Peaches O'Henry : : economic impact by losses of quality

El durazno O'Henry para consumo en fresco es una variedades apta para la exportación. Consecuentemente se propone un método sencillo para determinar las pérdidas de calidad que impiden obtener mejores precios en los mercados.. Las mismas se relacionan con una mala gestión en todos los niveles: producción, empaque y comercialización, y la deficiente capacitación del personal involucrado. En la temporada 1999/2000 el granizo fue la causa más frecuente en precosecha; sus marcas explican el 70 % de los frutos con falta de calidad. En cambio, el principal factor en cosecha fueron las picaduras de grafolita, dando 80 % de frutos sin calidad exportable. En galpón de empaque, el mal manejo poscosecha -revelado en machucones, marcas de uñas y rajaduras- originó el 30 % de las causas de no calidad; si se le agregan las picaduras de grafolita, el porcentaje se aproxima al 60 %. Ambas causas pueden minimizarse con buena planificación y capacitación. Con simulación económica se detectó -en la precitada temporada- 20 % de pérdida de calidad de una partida lo cual motiva una disminución superior al 13 % en los ingresos. Esta diferencia depende no sólo del peso relativo de las distintas calidades sino también del precio pactado.O'Henry is a fresh consumption peach cultivar with exportation possibilities. This project proposes a simple methodology that permits to identify the reasons of no quality in fruits that difficult reaching best prices in local and foreign markets. Lacks of quality are related with bad management in all levels (production, packing and commercialization) and with deficient training of involved personnel. In season 1999/2000, hail was the most frequent reason detected in preharvest; its marks explain 70 % of no quality in fruits. Instead, at harvest Grapholita bites were the main factor and they explained 80 % of fruits without export quality. At the packing-house, post harvest bad management (revealed in hits, nail marks, bruises) explained 30 % of no quality reasons. If that is added to fruits with Grapholita bites, proportion raises to 60 %. Both reasons can be minimized with planning and training. Economic simulation allowed detect that, in analized season, losses of quality in 20 % of the batch cause income reductions of more than 13 % in business. This discrepancy depends not only on relative weight of different qualities, but on deal prices in each market.Fil: Antoniolli, Ester R.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias Económico-Jurídico y SocialesFil: Gil, Flavia. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Producción AgropecuariaFil: Roby, Osvaldo. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias Económico-Jurídico y SocialesFil: Podestá, Lidia. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Producción AgropecuariaFil: Cánovas, Laura. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Biomatemática y FisicoquímicaFil: Rodríguez, María Eugenia. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Producción AgropecuariaFil: Fischer, Sandra. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias Económico-Jurídico y SocialesFil: Solsona, Juan E.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias Económico-Jurídico y Sociale

LP-51: Determining of a broad range of organic chemicals in seminal plasma through an innovative LC-HRMS-based methodology suitable for target and non-target analysis

In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the impact of emerging pollutants on reproductive health and semen quality in healthy men. Most studies have focused on investigating the association between human semen quality and exposure to organic contaminants in blood or urine samples. However, there is a notable lack of effective methodologies for detecting a wide range of organic chemicals in semen. To address this gap, we have developed and validated a robust LC-HRMS methodology for semen analysis. This methodology is capable of determining over 2,000 chemicals in seminal plasma and is compatible with suspect and non-target strategies, making it valuable for studies on male fertility. To demonstrate the potential of this methodology in characterizing the chemical exposome in seminal plasma, we analyzed exogenous organic chemicals and associated metabolites, such as plastic additives, PFAS, flame retardants, surfactants, and insecticides, in ten samples obtained from the LED-FERTYL general population cohort based in Catalonia, Spain.Peer reviewe

A step forward in the detection of byproducts of anthropogenic organic micropollutants in chlorinated water

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are widespread in the water cycle. Their levels in disinfected waters are usually low, as they may transform into CEC disinfection byproducts (DBPs) during disinfection processes or partially removed in previous water treatment steps. The occurrence of CEC DBPs in real waters has been scarcely addressed, although their presence may be of relevance in water circular economy scenarios, and thus deserves further study in water regeneration systems. In this work, a database of CEC DBPs (n=1338) after chlorination was generated and is ready to use in future screening studies to assess the relevance of these chemicals in contaminat mixtures. Moreover, the transformation of CECs during chlorination, their main reaction pathways with chlorine, and current knowledge gaps were critically reviewed. © 2021 The Author(s

