separated and concentrated by solvent extraction from 6M nitric acid into 100% TBP. The raffinate is then analysed directly by flame spectrometry. Uranium is determined gravimetrically after stripping of the organic phase. The method is fast and economic, and the results are in good agreement with those obtained by specific methods for each element after prior separation of uranium by precipitation or solvent extraction with various solvents.     

Comparison between capillary electrophoresis and liquid chromatography for the determination of diclofenac sodium in a pharmaceutical tablet

Two novel analytical methodologies using capillary electrophoresis (CE) and liquid chromatography (LC) were developed and compared for the determination of diclofenac sodium in commercial and simulated tablet formulations. The CE analysis was performed in a bare fused-silica capillary with 75 microm id and total length of 50 cm (28 cm to the detector) with a buffer solution of 20 mM sodium tetraborate, pH 9.23. The applied voltage was 20 kV, and acetaminophen was used as the internal standard (IS). The LC analysis was performed with a LiChrospher 100 RP-18 (5 microm) column and a mobile phase of methanol-diluted glacial acetic acid (0.3 parts in 2500; 75 + 25) at a flow rate of 0.9 mL/min with propylparaben as the IS. In both analyses, detection was by ultraviolet absorption at 276 nm. Under optimized conditions, the CE migration times for the diclofenac sodium standard and acetaminophen (IS) were 2.07 and 1.59 min, respectively, and the LC retention times for the diclofenac sodium standard and propylparaben (IS) were 3.98 and 2.26 min, respectively. The resolution and efficiency for CE were 14.2 and 1.6 x 10(5) plates/m, respectively, and for LC, 5.0 and 8.6 x 10(3) plates/m, respectively. Calibration curves of peak area versus concentration gave correlation coefficients of 0.9992 for CE and 0.9994 for LC. The limits of detection and quantitation were 8.40 and 25.46 microg/mL, respectively, for CE and 4.60 and 13.93 microg/mL, respectively, for LC. Coefficients of variation were 1.68 and 0.37% for CE and LC, respectively. Average recoveries obtained with CE and LC were 103.12+/-0.90 and 99.59+/-0.21%, respectively. Although both methodologies were shown to be suitable for the determination of diclofenac sodium in tablets, performing in a similar manner with regard to several aspects (linearity, recovery, and specificity), CE provided faster analysis and better column efficiency, whereas LC provided superior repeatability and sensitivity.     

Concentration of Whey Proteins by Using Temperature-Sensitive Polymer Gel Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)

Summary: In this work, the use of a temperature-sensitive polymer gel, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), for the concentration of whey proteins was studied. The studied variables were: gel mass/solution volume ratio and concentration temperature. The concentration percentage and the selectivity were determined. The gel 20 × 5 (20% w/w total monomer/solution and 5% w/w crosslinking agent/total monomer), contacted with whey proteins solutions, at 5 °C and at 20 °C, was capable of concentrating the solution, in protein, from 10 to 33%, depending on the gel mass/solution volume ratio. The separation efficiencies, for the different studied systems, varied from around 40 to 80%. The results were discussed in the context of gels thermodynamics and through correlations between synthesis parameters and structure of the obtained gels. The obtained results for the concentration of whey proteins solutions, by using temperature-sensitive polymer gel, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), showed that the Gel Process can indeed be used as an advantageous alternative for such separation, either from an economic or from an environmental view point.     

NMR studies of inclusion complexation of the pyrrolizidine alkaloid retronecine and p-sulfonic acid calix[6]arene

Accidental or intentional drug toxicity in humans and animals is a major concern and the search for detoxificant agents is a challenge. Pyrrolizidine-producing forages are a threat not only to livestock, but also to humans as a consequence of food contamination. Supramolecular systems are promising as detoxificant agents by decreasing the bioavailability of toxic compounds in biological environment. Cyclodextrin and calix[n]arenes are well known hosts for a variety of molecules and/or ions. Surprisingly, only few studies describe the potential of calix[n]arenes as host for toxic molecules. This study focused on the use of NMR techniques as tools for the investigation of the interactions between p-sulfonic acid calix[6]arene and retronecine, a toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid.     

