Identification of irradiated foods by monitoring radiolytically produced hydrocarbons

Many countries allow the treatment of foods with low doses of ionizing radiation to reduce microbial and insect infestations, inhibit maturation, and extend shelf life. Therefore, a reliable method is needed to identify irradiated foods and to determine their compliance with respect to allowable absorbed radiation dose. Several approaches for the identification of irradiated foods have been developed such as measurement of radiolytic products, chemiluminescence, and thermoluminescence, and the use of electron spin resonance spectroscopy to measure free radicals trapped in bone. A method for the determination of radiolytically produced hydrocarbons was developed in our laboratory to evaluate the utility of monitoring these compounds as indicators of food irradiation. The method involves the extraction of the radiolytic hydrocarbons from foods and their quantitation by gas chromatography. Concentrations of the radiolytically produced hydrocarbons increased linearly with radiation doses ranging from 0 to 6 kGy. The limit of detection appears to be approximately 1 kGy. The method was found to be useful for the identification of gamma-irradiated foods such as shrimp, frog legs, pork, beef, and poultry. Results of the method evaluation studies of these food matrices as well as factors affecting hydrocarbon production and determination will be presented.     

Chaotic Expansion of Elements of the Universal Enveloping Algebra of a Lie Algebra Associated with a Quantum Stochastic Calculus

The functional Ito formula, in the form df() = f( + d ) –f(),is formulated and proved in the context of a Lie algebra L associatedwith a quantum (non-commutative) stochastic calculus. Here fis an element of the universal enveloping algebra U of L, andf() + d() – f() is given a meaning using the coproductstructure of U even though the individual terms of this expressionhave no meaning. The Ito formula is equivalent to a chaoticexpansion formula for f() which is found explicitly. 1991 MathematicsSubject Classification: primary 81S25; secondary 60H05; tertiary18B25.     

AN EPR STUDY OF π-CATION RADICALS IN DINUCLEOSIDE PHOSPHATES AND DNA PRODUCED BY PHOTOIONIZATION

In this work we have produced the π-cation radicals of a number of nucleotides, dinucleoside phosphates, and DNA in aqueous glasses (8M NaCIO₄) by photoionization and investigated these species by EPR spectroscopy. Results found for nucleotides and dinucleoside phosphates containing one type of DNA base, e.g. TpT, GpG, or dApdA, were used in the analysis of spectra found for mixed dinucleoside phosphates, e.g. TpdG. For TpdG and TpdA in neutral glasses photoionization takes place from the purine base and no transfer of charge to the pyrimidine base is found. In basic conditions both the adenine and thymine π-cations are observed in TpdA. In both neutral and basic conditions the results found for mixed dinucleoside phosphates containing guanine show that the guanine cation is formed preferentially by photolysis. This result was found to extend to DNA. Photolysis of DNA in 8M NaC1O₄ produced principally the guanine cation. Computer simulations using parameters determined by other workers from a study of γ-irradiated oriented DNA closely match the spectrum found in this work attributed to the guanine cation in dinucleoside phosphates and DNA. This work thus confirms the presence of the guanine cation in γ-irradiated DNA.     

Single-laboratory validation of a method for the determination of furan in foods by using headspace gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry, part 2--low-moisture snack foods

In 2004, a quantitative headspace (HS) gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric method was developed and used to determine furan in approximately 300 foods. This method was modified and validated for the determination of furan in low-moisture snack foods. The modifications include a smaller test portion size and lower HS oven temperature. The limits of detection ranged from 0.4 ng/g in graham crackers to 4.4 ng/g in pretzels. Recoveries from samples fortified at 0.5, 1,2, and 3 times the levels of incurred furan found in the samples ranged from 96 to 102%, and HorRat values showed that the recovery data met the criteria for repeatability. The modified method was shown to be reliable for the determination of furan in foods when test portions were equilibrated for 30 min in a 60 degrees C HS oven. The modified method was used to conduct a survey of furan in 22 low-moisture snack foods. All of the samples were found to contain furan ranging from 3.7 ng/g in graham crackers to 60 ng/g in corn chips. Results from the survey were consistent with results obtained for similar snack foods analyzed by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration field laboratory.     

An infrared and Raman spectroscopic study of some metal pyridine tetracyanonickelate complexes

The results of an infrared and Raman spectroscopic study are presented for seven new metal pyridine tetracyanonickelate complexes, M(py)₂Ni(CN)₄, M = Mn, Co, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn and Cd. It is shown that the spectra are consistent with a proposed crystal structure for these complexes derived from X-ray diffraction measurements. The spectra can be clearly distinguished from those of analogous Hofmann-type clathrates with which the nickel complex had been previously confused. The copper complex has spectral features different from the other six compounds and an explanation is proposed in terms of a distortion of the general crystal structure due to the Jahn-Teller effect. Analysis of the single, sharp bands of coordinated pyridine offers a method of resolving some difficulties in earlier assignments of the normal modes of the free base. Several modes of coordinated pyridine have upward shifts in frequency compared to those in the free molecule and the shifts are metal dependent. An explanation, supported by a simple normal coordinate analysis on a model, is provided in terms of coupling with low frequency vibrations, particularly the M-N stretching frequency. Other vibrations of the Ni(CN)₄ group, which coordinates to the metals M to form a two-dimensional coordination polymer, are also metal dependent. It is similarly suggested that coupling with low frequency modes is the principal cause of the upward shifts in frequency.