Bioaccumulation and fate of pharmaceuticals in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon: Temporal variation and impact of a flash flood event

Coastal ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to terrestrial inputs from human-impacted areas. The prevalence of wastewater treatment plants, unable to remove contaminants such as pharmaceuticals (PhACs), leads to their continuous input into the marine environment. In this paper, the seasonal occurrence of PhACs in a semi-confined coastal lagoon (the Mar Menor, south-eastern Spain) was studied during 2018 and 2019 by evaluating their presence in seawater and sediments, and their bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms. Temporal variation in the contamination levels was evaluated by comparison to a previous study carried out between 2010 and 2011 before the cessation of permanent discharges of treated wastewater into the lagoon. The impact of a flash flood event (September 2019) on PhACs pollution was also assessed. A total of seven compounds (out of 69 PhACs analysed) were found in seawater during 2018-2019, with a limited detection frequency (<33%) and concentrations (up to 11 ng/L of clarithromycin). Only carbamazepine was found in sediments (ND-1.2 ng/g dw), suggesting an improved environmental quality in comparison to 2010-2011 (when 24 and 13 compounds were detected in seawater and sediments, respectively). However, the biomonitoring of fish and molluscs showed a still remarkable accumulation of analgesic/anti-inflammatory drugs, lipid regulators, psychiatric drugs and β-blocking agents, albeit not higher than in 2010. The flash flood event from 2019 increased the prevalence of PhACs in the lagoon, compared to the 2018-2019 sampling campaigns, especially in the upper water layer. After the flash flood the antibiotics clarithromycin and sulfapyridine yielded the highest concentrations ever reported in the lagoon (297 and 145 ng/L, respectively), alongside azithromycin in 2011 (155 ng/L). Flash flood events associated with sewer overflows and soil mobilisation, which are expected to increase under climate change scenarios, should be considered when assessing the risks posed by pharmaceuticals to vulnerable aquatic ecosystems in the coastal areas.This work was supported by the Spanish Inter-Ministerial Science and Technology Commission through the PLAS-MED (CICYT, CTM 2017-89701-C3) and PHARMASEA (PCI 2021-121933) projects and by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). J.M. Castaño Ortiz acknowledges the predoctoral grant from AGAUR (2019 FI_B 00881REF). M. García Pimentel acknowledges the Spanish Ministerial Science, Innovation and University for her predoctoral fellowship (PRE 2018-085502). The authors are grateful for funding from the CERCA Programme, Generalitat de Catalunya. The Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatograph coupled to a triple Quadrupole hybrid Linear Ion Trap Detector (Acquity UPLC-MS QTRAP 5500, Waters-SCIEX) received support from the CERCAGINYS programme, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. The authors acknowledge the support of the Economy and Knowledge Department of the Catalan Government through a Consolidated Research Group (ICRA-ENV – 2021 SGR 01282).Peer reviewe

A holistic assessment of the sources, prevalence, and distribution of bisphenol A and analogues in water, sediments, biota and plastic litter of the Ebro Delta (Spain)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the main ubiquitous compounds released from plastics in the environment. This compound, considered an endocrine disruptor, poses a risk to aquatic wildlife and human population, being included in multiple environmental monitoring programmes. Following the regulations restricting BPA use in the last years, BPA-like chemicals have been produced and used as BPA substitutes. However, they are not commonly included in monitoring programs yet and their presence is thus misrepresented, despite showing similar endocrine disrupting potential. In this work, an analytical method for analysing bisphenol A and five of its analogues (Bisphenol S, B, F, AF and Tetrabromobisphenol A) is described, validated for water (riverine, sea and wastewater), sediment, and biota (fish and biofilm) and applied to monitor their presence in the Ebro River Delta (NE Spain). In addition, plastic litter was also collected to evaluate their role as potential source of bisphenols. All compounds except BPF were detected in the analysed samples. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were discarded as major sources of BPs into the natural aquatic environment, as no BPs were detected in treated effluents. Indeed, the high levels of BPs in the natural environment could be related with direct discharge of raw wastewater from small rural population nucleus. The analysis of riverine plastic leachates yielded 4 out of the 6 BPs analysed, strengthening the hypothesis that plastic debris are also a source of BPs in the natural environment. Whereas Bisphenol S and BPA were detected in water and, to a limited extent, in biota, less polar analogues (mainly BPAF and TBBPA) were not found in any of the water samples. Instead, these hydrophobic BPs were found in fish tissues and biofilm, pointing out plastics and microplastics as their possible vectors. Finally, biofilm demonstrated its potential as sentinel of chemical contamination in freshwater environment.Authors acknowledge Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (project PLAS-MED; CTM2017-89701-C3-2-R) for its financial support. Authors acknowledge Maria Guzman for her support in the sample analysis and method development. J.M. Castaño-Ortiz acknowledges the predoctoral grant from the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) (2019 FI_B 00881). R. Muñoz-Mas benefitted from a postdoctoral Juan de la Cierva fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Science (FJCI-2016-30829).Peer reviewe

