Search

Auditing has increasingly focused on data analysis techniques to examine large data sets. This now occurs in all three phases of a financial statement audit: planning, testing and gathering evidence, and final review. Many audit activities use limited or cleaned data and guide students through routine data analytics processes. This case presents students at various levels of mastery of data analytics, suitable for an introduction to the concept and for more experienced students. It introduces the concepts of auditing and internal control processes to introduce them to the need for critical thinking and problem-solving. Students are given a complex case and determine their own testing procedures. They then perform those tests on the data to learn the value and limitations of data analytics in audit risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analytical results are often used in scientific research, industrial and clinical applications to support decision making. Despite all efforts to ensure the reliability of analytical results (including method validation, internal quality control, use of certified reference materials, proficiency tests, and ISO 17025 accreditation), there will always be an uncertainty associated with the measured value. The measurement uncertainty expresses the quality of the analytical result and allows the comparability between analytical results or between the measured value and the specification limit(s). This work discusses the importance of measurement uncertainty, including the steps involved in the measurement uncertainty evaluation, the bottom-up and top-down approaches used in measurement uncertainty calculation, the measurement uncertainty evaluation in drug and medicine analyses, and the application of measurement uncertainty in conformity assessment for quality control, stability studies, and pharmaceutical equivalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bee pollen is a food supplement that is receiving increasing attention for its nutraceutical and therapeutic properties. However, several uncertainties on the safety of this beekeeping product still exist. The present work addressed this issue through the critical evaluation of 61 studies, published over the 2014–2024 period, and focused on the analysis of pesticides and mycotoxins in bee pollen. A comprehensive examination of the analytical procedures employed for the analysis of these contaminants was performed. Overall, 358 pesticides and 7 mycotoxins were found in bee pollen, with certain compounds being globally distributed and frequently encountered. An overview of the existing European regulations concerning pesticide and mycotoxin levels in food was presented, emphasizing the exclusion of bee pollen from the list of monitored commodities. The findings of the reviewed studies revealed the necessity of gathering more data on bee pollen's contamination and consumption, in order to finally perform reliable risk assessments. • Recent literature on pesticides and mycotoxins in bee pollen is critically reviewed. • Mass spectrometry and ELISA are the most common analytical techniques. • Banned compounds in EU are still found in bee pollen by monitoring programs. • 358 pesticides and 7 mycotoxins detected in the last ten years in bee pollen. • Existing gaps in the regulatory framework and risk assessment are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic fragments, weathered into or released in the form of micro- and nanoplastics, are persistent and widespread in the environment, and it is anticipated that they have negative environmental impacts. This necessitates immediate efforts for management strategies throughout the entire plastics lifecycle. This opinion paper was initiated by the EU COST Action CA20101 PRIORITY, which focuses on the need to develop an effective global networking platform dealing with research, implementation, and consolidation of ways to address the worldwide challenges associated with micro- and nanoplastics pollution in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes to establish a zone of indiscernibility between the domains of art and education. To do so, it confronts documents related to both legislation and educational research, with some gestures performed by the artist Nelson Leirner in a situation of pedagogical ambience, highlighting the problem of the demand for meaning. It evokes analytical procedures operated in three texts by Michel Foucault. His company allows taking representation as an operation that would go beyond the mere act of representing as re-presenting the truth. Such way of taking representation, in a performative one, leads to the forge of the exile as a methodological strategy for investigating practices, in their unique modes of operation and effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the developments in informatics and technological areas have also been reflected in the business life, which has ensured the capture of different perspectives in various professions and influenced the ways of doing business. Artificial intelligence, automation, the ability to obtain large volumes of data through the Internet and social media networks, the establishment of business intelligence in enterprises, the development of learning systems to affect the profession of auditing. In the study, a methodology and appropriate tests have been discussed in order to use business intelligence models in accordance with the audit objectives of the "anatic procedures" standard numbered BDS 520. The first part of the study discusses analytical procedures and business intelligence issues. In the second part, analytical procedures that could be used to develop business intelligence and identify risks were evaluated in order to use analytical procedures for inspection purposes. The results section focuses on what traces of the risks reflected in the financial reports, and how these traces can be traced to the business intelligence models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Microplastics are widespread contaminants, virtually present in all environmental compartments. However, knowledge on sources, fate and environmental concentration