Antifungal Potential of Hibiscus Tea and Fermented Kombucha

Kombucha is a beverage fermented by a symbiosis of bacteria and yeast from teas. Secondary fermentations can be made using vegetables, such as hibiscus for example. In addition to providing a different flavor, the kombucha fermented with hibiscus can provide functional properties such as antimicrobial and antioxidant action. Botrytis cinerea causes gray rot in fruits and is difficult to control due to resistance to chemicals. The objective of this work was to evaluate the antifungal activity of the 1st fermentation of kombucha (F1), the 2nd fermentation of kombucha with hibiscus (F2H) and hibiscus tea against the fungus Botrytis cinerea for a possible alternative for fungal control in strawberries. B. cinerea was inoculated in PDA medium at concentrations of 50 %, 25 %, 12.5 %, and 6.25 % of hibiscus tea and fermented kombucha and evaluated after seven days for mycelial growth, verified by its diameter. PDA without added tea or kombucha was used as a control. Strawberries were steeped in an aqueous solution of hibiscus tea and fermented into kombucha. The results showed inhibition of the mycelial growth of B. cinerea in the media with concentrations of 50 % and 25 % of kombucha (F1 and F2H) and hibiscus tea, where the inhibition for F1 was 88.9 % and 46.7 %. For F2H, it was 58.9 % and 20 %. And for hibiscus tea, it was 21.1 % and 12.2 %, respectively. When these pure compounds were applied by immersion on strawberries and stored at 15 °C, there were signs of reduced external deterioration, with hibiscus tea showing better control

Growth of Fungal Cells and the Production of Mycotoxins

Some filamentous fungi are able to grow in food and produce toxic metabolites. It occurs mainly in grains, cereals, oilseeds and some by-products. The growth of fungi in a particular food is governed largely by a series of physical and chemical parameters. The production of toxic metabolites is not confined to a single group of molds irrespective of whether they are grouped according to structure, ecology, or phylogenetic relationships. Mycotoxins can be carcinogenic and cause several harmful effects to both human and animal organisms, in addition to generating large economic losses. The major mycotoxins found in food are the aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxins, patulin, zearalenone, and trichothecenes, generally stable at high temperatures and long storage periods. Considering the difficult prevention and control, international organizations for food safety establish safe levels of these toxins in food destined for both human and animal consumption. Good agricultural practices and control of temperature and moisture during storage are factors which contribute significantly to inhibit the production of mycotoxins. The use of some fungistatic products, such as essential oils and antioxidants, as well as physical, mechanical, chemical, or thermal processing, represents important methods to have the concentration of mycotoxins reduced in food

Evaluation of the removal of diclofenac and formation of by-products in water treatment

A presença de resíduos de fármacos em águas superficiais e de abastecimento público tem preocupado a comunidade científica devido principalmente à sua persistência na água e aos efeitos adversos causados à comunidade aquática e aos possíveis riscos à saúde humana. Dentre os fármacos comumente identificados em águas de abastecimento público, encontram-se os anti-inflamatórios, como o diclofenaco (DCF), um dos fármacos mais consumidos no Brasil e no mundo. Nesse contexto, o presente trabalho, teve como objetivo principal estudar a eficiência das etapas de tratamento de água em ciclo completo (coagulação, floculação, sedimentação, filtração em areia e desinfecção com cloro) com e sem pré-oxidação com cloro e com dióxido de cloro e adsorção em carvão ativado granular (CAG) na remoção de DCF. Também foram determinados os trialometanos (THM) e identificados os principais subprodutos do DCF formados na oxidação com cloro e dióxido de cloro. Para a determinação do DCF nas amostras de água antes e após as etapas de tratamento de água foram desenvolvidos e validados métodos analíticos de extração em fase sólida (SPE) e cromatográfico por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (HPLC) com detecção no ultravioleta (UV). A validação do método foi feita de acordo com a resolução n&ordm; 899 de 2003 da Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA), considerando os requisitos para métodos bioanalíticos. Os procedimentos analíticos empregados foram efetivos e confiáveis para a identificação e quantificação do DCF nas amostras de água antes e após os processos de tratamento de água. Os ensaios de tratamento de água foram feitos em equipamento de reatores estáticos (jarteste) e filtros de escala laboratorial empregando-se água de poço artesiano não clorada preparada com substâncias húmicas aquáticas (SHA) para conferir cor verdadeira de 20 uH, caulinita para conferir turbidez de 70 uT e fortificada com 1 mg L-1 de DCF. Os resultados indicaram que as etapas de coagulação com sulfato de alumínio, floculação, sedimentação e filtração em areia não removeram o DCF. Nas etapas de préoxidação com cloro e dióxido de cloro e de pós-cloração houve remoção parcial do DCF, porém verificou-se a formação de subprodutos provenientes da oxidação do DCF. Dentre os THM, foi quantificado apenas o clorofórmio na etapa de pré-oxidação com cloro. Em geral, os resultados indicaram que o dióxido de cloro foi mais eficiente na redução do DCF e formou menos subprodutos. Entretanto, o tratamento em ciclo completo seguido da adsorção em CAG foi eficiente na remoção de DCF, com remoção maior que 99,7%. Os subprodutos formados na oxidação com cloro e dióxido identificados por cromatografia líquida acoplada a espectrometria de massas em série (LC-MS/MS) consistiram na descaboxilação/hidroxilação e substituição aromática de átomos de hidrogênio por cloro. Os subprodutos identificados na oxidação com cloro apresentaram as seguintes fórmulas moleculares: C14H11</subCl2NO3, C13H10Cl3N e C14H10Cl3NO2. Com o dióxido de cloro foi identificado o subproduto de fórmula molecular igual a C14H11Cl2NO3.The presence of pharmaceutical residues in surface waters and in drinking water supply has concerned the scientific community, mainly in which regards their persistence in water, adverse effects on the aquatic community and possible risks to human health. Antiinflammatory drugs, as diclofenac (DCF), are among those drugs commonly identified in drinking water supply. In this context, the main objective of this study was to assess the efficiency of the different stages of the conventional drinking water treatment (coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, sand filtration and chlorine disinfection) with and without preoxidation with chlorine and chlorine dioxide and adsorption on granular activated carbon (GAC) in the removal of DCF. The trihalomethanes (THMs) were also determined and the main by-products of DCF formed by oxidation with chlorine dioxide and chlorine were identified. For the DCF determination in water samples before and after water treatment stages analytical methods of solid phase extraction (SPE) and chromatographic method by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with detection in the ultraviolet (UV) were developed and validated. The method validation was based on Resolution n&ordm; 899 of the 2003 of the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), considering the requirements for bioanalytical methods. The analytical procedures used were effective and reliable for the identification and quantification of DCF in the water samples before and after the water treatment stages. The water treatment tests were carried out in jar test equipment and filters on laboratory scale employing non chlorinated water of artesian well prepared with aquatic humic substances (AHS) to yield 20 uH true color, kaolin turbidity of 70 NTU and DCF concentration of 1 mg L-1. The results indicated that the stages of coagulation with aluminum sulphate, flocculation, sedimentation and filtration sand did not remove DCF. In the stages of pre-oxidation with chlorine and chlorine dioxide and chlorine disinfection the DCF was partially removed, however by-products were formed from the DCF oxidation. Among the THMs, only chloroform was quantified in the pre-oxidation with chlorine. In general, the results showed that chlorine dioxide was more effective to reduce the DCF and fewer by-products were formed. Nevertheless, the complete cycle treatment followed by GAC adsorption was effective to remove DCF (&gt; 99.7%. removal). The by-products of the oxidation of DCF with chlorine and chlorine dioxide identified by liquid chromatography coupled tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) consisted in the descaboxylation/hydroxylation and aromatic substitution of hydrogen atoms by chlorine. The compounds identified in the oxidation with chlorine showed the following molecular formulas: C14H11</subCl2NO3, C13H10Cl3N e C14H10Cl3NO2. The by-product identified using chlorine dioxide was C14H11Cl2NO3

