An approach for prioritizing “down-the-drain” chemicals used in the household

This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Many chemicals are present in cleaning and personal care products, which after use are washed down the drain and find their way into water bodies, where they may impact the environment. This study surveyed individuals to determine what products were used most in the home, in an attempt to prioritize which compounds may be of most concern. The survey resulted in the identification of 14 categories of products consisting of 315 specific brands. The survey estimated that individuals each discharge almost 33 L of products per year down the drain. Dishwashing liquids and hand wash gels, which accounted for 40% of this volume, were selected for identification of specific ingredients. Ingredients were classified as surfactants, preservatives, fragrances or miscellaneous, with hand wash gels having a wider range of ingredients than dishwashing liquids. A review of the literature suggested that preservatives, which are designed to be toxic, and fragrances, where data on toxicity are limited, should be prioritized. The approach undertaken has successfully estimated use and provisionally identified some classes of chemicals which may be of most concern when used in cleaning and personal care products

Microencapsulation Yield Assessment Using TGA

In this study, microcapsules containing different contents of different kinds of fragrances and with a regular spherical shape, 2,0–8,0 µm diameter, were synthesized in various core:shell ratios. Mint and cuir fragrances were successfully encapsulated in poly(urea-formaldehyde) (PUF) shell via in-situ polymerization. This was confirmed by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies. By observation from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), it was found a relation between thermal gravimetric curves and the amount of fragrance encapsulated, which was later contrasted by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. In this way, comparatively, the yield percentage values can be quantitatively defined with a sufficient degree of accuracy by TGA methodPostprint (author's final draft

Mature consumers' relationship with their perfume

Glamorous and stylish, perfume is an evocative product that provokes a stimulus of the senses. The use of perfume is recognised as a significant part of daily grooming for many women. It is suggested that the basis for consumer choice for this product should be based on olfactory preference, however the process related decision-making has been shown to be more complex. The mature consumer purchase decision making in this product category is often associated with long standing, established, luxury fragrance brands. In addition, at the frontline of the perfume sales process are fragrance consultants. With direct contact to the consumer, these ‘brand ambassadors’ possess invaluable information on consumer involvement with perfume products and brands. Hence, this paper investigates CBR (consumer brand relationship) and the subsequent perfume purchase behaviour of mature female consumers (age +44) from a dual (industry and consumer) perspective. Results indicate that important perceptual differences related to brand relationships with perfume exist between fragrance consultants and experts on one hand and consumers on the other. This research promotes a deeper understanding of current consumer approach and issues surrounding female mature purchasing behaviour for this unique category of product, and, complements the growing body of literature related to luxury brands.Glamuroso y elegante, el perfume es un producto evocador que provoca un estímulo de los sentidos. El uso de perfume es reconocido como una parte importante de la preparación diaria para muchas mujeres. Se sugiere que la base para la elección del consumidor para este producto debe basarse en la preferencia olfativa, sin embargo, la toma de decisiones relacionada con el proceso ha demostrado ser más compleja. La toma de decisiones de compra del consumidor maduro en esta categoría de productos se asocia a menudo con las marcas de fragancias de lujo establecidas hace tiempo. Además, en la primera línea del proceso de venta de perfumes se encuentran los consultores de fragancias. Con el contacto directo con el consumidor, estos "embajadores de la marca" poseen inestimable información sobre la participación de los consumidores en productos y marcas de perfumes. Por lo tanto, este trabajo investiga la relación CBR (consumer brand relationship) y el comportamiento subsiguiente de compra de perfumes de consumidores maduros (edad +44) desde una perspectiva dual (industrial y de consumo). Los resultados indican que existen importantes diferencias perceptuales relacionadas con las relaciones de marca con el perfume entre consultores de fragancia y expertos por un lado y consumidores por el otro. Esta investigación promueve una comprensión más profunda del enfoque actual del consumidor y las cuestiones relacionadas con el comportamiento de compra maduro femenino para esta categoría única de producto, y complementa el creciente cuerpo de literatura relacionada con las marcas de lujo

Quantitative Structure-Property Relationships for Predicting the Retention Indices of Fragrances on Stationary Phases of Different Polarity