over time and space still is limited due to the laborious and varied analytical procedures currently used. In this work we critically review the methods currently used for sampling and detection of microplastics, identifying flaws in study design and suggesting promising alternatives. This work provides insights on bulk sample collection, separation, digestion, identification and quantification, and mitigation of cross-contamination. The sampling of microplastics will improve in representativeness and reproducibility through the determination of bulk sample volume, filter's pore size, density separation and digestion solutions, but also through use of novel methods, such as the enhancement of visual identification by staining dyes, and the generalized use of chemical characterization. Highlights • Methods of sampling and detection of microplastics vary between groups. • Sampling and separation of microplastics needs to be standardized. • Removal of organic matter through digestion improves identification. • Visual inspection can be improved, chemical identification is essential. • Mitigation of cross-contaminations is required to validate the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The graphic representation of relational data is one of the central elements of social network analysis. In this paper, the author describe the use of visualization in interview-based data collection procedures designed to obtain personal networks information, exploring four main contributions. First, the author shows a procedure by which the visualization is integrated with traditional name generators to facilitate obtaining information and reducing the burden of the interview process. Second, the author describes the reactions and qualitative interpretation of the interviewees when they are presented with an analytical visualization of their personal network. The most frequent strategies consist in identifying the key individuals, dividing the personal network in groups and classifying alters in concentric circles of relative importance. Next, the author explores how the visualization of groups in personal networks facilitates the enumeration of the communities in which individuals participate. This allows the author to reflect on the role of social circles in determining the structure of personal networks. Finally, the author compares the graphic representation obtained through spontaneous, hand-drawn sociograms with the analytical visualizations elicited through software tools. This allows the author to demonstrate that analytical procedures reveal aspects of the structure of personal networks that respondents are not aware of, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of using both modes of data collection. For this, the author presents findings from a study of highly skilled migrants living in Spain (n = 95) through which the author illustrates the challenges, in terms of data reliability, validity and burden on both the researcher and the participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Prenatal exposure to toxic substances is an important public health problem. Many biological specimens obtained from the fetus or mother are used for biomonitoring. Each material reflects exposure in a specific time period and has different advantages and disadvantages in terms of accuracy, time window of detection and cost/benefit ratio. Recently, meconium has become the matrix of choice in toxicology screening for detecting exposure to xenobiotics. Alcohol metabolites and illicit drugs, pharmaceuticals, nicotine, heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants and their metabolites have been detected in meconium samples. Meconium testing is non-invasive, highly accurate and able to detect prior exposure in utero from 12 to 13 weeks of gestation. This paper reviews current studies focused on meconium analysis for the assessment of fetus exposure to xenobiotics. Analytical procedures for the determination of these compounds and their metabolites and the possibilities and limitations of their use in clinical toxicology are also presented and discussed. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Estimation of scale of use of additive substances by pregnant women. • Evaluation of impact of toxic substances on the fetus's and child's health. • Discussion on possibility of meconium usage in laboratory practice. • The comparison of analytical procedures used in meconium analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speciation analysis has become an invaluable tool in human health risk assessment, environmental monitoring or food quality control. Another step is to develop reliable multielemental speciation methodologies, to reduce costs, waste and time needed for the analysis. Separation and detection of species of several elements in a single analytical run can be accomplished by high performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC/ICP-MS). Our review assembles articles concerning multielemental speciation determination of: As, Se, Cr, Sb, I, Br, Pb, Hg, V, Mo, Te, Tl, Cd and W in environmental, biological, food and clinical samples analyzed with HPLC/ICP-MS. It addresses the procedures in terms of following issues: sample collection and pretreatment, selection of optimal conditions for elements species separation by HPLC and determination using ICP-MS as well as metrological approach. The presented work is the first review article concerning multielemental speciation analysis by advanced hyphenated technique HPLC/ICP-MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last decade has witnessed tremendous advances in employing microfluidic solutions enabling C ontinuous P rocessing and M onitoring of B iological S amples (CPMBS), which is an essential requirement for the control of bio-processes. The microfluidic systems are superior to the traditional inline sensors due to their ability to implement complex analytical procedures, such as multi-step sample preparation, and enabling the online measurement of parameters. This manuscript provides a backgound review of microfluidic approaches employing laminar flow, hydrodynamic separation, acoustophoresis, electrophoresis, dielectrophoresis, magnetophoresis