Chemical Modification of Soy Protein for Wood Adhesives

Mussel protein is a strong and water‐resistant adhesive, but is expensive and not readily available. Soy protein is inexpensive, abundant, and annually renewable, but suffers from low adhesive strengths and low water resistance of the bonded products. This study reveals that introducing a key functional group from the marine adhesive protein to soy protein converts the soy protein to a strong and water‐resistant wood adhesive.     

Determination of Butyltin Compounds in Mussel Samples: A Comparative Study of Analytical Procedures

Three different sample pretreatment methods (methanolic HCl with or without tropolone and enzymic extraction) and two final determination procedures (GC–MS and GC–QFAAS) have been applied independently to the determination of butyltin compounds in two mussel samples polluted at different levels. The results obtained validate the sample storage and transport conditions as well as the analytical procedures.     

The Chemistry behind Catechol‐Based Adhesion

The adhesion of some marine organisms to almost any kind of surface in wet conditions has aroused increasing interest in recent decades. Numerous fundamental studies have been performed to understand the scientific basis of this behaviour, with catechols having been found to play a key role. Several novel bio‐inspired adhesives and coatings with value‐added performances have been developed by taking advantage of the knowledge gained from these studies. To date there has been no detailed overview focusing exclusively on the complex mode of action of these materials. The aim of this Review is to present recent investigations that elucidate the origin of the strong and versatile adsorption capacities of the catechol moiety and the effects of extrinsic factors that play important roles in the overall adhesion process, such as pH value, solvent, and the presence of metal ions. The aim is to detail the chemistry behind the astonishing properties of natural and synthetic catechol‐based adhesive materials.     

Seasonal variations in the profile of main phospholipids in Mytilus galloprovincialis mussels: A study by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization Fourier transform mass spectrometry

A systematic characterization of phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines in mussels of sp Mytilus galloprovincialis was performed by high‐efficiency hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography combined with electrospray ionization and Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS), based on a quadrupole‐Orbitrap hybrid spectrometer. The FTMS/MS experiments under high collisional energy dissociation conditions, complemented by low‐energy collisionally induced dissociation MSⁿ (n  = 2,3) experiments, performed in a linear ion trap mass spectrometer, were exploited for structural elucidation purposes. The described approach led to an unprecedented characterization of the mussel phospholipidome, with 185 phosphatidylcholines and 131 phosphatidylethanolamines species recognized, distributed among diacylic, plasmanylic, and plasmenylic forms. This was the starting point for the evaluation of the effects of season (in particular, of sea temperature) on the profile of those phospholipids. To this aim, a set of mussel samples retrieved from commercial sources in different periods of the year was considered. Principal component analysis revealed a clear separation between samples collected in periods characterized by cold, intermediate, or warm sea temperatures, respectively. In particular, an enrichment in phospholipids containing unsaturated side chains was observed in mussels collected from cold seawaters (winter‐early spring), thus confirming the general model previously elaborated to explain the adaptation of marine invertebrates, including some bivalve molluscs, to low temperatures. On the other hand, relevant levels of plasma(e)nylic and acylic phospholipids bearing either saturated or non‐methylene‐interrupted side chains were found in mussels collected in warm seawaters (typical of summer and early autumn, at Italian latitudes). This finding opened interesting perspectives towards the development of strategies able to prevent global warming–related mussel losses in aquacultural plants.     

Modification of Soy Protein for Wood Adhesives using Mussel Protein as a Model: The Influence of a Mercapto Group

Summary: Mussel protein can serve as a strong and water‐resistant adhesive, but is expensive and not readily available. Soy protein is inexpensive, abundant, and readily available, but is a poor adhesive. Mussel protein contains a high amount of mercapto‐containing cysteine. This study revealed that increasing the free mercapto group content in soy protein could greatly increase the strength and water‐resistance of wood composites bonded with the modified soy protein.

Preparation of the modified SPIs.     

A new cytotoxic polychlorinated sulfolipid from contaminated Adriatic mussels

A detailed analysis of toxic shellfish collected in the Adriatic sea in October 2000 allowed us to isolate a new cytotoxic chlorosulfolipid (3). Its gross structure has been elucidated through an extensive NMR analysis including various 2D techniques; the relative stereochemistry has been solved by applying the Murata's method. Compound 3 showed to posses cytotoxic activity against WEHI 164 and J774 cells. The presence of chlorosulfolipids in toxic mussels from the northern Adriatic sea has not to be considered incidental as we have been detecting these cytotoxic compounds since 1998. Their simultaneous and constant presence together with typical marine biotoxins represents a further risk both to consumers' health and aquacultures economic proceeds.