El objetivo de este trabajo fue el desarrollo de relaciones cuantitativas estructura–propiedad predictivas para el modelado de índices de retención (I) de fragancias, medidas en tres fases estacionarias de diferente polaridad: DB–225MS, HP5–MS y HP–1. Se ha prestado particular atención al curado de los datos experimentales. Posteriormente, se usó el método de subconjuntos balanceados (BSM) para dividir cada base de datos en grupos de calibración, validación y predicción. Los modelos se construyeron a partir de 1819 descriptores moleculares independientes de la conformación, los cuales fueron analizados mediante el método de reemplazo (RM) para la selección de los mismos, con la finalidad de obtener los mejores modelos. Para la fase estacionaria DB–225MS se obtuvo un modelo basado en cuatro descriptores, mientras que para las columnas HP5–MS y HP–1 se propusieron modelos con tres descriptores. Los modelos fueron validados mediante validación cruzada de dejar–uno–fuera y dejar–varios–fuera, así como otros criterios de validación. Adicionalmente, con la finalidad de cumplir los principios propuestos por la Organization for Economic Co–operation and Development (OECD), la capacidad predictiva de los modelos se evaluó mediante la predicción de los índices de retención del grupo externo de predicción, el dominio de aplicabilidad fue apropiadamente definido y se realizó una interpretación de cada descriptor molecular involucrado.The purpose of this work was to develop predictive quantitative structure–property relationships for modeling the retention indices (I) of fragrances measured in three stationary phases of different polarities: DB–225MS, HP5–MS and HP–1. Attention was paid to the curation of the experimental data. Subsequently, the Balanced Subsets method (BSM) was used to split each dataset into training, validation and test sets. Models were established by using 1819 conformation–independent molecular descriptors which were analyzed by the replacement method (RM) variable subset selection in order to obtain the optimal models. A four–descriptor model was obtained for the DB–225MS stationary phase while a three–parametric model was proposed for both the HP5–MS and HP–1 columns. Models were validated by means of the leave–one–out and leave–many–out cross–validation procedures, as well as other validation criteria. Moreover, in order to accomplish the principles proposed by the Organization for Economic Co–operation and Development (OECD), the model’s predictive ability was measured by predicting retention indices of the external test set. The applicability domain was properly defined and the interpretation of each of the molecular descriptors used in this study was provided.Fil: Rojas Villa, Cristian Xavier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Duchowicz, Pablo Román. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Tripaldi, P.. Universidad de Azuay; EcuadorFil: Pis Diez, Reinaldo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Química Inorgánica "Dr. Pedro J. Aymonino". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Química Inorgánica "Dr. Pedro J. Aymonino"; Argentin

Changes in Mood States Are Induced by Smelling Familiar and Exotic Fragrances

Abstract Familiar fragrances usually induce positive mood states and elicit favorable evaluation. Relaxation is also widely thought to improve mood state. Yet experimental evidence on the effect of two different stimuli, fragrance smelling and breathing relaxation, on mood state and fragrance evaluation is lacking. This study aimed to test (1) the effect of two familiar fragrances, lavender and myrtle, and two exotic fragrances, bergamot and ravensara, on perceived mood states before and after relaxation, (2) the effect of relaxation on perceived mood states for each fragrance, and (3) the effect of relaxation on fragrance evaluation as defined by adjectives. We hypothesized that mood states and assessment of the fragrances would differently be affected both in familiar vs. non-familiar fragrances and also before and after relaxation. Participants (n = 127) completed questionnaires on their mood states at baseline (T0). They were then presented with each of the four fragrances separately and asked to report on mood state and to assess the fragrances with adjectives before (T1) and after (T2) breathing relaxation. Analyses of the T0−T1 delta values of mood states by ANOVA repeated measures and post hoc comparisons showed that mood states were affected by fragrance smelling with no clear differences observed between familiar and exotic fragrances. The same analyses of T1−T2 values showed no differences in mood state after breathing relaxation and fragrance smelling. Fragrance assessment by adjectives indicated a non-conclusive trend for familiar and exotic fragrances. In sum, mood states induced by the fragrance smelling stimulus (T0−T1) were not changed by the addition of the second stimulus of relaxation (T1−T2), indicating that the former stimulus was stronger than the latter. On the other hand, the cognitive component represented by adjective-based assessment of fragrances was slightly modified by the relaxation stimulus

