Innovative In Vitro Strategy for Assessing Aluminum Bioavailability in Oral Care Cosmetics.

Aluminum is an element found in nature and in cosmetic products. It can interfere with the metabolism of other cations, thus inducing gastrointestinal disorder. In cosmetics, aluminum is used in antiperspirants, lipsticks, and toothpastes.

Retrospective biomonitoring of chemical contamination in the marine coastal environment of Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica) by environmental specimen banking.

Antarctica offers a good opportunity to investigate planetary-scale pollution and climate change, and provides baseline values for contaminants such as Trace Elements (TEs) and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Literature data on contaminant levels in the Antarctic environment indicate that long-range atmospheric transport is the primary pathway by which pollutants from surrounding continents are carried to this pristine environment. However, local contamination sources represented by the scientific stations are also not negligible.

Year-round record of dissolved and particulate metals in surface snow at Dome Concordia (East Antarctica).

From January to December 2010, surface snow samples were collected with monthly resolution at the Concordia station (75°06'S, 123°20'E), on the Antarctic plateau, and analysed for major and trace elements in both dissolved and particulate (i.e. insoluble particles, >0.

Bioavailability of trace elements in surface sediments from Kongsfjorden, Svalbard.

The bioavailability of trace elements in marine sediments from Kongsfjorden (Svalbard Islands, Norwegian Arctic) was assessed and discussed. Total concentrations of several elements were determined in two granulometric fractions and their bioavailability evaluated by both applying a sequential-selective extraction procedure and using a biomimetic approach based on proteolytic enzymes. Total concentration values and solid speciation patterns indicated overall that the anthropogenic impact of trace elements in the investigated area is negligible, although a minor enrichment with respect to crustal values was found for As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and V.

Ionomic profiling of Nicotiana langsdorffii wild-type and mutant genotypes exposed to abiotic stresses.

To provide a new insight into the response of plants to abiotic stresses, the ionomic profiles of Nicotiana langsdorffii specimens have been determined before and after exposure to toxic metals (chromium) or drought conditions. The plants were genetically transformed with the rat glucocorticoid receptor (GR) or the gene for Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolC, because these modifications are known to produce an imbalance in phytohormone equilibria and a significant change in the defence response of the plant. Elemental profiles were obtained by developing and applying analytical procedures based on inductively coupled plasma atomic emission and mass spectrometry (ICP-AES/MS).

Major and trace element partitioning between dissolved and particulate phases in Antarctic surface snow.

In order to provide a new insight into the Antarctic snow chemistry, partitioning of major and trace elements between dissolved and particulate (i.e. insoluble particles, >0.

Comparison of inductively coupled plasma spectrometry techniques for the direct determination of rare earth elements in digests from geological samples.

Inductively coupled plasma quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-QMS), ICP sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SFMS) and ICP atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) were compared with regard to the direct determination of rare earth elements (REEs) in geological samples. In order to reduce the polyatomic interferences occurring in ICP-QMS, the use of a cooled spray chamber was optimized, obtaining a significant decrease of the oxide ions formation (about 50%) and a consequent mitigation of the interfering effects. Precision and accuracy of the method were demonstrated by the analyses of sediment and soil certified reference materials.

Arsenic species in certified reference material MURST-ISS-A2 (Antarctic krill).

Arsenic compounds were quantified in the certified reference material MURST-ISS-A2 (Antarctic krill) using HPLC/ICPMS. The data should prove useful for assessing the accuracy of arsenic speciation procedures.

Ultratrace analysis of Antarctic snow samples by reaction cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry using a total-consumption micro-sample-introduction system.

In this work, a new sensitive procedure for the determination of ultratrace elements in snow samples based on quadrupole ICP-MS has been developed. After filtration through a 0.5 microm PTFE membrane (for dissolved element determination) or acidification with 0.

Trace metals speciation in coastal particulate matter for marine environmental studies in Antarctica.

Solid speciation of some trace metals (Pb, Cd, Fe, Mn, Cu) having environmental relevance was studied in coastal particulate sampled during the Austral Spring 2000/2001. A nearshore station situated in the Gerlache Inlet of Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica) was sampled from November to February. Samples were collected using the in situ filtration system FIS500, equipped with polycarbonate membrane filters having different pore sizes (10 microm, 2 microm and 0.

