Comparison of the antioxidant potential in urine, saliva and skin

Aim: Free radicals, oxidative stress and their possible consequences for health are becoming increasingly important in modern medicine. Reactive species influence the organism, potentially causing oxidative cell damage. They can be produced by exogenous sources, or be a product of a variety of not only physiological metabolic processes, such as immune response, but also pathological processes. The antioxidant protection system protects the organism from oxidative damage caused by reactions producing an excess of free radicals. The analysis of antioxidant potential (AOP) is therefore becoming increasingly important for the diagnosis of individual vitality

Dermal and pulmonary absorption of propan-1-ol and propan-2-ol from hand rubs.

International audienceBACKGROUND: It has been shown that nontoxic concentrations of ethanol are absorbed after hand hygiene using ethanol-based hand rubs. This study investigated whether absorption of propan-1-ol and propan-2-ol from commercially available hand rubs results in measurable concentrations after use. METHODS: The pulmonary and dermal absorption of propanol during hand rubs was investigated. Rubs contained 70% (w/w) propan-1-ol, 63.14% (w/w) propan-2-ol, or 45% (w/w) propan-2-ol in combination with 30% (w/w) propan-1-ol. RESULTS: Peak median blood levels were 9.15 mg/L for propan-1-ol and 5.3 mg/L for propan-2-ol after hygienic hand rubs and 18.0 mg/L and 10.0 mg/L, respectively, after surgical hand rubs. Under actual surgical conditions, the highest median blood levels were 4.08 mg/L for propan-1-ol and 2.56 mg/L for propan-2-ol. The same procedure performed with prevention of pulmonary exposure through the use of a gas-tight mask resulted in peak median blood levels of 1.16 mg/L of propan-1-ol and 1.74 mg/L of propan-2-ol. CONCLUSION: Only minimal amounts of propanols are absorbed through the use of hand rubs. Based on our experimental data, the risk of chronic systemic toxic effects caused by hand rubs is likely negligible. However, our study did not evaluate the consequences of long-term daily and frequent use of hygienic hand rubs

Plasma-Treated Air and Water—Assessment of Synergistic Antimicrobial Effects for Sanitation of Food Processing Surfaces and Environment

The synergistic antimicrobial effects of plasma-processed air (PPA) and plasma-treated water (PTW), which are indirectly generated by a microwave-induced non-atmospheric pressure plasma, were investigated with the aid of proliferation assays. For this purpose, microorganisms (Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Pectobacterium carotovorum, sporulated Bacillus atrophaeus) were cultivated as monocultures on specimens with polymeric surface structures. Both the distinct and synergistic antimicrobial potential of PPA and PTW were governed by the plasma-on time (5⁻50 s) and the treatment time of the specimens with PPA/PTW (1⁻5 min). In single PTW treatment of the bacteria, an elevation of the reduction factor with increasing treatment time could be observed (e.g., reduction factor of 2.4 to 3.0 for P. carotovorum). In comparison, the combination of PTW and subsequent PPA treatment leads to synergistic effects that are clearly not induced by longer treatment times. These findings have been valid for all bacteria (L. monocytogenes > P. carotovorum = E. coli). Controversially, the effect is reversed for endospores of B. atrophaeus. With pure PPA treatment, a strong inactivation at 50 s plasma-on time is detectable, whereas single PTW treatment shows no effect even with increasing treatment parameters. The use of synergistic effects of PTW for cleaning and PPA for drying shows a clear alternative for currently used sanitation methods in production plants. Highlights: Non-thermal atmospheric pressure microwave plasma source used indirect in two different modes—gaseous and liquid; Measurement of short and long-living nitrite and nitrate in corrosive gas PPA (plasma-processed air) and complex liquid PTW (plasma-treated water); Application of PTW and PPA in single and combined use for biological decontamination of different microorganisms

Plasma-Treated Air and Water—Assessment of Synergistic Antimicrobial Effects for Sanitation of Food Processing Surfaces and Environment

The synergistic antimicrobial effects of plasma-processed air (PPA) and plasma-treated water (PTW), which are indirectly generated by a microwave-induced non-atmospheric pressure plasma, were investigated with the aid of proliferation assays. For this purpose, microorganisms (Listeriamonocytogenes, Escherichiacoli, Pectobacteriumcarotovorum, sporulatedBacillusatrophaeus) were cultivated as monocultures on specimens with polymeric surface structures. Both the distinct and synergistic antimicrobial potential of PPA and PTW were governed by the plasma-on time (5–50 s) and the treatment time of the specimens with PPA/PTW (1–5 min). In single PTW treatment of the bacteria, an elevation of the reduction factor with increasing treatment time could be observed (e.g., reduction factor of 2.4 to 3.0 for P. carotovorum). In comparison, the combination of PTW and subsequent PPA treatment leads to synergistic effects that are clearly not induced by longer treatment times. These findings have been valid for all bacteria (L. monocytogenes \u3e P. carotovorum = E. coli). Controversially, the effect is reversed for endospores of B. atrophaeus. With pure PPA treatment, a strong inactivation at 50 s plasma-on time is detectable, whereas single PTW treatment shows no effect even with increasing treatment parameters. The use of synergistic effects of PTW for cleaning and PPA for drying shows a clear alternative for currently used sanitation methods in production plants. Highlights: Non-thermal atmospheric pressure microwave plasma source used indirect in two different modes—gaseous and liquid; Measurement of short and long-living nitrite and nitrate in corrosive gas PPA (plasma-processed air) and complex liquid PTW (plasma-treated water); Application of PTW and PPA in single and combined use for biological decontamination of different microorganisms