Odour nuisance as a consequence of preparation for circular economy

Purpose: The main objective of this article is to assess the intensity of odour nuisance in urban areas, as resulting from the current solid waste disposal management policy. Design/Methodology/Approach: During the study severaal parameters were evaluated: in-situ odour concentration using the NasalRanger method (expressed in ouE/m3), hedonic odour sensory quality and description of odours using predefined descriptors (the list of descriptors included 109 items). For the purpose of evaluation of the hedonic sensory quality, a five-point scale was used in accordance with VDI 3883 recommendation: 1- pleasant, 2-neutral, 3-unpleasant, 4-very unpleasant, and 5-extremely unpleasant. Findings: The analysis of the results has confirmed a considerable impact of the average air temperature on the occurrence of odour nuisance. Practical Implications: A solution that may translate into the reduction of odour nuisances in urban areas is a closed-loop economy, which has become an important issue for the future and competitiveness of enterprises. Reuse and recycling of materials are two of the main characteristics of a closed-loop economy. Originality/Value: On the basis of the conducted sensory tests it is plausible to state that the smell nuisance depends on numerous factors.peer-reviewe

Atmospheric pressure gas chromatography-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (APGC-ToF-MS) for the determination of regulated and emerging contaminants in aqueous samples after stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE)

This work presents the development, optimization and validation of a multi-residue method for the simultaneous determination of 102 contaminants, including fragrances, UV filters, repellents, endocrine disruptors, biocides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and several types of pesticides in aqueous matrices. Water samples were processed using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) after the optimization of several parameters: agitation time, ionic strength, presence of organic modifiers, pH, and volume of the derivatizing agent. Target compounds were extracted from the bars by liquid desorption (LD). Separation, identification and quantification of analytes were carried out by gas chromatography (GC) coupled to time-of-flight (ToF-MS) mass spectrometry. A new ionization source, atmospheric pressure gas chromatography (APGC), was tested. The optimized protocol showed acceptable recovery percentages (50–100%) and limits of detection below 1 ng L−1 for most of the compounds. Occurrence of 21 out of 102 analytes was confirmed in several environmental aquatic matrices, including seawater, sewage effluent, river water and groundwater. Non-target compounds such as organophosphorus flame retardants were also identified in real samples by accurate mass measurement of their molecular ions using GC-APGC–ToF-MS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that this technique has been applied for the analysis of contaminants in aquatic systems. By employing lower energy than the more widely used electron impact ionization (EI), AGPC provides significant advantages over EI for those substances very susceptible to high fragmentation (e.g., fragrances, pyrethroids)

Free Riding and Sales Strategies for the Internet

We examine manufacturers' decisions of whether and how to offer their products for sale over the internet. Manufacturers that rely on promotion of their products by brick and mortar retailers must consider the possibility that internet retailers can free ride off of that promotional effort. This creates an incentive for manufacturers to limit the availability of their products over the internet and to control the pricing of their products over the internet. We examine three categories of products: fragrances, DVD players, and side by side refrigerators. Our evidence suggests that manufacturers that limit distribution in the physical world also use various mechanisms to limit distribution online. In particular, we find evidence that these manufacturers attempt to prevent the sale of their products by online retailers who sell goods at deep discounts. Furthermore, we show that manufacturers who distribute their goods directly through manufacturer websites tend to charge very high prices for the products, consistent with the hypothesis that manufacturers internalize free rider issues. While our main focus is on free riding, our evidence on pricing practices is germane to the growing literature on price dispersion on the internet.

Mushroom flavour

Mushrooms and fungi not only present a fascinating world of shapes, both macro- and microscopic, but they are also an interesting source of flavours, fragrances and odours, e.g. garlic, coconut, flour-like, cucumber or fruit-like, as well as the most characteristic for this kingdom of living organisms mushroom-like flavour and aroma. Fungi can possess many different and interesting flavours and fragrances - starting from nice anise-like, fruit-like, cucumber, garlic, to cheese-garlic, and ending with potato or flour-like smells. Some mushrooms emit carbide or distinctly faecal-like odour. The taste of mushrooms is frequently correlated with their aroma. What components does the core of a mushroom flavour consist of? Chemical analysis of specimens reveals compounds responsible for characteristic flavour and odour. It was found that the most characteristic flavour compound is defined mainly by C8 volatiles. Between all C8 compounds the most important for mushroom flavour are oct-1-en-3-ol, octan-3-ol, octan-3-on and oct-1-en-3-on. Fungi and mushrooms can enable biotechnological production of some flavour components, for instance the Nidula niveotomentosa produces a characteristic raspberries compound - raspberry ketone in submerged cultures; the biotechnological production can also provide rare and tasty forest mushroom biomass e.g. edible boletus.Bogactwo aromatów w świecie grzybów pozwala na biotechnologiczne wykorzystanie ich do otrzymywania bądź to czystych związków, jak np. w przypadku ketonu malinowego pozyskiwanego z Nidula niveotomentosa, bądź np. aromatycznej grzybni mogącej zastąpić rzadkie i pożądane gatunki grzybów leśnych, np. borowików