Fate and effects of graphene oxide alone and with sorbed benzo(a)pyrene in mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis.

Graphene oxide (GO) has gained a great scientific and economic interest due to its unique properties. As incorporation of GO in consumer products is rising, it is expected that GO will end up in oceans. Due to its high surface to volume ratio, GO can adsorb persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), and act as carrier of POPs, increasing their bioavailability to marine organisms.

In situ and ex situ bioassays with Cantareus aspersus for environmental risk assessment of metal(loid) and PAH-contaminated soils.

Environmental risk assessment of contaminated soils requires bioindicators that allow the assessment of bioavailability and toxicity of chemicals. Although many bioassays can determine the ecotoxicity of soil samples in the laboratory, few are available and standardized for on-site application. Bioassays based on specific threshold values that assess the in situ and ex situ bioavailability and risk of metal(loid)s and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils to the land snail Cantareus aspersus have never been simultaneously applied to the same soils.

Biochemical and Metabolomic Changes after Electromagnetic Hyperthermia Exposure to Treat Colorectal Cancer Liver Implants in Rats.

Background: Hyperthermia (HT) therapy still remains relatively unknown, in terms of both its biological and therapeutic effects. This work aims to analyze the effects of exposure to HT, such as that required in anti-tumor magnetic hyperthermia therapies, using metabolomic and serum parameters routinely analyzed in clinical practice.

Methods: WAG/RigHsd rats were assigned to the different experimental groups needed to emulate all of the procedures involved in the treatment of liver metastases by HT.

Non-targeted metabolomics reveals alterations in liver and plasma of gilt-head bream exposed to oxybenzone.

The extensive use of the organic UV filter oxybenzone has led to its ubiquitous occurrence in the aquatic environment, causing an ecotoxicological risk to biota. Although some studies reported adverse effects, such as reproductive toxicity, further research needs to be done in order to assess its molecular effects and mechanism of action. Therefore, in the present work, we investigated metabolic perturbations in juvenile gilt-head bream (Sparus aurata) exposed over 14 days via the water to oxybenzone (50 mg/L).

Ciprofloxacin by-products in seawater environment in the presence and absence of gilt-head bream.

The widespread use of pharmaceuticals has caused a growing concern on the presence of pharmaceuticals such as the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIPRO) in the aquatic environment, since they may exert adverse effects on non-target organisms, including fish. In order to study the uptake, distribution in different tissues (liver, muscle, brain and gill) and biofluids (plasma and bile), metabolism and elimination of CIPRO in gilt-head bream (Sparus aurata), controlled dosing experiments for 8 days at 200 μg/L concentration were carried out. CIPRO was only observed in bile at concentration up to 315 ± 4 ng/mL, probably due to its low octanol-water partition coefficient (log P = -2.

Antitumor magnetic hyperthermia induced by RGD-functionalized FeO nanoparticles, in an experimental model of colorectal liver metastases.

This work reports important advances in the study of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) related to their application in different research fields such as magnetic hyperthermia. Nanotherapy based on targeted nanoparticles could become an attractive alternative to conventional oncologic treatments as it allows a local heating in tumoral surroundings without damage to healthy tissue. RGD-peptide-conjugated MNPs have been designed to specifically target αβ receptor-expressing cancer cells, being bound the RGD peptides by "click chemistry" due to its selectivity and applicability.

Applicability of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polyethersulfone (PES) as passive samplers of more hydrophobic organic compounds in intertidal estuarine environments.

The uptake calibration of three passive samplers, stir-bars, MESCO/stir-bars and polyethersulfone tubes (PES), was assessed in seawater at different salinities for 17 organic compounds including organochlorine compounds, pesticides, phthalates, musk fragrances and triclosan. The calibration procedure was accomplished by exposing the samplers to a continuous flow of fortified seawater for up to 14days under laboratory conditions. Prior to the exposure, stir-bars and MESCO/stir-bars were loaded with a known amount of deuterated PAH mixture as performance reference compounds (PRC).

Finnish wallpaper pigments in the 18th-19th century: presence of KFe3(CrO4)2(OH)6 and odd pigment mixtures.

Several Finish wallpapers from the 18th and 19th century were analysed by using Raman spectroscopy assisted with EDXRF instrumentation, in an attempt of determine the pigments used in their manufacture process as well as of trying to date some of the samples through pigment composition. All pigments present in samples were determined and surprisingly the unusual and strange iron (III) chromate yellow pigment was found. Besides, unusual mixtures were found to obtain fashionable colours, especially in blue and green areas, where more than one blue pigments were mixed with green and yellow pigments.

Optimisation of focused ultrasound extraction (FUSE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of hydrocarbons in geological chert samples.

The analysis of hydrocarbons in chert rocks provides a worthwhile source of information regarding the geochemical features of a depositional setting. Since the typical analytical procedure requires long Soxhlet extractions and the use of large quantities of sample (30-50 g), in this work we have optimised the focused ultrasound extraction (FUSE) and the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) to make available a less severe procedure. In both cases a full experimental design including solvent mixture composition (Dichloromethane/Hexane/Acetone) and process variables (sonication time and cycles, and extraction temperature and time) by means of D-optimal designs.