Evaluation of Antibiotics Residues in Chicken Meat Samples in Lebanon

Antibiotic residue in chicken is a human health concern due to its harmful effects on consumer health. This study aims at screening the antibiotic residues from 80 chicken samples collected from farms located in different regions of Lebanon. An optimized multi-class method for identification and quantification of 30 antibiotics from four different chemical classes (sulfonamides, tetracyclines, quinolones, and beta-lactams) has been developed by using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The evaluation of antibiotics residues in 80 chicken muscles samples has shown that 77.5% of samples were at least contaminated with antibiotics residues, out of which 53.75% were exposed to co-occurrence of multidrug residues. The screening of the four antibiotics families has shown that ciprofloxacin (quinolones) represents the highest occurrence percentage (32.5%), followed by amoxicillin (β-lactams) (22.5%) and then tetracyclines (17.5%). Means of sarafloxacin, amoxicillin, and penicillin G residues levels were above the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) recommended limit according to the European Union EC. This study revealed that chicken samples collected from Lebanese farms contain antibiotic residues. Guidelines for prudent use of antimicrobials agents for chicken should be adopted to reduce the prevalence of resistant Salmonella in chicken

Evaluation of Antibiotics Residues in Chicken Meat Samples in Lebanon

Antibiotic residue in chicken is a human health concern due to its harmful effects on consumer health. This study aims at screening the antibiotic residues from 80 chicken samples collected from farms located in different regions of Lebanon. An optimized multi-class method for identification and quantification of 30 antibiotics from four different chemical classes (sulfonamides, tetracyclines, quinolones, and beta-lactams) has been developed by using liquid chromatography−mass spectrometry. The evaluation of antibiotics residues in 80 chicken muscles samples has shown that 77.5% of samples were at least contaminated with antibiotics residues, out of which 53.75% were exposed to co-occurrence of multidrug residues. The screening of the four antibiotics families has shown that ciprofloxacin (quinolones) represents the highest occurrence percentage (32.5%), followed by amoxicillin (β-lactams) (22.5%) and then tetracyclines (17.5%). Means of sarafloxacin, amoxicillin, and penicillin G residues levels were above the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) recommended limit according to the European Union EC. This study revealed that chicken samples collected from Lebanese farms contain antibiotic residues. Guidelines for prudent use of antimicrobials agents for chicken should be adopted to reduce the prevalence of resistant Salmonella in chicken

Assessment of Antibiotic and Pesticides Residues in Breast Milk of Syrian Refugee Lactating Mothers

Occupational exposures and current diet are both sources of environmental contaminants that can be transferred in the mother’s body. These chemicals can definitely penetrate to the developing foetus and the nursing infant from contaminated breast milk during the lactation period. Nowadays, one of the special interests is the exposure of new-borns to toxic chemicals such as pesticides and antibiotics reported in human milk due to their potential harms, especially developmental deficits in early childhood. The aim of our current study was to assess the occurrence of pesticide residues and antibiotic residues contamination in breast milk collected from Syrian refugee lactating mothers residing in North Lebanon Camps. A total of 120 breast milk samples (40 in triplicate) were collected from camps in Akkar, North Lebanon using an electrical pump. A survey was administrated to determine socio-demographic characteristics, dietary and smoking habits and medical history of participating lactating mothers. The milk samples were analysed for the presence of antibiotic residues and pesticide residues using liquid and gas chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS) and Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). This study reported the absence of antibiotic residues in 96.66% of our samples (n = 120) and the presence of pesticides residues in only 5% of our total breast milk sample. Our results considered the breast milk collected from Syrian refugee lactating mothers as safe from chemical contamination. It is worth conducting more studies on other Syrian refugee camps to test the effect of camp living conditions on breast milk safety

Study of the Selectivity and Bioactivity of Polyphenols Using Infrared Assisted Extraction from Apricot Pomace Compared to Conventional Methods

The valorization of industrial food byproducts by means of environment-friendly extraction methods is becoming a major interest because of its environmental and economic values. In this study, the efficiency of many technologies, such as ultrasounds (US), microwaves (MW), and infrared (IR), was compared, in terms of polyphenol yield and bioactivity from apricot pomace. IR was the most effective method with the highest polyphenol (10 mg GAE/g DM), flavonoid (6 mg CE/g DM), and tannin (3.6 mg/L) yields. In terms of efficacy, IR was followed by MW, US, then solid-liquid (S/L) extraction. IR extract from apricot pomace exhibited the highest inhibitory activity against all the studied gram-positive strains (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Staphylococcus epidermidis) and a one gram-negative strain (Escherichia coli). Moreover, IR extracts had by far the highest antiradical activity (AC) (40%) followed by MW (31%), US (28%), and then S/L (15%). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) permitted the identification and quantification of rutin in all extracts; whereas catechin was detected in those of IR (3.1 μg/g DM), MW (2.1 μg/g DM), and US (1.5 μg/g DM). Epicatechin was exclusively found in IR extract (4 μg/g DM), suggesting the selectivity of IR towards this compound. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the IR technique induced the highest cellular and structural damage in apricot pomace, which could explain the effectiveness of this technology