and segmented flow for the continuous processing and monitoring of biological samples. The principles, advantages and limitations of each microfluidic approach are described along with its potential applications. The challenges in the field and the future directions are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residual solvents play an important role in the synthesis of drugs and in product formulations. In addition, they pose a serious problem, that is toxicity, as many of them exhibit toxic or environmentally hazardous properties. Therefore, constant monitoring of quality control is needed. In this study, we present an overview of regulatory and general methods described by various pharmacopoeias. Then, the most commonly used methodologies for the determination of residual solvents in different pharmaceutical samples are reviewed to demonstrate their limitations, which form the basis of discussion about new methods. Several interesting new alternatives for sample preparation and gas chromatography (GC) separation are presented using examples from recent studies. The techniques described are direct injection, headspace analysis with different modifications and variations, liquid extraction, single-drop microextraction, and solid-phase microextraction. Various GC separation techniques are compared and new solutions to improve sensitivity and efficiency are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) coordinates and provides analytical support to the worldwide network of Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity (ALMERA). The goal of ALMERA is to provide timely and reliable measurement results of environmental radioactivity in routine monitoring and emergency situations. Finding and choosing the most adequate analytical procedures for environmental monitoring can be a challenge for laboratories due to a wide variety of technologies available and the rapid developments in this field. To respond to this challenge, the IAEA has included within its ALMERA activities, the development and validation of a set of procedures for the determination of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in environmental samples, for both routine and emergency environmental monitoring. Methodological harmonization, in turn, leads to enhanced worldwide comparability of environmental radioactivity measurement results. The respective analytical procedures are developed by expert groups from ALMERA member laboratories and validated through several ALMERA laboratories worldwide according to a comprehensive methodology. In addition to sequential analytical procedures for routine environmental monitoring, rapid procedures applicable for radiological emergencies have been developed and validated for the determination of americium and plutonium radioisotopes in soil and sediment samples, radiostrontium in milk, and radium isotopes in drinking water. Currently, the development of rapid procedures for radiostrontium analysis in soil and seawater is underway, partly prompted by the interest for high throughput procedures following the analytical burden of laboratories after the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distribution of calcium in the apple has been quantified using mineral analyses of fruit sections during the mid-1900s by various researchers. Most of the work was done either at harvest, or after storage. We used Proton-induced X-ray spectrometry (PIXE) and Scanning Electron Microscopy to correlate Ca distribution in apples to results obtained from mineral analyses (MA). For fruit at harvest transverse distribution of Ca in ‘Braeburn’ apples determined by PIXE confirmed similar analyses with MA. It was not possible to establish a significant relationship between the total Ca concentration determined by PIXE and soluble Ca concentration from MA in this paper, either at harvest, or 80 days after full bloom (dafb). A significant correlation was found between PIXE and SEM results 80 dafb. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to propose and evaluate new procedures for determination of fuel combustion products, anti-corrosive and de-icing compounds in runoff water samples collected from the airports located in different regions and characterized by different levels of the activity expressed by the number of flights and the number of passengers (per year). The most difficult step in the analytical procedure used for the determination of PAHs, benzotriazoles and glycols is sample preparation stage, due to diverse matrix composition, the possibility of interference associated with the presence of components with similar physicochemical properties. In this study, five different versions of sample preparation using extraction techniques, such as: LLE and SPE, were tested. In all examined runoff water samples collected from the airports, the presence of PAH compounds and glycols was observed. In majority of the samples, BT compounds were determined. Runoff water samples collected from the areas of Polish and British international airports as well as local airports had similar qualitative composition, but quantitative composition of the analytes was very diverse. New and validated analytical methodologies ensure that the necessary information for assessing the negative impact of airport activities on the environment can be obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A novel analysis to study the solids' energy dissipation capacity was proposed. • Analysis based on Depth-Sensing Indentation (DSI) data was considered. • An equation for the elastic (U e)-to-total (U t) strain energy ratio is proposed. • Maximum displacement (h m) and plastic hysteresis (h p) were the considered parameters. • U e / U t was set in terms of the h p / h m ratio, observing an uncertainty of about 8 %. In emergent nanotechnology areas like Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) the components capacity to dissipate strain energy is a key factor to evaluate their potential lifespan. In this context, we present the direct derivation of an analytical expression to estimate the elastic–plastic solids energy dissipation capacity from Depth