Composition of Eucalyptus camaldulensis volatiles using direct thermal desorption coupled with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time- of-flight-mass spectrometry

The direct qualification and quantitation of the volatile organic components of four Eucalyptus camaldulensis fruit samples, obtained from different geographical areas in Turkey, is studied using a direct thermal desorption (DTD) technique coupled with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. It is found that the E. camaldulensis sample from Adrasan gave a slightly higher oil yield (1.18%) than the others. The number of components quantitatively identified from Adrasan, Belek, Kuyucak, and Cesme were 46, 54, 55, and 59, respectively. The main compounds found in the volatile oils were: aromadendrene (6.45-15.02%), eucalyptol (0.17-12.61%), ??-gurjunene (8.40-10.08%), terpinolen (1.98-8.39%), spathulenol (1.42-8.34%), ??-pinene (0.85-6.81%), ledene (0.94-6.72%), and longifonene (0.07-6.22%). The composition of the volatiles desorbed from samples from all four different areas varied qualitatively and quantitatively. All identified compounds were quantitated using total ion chromatogram peak areas. DTD is a good method for qualitative and/or quantitative analysis of complex mixtures, and in particular for quantitative analysis of plant samples, which can yield data without the traditional obligation for costly and time consuming extraction techniques

Exposure to nitrosamines in thirdhand tobacco smoke increases cancer risk in non-smokers

In addition to passive inhalation, non-smokers, and especially children, are exposed to residual tobacco smoke gases and particles that are deposited to surfaces and dust, known as thirdhand smoke (THS). However, until now the potential cancer risks of this pathway of exposure have been highly uncertain and not considered in public health policy. In this study, we estimate for the first time the potential cancer risk by age group through non-dietary ingestion and dermal exposure to carcinogen N-nitrosamines and tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) measured in house dust samples. Using a highly sensitive and selective analytical approach we have determined the presence of nicotine, eight N-nitrosamines and five tobacco-specific nitrosamines in forty-six settled dust samples from homes occupied by both smokers and non-smokers. Using observations of house dust composition, we have estimated the cancer risk by applying the most recent official toxicological information. Calculated cancer risks through exposure to the observed levels of TSNAs at an early life stage (1 to 6. years old) exceeded the upper-bound risk recommended by the USEPA in 77% of smokers' and 64% of non-smokers' homes. The maximum risk from exposure to all nitrosamines measured in a smoker occupied home was one excess cancer case per one thousand population exposed.The results presented here highlight the potentially severe long-term consequences of THS exposure, particularly to children, and give strong evidence of its potential health risk and, therefore, they should be considered when developing future environmental and health policies

The import and export of organic nitrogen species at a Scottish ombrotrophic peatland

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) contributes significantly to the overall nitrogen budget, but is not routinely measured in precipitation or stream water. In order to investigate the contribution of DON to the deposition and export of N, precipitation, stream and soil water samples were collected from an ombrotrophic peatland and analysed for DON over a 2-year period. In wet-only deposition DON contributed up to 10 % of the total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and was the most dominant fraction in soil water (99 %) and stream water (75 %). NH4 + was the most dominate form of N in precipitation, with NO3 - contributing the least to precipitation, soil water and stream water. Precipitation and stream DON were qualitatively analysed by a two-dimensional gas chromatograph coupled to a nitrogen chemiluminescence detector (GC × GC-NCD) after trapping onto C18 solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. Ten unique compounds were detected and five identified as pyrrole, benzonitrile, dodecylamine, N-nitrosodipropylamine and decylamine. Five compounds were present in both precipitation and stream samples: pyrrole, benzonitrile and three unidentified compounds. The SPE-extraction efficiency for DON was very low (11 %), but with improvements DON speciation could become a valuable tool to provide information on its sources and pathways and inform chemical transport models

Production of mesophase pitch from coal tar and petroleum pitches using supercritical fluid extraction

