Some pleural effusions labeled as idiopathic could be produced by the inhalation of silica

Objectives Exposure to silica nanoparticles has been associated with pleural effusions (PEs) in animal models and case series. We hypothesized that some PEs labelled as “idiopathic” could, in fact, be secondary to inhalation of silica. Methods A retrospective case control study was designed utilizing a prospectively maintained pleural database. Cases, represented by idiopathic PEs, were matched by age and gender to control patients who had been diagnosed with malignant, cardiac, or infectious PEs. A survey consisting of questions about occupational life and possibility of silica inhalation was conducted. In a subgroup of patients, pleural fluid concentrations of silica were quantified by plasma atomic emission spectrometry analysis. Also, the pleural biopsy of a silica-exposed case was subjected to an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) to identify the mineral, the size of which was determined by electron microscopy. Results A total of 118 patients (59 cases and 59 controls) completed the survey. There were 25 (42%, 95% CI 31–55%) and 13 (22%, 95% CI 13–34%) silica-exposed workers in case and control groups, respectively. The exposure attributable fraction was 0.62 (95% CI 0.14–0.83). Four of eight exposed cases showed detectable levels of silica in the pleural fluid (mean 2.37 mg/L), as compared to none of 16 tested controls. Silica nanoparticles of 6–7 nm were identified in the pleural biopsy of an exposed case patient. Conclusions It is plausible that some idiopathic PEs could actually be caused by occupational silica inhalation.

Atomic Absorption Spectrometry as an Alternative to Determine the Presence of Gold Nanoparticles on or in Silica Matrix

Two different gold-silica-based nanomaterials were prepared: (i) silica-supported gold nanoparticles (AuNP/SiO2); and (ii) gold-silica core-shell nanoparticles (AuNP@SiO2). Three strategies for sample treatment (S), consisting in acid treatments, were employed: (S1) HNO3; (S2) HNO3 + HCl; and (S3) HF + HNO3 + HCl, applying microwave oven digestion for S2 and S3. From three calibration curves, slope, intercept, and linear correlation coefficient were obtained. The accuracy of the methods was evaluated by comparing the gold contents in a sample determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Finally, the amount of gold for all samples was determined by FAAS. UV-Vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to compare the material before and after sample treatment. By comparison, the application of S2 and S3 allowed the presence of gold on or in the silica matrix to be determined and the amount quantified.

Mineral Composition of Dietary Supplements-Analytical and Chemometric Approach

There is a lack of data on the actual composition and effectiveness of beetroot-based dietary supplements. The research aimed to determine the profile of 22 elements (Na, K, Ca, Mg, P, Fe, As, Se, Zn, Cu, Ag, Co, Ni, Mo, Al, Mn, Sr, Cr, Ba, Li, Pb, Cd) in beetroot and its supplements by the microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometry (MP-AES) method. The analytical procedure was optimised and validated. The composition of both groups was compared, assessing compliance with the recommended daily doses for the chosen elements, and the health risk was estimated. Furthermore, chemometric analysis was applied. Beetroots constituted a significant source of elements, especially K, Na, Mg, Ca, P, in contrast to supplements which contained their negligible amounts except from iron-enriched products which provided notable amounts of Fe (38.3–88% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for an adult male from 19 to 75 years old). Some products were significantly contaminated with toxic elements (As, Cd). Factor and cluster analyses were helpful in the differentiation of beetroot and its supplements in view of their type (vegetable, supplement, iron-enriched supplement), origin, type of cultivation (conventional, organic), and form (capsule, tablet) based on their mineral composition. The obtained results indicate the need for more stringent control of supplements, as they may pose a significant health risk to consumers.

Correlations between the elemental composition of grapes, soils of the viticultural area and wine

Study of the elemental composition of the soil-grape-wine chain and correlation relationships between the chain links is presented. The objects of the study were grapes of the Muscat, Cabernet and Merlot varieties, wine samples produced from them and soils of the viticultural areas. Concentrations of Li, Mg, Al, K, Ca, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Rb, Cd, Pb, Ba, Na, Ti and Sr in soils, grapes and wines were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Relationships between the elemental composition of the objects under study were assessed by statistical modelling using the STATISTICA software. The character of metal distribution in the soil-grape chain was studied for three forms of the element extraction from soils. We determined their gross content, the content of acid-soluble and mobile forms. The degree of absorption of mobile forms of metals by grapes was estimated using «biological absorption coefficient»., Values of the biological absorption coefficient (BAC) of different metals depend on the grape variety. High BAC values are observed for Rb, Ti, Mg, Zn, Cu, Na, Fe, Al, and Sr in Merlot grapes; K, Pbm and Ni in Muscat; and for V and Mn in Cabernet. The lowest BAC values were observed for Co, Ba, and Ca in all grape varieties under study. Each grape variety formed its own individual elemental image due to the different nature of absorption of the studied metals. The transfer of metals from grape to wine for all considered varieties was accompanied by a decrease in the concentrations of Mg, Al, K, Ca, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Ba, Ti, and Sr and by an increase in the content of V, Fe, Co, Pb, and Na. Discriminant analysis revealed the metals with the highest identification properties, considering their form present in the soil. The results obtained can be used when setting markers determining the varietal and regional origin of wines.

Assessment of the release of metals from cigarette butts into the environment

Cigarette butts are known to contain toxic metals which pose a potential threat to the environment and human health. The seriousness of this threat is largely determined by the leachability of these toxic metals when the butts are exposed to aqueous solutions in the environment. The aims of this study were to determine the presence and mobility of toxic and non-toxic elements found in discarded cigarette butts; to relate this mobility to two different contact situations with leaching liquids: tumbling and trampling (batch test) and percolation in a static position (column test); and finally, to verify possible variations in solubility by simulating different environmental systems. Five leachants with different pH values were used to simulate various environmental conditions The concentrations of the solubilized metals were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). CH3COOH pH 2.5 showed the greatest capacity to dissolve many elements. On the contrary, weakly acidic or alkaline environments did not favor the leachability of the elements. The best extraction capacity of the column with respect to the batch is statistically significant (p <0.05) for the elements Al, Fe, Ni and Zn, while the batch for P, Si, S. Pb, Cd, As were not detectable in cigarette butts, while Hg had an average concentration of 0.0502 μg/g. However, Hg was < LOD in all different leachants.

Quantitative extraction of chromium VI and III from tanned leather: a comparative study of pretreatment methods

In this study, seven pretreatment methods for chromium speciation in tanned leather were evaluated: acidic mineralization, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) extraction, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) extraction, alkaline extraction (NH4OH), ammonium nitrate extraction (NH4NO3), water extraction, and phosphate buffer extraction. Acidic mineralization permitted the decomposition of the organic matter and ensured the complete digestion of leathers, giving access to the total content of chromium in each sample using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). From all the extractant media tested, EDTA proved to be the most efficient, allowing the extraction of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) as a Cr(III)-EDTA complex, quantitatively. Method validation is presented for EDTA extraction and direct mineralization. For the EDTA extraction, method detection limit (MDL) and method quantification limit (MQL) for total Cr in leather were 3.4 ppb and 11.2 ppb (µg of total Cr per L of extraction solution), respectively. Due to the lack of leather certified reference materials (CRMs) for Cr(VI), accuracy was evaluated by spiking leather samples with a Cr(VI) solution. The spike recovery of EDTA microwave assisted extraction ranged from 91.0 to 108.6%. Interday precision was also evaluated and all variation coefficients were below 5%, for both mineralization and EDTA extraction. This article provides an efficient procedure to extract quantitatively chromium from leather, while maintaining the speciation, which can be further followed by ion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (IC-ICP-MS).