Floating plastics as integrative samplers of organic contaminants of legacy and emerging concern from Western Mediterranean coastal areas

This study investigates the role of floating plastics as integrative samplers of organic contaminants. To this end, plastics items were collected in two Western Mediterranean coastal areas: the Mar Menor lagoon, and the last transect of Ebro river. Floating plastics were identified and characterized by attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry. Then, organic contaminants were extracted from plastic items by ultrasonic extraction with methanol, and the concentrations of 168 regulated and emerging contaminants were analysed. These compounds were analysed by stir bar sorptive extraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), except for bisphenol analogues, which were analysed with a ultraperformance liquid chromatography pump coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UHPLC-MS/MS), and pharmaceutical compounds, determined by UPLC coupled to hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS/MS). All the contaminants groups considered were detected in the samples, being particularly relevant the contribution of plastic additives. The most frequently detected contaminants were UV-filters, PAHs, pharmaceuticals and synthetic musks. Apart from plasticizers, the individual contaminants octocrylene, homosalate, galaxolide, salycilic acid and ketoprofen were frequently detected in plastics items. The results pointed out to urban and touristic activities as the main sources of pollution in the coastal areas investigated. The utility of floating plastics as integrative samplers for the detection of organic contaminants in aquatic ecosystems has been demonstrated.This work was supported by the Spanish Inter-Ministerial Science and Technology Commission through the ‘PLAS-MED’ (CICYT, CTM2017-89701-C3) project and by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); and by PHARMASEA (PCI2021-121933) project through EU Next Generation Fund (Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia). M. García Pimentel acknowledges the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities for her pre-doctoral fellowship (PRE2018-085502). J.M. Castaño Ortiz acknowledges the predoctoral grant from AGAUR (2019 FI_B 00881REF). The authors are grateful for funding from the CERCA Programme, Generalitat de Catalunya. The UHPLC-MS/MS instruments received support from the CERCAGINYS program, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. The authors acknowledge the support of the Economy and Knowledge Department of the Catalan Government through a Consolidated Research Group (ICRA-ENV – 2021 SGR 01282). The Program “Consolidación e Estructuración de Unidades de Investigación Competitivas” of the Galician Government (Xunta de Galicia) is also acknowledged (Grant ED431C 2021/56).Peer reviewe

Fate of pharmaceuticals in the Ebro River Delta region: The combined evaluation of water, sediment, plastic litter, and biomonitoring

The increasing consumption of pharmaceuticals, alongside their limited removal in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), have led to their ubiquitous occurrence in receiving aquatic environments. This study addresses the occurrence of 68 pharmaceuticals (PhACs) in the Ebro River Delta region (NE Spain), as well as their distribution in different environmental compartments, including surface water, sediments, biota (river biofilm and fish tissues), and field-collected plastic litter. In addition, their concentrations in serving WWTPs, as possible sources of environmental contamination, were also determined. Our study confirmed the widespread occurrence of PhACs in riverine and, to a more limited extent, coastal environments. Most frequently detected PhACs belonged to analgesics/anti-inflammatories (e.g., ibuprofen) and psychiatric drugs (e.g., venlafaxine) therapeutic groups, followed by antihypertensives (e.g., valsartan) and antibiotics (e.g., azithromycin). Seasonal differences in cumulative levels of PhACs were reported for water and sediments (winter>summer). Despite spatial gradients were not clear along the river, a non-negligible contribution of upstream Ebro sites (reference area) was highlighted, which was unexpected based on the low anthropogenic pressure. Sediments represented a minor attenuation pathway for the selected PhACs, whereas they were more heavily accumulated in biota: fish liver (up to 166 ng/g dw), river biofilms (up to 108 ng/g dw), fish plasma (up to 63 ng/mL), and fish muscle (up to 31 ng/g dw). These findings highlight the importance of biomonitoring in the characterization of polluted areas and prioritization of hazardous substances (e.g., psychiatric drugs) in aquatic systems, and a particular interest of fish plasma as non-destructive biomonitoring matrix. PhACs were also detected on plastic litter, demonstrating their role as environmental sinks for certain PhACs (e.g., analgesics/anti-inflammatories, psychiatric drugs). Overall, the widespread detection of PhACs in a variety of biotic and abiotic matrices from the lower Ebro River and Delta warns about their possible environmental implications.This work was supported by the Spanish Inter-Ministerial Science and Technology Commission through the ‘PLAS-MED’ (CICYT, CTM2017-89701-C3) and by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). J.M. Castaño Ortiz acknowledges the predoctoral grant from AGAUR (2019 FI_B 00881REF). The authors are grateful for funding from the CERCA Programme, Generalitat de Catalunya. The Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatograph coupled to a triple Quadrupole hybrid Linear Ion Trap Detector (Acquity UPLC-MS QTRAP 5500, Waters-SCIEX) received support from the CERCAGINYS programme, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. The authors acknowledge the support of the Economy and Knowledge Department of the Catalan Government through a Consolidated Research Group (ICRA-ENV – 2021 SGR 01282). We also want to thank Reviewer 1 for the thorough revision, insightful comments, and the constructive criticism that he/she provided.Peer reviewe

