Specialty and high-quality coffee: discrimination through elemental characterization via ICP-OES, ICP-MS, and ICP-MS/MS of origin, species, and variety.

Background: This study aimed to establish the elemental profiling and origin combined with the genetic asset of coffee samples collected from major coffee-producing countries. A total of 76 samples were analysed for 41 elements using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and inductively coupled plasma-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS). The mineral composition of the silver skin detachment during the roasting process was also evaluated to verify the loss of minerals during roasting, differences in composition with beans, and between species.

Determination of Glyphosate in White and Brown Rice with HPLC-ICP-MS/MS.

Background: In 2017, the European Commission renewed the approval of glyphosate (GLY) but only for five years. GLY remains one of the most controversial and studied molecules. Method: A simplified method was tested for the determination of GLY in white rice (WR) and brown rice (BR), after extraction only with a methanol solution, by liquid chromatography coupled with inductively coupled mass triple quadrupole (HPLC-ICP-MS/MS) with a PRP-X100 anionic column.

Agronomical valorization of eluates from the industrial production of microorganisms: Chemical, microbiological, and ecotoxicological assessment of a novel putative biostimulant.

Plant Biostimulants (BSs) are a valid supplement to be considered for the integration of conventional fertilization practices. Research in the BS field keeps providing alternative products of various origin, which can be employed in organic and conventional agriculture. In this study, we investigated the biostimulant activity of the eluate obtained as a by-product from the industrial production of lactic acid bacteria on bare agricultural soil.

In Vitro Evaluation of the Inhibitory Activity of Different Selenium Chemical Forms on the Growth of a Strain Isolated from Rice Seedlings.

In this study, the in vitro effects of different Se concentrations (5, 10, 15, 20, and 100 mg kg) from different Se forms (sodium selenite, sodium selenate, selenomethionine, and selenocystine) on the development of a strain isolated from rice were investigated. A concentration-dependent effect was detected. Se reduced fungal growth starting from 10 mg kg and increasing the concentration (15, 20, and 100 mg kg) enhanced the inhibitory effect.

Provenance discrimination of Sorrento lemon with Protected Geographical indication (PGI) by multi-elemental fingerprinting.

Multielement analysis and chemometric methods were proposed to discriminate the Sorrento lemon (PGI) juices according to geographical origin. In 2018 and 2019, 169 fruits from three farms in PGI area and two in not-PGI area were collected and analysed for essential and not-essential elements by ICP-MS. The PCA of multielement fingerprinting grouped lemon juices from PGI farms revealing a strong differentiation at small geographical scale.

Bioaugmented Phytoremediation of Metal-Contaminated Soils and Sediments by Hemp and Giant Reed.

We assessed the effects of EDTA and selected plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on the phytoremediation of soils and sediments historically contaminated by Cr, Ni, and Cu. A total of 42 bacterial strains resistant to these heavy metals (HMs) were isolated and screened for PGP traits and metal bioaccumulation, and two spp. strains were finally selected.

The interaction between types of cover crop residue and digestate application methods affects ammonia volatilization during maize cropping season.

Organic and mineral fertilizers are important sources of ammonia (NH ) emissions from agricultural fields. The objectives of this study were (a) to evaluate how different cover crop (CC) residues (i.e.

Phytoremediation Potential of Crop Plants in Countering Nickel Contamination in Carbonation Lime Coming from the Sugar Industry.

The phytoremediation potential of four crop species cultivated on carbonation lime coming from the sugar industry with water-soluble nickel (Ni) exceeding the Italian legal limit of 10 µg L was assessed. Two autumn-winter species (spinach and canola) were tested with and without the addition of bentonite in a greenhouse experiment in order to overcome prolonged unfavourable weather conditions. Two spring-summer species (sunflower and sorghum) were grown in outdoor boxes.

Root-shoot-root Fe translocation in cucumber plants grown in a heterogeneous Fe provision.

Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for plant life and development. However, in soil, Fe bioavailability is often limited and variable in space and time, thus different regions of the same root system might be exposed to different nutrient provisions. Few studies showed that the response to variable Fe provision is controlled at local and systemic levels, albeit the identity of the signals involved is still elusive.