Sensing Indentation (DSI) data. An expression to the fast calculation of the elastic (U e)-to-total (U t) strain energy ratios (U e / U t) from loading and unloading curves was particularly proposed. Assuming reasonable power law behaviors for these curves this expression allows calculating the strain energy ratios only considering the maximum displacement (h m) and plastic hysteresis (h p), which are experimentally easy to estimate. The simplifications and assumptions taken in this work ensure, in the worst of the cases, U e / U t ratios with uncertainties about 8 %. Despite this, the results could represent an interesting improvement in the time spending-to-accuracy relation for estimating these ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Method validation is an important requirement in the practice of chemical analysis. However, awareness of its importance, why it should be done and when, and exactly what needs to be done, seems to be poor amongst analytical chemists. Much advice related to method validation already exists in the literature, especially related to particular methods, but more often than not is underused. Some analysts see method validation as something that can only be done by collaborating with other laboratories and therefore do not go about it. In addition, analysts’ understanding of method validation is inhibited by the fact that many of the technical terms used in the processes for evaluating methods vary in different sectors of analytical measurement, both in terms of their meaning and the way they are determined. Validation applies to a defined protocol, for the determination of a specified analyte and range of concentrations in a particular type of test material, used for a specified purpose. In general, validation should check that the method performs adequately for the purpose throughout the range of analyte concentrations and test materials to which it is applied. It follows that these features, together with a statement of any fitness-for-purpose criteria, should be completely specified before any validation takes place. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Food ingredient fraud and economically motivated adulteration are emerging risks, but a comprehensive compilation of information about known problematic ingredients and detection methods does not currently exist. The objectives of this research were to collect such information from publicly available articles in scholarly journals and general media, organize into a database, and review and analyze the data to identify trends. The results summarized are a database that will be published in the US Pharmacopeial Convention's Food Chemicals Codex, 8th edition, and includes 1305 records, including 1000 records with analytical methods collected from 677 references. Olive oil, milk, honey, and saffron were the most common targets for adulteration reported in scholarly journals, and potentially harmful issues identified include spices diluted with lead chromate and lead tetraoxide, substitution of Chinese star anise with toxic Japanese star anise, and melamine adulteration of high protein content foods. High-performance liquid chromatography and infrared spectroscopy were the most common analytical detection procedures, and chemometrics data analysis was used in a large number of reports. Future expansion of this database will include additional publically available articles published before 1980 and in other languages, as well as data outside the public domain. The authors recommend in-depth analyses of individual incidents. Practical Application: This report describes the development and application of a database of food ingredient fraud issues from publicly available references. The database provides baseline information and data useful to governments, agencies, and individual companies assessing the risks of specific products produced in specific regions as well as products distributed and sold in other regions. In addition, the report describes current analytical technologies for detecting food fraud and identifies trends and developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A particularly important facet of airport operation is the impact of the pollution caused by runoff waters. Runoff waters at an airport may contain relatively high concentrations of different contaminants resulting from the various aspects of its operation: de/anti-icing operations, washing and cleaning operations, spills of fuel and lubricants, exhaust fumes, and weed removal. The pollution caused by airport operations affects soil, surface waters, and groundwater. This issue is important to various stakeholders, particularly those residing in communities near airports, whose health, property values, and quality of life can be affected by such environmental impacts. The authors' intention is to present a critical review of literature data concerning (1) the types of pollution generated at airports, (2) methods for sampling runoff waters, (3) the analytical methods available for sample preparation, and (4) the analytical methods available for determining contaminants produced during airport operations. In addition, the article supplies literature information on the analytes contained in samples of runoff water from airports in different parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methods to quantify plant available silicon (Si) from Si-based slags for use as fertilizers are not well defined. Although it is possible to estimate total Si from a potential Si fertilizer source; this approach does not represent how much Si is available for uptake by the plant. In this study, Si was extracted from ten sources [Wollastonite W10; calcium silicate slag from the US; calcium silicate from Canada; magnesium silicate; Excellerator; silican gel; 00-00-12 + Si (liquid source) and three types of potassium silicate with different concentrations in the liquid form, K53; K120 and AgSilTM25] using each of the following seven methods: hydrochloric acid (HCl) plus hydrofluoric acid (HF) extraction, leaching column; sodium carbonate (Na2CO3-10 g L-1) + ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3-16 g L-1); citric acid (50 g dm-3 or 5%); hydrochloric acid (0.5 N); neutral ammonium citrate (NAC); and resin (Amberlite IRC-50, pK 6.1). All the Si-containing products were added to pots at rates equal to 600 kg ha-1 of Si based on the total Si extracted. Poa trivialis cv. 