Fabrication and characterization of cellulose nanoparticles from maize stalk pith via ultrasonic-mediated cationic etherification

In this study, parenchyma cellulose, which was extracted from maize stalk pith as an abundant source of agricultural residues, was applied for preparing cellulose nanoparticles (CNPs) via an ultrasound-assisted etherification and a subsequent sonication process. The ultrasonic-assisted treatment greatly improved the modification of the pith cellulose with glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride, leading to a partial increase in the dissolubility of the as-obtained product and thus disintegration of sheet-like cellulose into nanoparticles. While the formation of CNPs by ultrasonication was largely dependent on the cellulose consistency in the cationic-modified system. Under the condition of 25% cellulose consistency, the longer sono-treated duration yielded a more stable and dispersible suspension of CNP due to its higher zeta potential. Degree of substitution and FT-IR analyses indicated that quaternary ammonium salts were grafted onto hydroxyl groups of cellulose chain. SEM and TEM images exhibited the CNP to have spherical morphology with an average dimeter from 15 to 55 nm. XRD investigation revealed that CNPs consisted mainly of a crystalline cellulose Ι structure, and they had a lower crystallinity than the starting cellulose. Moreover, thermogravimetric results illustrated the thermal resistance of the CNPs was lower than the pith cellulose. The optimal CNP with highly cationic charges, good stability and acceptable thermostability might be considered as one of the alternatively renewable reinforcement additives for nanocomposite production.     

三十烷醇在GA_3影响水稻幼苗生长和生理性状中的增效作用

微量三十烷醇（ＴＲＩＡ）与ＧＡ３配合使用，比ＧＡ３单独使用能明显地促进幼苗生长和增加幼苗干物质积累．同时还增强了ＧＡ３对幼叶中叶绿素含量、可溶性蛋白质含量、呼吸速率、细胞膜透性和过氧化物酶活性的影响．ＧＡ３＋ＴＲＩＡ与ＧＡ３处理相比，促进幼叶内源ＧＡ３水平提高，稳定保持内源ＺＴ于一定水平，ＴＲＩＡ在ＧＡ３低浓度时降低ＩＡＡ水平，在高浓度时则提高ＩＡＡ水平．作者认为ＴＲＩＡ可作为ＧＡ３处理时的增效剂．     

Detection of processed genetically modified food using CIM monolithic columns for DNA isolation

The availability of sufficient quantities of DNA of adequate quality is crucial in polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods for genetically modified food detection. In this work, the suitability of anion-exchange CIM (Convective Interaction Media; BIA Separations, Ljubljana, Slovenia) monolithic columns for isolation of DNA from food was studied. Maize and its derivates corn meal and thermally pretreated corn meal were chosen as model food. Two commercially available CIM disk columns were tested: DEAE (diethylaminoethyl) and QA (quaternary amine). Preliminary separations were performed with standard solution of salmon DNA at different pH values and different NaCl concentrations in mobile phase. DEAE groups and pH 8 were chosen for further isolations of DNA from a complex matrix-food extract. The quality and quantity of isolated DNA were tested on agarose gel electrophoresis, with UV-scanning spectrophotometry, and by amplification with real-time PCR. DNA isolated in this way was of suitable quality for further PCR analyses. The described method is also applicable for DNA isolation from processed foods with decreased DNA content. Furthermore, it is more effective and less time-consuming in comparison with the existing proposed methods for isolation of DNA from plant-derived foods.     

14C-寡糖在西瓜幼苗植株体内吸收传导和分布

应用同位素示踪技术研究了14C-寡糖在西瓜幼苗植株体内的吸收、传导和分布行为.自显影结果显示,寡糖通过处理叶部或根部后能够被西瓜幼苗植株快速吸收,在叶片中的传导表现为从叶缘向叶片中心分布的趋势.将叶部处理8h和根部处理24h后,14C-寡糖即可以传导和分布到西瓜幼苗的整个植株体内,证明14C-寡糖在西瓜幼苗植株体内具有较强的扩散和向基或向顶传导特征.结果表明,处理叶部4～120h时,根系、茎与未被直接处理的叶片等其它部位的放射性比活度分别由0.18×105和23.08×105Bq/kg变化为0.32×105和3.02×105Bq/kg,总体上表现出向基传导和分布的态势.处理根部4～120h时,西瓜幼苗植株根系、茎部、子叶和真叶中放射性比活度分别由22.23×105,2.23×105,8.33×105和12.78×105Bq/kg变化为431.11×105,42.23×105,65.57×105和78.89×105Bq/kg,表现出14C-寡糖在西瓜幼苗植株体内向顶传导作用和在地上部的积累态势很强.     

A comparison of the mechanism for the reductive half-reaction between pea seedling and other copper amine oxidases (CAOs)

In a previous DFT study a mechanism for the reductive half-reaction of pea seedling amine oxidase (PSAO) was suggested. In many of the suggested steps a lysine at the active site plays an important role. However, this lysine is not found in other amine oxidases. The primary aim of the present DFT study is therefore to investigate alternative mechanisms for those amine oxidases (CAO) where the lysine residue is not present. One of the most important roles suggested for the lysine in PSAO was to protonate the O2-site of TPQ before the critical Cbond;H bond cleavage of the substrate. In the absence of lysine the O2-site of TPQ is now suggested to be protonated by a water ligand on the copper metal complex, in line with experimental suggestions. In other steps the role of lysine is taken over by an asparagine. All results are compared with experimental observations and good agreement is generally found.     