Effect of Feed Supplemented with Selenium-Enriched Olive Leaves on Plasma Oxidative Status, Mineral Profile, and Leukocyte DNA Damage in Growing Rabbits.

This study investigated the effect of a dietary combination of selenium and olive leaves on rabbit health status in order to evaluate the potential use of these combinations as functional ingredients in feed and food. Sixty weaning rabbits were fed with three diets: control feed (C), control feed + 10% normal olive leaves (OL), or olive leaves enriched in Se (2.17 mg Se/kg d.

Geographical identification of Chianti red wine based on ICP-MS element composition.

Chianti is a precious red wine and enjoys a high reputation for its high quality in the world wine market. Despite this, the production region is small and product needs efficient tools to protect its brands and prevent adulterations. In this sense, ICP-MS combined with chemometrics has demonstrated its usefulness in food authentication.

Use of Selenium-enriched olive leaves in the feed of growing rabbits: Effect on oxidative status, mineral profile and Selenium speciation of Longissimus dorsi meat.

In the present study the use of Selenium-fortified olive leaves as potential dietary source of Se in rabbit nutrition was evaluated. Sixty New Zealand White rabbits (35 days of age) were randomly assigned to the following dietary treatments: standard diet (C), and C supplemented with either 10% olive leaves (OL) or 10% Selenium-fortified olive leaves (SeOL; 100 mg/L of foliar spray sodium selenate solution). At 70 days of age, 10 rabbits per group were slaughtered and the oxidative status, mineral profile and Selenium speciation of Longissimus dorsi meat was analyzed.

Soil Selenium (Se) Biofortification Changes the Physiological, Biochemical and Epigenetic Responses to Water Stress in L. by Inducing a Higher Drought Tolerance.

Requiring water and minerals to grow and to develop its organs, Maize ( L.) production and distribution is highly rainfall-dependent. Current global climatic changes reveal irregular rainfall patterns and this could represent for maize a stressing condition resulting in yield and productivity loss around the world.

Selenium Biofortification in Rice ( Oryza sativa L.) Sprouting: Effects on Se Yield and Nutritional Traits with Focus on Phenolic Acid Profile.

The contents of total Se and of inorganic and organic Se species, as well as the contents of proteins, chlorophylls, carotenoids, and phenolic acids, were measured in 10-day old sprouts of rice ( Oryza sativa L.) obtained with increasing levels (15, 45, 135, and 405 mg Se L) of sodium selenite and sodium selenate and with distilled water as control. Increasing Se levels increased organic and inorganic Se contents of sprouts, as well as the content of phenolic acids, especially in their soluble conjugated forms.

Total As and As Speciation in Italian Rice as Related to Producing Areas and Paddy Soils Properties.

Rice and rice-based foodstuffs are important pathways for inorganic As dietary intake. This work shows a detailed picture of As content and speciation in Italian rice, which contributes to more than one-half of the European production, and addresses the role of soil chemistry and agronomic management on As concentration in rice grain, in view of ameliorative strategies. The mean total As content in Italian white rice was 155 ± 65 μg kg with significant differences among producing areas, while the mean inorganic As was 102 ± 26 μg kg, largely below the E.

Selenium speciation profiles in biofortified sangiovese wine.

Biofortification is an agronomic-based strategy, utilized by farmers, to produce selenium (Se)-enriched food products that may help reduce dietary deficiencies of Se occurring throughout susceptible regions of the world. The foliar exposure route application ensures a high efficiency of Se assimilation by the plant since it does not depend on root-to-shoot translocation. In this study we treated grapevines of Sangiovese variety in the pre-flowering period with sodium selenate (100mg Se L).

Determination of Sb(III) and Sb(V) by HPLC-Online isotopic dilution-ICP MS.

