Journal of Chemical Health Risks
Volume:4 Issue: 1, Winter 2014

The occurrence and fate of trace-level contamination of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment has been recognized as one of the emerging issues in environmental chemistry. The effluents of wastewater treatment plants, usually directly emitted to the environment, often contain the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac. Diclofenac was chosen because it is of high consumption; by background literature indicate toxic effects on biota and the lack of profile in sewage removal provided by the city. For this purpose, a survey on the presence of diclofenac in urban wastewater of Rio de Janeiro was carried out. It were evaluated diclofenac concentration in the affluent and effluent from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) Penha and Ilha do Governador, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Samples were collected along the line of treatment of each WWTP, and for clean up the samples were solid phase extraction (SPE), analysed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), assisted by diode array detector (DAD) techniques. The removal efficiency of pharmaceuticals in the wastewater treatment plants was roughly evaluated. Diclofenac was detected in all samples analysed wastewater (treated and raw), which confirms the low removal efficiency of conventional treatment systems, aerobes and anaerobes.

Osmotic dehydration under discontinuous reduced pressure is one of the new methods of preparation fruits and vegetable processing with in view of good health. Processing of foods at high temperatures used to cook them can cause the formation of carcinogenic substances like acrylamide, and this risk remains even if the trans-fat is removed. The low temperatures employed in this method resulted in the products with the desired texture, nutritional, and colour. The purpose of this research was evaluation of the variable effects of osmotic dehydration process (ambient pressure, contact time of product and solution, concentration and temperature of osmotic solution) on the quality factors of product (colour changes, texture, moisture, oil uptake, and water loss to solid gain ratio) and achieving the optimum process conditions. Studying the quality parameters of the product, the temperature range of osmotic solution, pressure, concentration of the osmotic solution and contact time of product and solution were assumed as 30 to 50°C, 500 to 700 mbar, 30 to 50% and 60 to 180 min, respectively. The test plans involving 31 tests were obtained by using response surface statistical models and central composite design. They were fried at the condition of 108ºC, 8 min and 320 mbar by using statistical correlations, 48.71ºC for the osmotic solution temperature, 592.07 mbar for the pressure, 62.92 min for the time and 34.87% for the osmotic solution. Concentrations were obtained as optimum conditions of osmotic dehydration of kiwi slices under reduced pressure. In summary combination of osmotic dehydration and vacuum frying improved the quality of the final fried kiwi, so this method is recommended for production of healthy products.

Mycotoxins are small, toxic chemical products produced as secondary metabolites by a few fungal spices that readily colonise crops and contaminate them with toxins in the field or after harvest. In this study a liquid chromatographic method was developed for the simultaneous determination of aflatoxins (AFs) (B1, B2, G1, and G2), ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone(ZEA) toxins in wheat. For this purpose, a total of 231 wheat samples were analyzed. Mycotoxins were extracted and purified from the samples using immunoaffinity (IAC) columns. 2.67% and 2.21% of examined wheat samples contained AFB1and OTA. The method was based on the extraction of AFs, OTA and ZEA finely ground wheat sample with 80% methanol and 60% acetonitrile solution, respectively. 2.60% and 2.16% of examined wheat samples contained AFB1 and OTA. LOD was 0.27, 0.04, 0.23, 0.04, 1.18 and 21.56 for AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, OTA and ZEA, respectively.Considering these results, these special products should not be a health concern for these collectives; however, special attention needs on foods distribution in retail shops.

The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO2) on wheat (Triticumaestivum L.) plants cv. Parsi. The experimental treatments included seven concentrations of nano- TiO2 (10, 100, 1000, 1200, 1500 and 1700 ppm nano-TiO2 and control (without any TiO2). The results showed that among the wheat germination indices, germination rate and weighted germination index were affected by TiO2 nanoparticles treatments. The lowest and the highest germination rate (16.7 vs. 11.1n.day-1) were obtained in control and 1000 and 1200 ppm concentration of nano- TiO2 treatments, respectively. These values for weighted germination index were (2.4 vs. 2.08) in 2000 ppm and control treatments respectively. In addition, plumule and radicle length, seedling fresh weight and seedling vigor index were affected by nano- TiO2 concentrations, significantly. Plumule and radicle lengths at 1200 ppm concentration of nano-TiO2 were higher than untreated control. This study shows that using of TiO2nanoparticles in suitable concentration caused increasing of seed germination of wheat cv. Parsiin comparison to control plants, otherwise low concentrations had inhibitory effects on wheat germination characteristics.

