Activated carbon cloth with MnCoAl layer double hydroxide nanocomposite for the separation and preconcentration of Pb(II) and Ni(II) from food samples.

A novel dispersive solid phase microextraction (dSP-ME) technique using activated carbon cloth (ACC) and layered double hydroxide (LDH) has been developed for enriching and extracting Pb(II) and Ni(II). The ACC@MnCoAl-LDH nanosorbent, has proven with high surface area, superior extraction dynamics and efficiency, compared to traditional sorbents. Structural features of the new ACC@MnCoAl-LDH sorbent were also characterized.

Synthesis of magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes with layered double hydroxide (M-MWCNTs@MnAl-LDH) nanocomposite as an adsorbent for lead extraction.

MnAl layered double hydroxide hybrid with magnetic-multiwalled carbon nanotubes was synthesized by a hydrothermal method and used for the extraction of Pb(II) (lead) from spices and water samples in the dispersive solid phase microextraction (dSPμE) technique using FAAS. The as-prepared adsorbent MMWCNTs@MnAl-LDH was characterized by XRD, FTIR, EDX, and SEM techniques. Various analytical parameters were optimized, including pH 8, adsorbent dosage of 5 mg, HNO eluent concentration of 1 mol L, eluent volume of 3 mL, eluent time of 60 s, and sample volume of 20 mL, for quantitative lead recoveries, with an LOD of 0.

Ultrasound-Assisted Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction Using Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) for Neutral Red Dye Spectrophotometric Determination.

Deep eutectic solvents (DES), which have low toxicity and are low cost, biodegradable, and easily synthesized, were used for the extraction of neutral red (NR) dye before its spectrophotometric analysis. DES, containing choline chloride as a hydrogen bond acceptor and phenol as a hydrogen bond donor with a molar ratio of 1:2, was used for the extraction of NR dye from aqueous media. The possible interaction of different DESs with NR was studied using density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

Ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvent-based liquid-liquid microextraction for simultaneous determination of Ni (II) and Zn (II) in food samples.

A new approach was developed for the simultaneous pre-concentration and determination of Ni (II) and Zn (II) in food samples. This method is based on ultrasound-assisted liquid-liquid micro extraction using hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (DES) and 1,10-phenanthroline as chelating agent. The effect of several parameters, such as pH, selection and volume of DES, amount of chelating agent, time of sonication and centrifugation, was studied.

Nanomaterials-based solid phase extraction and solid phase microextraction for heavy metals food toxicity.

In the last few years, nanomaterials are widely used sorbents for the extraction of heavy metals in food samples. The nanomaterials have a larger surface area and show high selectivity, fast adsorption capability, and high efficiency for food contaminants (heavy metals). Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs), magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), nano-imprinted polymers (NIPs), nano-based metal-organic frameworks (N-MOFs), and silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) are most prominent nanomaterials used in the preconcentration and determination of heavy metals.

Hollow fiber-based liquid phase microextraction followed by analytical instrumental techniques for quantitative analysis of heavy metal ions and pharmaceuticals.

Hollow-fiber liquid-phase microextraction (HF-LPME) and electromembrane extraction (EME) are miniaturized extraction techniques, and have been coupled with various analytical instruments for trace analysis of heavy metals, drugs and other organic compounds, in recent years. HF-LPME and EME provide high selectivity, efficient sample cleanup and enrichment, and reduce the consumption of organic solvents to a few micro-liters per sample. HF-LPME and EME are compatible with different analytical instruments for chromatography, electrophoresis, atomic spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and electrochemical detection.

Approach for Downscaling of Electromembrane Extraction as a Lab on-a-Chip Device Followed by Sensitive Red-Green-Blue Detection.

A design of electromembrane extraction (EME) as a lab on-a-chip device was proposed for the extraction and determination of phenazopyridine as the model analyte. The extraction procedure was accomplished by coupling EME and packing a sorbent. The analyte was extracted under the applied electrical field across a membrane sheet impregnated by nitrophenyl octylether (NPOE) into an acceptor phase.

Effective Role of Magnetic Core-Shell Nanocomposites in Removing Organic and Inorganic Wastes from Water.

