Occurrence of Microplastic Pollution at Oyster Reefs and Other Coastal Sites in the Mississippi Sound, USA: Impacts of Freshwater Inflows from Flooding.

Much of the seafood that humans consume comes from estuaries and coastal areas where microplastics (MPs) accumulate, due in part to continual input and degradation of plastic litter from rivers and runoff. As filter feeders, oysters () are especially vulnerable to MP pollution. In this study, we assessed MP pollution in water at oyster reefs along the Mississippi Gulf Coast when: (1) historic flooding of the Mississippi River caused the Bonnet Carré Spillway to remain open for a record period of time causing major freshwater intrusion to the area and deleterious impacts on the species and (2) the spillway was closed, and normal salinity conditions resumed.

Multi-class multi-residue analysis of pesticides in edible oils by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry using liquid-liquid extraction and enhanced matrix removal lipid cartridge cleanup.

This study presents the development and validation of a method for the multi-class multi-residue analysis of pesticide residues in edible oils using liquid-liquid extraction followed by EMR-Lipid (enhanced matrix removal - lipid) cartridge cleanup, and then analyzed by gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometer (GC-MS/MS). The method was optimized for analyte recovery, matrix removal, and water removal during the sample extraction, sample cleanup and sample drying steps. The extraction efficiency of lipophilic pesticides (i.

Modeling emerging contaminants breakthrough in packed bed adsorption columns by UV absorbance and fluorescing components of dissolved organic matter.

This study investigated, using rapid small-scale column testing, the breakthrough of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and eleven emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) during granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration of different water qualities, including wastewater, surface water and synthetic water (riverine organic matter dissolved in deionized water). Fluorescing organic matter was better adsorbed than UV absorbance at 254 nm (UV) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in all tested water. Furthermore, highest adsorption of DOM (in terms of DOC, UV and fluorescence) was observed during wastewater filtration.

Multi-class multi-residue analysis of veterinary drugs in meat using enhanced matrix removal lipid cleanup and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

This study presents the development and validation of a quantitation method for the analysis of multi-class, multi-residue veterinary drugs using lipid removal cleanup cartridges, enhanced matrix removal lipid (EMR-Lipid), for different meat matrices by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry detection. Meat samples were extracted using a two-step solid-liquid extraction followed by pass-through sample cleanup. The method was optimized based on the buffer and solvent composition, solvent additive additions, and EMR-Lipid cartridge cleanup.

Performance of Optimized Wide Pore Superficially Porous Particles for Separation of Proteins and Immunoglobulin G Antibodies.

In this study, we studied the chromatographic performance of this newly developed wide pore superficially porous particles (SPPs) with 3.5 μm particle size and 450 Å pore size, for the separation of proteins and Immunoglobulin G antibodies. We studied the selectivity of different phases (C4, SB-C18 and Diphenyl), the effect of temperature, column carryover and column chemical lifetime.

Quantitation of Oleuropein and Related Phenolics in Cured Spanish-Style Green, California-Style Black Ripe, and Greek-Style Natural Fermentation Olives.

Oleuropein, ligstroside, and related hydrolysis products are key contributors to olive bitterness, and several of these phenolics are implicated in the prevention of lifestyle age-related diseases. While table olive processing methods are designed to reduce oleuropein, the impact of processing on ligstroside and related hydrolysis products (e.g.

The Influence of pH and Sodium Hydroxide Exposure Time on Glucosamine and Acrylamide Levels in California-Style Black Ripe Olives.

Acrylic acid, N-acetyl-glucosamine and glucosamine were investigated for their role in the formation of acrylamide in California-style black ripe olives [CBROs]. Levels of acrylic acid and glucosamine are reported for the first time in fresh (333.50 ± 21.

Predicting trace organic compound attenuation by ozone oxidation: Development of indicator and surrogate models.

Ozone oxidation has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment process for the attenuation of trace organic compounds (TOrCs); however, predicting TOrC attenuation by ozone processes is challenging in wastewaters. Since ozone is rapidly consumed, determining the exposure times of ozone and hydroxyl radical proves to be difficult. As direct potable reuse schemes continue to gain traction, there is an increasing need for the development of real-time monitoring strategies for TOrC abatement in ozone oxidation processes.

Concentrations of select dissolved trace elements and anthropogenic organic compounds in the Mississippi River and major tributaries during the summer of 2012 and 2013.

The Mississippi River drainage basin includes the Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Arkansas rivers. These rivers drain areas with different physiography, population centers, and land use, with each contributing a different suites of metals and wastewater contaminants that can affect water quality. In July 2012, we determined 18 elements (Be, Rb, Sr, Cd, Cs, Ba, Tl, Pb, Mg, Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) in the five major tributaries and in the Upper Mississippi River.