'Darkhorse' was grown for 24 days with these sources to determine Si plant uptake. Based on the correlation coefficients, the best extractor for available Si in solid fertilizer was determined to be Na2CO3 + NH4NO3, while for liquid fertilizers, the total Si (HCl + HF) was found to be the best. Consequently, regulatory agencies now have two extractors for estimating the plant available Si from fertilizers depending on the physical property of the material (solid or liquid). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bee products possess therapeutic properties and are the source of many essential trace elements, which is why they are regarded as valuable food products. Honey bees may bring to the hive numerous contaminants deposited on the plants they visit, including pesticide without xenobiotics. The large-scale application of pesticides in agriculture and horticulture can lead to mass mortality among bees, and the chemicals find their way into bee products. The presence of xenobiotics in these products can lower their quality and cause their properties to deteriorate, which in consequence may endanger human health. All this means that the analysis of bees, honey and other bee products is becoming a matter of increasing urgency. In this context new analytical methodologies are needed, enabling a wide spectrum of analytes to be assayed in a single sample and during one analytical run. Attention is focused on new techniques of sample preparation and extract cleanup prior to the final determination step. Besides characterizing the honey bee and bee products, the article analyzes the literature data on the latest methodological developments for determining levels of a wide range of pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Micellar liquid chromatography (MLC) is an efficient alternative to conventional reversed-phase liquid chromatography with hydro-organic mobile phases. Almost three decades of experience have resulted in an increasing production of analytical applications. Current concern about the environment also reveals MLC as an interesting technique for “green” chemistry because it uses mobile phases containing 90% or more water. These micellar mobile phases have a low toxicity and are not producing hazardous wastes. After a rapid overview of the two first decades of the technique, this review focuses on the recent advances on fundamental aspects and analytical applications. Traditional and new surfactants, search of new organic solvents as mobile phase modifiers, and the use of new columns are addressed. Surfactant-bonded phase association, combination of diverse surfactant effects, interaction between organic solvents and micelles, and resolution performance are also considered. A special attention has been paid to the limited efficiency and weak elution strength, which are the main limitations usually pointed out in MLC. An effort has been made to clarify some wrong and sometimes unjustified ideas about MLC. The potential of this chromatographic mode is also shown for routine analytical procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's global art market is a billion-dollar business, attracting not only investors but also forgers. The high number of forged works requires reliable authentication procedures to mitigate the risk of investments. However, with the developments in the methodology, continuous time pressure and the threat of litigation, authenticating artwork is becoming increasingly complex. In this paper, we examined whether the decision process involved in the authenticity examination may be supported by machine learning algorithms. The idea is motivated by existing clinical decision support systems. We used a set of 55 artworks (including 12 forged ones) with determined attribution markers to train a decision tree model. From our preliminary results, it follows that it is a very promising technique able to support art experts. Decision trees are able to summarize the existing knowledge about all investigations and may also be used as a classifier for new paintings with known markers. However, larger datasets with artworks of known provenance are needed to build robust classification models. The method can also utilize the most important markers and, consequently, reduce the costs of investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of interlaboratory studies on the determination of selected PAHs in samples of pure water and water containing suspended matter are presented and discussed in this study. Determinations were performed by independent analytical laboratories which used different sample-preparation procedures, i.e. liquid-liquid extraction and solid-phase extraction with columns and speedisks. The study indicates that the results of PAHs determination depend on the type of isolation technique and the final determination procedure used by a given laboratory. Differences among the determined concentrations of specific PAHs reached 700%. In this work it has been shown that modern analysis does not offer isolation techniques for PAHs which would secure their speciation in the aquatic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper discusses the features of an application of two versions of X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), commonly used at present, namely XRF using synchrotron radiation to excite the fluorescence in the sample investigated (SRXRF), and XRF using capillary X-ray optics. The operational characteristics of different models of micro-XRF spectrometers are considered. The general differences between conventional XRF and SRXRF and their influence on the choice of the analytical procedure are also presented. Examples of the typical errors resulting from the use of some classical analytical procedures in several applications are illustrated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and lindane were used as insecticides since 1949s. They were progressively banished