The differentiation and identification of pathogenic bacteria using FT-IR and multivariate statistical analysis

Correspondence analysis was used to classify the pattern-like FT-IR spectra of intact bacteria. The analysis was performed on a data set of approximately 80 normalized spectral derivatives of a selection of pathogenic bacteria. The correspondence analysis proved that the various different bacterial species were clustering in distinct regions of the correspondence maps suggesting that there do exist correlations between spectral data and biochemical/microbiological classification.     

Synthesis and antitumor evaluation of novel derivatives of 6-amino-2-phenylbenzothiazoles

Novel derivatives of 6-amino-2-phenylbenzothiazole bearing different substituents (amino, dimethylamino or fluoro) on the phenyl ring were prepared as the corresponding hydrochloride salts. 6-Nitro-2-(substituted-phenyl)benzothiazoles (1-6) were synthesized by condensation reactions of substituted benzaldehydes with 2-amino-5-nitrothiophenol. Nitro derivatives were reduced to the amino derivatives with SnCl(2)/HCl.Water soluble hydrochloride salts of 6-amino-2-(substituted-phenyl)benzothiazole (13-19)were prepared using concentrated or gaseous HCl. Compounds 13-19 were found to exert cytostatic activities against malignant human cell lines: cervical (HeLa), breast (MCF-7),colon (CaCo-2), laryngeal carcinoma (Hep-2), and normal human fibroblast cell lines (WI-38).     

Dispersive micro-solid phase extraction of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from water by using thermally treated clinoptilolite,and their quantification by GC-MS

The authors report on a novel sorbent (thermally treated natural zeolite; clinoptilolite) for use in dispersive micro-solid phase extraction (D-μ-SPE) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from water samples. The method was applied to the D-μ-SPE of 16 priority PAHs which then were quantified by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS). The method was validated in terms of specificity and selectivity, linearity and linear range, accuracy, precision, uncertainty, limits of detection and quantification. Figures of merit include (a) linear analytical ranges between 2.08 and 208 ppb, and (b) detection limits in the range from 0.01 to 0.92 ppb. The method was successfully applied to the determination of PAHs in river waters.

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Graphical abstract Schematic representation of dispersive micro-solid phase extraction (D-μ-SPE) of trace levels of PAHs in water samples by using thermally treated clinoptilolite as sorbent prior to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS).

     

HPTLC–densitometric and HPTLC–MS methods for analysis of flavonoids

HPTLC silica gel plates without and with fluorescence indicator F₂₅₄ in combination with n-hexane–ethyl acetate–formic acid (20:19:1, v/v/v) as a developing solvent were explored for the HPTLC–densitometric and HPTLC–MS/(MSⁿ) analyses of flavonoids. Pre-development of the plates with chloroform–methanol (1:1, v/v) was needed for reliable HPTLC–densitometric analyses of flavonoid aglycones in the whole R_F range, while 2-step pre-development (1^st methanol–formic acid (10:1, v/v), 2^nd methanol), that decreased background signals of formic acid adducts, was required for HPTLC–MS analyses. Optimization with conditioning of the adsorbent layer with water before development and saturation of the twin trough chamber resulted in required decrease of the R_F values of studied flavonoids (flavone, apigenin, luteolin, chrysin, quercetin dihydrate, myricetin, kaempferide, kaempferol, naringenin, pinocembrin).

Detection was performed based on fluorescence quenching (on the plates with F₂₅₄), natural fluorescence and after post-chromatographic derivatization with natural product reagent without or with further enhancement and stabilization of fluorescent zones with polyethylene glycol (PEG 400 or PEG 4000) or paraffin–n-hexane reagents. For all three reagents, drying temperature and time passed after drying influenced the intensity, which was increasing the first 20?min, and the stability (less than 2?h for PEGs and at least 24?h for paraffin–n-hexane) of the standards’ zones.

Optimal wavelengths for densitometric evaluation were selected based on in-situ absorption spectra scanned before and after derivatization and after stabilization. The developed method was tested via analyses of propolis, roasted coffee, rose hip, hibiscus, rosemary and sage crude extracts. To further increase the reliability of the obtained densitometric results HPTLC–MS/(MSⁿ) analyses of all crude extracts were performed. Several phenolic and non-phenolic compounds were tentatively identified.