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is currently being investigated as a possible technique in the production of high quality mesophase pitch from coal tar and petroleum pitches. Mesophase pitch is used to make high technology products, such as carbon fibre. The conventional production of mesophase pitch initially involves the removal of low molecular weight species from coal tar and petroleum pitches. The remaining residue is then transformed into a mesophase pitch through a polymerisation process. The aim of this study involves the extraction of light molecular weight species using SFE. Both petroleum and coal tar pitch contain complex aromatic molecules with an average molecular weight of 200 to 800, whereas mesophase pitch has a molecular weight range of about 1200 to 1300. Toluene, heptane, pentane and methanol were added to CO2 as modifiers at temperatures between 80 and 200°C and at pressures of 200 to 400 atm. The effect of the temperature and pressure on extraction yield was found to be less than that of modifier addition and the results showed that the extraction yields were 19% and 33% from the petroleum and coal tar pitches respectively

Determination of Teucrium chamaedrys volatiles by using direct thermal desorption-comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The direct qualification and quantification of the volatile components of Teucrium chamaedrys was studied using a direct thermal desorption (DTD) technique with comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOF/MS). The GC × GC separation chromatographically resolved hundreds of components within this sample, and with the separation coupled with TOF/MS for detection, high probability identifications were made for 68 compounds. The quantitative results were determined through the use of internal standards and the desorption of differing amounts of raw material in the injector. The highest yield of volatile compounds (0.39%, w/w) was obtained at 150 °C thermal desorption temperature using 1.0 mg of dried sample placed in a glass injector liner when studied over the range 1.0-7.0 mg. Lowest yield of 0.33% (w/w) was found for the largest sample size of 7.0 mg. Relative standard deviation (RSD) for 10 replicates at each size sample were in the range 3.9-21.6%. The major compounds identified were β-pinene, germacrene D, α-pinene, α-farnesene, α-gurjunene, γ-elemene and γ-cadinene. All identified compounds were quantified using total ion chromatogram (TIC) peak areas. DTD is a promising method for quantitative analysis of complex mixtures, and in particular for quantitative analysis of plant samples, which can yield data without the traditional obligation for costly and time-consuming extraction techniques. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water from the Menderes River, Turkey

This study was undertaken to determine the possibility of potential impact of PAHs on the aquatic biota. First, we had developed a new method for measuring 13 different priority pollutant PAHs in waste water samples. Then, eight different water samples collected from different sites along the Menderes River were analysed by this method involving SPE extraction and reverse-phase HPLC. The method presented here is suitable for rapid and accurate determination of PAH in surface waters and the PAH recoveries are practically quantitative. The levels of PAH in the analyzed samples range from 1.8 μg/L to 24.9 μg/L and industrialized areas were found to be highly polluted. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

Morphine modulates inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and reduces pulmonary oedema induced by α-naphthylthiourea

This study was designed to investigate the possible participation of morphine in pulmonary oedema induced by ?-naphthylthiourea (ANTU), which is a well-known noxious chemical agent in the lung. Injection of ANTU (15 mg/kg i.p.) produced pulmonary oedema as indicated by an increase in lung weight/body weight ratio and pleural effusion reaching a maximum within 4 h in rat. Administration of morphine prior to ANTU significantly inhibited to pulmonary oedema with a dose-dependent manner. The protective effect of morphine is prevented by peripheral opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone methiodide. ANTU-treated rats were shown positive by inducible nitric oxide synthase immunohistochemical staining. There was no staining in the control group. On the other hand, the degree of staining was markedly reduced in tissue sections by morphine. These results suggest that previous administration of subcutaneous morphine has preventive effect on ANTU-induced pulmonary inflammatory reaction and its effect mediated via peripheral opioid receptors. Application of naloxone with ANTU has no effect on the lung parameters indicating that endogenous opioids do not modulate ANTU-induced damage. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.The authors would like to thank Dr. E. Schilliger, Schering AG, Berlin, Germany, for his gift of ?-naphthylthiourea (Interchem). We thank Hasan Tahsin Yilmaz and Ramazan Temel for their assistance in research laboratory. This study was supported by intramural funding from Zonguldak Karaelmas University's Office of Research and Sponsored Programs