scholarly journals Evaluation of Parameters for Estimating the Postmortem Interval of Skeletal Remains Using Bovine Femurs: A Pilot Study

Diagnostics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1066
Author(s):  
Midori Nagai ◽  
Koichi Sakurada ◽  
Kazuhiko Imaizumi ◽  
Yoshinori Ogawa ◽  
Motohiro Uo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Optical Emission ◽  
Dna Degradation ◽  
Postmortem Interval ◽  
Skeletal Remains ◽  
Emission Spectrometry ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Element Concentrations ◽  
Wide Range

The postmortem interval (PMI) of victims is a key parameter in criminal investigations. However, effective methods for estimating the PMI of skeletal remains have not been established because it is determined by various factors, including environmental conditions. To identify effective parameters for estimating the PMI of skeletal remains, we investigated the change in bone focusing on the amount of DNA, element concentrations, and bone density that occurred in the bone samples of bovine femurs, each maintained under one of five simulated environmental conditions (seawater, freshwater, underground, outdoors, and indoors) for 1 year. The amount of extracted mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA; 404 bp fragment) decreased over time, and significant DNA degradation (p < 0.01), as estimated by a comparison with amplification results for a shorter fragment (128 bp), was detected between 1 month and 3 months. Eleven of 30 elements were detected in samples by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, and Na and Ba showed significant quantitative differences in terms of environmental conditions and time (p < 0.01). This preliminary study suggests that the level of DNA degradation determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and element concentrations determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission may be useful indices for estimating the PMI of victims under a wide range of environmental conditions. However, this study is a limited experimental research and not applicable to forensic cases as it is. Further studies of human bone with longer observation periods are required to verify these findings and to establish effective methods for PMI estimation.

Advances in sample digestion using microwave-ultraviolet radiations: phosphorus and sulfur determination in animal feed

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diogo L. R. Novo ◽  
Priscila T. Scaglioni ◽  
Rodrigo M. Pereira ◽  
Filipe S. Rondan ◽  
Gilberto S. Coelho Junior ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Optical Emission ◽  
Emission Spectrometry ◽  
Official Method ◽  
Dissolved Carbon ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Relative Standard ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Sulfur Determination

Background: Conventional analytical methods for phosphorus and sulfur determination in several matrices present normally analytical challenges regarding inaccuracy, detectability and waste generation. Objective: The main objective is proposing a green and feasible analytical method for phosphorus and sulfur determination in animal feed. Methods: Synergic effect between microwave and ultraviolet radiations during sample preparation was evaluated for the first time for the animal feed digestion associated with further phosphorus and sulfur determination by ion chromatography with conductivity detection. Dissolved carbon and residual acidity in final digests were used for the proposed method assessment. Phosphorus and sulfur values were compared with those obtained using conventional microwave-assisted wet digestion in closed vessels associated with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and with those obtained using Association of Official Analytical Chemists International official method. Recovery tests and certified reference material analysis were performed. Animal feeds were analyzed using the proposed method. Results: Sample masses of 500 mg were efficiently digested using only 2 mol L -1 HNO3. The results obtained by the proposed method was not differing significantly (p > 0.05) from those obtained by the conventional and official methods. Suitable recoveries (from 94 to 99%), agreement with certified values (101 and 104%) and relative standard deviations (< 8%) were achieved. Phosphorus and sulfur content in commercial products varied in a wide range (P: 5,873 to 28,387 mg kg-1 and S: 2,165 to 4,501 mg kg-1 ). Conclusion: The proposed method is a green, safe, accurate, precise and sensitive alternative for animal feed quality control.

scholarly journals Relevance for food sciences of quantitative spatially resolved element profile investigations in wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) grain

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (84) ◽  
pp. 20130296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Pongrac ◽  
Ivan Kreft ◽  
Katarina Vogel-Mikuš ◽  
Marjana Regvar ◽  
Mateja Germ ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Triticum Aestivum ◽  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Optical Emission ◽  
Tissue Level ◽  
Emission Spectrometry ◽  
Bulk Analysis ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Element Concentrations ◽  
Spatially Resolved ◽  
Soil Zn

Bulk element concentrations of whole grain and element spatial distributions at the tissue level were investigated in wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) grain grown in Zn-enriched soil. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry were used for bulk analysis, whereas micro-proton-induced X-ray emission was used to resolve the two-dimensional localization of the elements. Soil Zn application did not significantly affect the grain yield, but did significantly increase the grain Ca, Fe and Zn concentrations, and decrease the grain Na, P and Mo concentrations; bulk Mg, S, K, Mn, Cu, Cd and Pb concentrations remained unchanged. These changes observed in bulk element concentrations are the reflection of tissue-specific variations within the grain, revealing that Zn application to soil can lead to considerable alterations in the element distributions within the grain, which might ultimately influence the quality of the milling fractions. Spatially resolved investigations into the partitioning of the element concentrations identified the tissues with the highest element concentrations, which is of utmost importance for accurate prediction of element losses during the grain milling and polishing processes.

scholarly journals Differences in macro- and microelement contents in milk and yoghurt

2015 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 1391-1397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Bilandzic ◽  
Marija Sedak ◽  
Maja Djokic ◽  
Djurdjica Bozic ◽  
Bozica Solomun-Kolanovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Optical Emission ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
Optical Emission Spectrometry ◽  
Emission Spectrometry ◽  
Analytical Technique ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Element Concentrations ◽  
Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry

The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of macroelements (Ca, Na, K, Mg) and essential elements (Zn, Fe, Se, Cu) in milk and yoghurt collected from the Croatian market. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry was used as an analytical technique. Mean concentrations measured in milk and yoghurt were (mg/kg): Ca 1406.9 and 1153.8, K 1995.5 and 1526.5, Na 608.3 and 519.2, Mg 136.4 and 108.0, Zn 3.92 and 3.48, Fe 0.332 and 0.231, Cu 0.005 and 0.124. Significantly higher concentrations of Ca, K, Na and Cu (p<0.01-p<0.001) were found in milk than in yoghurt. The element concentrations measured in milk, with the exception of higher K and Na levels, were in agreement with the literature data. Variations in the content of all elements in yoghurt were found in comparison to data from other countries. These results represent the first data on macro- and microelements from the Croatian market. The variations found in comparison to other countries suggest that unique processes are utilized in the production of yoghurt products.

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