in most of the nations in the world, because of the their persistence and their potential toxicity and carcinogenicity. They are still occurring in the environment. These insecticides and isomers (α-HCH, β-HCH...) were detected in all media, e.g. soils, sediments, potable water, vegetables, human and animal tissues and air. In this review, we present the synthesis of the analytical procedures and materials used to determine the HCHs isomers in media such as vegetables, human tissues, animals tissues and rations. The analytical techniques which are presented permit to select the best analytical conditions to detect HCHs isomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Azo dyes, extensively used for coloring a variety of consumer goods, such as leather, clothes, food, and toys, can under certain conditions be reduced to form confirmed or suspected carcinogenic aromatic amines. This article gives an overview of the state of development of analytical procedures for the determination of such azo dyes, which are banned by the European Commission. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study presents the application of one of the tools from the multicriteria decision analysis set (MCDA), the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). Selected green analytical chemistry metrics were used to rank analytical procedures for the phthalate determination in disposable baby diapers. Nine analytical procedures were assessed in order to find one that has the lowest environmental impact and the best analytical figures of merit. Nine different criteria, where weighting was based on the experts' evaluation, were used in the procedures' assessment. With the use of TOPSIS, an easy and straightforward technique, selection of the most appropriate procedure was made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amygdalin (d-Mandelonitrile 6-O-β-d-glucosido-β-d-glucoside) is a natural cyanogenic glycoside occurring in the seeds of some edible plants, such as bitter almonds and peaches. It is a medically interesting but controversial compound as it has anticancer activity on one hand and can be toxic via enzymatic degradation and production of hydrogen cyanide on the other hand. Despite numerous contributions on cancer cell lines, the clinical evidence for the anticancer activity of amygdalin is not fully confirmed. Moreover, high dose exposures to amygdalin can produce cyanide toxicity. The aim of this review is to present the current state of knowledge on the sources, toxicity and anticancer properties of amygdalin, and analytical methods for its determination in plant seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitreous humor (VH) is an important alternative matrix used in post-mortem forensic toxicology. VH has particular advantages over other biological matrices due to its good resistance to autosynthesis of endogenous compounds in post-mortem processes. However, the analysis of VH samples is mainly based on classical extraction techniques at preparation stage and chromatographic methods used to determine psychoactive substances. There is a lack of new, quicker and more effective drug extraction techniques, which could also correspond to the current trends in Green Chemistry. The aim of this study is to summarize and critically review the data submitted for post-mortem analysis of VH for toxicological and forensic purposes. It deals with some important issues: sampling, storage, preparation, and methods for identifying different important types of psychoactive drugs. In addition, the review provides insight into the pharmacokinetics of xenobiotics and highlights the main trends and achievements in correlation studies with classical matrices. • Vitreous humor (VH) is an important alternative matrix in forensic chemistry. • The pharmacokinetics of various drugs and concentrations in vitreous humor. • It is necessary to introduce new methodologies at the stage of sample preparation. • Future advances in the bioanalysis of vitreous humor by using proteomic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sulfur is a promising storage medium for low-cost and high-temperature TES. • Practical nonuniform charge conditions are studied for vertical storage tubes. • Experiments investigate the characteristics of sulfur heat transfer behavior. • Validated CFD model elucidates thermal charge performance of sulfur. • Two analytical procedures are developed to predict energy/exergy performance. Elemental sulfur thermal energy storage (SulfurTES) is a promising low-cost solution for many medium to high temperature (300–1200 °C) TES applications. Demonstrations of SulfurTES have shown that the heat transfer behavior of sulfur in isochoric tubes is critical to system thermal performance. Previous studies have elucidated and quantified the sulfur heat transfer rate for idealized uniform charge and discharge; however, nonuniform conditions are more likely to be encountered in practice and need to be understood. This paper uses experimental and computational efforts to investigate sulfur heat transfer as well as exergy and energy performance in vertically-oriented tubes for two nonuniform thermal charge scenarios: top-heating and bottom-heating. In comparison with uniform thermal charge, the top-heating causes significant thermal stratification of sulfur that helps the SulfurTES system achieve superior exergetic performance. In contrast, the bottom-heating causes rapid mixing between hot and cold sulfur resulting in high charge rates. Both nonuniform charge strategies could be utilized during the operation of the SulfurTES system to improve system performance as well as provide operational flexibility. Using the computational results, this article originally develops two simplified analytical procedures to estimate the energy and exergy performance of sulfur in tubes of different sizes under top- and bottom-heating. The current study provides significant qualitative and quantitative heat transfer descriptions and design bases for SulfurTES systems and encourages further investigations into the complicated thermal performance for other thermal storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]