Unlabelled: Affordable and efficient water treatment process to produce water free from various contaminants is a big challenge. The presence of toxic heavy metals, dyes, hazardous chemicals and other toxins causes contamination of water sources and our food chain and make them hazardous to living organisms. The current water treatment processes are no longer sustainable due to high cost and low efficiency.

Correlation of lithium levels between drinking water obtained from different sources and scalp hair samples of adult male subjects.

There is some evidence that natural levels of lithium (Li) in drinking water may have a protective effect on neurological health. In present study, we evaluate the Li levels in drinking water of different origin and bottled mineral water. To evaluate the association between lithium levels in drinking water with human health, the scalp hair samples of male subjects (25-45 years) consumed drinking water obtained from ground water (GW), municipal treated water (MTW) and bottled mineral water (BMW) from rural and urban areas of Sindh, Pakistan were selected.

Correlation of Cadmium and Magnesium in the Blood and Serum Samples of Smokers and Non-Smokers Chronic Leukemia Patients.

It was studied that cancer-causing processes are related with the disproportions of essential and toxic elements in body tissues and fluid. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the levels of magnesium (Mg) and cadmium (Cd) in serum and blood samples of smokers and nonsmokers who have chronic myeloid (CML) and lymphocytic (CLL) leukemia, age ranged 31-50 years. For comparative study, age-matched smokers and nonsmoker males were chosen as controls/referents.

Effective Role of Magnetic Core-Shell Nanocomposites in Removing Organic Wastes from Water.

Background: Affordable and efficient water treatment process to produce water free from various contaminants is a big challenge. The presence of toxic heavy metals, dyes, hazardous chemicals and other toxins cause contamination of water sources and our food chain and make them hazardous to living organisms. The current water treatment processes are no longer sustainable due to high cost and low efficiency.

Exposure of children to arsenic in drinking water in the Tharparkar region of Sindh, Pakistan.

Humans can be exposed to arsenic (As) through air, drinking water, and food. The aim of this study was to calculate the hazard quotient (HQ) of As, based on its concentration in drinking water and the scalp hair of children (males) belonging to two age groups (5-10 and 11-14 years) who consumed water contaminated with different concentrations of As. The water samples were collected from As-exposed and nonexposed areas, which were classified as low-exposed (LE), high-exposed (HE), and nonexposed (NE) areas.

Development of microwave assisted spectrophotometric method for the determination of glucose.

A spectrophotometric method was developed based on the microwave assisted synthesis of Maillard product. Various conditions of the reaction were optimized by varying the relative concentration of the reagents, operating temperature and volume of solutions used in the reaction in the microwave synthesizer. The absorbance of the microwave synthesized Maillard product was measured in the range of 360-740 nm using UV-Visible spectrophotometer.

Estimation of lead in biological samples of oral cancer patients chewing smokeless tobacco products by ionic liquid-based microextraction in a single syringe system.

Several studies have reported that the chewing habit of smokeless tobacco (SLT) has been associated with oral cancer. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the trace levels of lead (Pb) in biological samples (blood, scalp hair) of oral cancer patients and referents of the same age group (range 30-60 years). As the concentrations of Pb are very low in biological samples, so a simple and efficient ionic liquid-based microextraction in a single syringe system has been developed, as a prior step to determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry.

Co-exposure of arsenic and cadmium through drinking water and tobacco smoking: risk assessment on kidney dysfunction.

The combined exposure of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) causes more pronounced renal toxicity. The study aimed to evaluate the level of As and Cd in biological samples (blood and urine) of adults males, age ranged (30-50 years) exposed referent (ER) and exposed kidney patients (EKP), consumed contaminated drinking water of lake and smoking local cigarettes manufactured by tobacco plants grown on agricultural soil, irrigated with contaminated lake water. For comparative purpose age matched nonexoposed referent (NR) and nonexposed kidney patient (NKP), consumed municipal treaded water and smoking branded cigarette were also selected.

Fluoride and arsenic exposure through water and grain crops in Nagarparkar, Pakistan.

The aim of present study was to simultaneously estimate the arsenic (As) and fluoride (F(-)) concentrations in irrigated surface water, soil and grain crops of Nagarparkar, Pakistan during 2010-2012. The As and F(-) were analyzed by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometer and ion selective electrode, respectively. Total arsenic (As(T)) and F(-) in irrigated surface water samples were found in the range of 360-683 μg L(-1) and 18.