LC- and GC-QTOF-MS as Complementary Tools for a Comprehensive Micropollutant Analysis in Aquatic Systems.

Efficient strategies are required to implement comprehensive suspect screening methods using high-resolution mass spectrometry within environmental monitoring campaigns. In this study, both liquid and gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS and GC-QTOF-MS) were used to screen for >5000 target and suspect compounds in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in Northern California. LC-QTOF-MS data were acquired in All-Ions fragmentation mode in both positive and negative electrospray ionization (ESI).

Use of fluorescence EEM to monitor the removal of emerging contaminants in full scale wastewater treatment plants.

This study investigated the applicability of different techniques for fluorescence excitation/emission matrices data interpretations, including peak-picking method, fluorescence regional integration and PARAFAC modelling, to act as surrogates in predicting emerging trace organic compounds (ETOrCs) removal during conventional wastewater treatments that usually comprise primary and secondary treatments. Results showed that fluorescence indexes developed using alternative methodologies but indicative of a same dissolved organic matter component resulted in similar predictions of the removal of the target compounds. The peak index defined by the excitation/emission wavelength positions (λλ) 225/290nm and related to aromatic proteins and tyrosine-like fluorescence was determined to be a particularly suitable surrogate for monitoring ETOrCs that had very high removal rates (average removal >70%) (i.

Predicting trace organic compound attenuation with spectroscopic parameters in powdered activated carbon processes.

The removal of trace organic compounds (TOrCs) is of growing interest in water research and society. Powdered activated carbon (PAC) has been proven to be an effective method of removal for TOrCs in water, with the degree of effectiveness depending on dosage, contact time, and activated carbon type. In this study, the attenuation of TOrCs in three different secondary wastewater effluents using four PAC materials was studied in order to elucidate the effectiveness and efficacy of PAC for TOrC removal.

Nontargeted Screening of Food Matrices: Development of a Chemometric Software Strategy To Identify Unknowns in Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Data.

The ability to identify contaminants or adulterants in diverse, complex sample matrixes is necessary in food safety. Thus, nontargeted screening approaches must be implemented to detect and identify unexpected, unknown hazardous compounds that may be present. Molecular formulas can be generated for detected compounds from high-resolution mass spectrometry data, but analysis can be lengthy when thousands of compounds are detected in a single sample.

Discovery of highly conserved unique peanut and tree nut peptides by LC-MS/MS for multi-allergen detection.

Proteins unique to peanuts and various tree nuts have been extracted, subjected to trypsin digestion and analysis by liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, in order to find highly conserved peptides that can be used as markers to detect peanuts and tree nuts in food. The marker peptide sequences chosen were those found to be present in both native (unroasted) and thermally processed (roasted) forms of peanuts and tree nuts. Each peptide was selected by assuring its presence in food that was processed or unprocessed, its abundance for sensitivity, sequence size, and uniqueness for peanut and each specific variety of tree nut.

Synthesis and optimization of wide pore superficially porous particles by a one-step coating process for separation of proteins and monoclonal antibodies.

Superficially porous particles (SPPs) with pore size ranging from 90Å to 120Å have been a great success for the fast separation of small molecules over totally porous particles in recent years. However, for the separation of large biomolecules such as proteins, particles with large pore size (e.g.

Evaluation of GC-ICP-MS/MS as a New Strategy for Specific Heteroatom Detection of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Chlorine Determination in Foods.

For the first time in the literature, application of a GC-ICP-MS/MS method for the selective and sensitive detection of specific heteroatoms of phosphorus, sulfur, and chlorine has been accomplished. As a proof of concept, organophosphorus, organosulfur, and organochlorine pesticides in various food matrices have been studied. For the detection of organophosphorus and organosulfur pesticides, oxygen was used in the collision reaction cell (CRC) to convert P (m/z 31) to PO(+) (m/z 47) and S (m/z 32) to SO(+) (m/z 48).

Comparison of cryogenic and differential flow (forward and reverse fill/flush) modulators and applications to the analysis of heavy petroleum cuts by high-temperature comprehensive gas chromatography.

The development of new efficient conversion processes to transform heavy petroleum fractions into valuable products, such as diesel, requires improved chemical knowledge of the latter. High-temperature comprehensive gas chromatography (HT-GC × GC) has proven to be a powerful technique for characterizing such complex samples. This paper reports on an evaluation of the performances of four different differential flow modulators, including two original ones that have not been previously described in the literature, in terms of dispersion, peak intensity, peak capacity and overloading.

Comparison of superficially porous and fully porous silica supports used for a cyclofructan 6 hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatographic stationary phase.

A new HILIC stationary phase comprised of native cyclofructan-6 (CF6) bonded to superficially porous silica particles (2.7μm) was developed. Its performance was evaluated and compared to fully porous silica particles with 5μm (commercially available as FRULIC-N) and 3μm diameters.