The Potential of Sewage Sludge to Predict and Evaluate the Human Chemical Exposome

Altres ajuts: Fundació "La Caixa" (ID 100010434); fellowship code LCF/BQ/PR20/11770013; Barcelona Council (Expo-Bar); the Health Effects Institute (4959-RFPA15-1/18-1 FRONTIER).Chemicals are part of our daily lives, and we are exposed to numerous chemicals through multiple pathways. Relevant scientific evidence contributing to the regulation of hazardous chemicals require a holistic approach to assess simultaneous exposure to multiple compounds. Biomonitoring provides an accurate estimation of exposure to chemicals through very complex and costly sampling campaigns. Finding efficient proxies to predict the risk of chemical exposure in humans is an urgent need to cover large areas and populations at a reasonable cost. We conducted an exploratory study to characterize the human chemical exposome in maternal blood and placenta samples of a population-based birth cohort in Barcelona (2018-2021). Ultimate HRMS-based approaches were applied including wide-scope target, suspect, and nontarget screening. Forty-Two chemicals were identified including pesticides, personal care products, or industrial compounds, among others, in the range of ng/mL and ng/g. In parallel, sewage sludge from the wastewater treatment plants serving the residence areas of the studied population were also screened, showing correlations with the type and concentrations of chemicals found in humans. Our findings were suggestive for the potential use of sewage sludge as a proxy of the human exposure and its application in early warning systems to prevent bioaccumulation of hazardous chemicals

NORMAN guidance on suspect and non-target screening in environmental monitoring

Increasing production and use of chemicals and awareness of their impact on ecosystems and humans has led to large interest for broadening the knowledge on the chemical status of the environment and human health by suspect and non-target screening (NTS). To facilitate effective implementation of NTS in scientific, commercial and governmental laboratories, as well as acceptance by managers, regulators and risk assessors, more harmonisation in NTS is required. To address this, NORMAN Association members involved in NTS activities have prepared this guidance document, based on the current state of knowledge. The document is intended to provide guidance on performing high quality NTS studies and data interpretation while increasing awareness of the promise but also pitfalls and challenges associated with these techniques. Guidance is provided for all steps; from sampling and sample preparation to analysis by chromatography (liquid and gas-LC and GC) coupled via various ionisation techniques to high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (HRMS/MS), through to data evaluation and reporting in the context of NTS. Although most experience within the NORMAN network still involves water analysis of polar compounds using LC-HRMS/MS, other matrices (sediment, soil, biota, dust, air) and instrumentation (GC, ion mobility) are covered, reflecting the rapid development and extension of the field. Due to the ongoing developments, the different questions addressed with NTS and manifold techniques in use, NORMAN members feel that no standard operation process can be provided at this stage. However, appropriate analytical methods, data processing techniques and databases commonly compiled in NTS workflows are introduced, their limitations are discussed and recommendations for different cases are provided. Proper quality assurance, quantification without reference standards and reporting results with clear confidence of identification assignment complete the guidance together with a glossary of definitions. The NORMAN community greatly supports the sharing of experiences and data via open science and hopes that this guideline supports this effort