Summer distribution of trace metals in the western sector of the Ross Sea, Antarctica.

The more important water masses generated by the interaction of Circumpolar Deep Water and the shelf waters in the western sector of the Ross Sea are characterized for trace element contents. The distribution of cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, iron, manganese and chromium during the austral summer is analysed and discussed according to the physical, chemical and biological processes which affect the composition of the water masses. The Cd concentration is found to have a relative high variability that can be related to biological activity and the water mass age, MCDW presents a mean dissolved concentration (SD) of 0.

Multivariate optimization of an axially-viewed inductively coupled plasma multichannel-based emission spectrometer for the analysis of environmental samples.

An experimental design procedure was applied to optimize the operating conditions of an axially-viewed inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer instruments equipped with echelle optics with cross dispersion and charge transfer device. The multivariate effect of carrier gas flow rate and r.f.

Determination of lead in bone tissues by axially viewed inductively coupled plasma multichannel-based emission spectrometry.

A new procedure for determining low levels of lead in bone tissues has been developed. After wet acid digestion in a pressurized microwave-heated system, the solution was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma multichannel-based emission spectrometry. Internal standardization using the Co 228.

The utilization of the Antarctic environmental specimen bank (BCAA) in monitoring Cd and Hg in an Antarctic coastal area in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea--Northern Victoria Land).

The first projects relating to levels of Cd and Hg on marine biota and sediments from Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea--Antarctica) and their bioaccumulation and biomagnification in this trophic web have been carried out by research programmes pertaining to the Italian Antarctic Research Program (PNRA) since 1989. Making use of this data, and checking the same metals after 10 years thanks to the samples stored in the BCAA, we have looked for the levels of Cd and Hg in a coastal marine ecosystem of Terra Nova Bay, and have proposed using some organisms to monitor the levels of these two heavy metals in this environment where the Italian Base is located, using the data determinate in this work as background levels. In our work, the amount of Hg and Cd concentrations have been determined in biota from the inner shelf of Terra Nova Bay (Adamussium colbecki, Laternula elliptica, Odontaster validus, Sterechinus neumayeri, Trematomus bernacchii, Iridaea cordata, Phyllophora antarctica, Parborlasia corrugatus), and in two different size fractions of sieved marine sediments (<2000 microm and <63 microm).

Determination of ultratrace elements in natural waters by solid-phase extraction and atomic spectrometry methods.

A study was carried out on the preconcentration of ultratrace amounts of cadmium, lead, manganese, copper and iron from high-salinity aqueous samples and determination by atomic spectrometry methods. Sample volume, amount of resin, loading flow rate, and elution volume were optimized in order to obtain the simultaneous preconcentration of all the analytes. Quantitative recoveries were obtained by using 200 mg of iminodiacetic resin with a loading flow rate of 2 mL min(-1), elution volume of 3 mL and sample volume of 50-450 mL.

Determination of trace level of selenium and mercury in photographic emulsions by atomic spectroscopy techniques.

Trace level of selenium and mercury in photographic emulsion are used to improve photographic properties. The presence of silver halide in photographic emulsion does not allow the application of the most common analytical methods such as Hydride Generation Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (HG-AAS) and cold vapour Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (CV-AAS). Besides, silver removal was not quantitative, leading to a significant loss of the analytes and low reproducibility.

Benthic fluxes of cadmium, lead, copper and nitrogen species in the northern Adriatic Sea in front of the River Po outflow, Italy.

Trace heavy metal (Cd, Pb and Cu) and nitrogen species (N-NO3, N-NO2 and N-NH4) fluxes between sediment and water were examined for approximately 4 days, in a coastal marine station located in the northern Adriatic Sea in front of the River Po outflow. An in situ benthic chamber, equipped with electronic devices for monitoring and adjustment of oxygen and pH and with a temperature detector, was used. The benthic chamber experiment enabled study of the temporal trend of metals and nutrients when oxygen concentration varied in a controlled environment.