Hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent-ferrofluid microextraction followed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for the enantioselective determination of chiral agrochemicals in natural waters.

The increasing use of chiral agrochemicals sold as racemic formulations raises concern for the negative impacts that inactive enantiomers can have on aquatic life and human health. The present work just focuses on the determination of ten chiral pesticides in river water samples by applying a ferrofluid-based microextraction followed by their stereoselective liquid chromatography analysis. To develop the ferrofluid, magnetite nanoparticles were prepared and coated with oleic acid and then dispersed in a hydrophobic natural deep eutectic solvent (NaDES), composed of L-menthol and thymol (1:1).

Recovery of cellulose acetate bioplastic from cigarette butts: realization of a sustainable sorbent for water remediation.

Cigarette butts, one of the most common forms of litter in the world, represent a source of chemical and plastic pollution releasing thousands of toxic compounds and microfibers of cellulose acetate (CA). Besides the correct waste management, the recovery of CA from cigarette filters is a way to cushion their negative effects on the environment. Thus far, recycling strategies have been limited to industrial applications, while not many solutions have designed for water remediation.

Nanocomposite microbeads made of recycled polylactic acid for the magnetic solid phase extraction of xenobiotics from human urine.

Nanocomposite microbeads (average diameter = 10-100 µm) were prepared by a microemulsion-solidification method and applied to the magnetic solid-phase extraction (m-SPE) of fourteen analytes, among pesticides, drugs, and hormones, from human urine samples. The microbeads, perfectly spherical in shape to maximize the surface contact with the analytes, were composed of magnetic nanoparticles dispersed in a polylactic acid (PLA) solid bulk, decorated with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (mPLA@MWCNTs). In particular, PLA was recovered from filters of smoked electronic cigarettes after an adequate cleaning protocol.

The endogenous oxytocin after manipulative osteopathic treatment in full-term pregnant women.

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess whether the touch of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) can affect the endogenous production of oxytocin in full-term pregnant women and the assessment of well-being following the treatment.

Patients And Methods: In this study have been enrolled 57 pregnant women at full-term pregnancy (37th-41st week) for evaluation of the concentration of salivary oxytocin 2 minutes before and 2 minutes after a single session of OMT by an osteopath lasting for 30 minutes. Pre-OMT and post-OMT saliva samples were collected with the use of Salivette® salivary swabs.

Carbon nanomaterial-based membranes in solid-phase extraction.

Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) have some excellent properties that make them ideal candidates as sorbents for solid-phase extraction (SPE). However, practical difficulties related to their handling (dispersion in the atmosphere, bundling phenomena, reduced adsorption capability, sorbent loss in cartridge/column format, etc.) have hindered their direct use for conventional SPE modes.