Estimation of Reactivity Ratios in the Copolymerization of Styrene and VeoVa‐10

The styrene and vinyl neodecanoate copolymerization system shows a strong tendency to form two separate homopolymers. In order to improve the feeding strategies and hence the copolymer uniformity, it is necessary to know the reactivity ratios between these monomers. The error‐in‐variables‐method (EVM) is the most recommended mathematical procedure for estimating these parameters. Experiments on free‐radical copolymerization in solution in sealed ampoules are carried out to provide data for the conversion (via gravimetry) and fractional monomer compositions (via Fourier transform mid‐infrared (mid‐FT‐IR) spectroscopy). These data allow estimation of the reactivity ratios. EVM appropriately takes into account the experimental errors in the data and allows determination of the reactivity ratio values by the Mayo–Lewis model (r₁ = 28.60 and r₂ = 1.23). The convergence and robustness of the method decrease considerably with a larger discrepancy between the reactivity values.     

Increased Antioxidant Activity and Changes in Phenolic Profile of Kalanchoe pinnata (Lamarck) Persoon (Crassulaceae) Specimens Grown Under Supplemental Blue Light

Antioxidant compounds protect plants against oxidative stress caused by environmental conditions. Different light qualities, such as UV‐A radiation and blue light, have shown positive effects on the production of phenols in plants. Kalanchoe pinnata (Lamarck) Persoon (Crassulaceae) is used for treating wounds and inflammations. Some of these beneficial effects are attributed to the antioxidant activity of plant components. We investigated the effects of blue light and UV‐A radiation supplementation on the total phenol content, antioxidant activity and chromatographic profile of aqueous extracts from leaves of K. pinnata. Monoclonal plants were grown under white light, white plus blue light and white plus UV‐A radiation. Supplemental blue light improved the antioxidant activity and changed the phenolic profile of the extracts. Analysis by HPLC of supplemental blue‐light plant extracts revealed a higher proportion of the major flavonoid quercetin 3‐O‐α‐l ‐arabinopyranosyl (1→2) α‐l ‐rhamnopyranoside, as well as the presence of a wide variety of other phenolic substances. These findings may explain the higher antioxidant activity observed for this extract. Blue light is proposed as a supplemental light source in the cultivation of K. pinnata, to improve its antioxidant activity.     

Mucuna pruriens Administration Minimizes Neuroinflammation and Shows Anxiolytic,Antidepressant and Slimming Effects in Obese Rats

This study evaluated the effect of Mucuna pruriens (MP) administration on neuroinflammation and behavioral and murinometric parameters in obese rats. Proximate composition, oligosaccharide and phenolic compound profile of MP were determined. Wistar adult male rats were randomized into healthy (HG) and obese group (OG). The HG consumed a control chow diet while OG consumed a cafeteria diet for eight weeks. Then, they were subdivided into: Healthy (HG); Healthy with MP administration (HGMP); Obese (OG); Obese with MP administration (OGMP), with the consumption of the respective diets remaining for another eight weeks, in addition to gavage with MP extract to supplemented groups (750 mg/kg weight). MP presented a composition rich in proteins and phenolic compounds, especially catechin, in addition to 1-kestose and levodopa. Supplementation reduced food intake, body weight, and thoracic and abdominal circumferences in obese rats. MP showed anxiolytic and antidepressant effects and reduced morphological damage and expression of interleukin 6 in the hippocampus of obese rats. MP treatment showed satietogenic, slimming, anxiolytic and antidepressant effects, besides to minimizing hippocampal neuroinflammation in obese rats. Our results demonstrated the potential anti-obesity of MP which are probably related to the high content of bioactive compounds present in this plant extract.     

Recent Strategies and Applications for l-Asparaginase Confinement

l-asparaginase (ASNase, EC 3.5.1.1) is an aminohydrolase enzyme with important uses in the therapeutic/pharmaceutical and food industries. Its main applications are as an anticancer drug, mostly for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) treatment, and in acrylamide reduction when starch-rich foods are cooked at temperatures above 100 °C. Its use as a biosensor for asparagine in both industries has also been reported. However, there are certain challenges associated with ASNase applications. Depending on the ASNase source, the major challenges of its pharmaceutical application are the hypersensitivity reactions that it causes in ALL patients and its short half-life and fast plasma clearance in the blood system by native proteases. In addition, ASNase is generally unstable and it is a thermolabile enzyme, which also hinders its application in the food sector. These drawbacks have been overcome by the ASNase confinement in different (nano)materials through distinct techniques, such as physical adsorption, covalent attachment and entrapment. Overall, this review describes the most recent strategies reported for ASNase confinement in numerous (nano)materials, highlighting its improved properties, especially specificity, half-life enhancement and thermal and operational stability improvement, allowing its reuse, increased proteolysis resistance and immunogenicity elimination. The most recent applications of confined ASNase in nanomaterials are reviewed for the first time, simultaneously providing prospects in the described fields of application.