IDENTIFICATION OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN A MUNICIPAL LANDFILL LEACHATE BY GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY COUPLED WITH MASS SPECTROMETRY

<p>The organic compounds present in leachate can contaminate soil, superficial and underground water, and the majority is considered harmful to the environment and human health. The objective of this study was to identify organic compounds present in landfill leachate located in Maringá-PR by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The raw leachate was characterized by measurements of pH, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOQ), Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC), apparent and true colors, turbidity and absorbance at 254 nm. The extraction of organic compounds in leachate was carried out by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) with ethyl acetate and dichloromethane solvents, while varying the pH and ionic strength. The analysis of the leachate by GC-MS showed the presence of compounds considered to have toxic effects on the environment and human health, such as pesticides and phenolic compounds. Several compounds containing oxygenated groups such as carboxylic acids and alcohols were also identified, indicating that it was highly probable that the decomposition of waste in the landfill was in the acidogenic phase.</p

Comparative characterization of humic substances extracted from freshwater and peat of different apparent molecular sizes

This paper compares the structural characteristics of aquatic humic substances (AHS) with humic substances from peat (HSP) through different analytical techniques, including elemental analysis, solid state 13C cross polarization/magic-angle-spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C CP-MAS NMR), ultraviolet/visible (UV/Vis) spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and total organic carbon (TOC). The AHS were extracted from water collected in a tributary of the Itapanhaú River (Bertioga/SP) using XAD 8 resin, and the HSP were extracted from peat collected in the Mogi Guaçu River bank (Luis Antonio/SP) with a KOH solution. After dialysis, both AHS and HSP extracts were filtered in membrane of 0.45 µm pore size (Fraction F1: < 0.45 µm) and fractioned by ultrafiltration in different apparent molecular sizes (AMS) (F2: 100 kDa-0.45 μm; F3: 30 kDa-100 kDa and F4: < 30 kDa). The extracts with the lowest AMS (F3 and F4) showed a higher number of aliphatic carbons than aromatic carbons, a higher concentration of groups containing oxygen and a higher percentage of fulvic acids (FA) than humic acids (HA) for both AHS and HSP. However, the AHS presented higher FA than HA content in relation to the HSP and distinct structural properties

Identification of organic compounds in landfill leachate treated by advanced oxidation processes

<p>Landfill leachates are considered to be complex effluents of a variable composition containing many biorecalcitrant and highly toxic compounds. Considering the shortage of studies concerning the treatment of landfill leachates using ozone, as well as its combination with catalysts, the aim of this paper was to identify the organic compounds in this effluent treated with advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) of ozonation (O₃), and heterogeneous catalytic ozonation with TiO₂ (O₃/TiO₂) and with ZnO (O₃/ZnO). In addition, this study sought to assess the efficiency of the removal of the organic matter present in the leachate. For the pre- and post-AOPs, the leachate was characterized through physicochemical parameters and identification of organic compounds using gas chromatography coupled to the mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The three processes studied (O₃, O₃/TiO₂, and O₃/ZnO) presented color removal, turbidity, BOD above 95%, and lower COD removals (19%, 24%, and 33%, respectively). All AOPs studied promoted a similar reduction of organic compounds from leachate, some of which with toxic and carcinogenic potential, such as p-cresol, bisphenol A, atrazine, and hexazinone. In addition, upon the removal of organic matter and organic compounds, the heterogeneous catalytic ozonation processes proved more efficient than the process carried out only with ozone.</p