Determination of ochratoxin A in maize bread samples by LC with fluorescence detection

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a secondary fungal metabolite produced by several moulds, mainly by Aspergillus ochraceus, A. carbonarius, A. niger and by Penicillium verrucosum. The present work shows the results of comparative studies using different procedures for the analysis of OTA in maize bread samples. The studied analytical methods involved extraction with different volumes of PBS/methanol, different extraction apparatus, and clean-up through immunoaffinity columns. The separation and identification were carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The optimized method for analysis of OTA in maize bread involved extraction with PBS:methanol (50:50), and clean-up with IAC column. The limit of quantification was 0.033 ng g⁻¹. Recoveries ranged from 87% to 102% for fortifications at 2.000 and 0.500 ng g⁻¹, respectively, within-day R.S.D. of 1.4% and 4.7%. The proposed method was applied to 15 samples and the presence of OTA was found in nine samples at concentrations ranging from nd to 2.650 ng g⁻¹.     

The Effect of Bio-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles on Germination,Early Seedling Development,and Metabolome of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Changes in the metabolome of germinating seeds and seedlings caused by metal nanoparticles are poorly understood. In the present study, the effects of bio-synthesized silver nanoparticles ((Bio)Ag NPs) on grains germination, early seedlings development, and metabolic profiles of roots, coleoptile, and endosperm of wheat were analyzed. Grains germinated well in (Bio)Ag NPs suspensions at the concentration in the range 10–40 mg/L. However, the growth of coleoptile was inhibited by 25%, regardless of (Bio)Ag NPs concentration tested, whereas the growth of roots gradually slowed down along with the increasing concentration of (Bio)Ag NPs. The deleterious effect of Ag NPs on roots was manifested by their shortening, thickening, browning of roots tips, epidermal cell death, progression from apical meristem up to root hairs zone, and the inhibition of root hair development. (Bio)Ag NPs stimulated ROS production in roots and affected the metabolic profiles of all tissues. Roots accumulated sucrose, maltose, 1-kestose, phosphoric acid, and some amino acids (i.e., proline, aspartate/asparagine, hydroxyproline, and branched-chain amino acids). In coleoptile and endosperm, contrary to roots, the concentration of most metabolites decreased. Moreover, coleoptile accumulated galactose. Changes in the concentration of polar metabolites in seedlings revealed the affection of primary metabolism, disturbances in the mobilization of storage materials, and a translocation of sugars and amino acids from the endosperm to growing seedlings.     

超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法测定玉米中硝磺草酮及其代谢物残留量

建立了超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法测定玉米中硝磺草酮及其代谢物(MNBA)的残留分析方法。样品用乙腈-水溶液提取,取适量提取液用甲酸酸化至pH 2,过HLB固相萃取柱进行净化,用甲醇-乙醚(70∶30,V/V)洗脱,洗脱液用氮气吹至近干,用1 mmol/L醋酸铵-乙腈(25∶75,V/V)定容后进行质谱分析,利用基质校正曲线对其准确定量。硝磺草酮和MNBA在1～200μg/L浓度范围内呈线性关系,相关系数均大于0.99,在添加浓度5～50μg/kg范围内,硝磺草酮及其代谢物MNBA的平均回收率为83.8%～101.1%,相对标准偏差在5.3%～12.8%之间,硝磺草酮和代谢物MNBA定量限分别为1.0和2.0μg/kg。     

Determination of maize and grain herbicides and their transformation products in soil by use of soil column extraction then liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

Summary A multiresidue method has been developed for identification and quantitation of the herbicides most commonly used in cultivation of maize and grain, and of their transformation products, in soil samples. The analytes were isolated by soil column extraction (SCE) and the extracts were purified by use of a Carbograph-1 cartridge. Analysis was performed by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometric detection (LC-TISP-MS-MS) in negative-ion mode. To optimize the extraction conditions affecting the performance of SCE, e.g. the extracting solvent used, temperature, extracting volume, and solvent flow rate, were studied. To evaluate the matrix effect in SCE, recovery experiments were performed on soil samples, with different physical and chemical characteristics, fortified with the 100 ng g⁻¹ of the target compounds. Recovery data were satisfactory and the method detection limits were between 3 and 100 ng g⁻¹, depending on the compound.     

Dynamic covalent hydrazine chemistry as a selective extraction and cleanup technique for the quantification of the Fusarium mycotoxin zearalenone in edible oils

A novel, cost-efficient method for the analytical extraction of the Fusarium mycotoxin zearalenone (ZON) from edible oils by dynamic covalent hydrazine chemistry (DCHC) was developed and validated for its application with high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). ZON is extracted from the edible oil by hydrazone formation on a polymer resin functionalised with hydrazine groups and subsequently released by hydrolysis. Specifity and precision of this approach are superior to liquid partitioning or gel permeation chromatography (GPC). DCHC also extracts zearalanone (ZAN) but not α-/β-zearalenol or -zearalanol. The hydrodynamic properties of ZON, which were estimated using molecular simulation data, indicate that the compound is unaffected by nanofiltration through the resin pores and thus selectively extracted. The method's levels of detection and quantification are 10 and 30 μg/kg, using 0.2 g of sample. Linearity is given in the range of 10–20,000 μg/kg, the average recovery being 89%. Bias and relative standard deviations do not exceed 7%. In a sample survey of 44 commercial edible oils based on various agricultural commodities (maize, olives, nuts, seeds, etc.) ZON was detected in four maize oil samples, the average content in the positive samples being 99 μg/kg. The HPLC-FLD results were confirmed by HPLC–tandem mass spectrometry and compared to those obtained by a liquid partitioning based sample preparation procedure.