The essential oil of Thymbra capitata and its application as a biocide on stone and derived surfaces

Many chemicals used nowadays for the preservation of cultural heritage pose a risk to both human health and the environment. Thus, it is desirable to find new and eco-friendly biocides that can replace the synthetic ones. In this regard, plant essential oils represent effective alternatives to synthetic substances for the preservation of historical monuments. Thymbra capitata (syn. Thymus capitatus) is a medicinal and aromatic plant growing in the Mediterranean area and endowed with important pharmacological properties related to its essential oil. Among them, the antimicrobial ones make the T. capitata essential oil an ideal candidate for industrial applications; for instance, as biocide for the inhibition and elimination of biological patinas of cyanobacteria and green algae on historical monuments. In the present work, we studied the chemical composition of the essential oil from T. capitata growing in Malta by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The major volatile component is the phenolic monoterpene carvacrol (73.2%), which is capable of damaging the cytoplasmic membrane and to interfere both in the growth curve and in the invasive capacity, though the contribution of minor components γ-terpinene and p-cymene cannot be disregarded. For the oil application on the stone surface, Pickering emulsions systems were prepared with an essential oil/water 1:3 mass ratio stabilized with kaolinite at 4 mass% in the presence of Laponite®; this allowed to limit the fast volatility of the oil and guaranteed a better application and an easier removal from the artefacts attacked by biodeteriogens both indoor and outdoor. This formulation caused the elimination of biodeteriogens from treated surfaces without residuals or films on artworks surface, and the effect was retained up to four months

Studio geochimico e geofisico del settore nord-occidentale delle Madonie

Questo lavoro riporta i risultati di un’indagine geofisica e geochimica integrata eseguita in un'area approssimativamente quadrata, di lato 10 km, ubicata a sud di Cefalù, L’obiettivo dello studio è la ricostruzione delle principali strutture di interesse idrogeologico, fino al tetto del basamento carbonatico appartenente alle unità Panormidi ed Imerese e dei principali caratteri della circolazione idrica sotterranea

Occupational asphyxiation by unknown compound(s): Environmental and toxicological approach

During a routine truck-tank washing operation, five healthy workers were found motionless inside an empty tanker. Four of them died inside the tanker while the fifth died the following day in hospital. Since the true nature of the fatal compound(s) were not known, a rigorous environmental and toxicological approach supported by autopsy findings was essential to clarify the cause of death.Environmental results indicated that H2S fumes arising from the liquid sulfur previously shipped were responsible for the serial deaths, also confirmed by a simulation performed on two similar truck-tanks.These environmental findings were supported by toxicological analyses through the measurement of thiosulfate, one of the main H2S metabolites. Abnormal thiosulfate concentrations from 1.1 to 186.2mg/kg were revealed in all post-mortem biological samples (blood, lung, liver, kidney, brain and fat). Finally, the cluster analysis performed on thiosulfate body distribution contributed to establishing the time of death according to the accident scene reconstruction.This report presents valuable findings in correctly identifying the cause of death in gas asphyxiation cases by unknown compound(s). © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd

Simultaneous determination of opiates, methadone, cocaine and metabolites, cannabinoids in hair using GC-MS

A procedure is presented for simultaneous analysis of morphine, codeine, 6-monoacethylmorphine, methadone, cocaine, benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methylesther, cocaethylene, tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol, and cannabinol, in hair, of drug of abuse, addicts. The method involves, decontamination in sodium dodecyl sulfate 1%, distilled water and methanol, pulverization in a ball mill,addition of deuterated internals standards, heat extraction in methanol. The extracts were evaporated to dryness and analyzed with gas/chromatography/mass spectrometry(GC/MS) before and after BSTFA/TMCS 1% silylation. The extracts were analyzed using electron impact GC/MS operating in SIM mode