Chemical wastewater treatment is one of the attracting and common methods for wastewater treatment among the currently employed chemical unit processes. The use of coagulant-flocculant compound is one of the efficient methods for separating of paint and recovery of water. In this research, it was introduced and the effect of pH on removal of solid content from solution was studied experimentally. For this purpose, sludge and suspended solid content of the solution were determined in a jar test by measurement of UV absorption of treated solution and solid separation percentage. The results showed that in pH range 9.5-10.5, maximum efficiency of solid content removal was up to 95%. Consequently, maximum paint removal was obtained in this range of pH. The separation of solid content of the solution was due to formation of aluminum hydroxide. As shown by the results, the reduction of potassium hydroxide as pH adjuster caused decrease of pH and consequently decreases of aluminum hydroxide and solid content removal.

Thepetroleum concentrations are contaminant important sources in the environment. Hydrocarbon’s contaminants depend on their type and concentration can cause variable toxicity in soils, on the other hand, different kinds of plants also response concentration of contaminant differently, because of the diversity of physiological and morphological characteristics. In this study the effect of different concentrations of light crude oil was investigated on stem length, germination and anatomical of Vicia ervilia. A factorial experiment was used with a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The results showed that the germination and stem lengths decreased significantly (p≤ 0.05) with increasing concentrations of petroleum. Anatomical studies the changes of parenchyma, vascular bundles, epidermal and increase crack showed.

Boraginaceae family is known as a medicinal plant classified in dicotyledons. It is originated from Asia (Middle East). The aim of this study was to evaluate ingredient between 4 species of Boraginaceae family based on physiological & phytochemical traits as well as seed fatty acid contents. 4 species (E. russicum, E. italicum, E. amoenum, and B. officinalis) were evaluated carefully. All seeds were cultivated in identical conditions in a greenhouse in Tehran to assesse parameters such as tannins, phenols, anthocyanin, total protein, seed oil contents, Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), and Catalase (CAT) activity. Analysis of oil from seeds of EchiumL. determined 7 different fatty acids including Linolenic acid (35.1%), Linoleic acid (16.8%), Oleic acid (16.6%) and Arachidonic acid (15.5%) as major fatty acids, while stearic acid (4.42%), Palmitic acid (6.22%), Gama-Linolenic acid (6.04%) were the minor fatty acids extracted from seeds. Low protein content was observed in E. russicum(70 mg/g) and maximum level of protein was in B. officinalis(91mg/g). E. amoenum had maximum phenols (38mg/g) whereas E. russicum had minimum (26 mg/g). For total phenol, B. officinalis had maxium phenols (8.1mg/g) whereas E. italicum had minimum (3.9mg/g). Anthocyanins: E. russicum had maximum anthocyanins (65 mg/g) whereas B. officinalis had minimum (41 mg/g). In conclusion, it can be said that different species had different amounts of secondary metabolites so that no regular relation would be detected among plant species that we studied

In this study, the potential of biosorbent obtained from silk maze, was investigated for the batch biosorption of Direct red 81 (DR 81) in aqueous solution. The effects of temperature, biosorbent amount, contact time, initial dye concentration and ultrasonic irradiation were also evaluated. Furthermore, experimental equilibrium and kinetics data were fitted by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models, respectively. Kinetic experiments revealed that the biosorption of DR 81 onto modified silk maze can be described with a pseudo second-order model while the equilibrium isotherm data were well described by the Freundlich model. The negative thermodynamic values of ΔHoand ΔGoshowed that the biosorption is an endothermic process and occurs spontaneously in the nature.The results presented that this waste material may be a suitable biosorbent for removal of industrial effluents due to its low cost and high efficiency.