Partial molar volumes of methoxybenzenes in carbon tetrachloride

The partial molar volumesV° for a number of methoxybenzenes in carbon tetrachloride at 25°C have been determined. Results are in reasonable aggreement withV° values calculated by the addition of group increments to a covolume factor of 11.61 cm³-mol^?1, and subtraction of fixed amounts for structural features known to involve intramolecular overcrowding.     

Partial molar volumes of amino acid derivatives in water

The partial molar volumes at infinite dilution for a number of hydrochlorides and sodium salts of N-methyl derivatives of , -aminocarboxylic acids in water at 25°C are measured and related to their van der Waals volumes. Results indicate that 4.96±0.48 water molecules hydrate a betaine hydrochloride. Volumes of proton ionization and interaction terms are evaluated. Group contributions to the partial molar volumes are also reported.     

Extraction and analysis of phenolics in food

Phenolics are ubiquitous compounds found in all plants as their secondary metabolites. These include simple phenols, hydroxybenzoic acid and cinnamic acid derivatives, flavonoids, coumarines and tannins, among others. The extraction of phenolics from source materials is the first step involved in their analysis. While chemical methods are used for determination of total content of phenolics, chromatographic and spectrometric analyses are employed for identification and quantification of individual compounds present. This paper provides a summary of background information and methodologies used for the analysis of phenolics in foods and nutraceuticals.     

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of Ferula latisecta and Mozaffariania insignis from Iran

The hydrodistilled oils from the aerial parts of Ferula latisecta and Mozaffariania insignis, which is endemic to Iran, were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. (Z)-Ocimenone (32.4%), (E)-ocimenone (20.3%), and cis-pinocarvone (11.4%) were the main components among the 22 constituents characterized in the oil of F. latisecta, representing 87.7% of the total components detected. Twenty-five compounds were identified in the oil of M. insignis, representing 99.0% of the total oil, with octyl acetate (41.1%), β-pinene (30.3%), and α-pinene (23.9%) as the main constituents. The essential oils were examined for their potential antimicrobial activities. Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 561–563, November–December, 2006.     

Carbon nanotube-ionic liquid nanocomposite modified carbon-ceramic electrode for determination of dopamine in real samples

Room temperature 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetraflouroborate ([BMIM][BF₄]) ionic liquid was employed for dispersion of multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and the formation of nanocomposite on the surface of a carbon-ceramic electrode. The surface of the modified electrode was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The modified electrode exhibited excellent electrochemical activity to oxidation of dopamine (DA); whereas electro oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) was not seen and electro oxidation of uric acid (UA) appeared at a more positive potential than DA. The multi walled carbon nanotube-ionic liquid nanocomposite modified carbon-ceramic electrode was used for the selective determination of DA in the presence of high levels of AA and UA using differential pulse voltammetry. The calibration curve for DA was linear in the range of 3.00 to 130 µM with the detection limit (S/N=3) of 0.87 µM. The present electrode was successfully applied to the determination of DA in some commercial pharmaceutical samples and human blood serum.      

Chickpeas from a Chilean Region Affected by a Climate-Related Catastrophe: Effects of Water Stress on Grain Yield and Flavonoid Composition

The Valparaiso region in Chile was decreed a zone affected by catastrophe in 2019 as a consequence of one of the driest seasons of the last 50 years. In this study, three varieties (‘Alfa-INIA’, ‘California-INIA’, and one landrace, ‘Local Navidad’) of kabuli-type chickpea seeds produced in 2018 (control) and 2019 (climate-related catastrophe, hereafter named water stress) were evaluated for their grain yield. Furthermore, the flavonoid profile of both free and esterified phenolic extracts was determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the concentration of the main flavonoid, biochanin A, was determined using liquid chromatography with diode array detection. The grain yield was decreased by up to 25 times in 2019. The concentration of biochanin A was up to 3.2 times higher in samples from the second season (water stress). This study demonstrates that water stress induces biosynthesis of biochanin A. However, positive changes in the biochanin A concentration are overshadowed by negative changes in the grain yield. Therefore, water stress, which may be worsened by climate change in the upcoming years, may jeopardize both the production of chickpeas and the supply of biochanin A, a bioactive compound that can be used to produce dietary supplements and/or nutraceuticals.     

Vitamin C and Phenolic Antioxidants of Jua (Ziziphus joazeiro M.) Pulp: A Rich Underexplored Brazilian Source of Ellagic Acid Recovered by Aqueous Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction

Jua (juá in Portuguese) is an underexplored fruit from Brazil’s northeast. This fruit is rich in antioxidant substances. However, there is a dearth of information about jua’s bioactive potential. The present study evaluated two extraction methods (continuous agitation and ultrasound-assisted extraction—UAE) and employed three different solvents (water, ethanol, and acetone) to efficiently recover soluble phenolic compounds. Aqueous extracts obtained by UAE showed the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and antiradical activity. Besides being an eco-friendly procedure, extraction and/or solubility in an aqueous medium is also important for food application. Ellagic acids were the predominant phenolics (80%) found in aqueous jua pulp extract obtained by UAE, as determined by HPLC, while its TPC was 405.8 gallic acid equivalent per gram of fruit. This extract also exhibited a higher scavenging activity towards peroxyl radicals when compared to that of several other fruits from the literature, including grape, strawberry, cranberry, and walnuts, which are known references in terms of antioxidants. This is the first report that demonstrates jua pulp’s potential as an alternative source of ellagic acid and other phenolic acids and flavonoids. Therefore, the outcome of this study provides new information that can be useful for functional food and nutraceutical industries.     

Partial molar volumes of organic compounds in water. VI. α,ω-diaminoalkane hydrochlorides

Measurements of the partial molar volumes in water at 25°C of the mono-and dihydrochlorides of the ,-diaminoalkanes, up to a chain length of 10 carbon atoms, are reported. Volumes of ionization have been determined and the electrostriction of the solvent calculated. Effects of the substituents are felt up to the -carbon atom, but thereafter are only very weak or nonexistent.