This work provides a method with application of valid techniques to extract and determinate inorganic species of antimony (Sb) for water. The procedure involves•the simultaneous accumulation of Sb(III) and Sb(V) on passive samplers like Diffusive Gradient in Thin Films (DGT) with iron (Fe) oxide gel, eliminating the risk of speciation changes due to transport and storage;•application of less concentrated acid (50 mM Na2EDTA) for elution and preservation of Sb species from DGT resin;•subsequent analytical determination of inorganic species with High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Isotopic Dilution-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (HPLC-ID-ICP MS) based on determination of the isotope ratio ((123)Sb/(121)Sb) of isotopes in the samples after spiking with 123Sb enriched standard solution, reducing the effect of signal drift and matrix effect on the final value.

Ecological status and sources of anthropogenic contaminants in mangroves of the Wouri River Estuary (Cameroon).

Mangroves are critically threatened by human activities, despite the important ecosystem functions and services they provide. Mangroves in Cameroon represent no exception to the worldwide trend of mangrove destruction, especially around Douala, on the Wouri river estuary. In two sites around Douala, we assessed the presence of sterols, PAHs, PCBs, DEHP, DDT and its metabolite p,p'-DDE and potentially toxic metals in sediment samples.

Quantification of Cr(VI) in soil samples from a contaminated area in northern Italy by isotope dilution mass spectrometry.

The aims of the work were to detect and quantify hexavalent chromium in 14 soil samples from an area in Lombardia (northern Italy) contaminated by two polluted water plumes. Cr(VI) was extracted from the solid samples by applying focused microwaves in an alkaline medium after Cr(III) complexation with EDTA. Cr(VI) was reduced to Cr(III) when previously reported extraction conditions for the analysis of certified reference materials were used, and Cr(VI) could not be reliably quantified in the soil samples.

Metal contamination of home garden soils and cultivated vegetables in the province of Brescia, Italy: implications for human exposure.

Background: For the past century, ferroalloy industries in Brescia province, Italy produced particulate emissions enriched in manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), and aluminum (Al). This study assessed metal concentrations in soil and vegetables of regions with varying ferroalloy industrial activity levels.

Methods: Home gardens (n=63) were selected in three regions of varying ferroalloy plant activity durations in Brescia province.

Gamma-spectrometric measurement of radioactivity in agricultural soils of the Lombardia region, northern Italy.

This work is part of a wider monitoring project of the agricultural soils in Lombardia, which aims to build a database of topsoil properties and the potentially toxic elements, organic pollutants and gamma emitting radionuclides that the topsoils contain. A total of 156 agricultural soils were sampled according to the LUCAS (Land Use/Cover Area frame statistical Survey) standard procedure. The aim was to provide a baseline to document the conditions present at the time of sampling.

Biomonitoring study of an estuarine coastal ecosystem, the Sacca di Goro lagoon, using Ruditapes philippinarum (Mollusca: Bivalvia).

Coastal lagoons are constantly subjected to releases of chemical pollutants, and so organisms may be exposed to such toxicants. This study investigated through a multivariate approach the physiological status of bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum, farmed in Sacca di Goro lagoon. Biomarkers at different levels of biological organization (catalase, superoxide dismutase, genotoxicity, reburrowing behavior) were evaluated at three sites exposed to different environmental conditions.

Arsenic uptake and speciation and the effects of phosphate nutrition in hydroponically grown kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum Hochst).

Background: This work focuses on the accumulation and mobility properties of arsenic (As) and the effects of phosphate (P) on its movement in Pennisetum clandestinum Hochst (kikuyu grass), grown hydroponically under increasing arsenate (As(V)) concentrations. The uptake of both ions and the relative kinetics show that phosphate is an efficient competitive inhibitor of As(V) uptake. The P/As uptake rate ratios in roots indicate that P is taken up preferentially by P/As transporters.

Levels of PCDD/Fs and trace elements in superficial soils of Pavia Province (Italy).

Trace elements and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were analyzed in soils from rural and light-industrialized sites (n = 168) of Province of Pavia (Northern Italy). Most of the trace element values fit in typical ranges of concentrations in soils and are similar to the ones reported for rural sites in Italy or sites with no direct anthropogenic impact. Total concentrations of 2,3,7,8 chlorine substituted PCDD/Fs in superficial soils ranged between 24.