Enhancing bioactive compounds accumulation in red beet (Beta Vulgaris L.) plants by managing N nutrition. The identification of the 'critical' zone as a cultivation technique.

The increasing interest in natural health-promoting compounds, which are mostly plant secondary metabolites, inspired attempts to stimulate mechanisms strengthening their bioaccumulation in crop plants via abiotic stress while maintaining the yield potential. This study investigates the long-term effects of limiting nitrogen (N) supply on the concentration of total phenolics, free radical activity of natural antioxidants, betacyanin content, biomass production, net photosynthetic rate, total chlorophyll content, and plant water relations in red beetroot plants (Beta vulgaris L.) grown hydroponically.

Determination of genotoxic effects of methidathion alkaline hydrolysis in human lymphocytes using the micronucleus assay and square-wave voltammetry.

The interaction of pesticides with environmental factors, such as pH, may result in alterations of their physicochemical properties and should be taken into consideration in regard to their classification. This study investigates the genotoxicity of methidathion and its alkaline hydrolysis by-products in cultured human lymphocytes, using the square-wave voltammetry (square wave-adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (SW-AdCSV) technique) and the cytokinesis block micronucleus assay (CBMN assay). According to the SW-AdCSV data the alkaline hydrolysis of methidathion results in two new molecules, one non-electro-active and a second electro-active which is more genotoxic than methidathion itself in cultured human lymphocytes, inducing higher micronuclei frequencies.

Interfacial thermodynamics of gallic acid adsorption on a chargeable hydrophobic surface.

The thermodynamics of adsorption of gallic acid (GA, 3,4,5-trihydroxylbenzoic acid) on the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) surface was studied by temperature-dependent stripping voltammetry (TD-SV), at physiological pH 7.4. The thermodynamic parameters, e.

Differential micronuclei induction in human lymphocyte cultures by imidacloprid in the presence of potassium nitrate.

Humans are exposed to pesticides as a consequence of their application in farming or their persistence in a variety of media, including food, water, air, soil, plants, animals, and smoke. The interaction of pesticides with environmental factors may result in the alteration of their physicochemical properties. Square wave cathodic stripping voltammetry (SW-CSV), a technique that simulates electrodynamically the cellular membrane, is used to investigate whether the presence of potassium nitrate (KNO(3)) in the culture medium interferes with the genotoxic behavior of imidacloprid.

A humic-acid-like polycondensate produced with no use of catalyst.

The synthesis and physicochemical characterization of a water soluble humic-acid-like polycondensate (HALP), which mimics fundamental physicochemical and spectroscopic properties of natural humic acids is presented. The polymer can be synthesized under ambient O(2) by oxidative co-polymerization of gallic (GA) and protocatechuic (PA) acid at pH >9, with no need for a catalyst. Solid state (13)C NMR spectra for GA-PA-HALP show that ring-opening reactions of GA, PA monomers are involved in GA-PA-HALP formation.

Thermodynamics of adsorption of dithiocarbamates at the hanging mercury drop.

Two dimethyldithiocarbamate (DMDTC) pesticides, thiram and ziram, are adsorbed onto a Hg drop via an entropically driven process. The adsorption isotherms are described by the Frumkin equation. For both molecules, the adsorption is characterized by a nonlinear pseudosigmoid temperature dependence of the Gibbs free energy.

Adsorption and radical stabilization of humic-Acid analogues and Pb2+ on restricted phyllomorphous clay.

Humic acids have stable radicals that are indigenous to their structure. Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives such as gallic acid (GA) and protocatechuic acid are appropriate models for the radical properties of humic acids. Here we show that the adsorption or intercalation of gallic acid in Laponite clay results in a significant thermodynamic stabilization of gallic acid radicals.