Some possible interferences with phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, protocatechuic acid, gallic acid, syringic acid, ellagic acid, trans-cinnamic acid, o-coumaric acid, m-coumaric acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, sinapic acid) that are often present in the extracts together with flavonoids were also examined.     

A contribution to pharmaceutical biology of freshwater sponges

In vitro anti-tumour and anti-radical activities of the acetone extract of the freshwater sponge Ochridaspongia rotunda were the subject of this study. The extract was found to be highly cytotoxic to human lung tumour cell line A-549 reaching IC₅₀ value of 5.01 ± 0.21 μg/mL. Indeed, it displayed only 2-fold less anti-tumour activity than doxorubicin (IC₅₀ value 2.42 ± 0.13 μg/mL) used as a positive control. The same extract was also found to be almost 37-fold more selective against A-549 vs. MRC-5 (normal) lung cells, in difference to weak selectivity of doxorubicin (less than 3-fold). Its profound anti-DPPH radical activity comparable to that of quercetin (IC₅₀ values 3.68 ± 0.19 and 3.14 ± 0.09 μg/mL, respectively) coupled with no signs of genotoxicity in the comet assay (MRC-5 cell line, vs. doxorubicin) has actually implicated the importance of this animal bioresource in searching for pharmaceutically useful bioactive compounds of natural origin.     

Phytochemical analysis of Saponaria officinalis L. shoots and flowers essential oils

Phytochemical analysis by GC and GC/MS of the essential oil samples obtained from fresh shoots and flowers of Saponaria officinalis L. allowed the identification of 96 components in total, comprising 94.7% and 86.0% of the total oils compositions, respectively. Regarding the shoots essential oil, the major of 87 identified volatile compounds were phytol (14.1%), tricosane-6,8-dione (13.4%), patchouli alcohol (7.9%) and tricosane (7.2%), whereas patchouli alcohol (20.0%), heneicosane (11.5%) and tricosane (8.4%) were dominant among the 66 volatiles in the flower oil. Nonterpenoid compounds had the highest contribution in S. officinalis shoots essential oil (53.7%), while in the flower oil, constituents were almost evenly distributed between the oxygenated sesquiterpenoid (41.2%) and nonterpenoid compounds (39.5%).     

Assessing bias in total mercury results after removing a subsample from the bottle

U.S. EPA Method 1631 for total mercury (THg) analysis in water recommends that bromine monochloride (BrCl) be added to the original bottle in which the sample was collected, to draw into solution any Hg that may have adsorbed to the bottle walls. The method also allows for the removal of a subsample of water from the sample bottle for methylmercury (MeHg) analysis prior to adding BrCl. We have demonstrated that the removal of a subsample from the sample bottle prior to THg analysis can result in a positive concentration bias. The proposed mechanism for the bias is that ‘excess’ inorganic Hg, derived from the subsample that was removed from the bottle, adsorbs to the bottle walls and is then drawn into solution when BrCl is added. To test for this bias, we conducted an interlaboratory comparison study in which nine laboratories analysed water samples in fluorinated polyethylene (FLPE) bottles for THg after removing a subsample from the sample bottle, and analysed a replicate sample bottle from which no subsample was removed. We received seven complete data sets, or 63 unique sample pairs. The positive concentration bias between the bottles was significant when comparing all samples in aggregate (1.76 ± 0.53 ng/L after subsample removal, 1.57 ± 0.58 ng/L with no subsample removal, P < 0.05), however when comparing each of the three samples individually, the only significant bias was in the saline sample (Site UJ; 1.51 ± 0.31 ng/L after subsample removal, 1.32 ± 0.47 ng/L with no subsample removal, P < 0.05). Based on the findings presented here, we conclude that water chemistry, volume of water poured off, and the sample storage temperature explain some but not all of the observed bias, and we recommend collecting THg and MeHg samples in separate bottles whenever possible.