Lebanese Cannabis: Agronomic and Essential Oil Characteristics as Affected by Sowing Date and Irrigation Practice

A field experiment was carried out in Lebanon to assess the agronomic and essential oil characteristics of cannabis as affected by sowing date and irrigation practice. The experiment consisted of a split-plot design with the water regime being the main factor (Iopt-irrigated when the readily available soil water is depleted; I50- receiving 50% of the irrigation amounts in Iopt treatments) and sowing date as the sub-plot factor (mid-April; end of April; mid-May). Biometric and seed quality parameters of the cannabis crop were determined. The essential oils (EO) of the inflorescence were subjected to a multivariate analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The obtained results revealed that the aboveground fresh biomass, the dry matter, and the plant height were 55.08%, 59.62%, and 43.11% higher in Iopt than in I50, respectively. However, the EO content was neither statistically affected by the irrigation regime nor by the sowing date. Under early sowing, both the water-use efficiency (WUE) for biomass and the EO production reached their highest values. All treatments presented a similar seed composition except that the crude fat and crude protein content were more elevated in Iopt than in I50 treatments. The main extracted essential oils in cannabis inflorescence corresponded to twenty-six identified compounds representing 79.34% of the monoterpenes and 81.25% of the sesquiterpenes. The monoterpenes were highly correlated with the irrigation treatment and early-April sowing while the sesquiterpenes were better enhanced under I50 and end of April to mid-May sowing. The study reveals that agronomic practices lead to differential responses of pharmacologically useful plant compounds for improved health benefits. Further research is required to clarify the potential for cannabis cultivation in Lebanon

Lebanese Cannabis: Agronomic and Essential Oil Characteristics as Affected by Sowing Date and Irrigation Practice

A field experiment was carried out in Lebanon to assess the agronomic and essential oil characteristics of cannabis as affected by sowing date and irrigation practice. The experiment consisted of a split-plot design with the water regime being the main factor (Iopt-irrigated when the readily available soil water is depleted; I50- receiving 50% of the irrigation amounts in Iopt treatments) and sowing date as the sub-plot factor (mid-April; end of April; mid-May). Biometric and seed quality parameters of the cannabis crop were determined. The essential oils (EO) of the inflorescence were subjected to a multivariate analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The obtained results revealed that the aboveground fresh biomass, the dry matter, and the plant height were 55.08%, 59.62%, and 43.11% higher in Iopt than in I50, respectively. However, the EO content was neither statistically affected by the irrigation regime nor by the sowing date. Under early sowing, both the water-use efficiency (WUE) for biomass and the EO production reached their highest values. All treatments presented a similar seed composition except that the crude fat and crude protein content were more elevated in Iopt than in I50 treatments. The main extracted essential oils in cannabis inflorescence corresponded to twenty-six identified compounds representing 79.34% of the monoterpenes and 81.25% of the sesquiterpenes. The monoterpenes were highly correlated with the irrigation treatment and early-April sowing while the sesquiterpenes were better enhanced under I50 and end of April to mid-May sowing. The study reveals that agronomic practices lead to differential responses of pharmacologically useful plant compounds for improved health benefits. Further research is required to clarify the potential for cannabis cultivation in Lebanon

Analysis of Chamber Data

International audienceIn this chapter, we focus on aspects of analysis of typical simulation chamber experiments and recommend best practices in term of data analysis of simulation chamber results relevant for both gas phase and particulate phase atmospheric chemistry. The first two sections look at common gas-phase measurements of relative rates and product yields. The simple yield expressions are extended to account for product removal. In the next two sections, we examine aspects of particulate phase chemistry looking firstly at secondary organic aerosol (SOA) yields including correction for wall losses, and secondly at new particle formation using a variety of methods. Simulations of VOC oxidation processes are important components of chamber work and one wants to present methods that lead to fundamental chemistr

Analysis of Chamber Data

In this chapter, we focus on aspects of analysis of typical simulation chamber experiments and recommend best practices in term of data analysis of simulation chamber results relevant for both gas phase and particulate phase atmospheric chemistry. The first two sections look at common gas-phase measurements of relative rates and product yields. The simple yield expressions are extended to account for product removal. In the next two sections, we examine aspects of particulate phase chemistry looking firstly at secondary organic aerosol (SOA) yields including correction for wall losses, and secondly at new particle formation using a variety of methods. Simulations of VOC oxidation processes are important components of chamber work and one wants to present methods that lead to fundamental chemistry and not to specific aspects of the chamber that the experiment was carried out in. We investigate how one can analyse the results of a simulation experiment on a well-characterized chemical system (ethene oxidation) to determine the chamber-specific corrections. Finally, we look at methods of analysing photocatalysis experiments, some with a particular focus on NOx reduction by TiO2-doped surfaces. In such systems, overall reactivity is controlled by both chemical processes and transport. Chambers can provide useful practical information, but care needs to be taken in extrapolating results to other conditions. The wider impact of surfaces on photosmog formation is also considered.Peer reviewe