Effects of selenium supplementation on iodine and thyroid hormone status in a selected population with goitre in Pakistan.

Background: Selenium (Se) has an essential role in thyroid hormone metabolism. It has the potential to play a major part in the outcome of iodine (I) deficiency The aim of the present study was to evaluate the Se and I status of biological samples (serum and urine) of 160 goitrous male (GMPs) and 195 female patients (GFPs). The supplemental effects of Se (200 microg/day) and I (100 - 125 microg/day) were evaluated after 6 months.

Cloud point extraction for determination of lead in blood samples of children, using different ligands prior to analysis by flame atomic absorption spectrometry: a multivariate study.

The phase-separation phenomenon of non-ionic surfactants occurring in aqueous solution was used for the extraction of lead (Pb(2+)) from digested blood samples after simultaneous complexation with ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC) and diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) separately. The complexed analyte was quantitatively extracted with octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (Triton X-114). The multivariate strategy was applied to estimate the optimum values of experimental factors.

The influence of environmental exposure on lead concentrations in scalp hair of children in Pakistan.

In the present study the environmental and occupational exposure of Pb has been assessed by analyzing the scalp hair (SH) of children (both genders), residing in the vicinity of industrial area of Hyderabad, Pakistan. A total of 339 children attending primary schools situated in the industrial area, age ranged 5-10 years, while for comparative purpose children of the same age group from schools located in an area devoid of industries, were selected. The scalp hair was oxidized by acid mixture in a microwave oven prior to determination of Pb by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.

Determination of arsenic in scalp hair of children and its correlation with drinking water in exposed areas of Sindh Pakistan.

This study was focused on the analysis of arsenic (As) levels in scalp hair of children (age, <10 years) collected from two towns of Khairpur, Pakistan, to evaluate the effects of As-contaminated groundwater. For comparative purposes, scalp hair samples of children were also collected from that area having low levels of As (<10 μg/L) in drinking water. Groundwater and scalp hair samples of children were collected and analyzed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry prior to microwave-assisted acid digestion.

Interaction of cadmium and zinc in biological samples of smokers and chewing tobacco female mouth cancer patients.

Epidemiologic studies suggest that zinc (Zn) deficiency and high accumulation of cadmium (Cd) may be associated with increased risk of cancer. The incidence of mouth cancer has increased among females, who possess habits of chewing tobacco with gradients (areca nut and betel quid) and smoking tobacco in Pakistan. In present study, we measured the concentration of Cd and Zn in 96 mouth cancer patients (MCPs) and 110 female controls/referents (67 smoker and chewing tobacco), while 43 have none of smoking and chewing tobacco habits, belongs to different cities of Pakistan.

Respiratory effects in people exposed to arsenic via the drinking water and tobacco smoking in southern part of Pakistan.

In this study, a survey has been conducted during 2005-2007 on surface and groundwater arsenic (As) contamination and its impact on the health of local population, of villages located on the banks of Manchar lake, southern part of Sindh, Pakistan. We have also assessed the relationship between arsenic exposure through respiratory disorders in male subjects with drinking water and smoking cigarettes made from tobacco grown in agricultural land irrigated with As contaminated lake water. The biological samples (blood and scalp hair) were collected from As exposed subjects (100% smokers) and age matched healthy male subjects (40.

Arsenic fractionation in sediments of different origins using BCR sequential and single extraction methods.

The arsenic (As) contaminated sediment serves as a long-term source of arsenic because its mobility and transport in the environment are strongly influenced to associated solid phase. A single extraction method based on the reagents employed in the BCR three steps sequential extraction scheme (BCR-SES) for partitioning of arsenic (As) in sediment samples has been developed. The single-step extraction enabled a reduction of extraction times, yielding extractable contents in accordance with those obtained by application of the BCR-SES, which can be regarded as a standard method and validated by using certified reference material BCR 701.

Evaluation of arsenic and other physico-chemical parameters of surface and ground water of Jamshoro, Pakistan.

Arsenic contamination in water has caused severe health problems around the world. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the geological and anthropogenic aspects of As pollution in surface and groundwater resources of Jamshoro Sindh, Pakistan. Hydride generator atomic absorption spectrophotometry (HG-AAS) is employed for the determination of arsenic in water samples, with detection limit of 0.