Search

The study area receives an average of 2840.0 mm of rainfall within four months every year. A portion of the rainwater is flown to the sea as surface water, and the other part is percolated into the bottom as groundwater. In coastal aquifers, the groundwater is transported to the sea due to a hydraulic gradient, and it contains a significant quantity of dissolved materials and nutrients. SGD processes impact the ocean productivity, mangrove and coral growth, local acidification and many. To isolate the SGD on the central west coast of India, different data was referred. The GWL concerning MSL contributed significantly to demarcating the SGD zones by considering the positive (>0 m) and negative (<0 m) values of GWL concerning above MSL. Thermal images for SST of pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods of 2020 exhibit cooler surrounded by warmer, which might be the SGD buffering zones in the off-central west coast of India. By considering the results from GWL and SST, 8 SGD beach sites were identified for the further particularized study. The water samples were collected in March 2022, and analyzed using standard procedures and instruments. Fresh and mixing (recirculated) zones have been isolated by piper, hydrochemical facies evolution, and Ca 2+ +Mg 2+ /K + +Na  +  Vs log Cl - ionic ratio plots. The aquifer water chemical elements are converting possibly due to ionic exchange processes. The decrease in salinity and conductivity observed in the pore water just below the seawater might be due to the influence of freshwater inputs, helping to isolate the fresh SGD and recirculated SGD zones in the study area. Among 8 sites, 3 were found to be fresh SGD sites and 5 were noticed to be mixing/recirculated SGD sites. Most of these Beaches are bounded by hills, which helps to lead the SGD along the central west coast of India., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aerosols are potential supplier of nutrients to the surface water of oceans and can impact biogeochemical processes particularly in the remote locations. The nutrient data from atmospheric supply is poorly reported from the Indian Ocean region. In this study, we present atmospheric nutrients such as reactive nitrogen species (Nitrate, Ammonium, Organic nitrogen), micro-nutrients (e.g. Fe, Mn and Cu) concentration along with mineral dust in the aerosol samples collected over meridional transect during summer (April-May 2018) and monsoon (June-July 2019) months. A significant spatial variation of dust was observed during summer (0.6-22.8 μg m -3 ) and monsoon (2.8-25.1 μg m -3 ) months with a decreasing trend from north to south. Dust as well as other nutrient species shows a general north to south decreasing trend, however, no such trend was seen in the soluble trace elements (TEs) concentration. Anthropogenic species like NH 4 + and nss-K + were found below detection limit during monsoon campaign. The fractional solubility (in percentage) of Fe, Mn and Cu were estimated by measuring their concentration in ultrapure water leach which averaged around 0.99 ± 1.12, 31.0 ± 14.9 and 31.1 ± 25.4, respectively during summer and 0.09 ± 0.08, 6.0 ± 8.9, 16.7 ± 9.6, respectively, during monsoon period. Correlation of soluble Fe with total Fe and total acidic species suggest varying dust sources is an important controlling factor for the fraction solubility of Fe with negligible contribution from the chemical processing. However, a significant correlation was observed between total acid and fractional solubility of Mn and Cu suggest role of chemical processing in enhancement of their solubility. Dry deposition flux of aeolian dust was estimated for both campaign using Al concentration and relatively higher fluxes were observed for summer (12.6 ± 8.4 mg·m -2 ·d -1 ) and monsoon (8.7 ± 8.4 mg·m -2 ·d -1 ) months as compared to model based estimates reported in the literature. Contrastingly, estimated deposition flux of soluble Fe from both campaign displays relatively lower values as compared to model based results which underscores a need for re-evaluation of biogeochemical models with real-time data., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Microplastics (MPs) in the atmosphere can undergo long-range transport from emission regions to pristine terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems. Due to their inherent toxic and hazardous characteristics, MPs pose serious risks to both human well-being and the equilibrium of ecosystem. The present study outlines the comprehensive characterization, spanning physical and chemical attributes of MPs associated with atmospheric aerosols. Total suspended particulates (TSPs) were collected on a quartz fibre filter by operating a high-volume sampler for 24 h during distinct years (March, 2016 and November, 2020) at a coastal location in the northeast Arabian Sea. Subsequent to the sampling, a series of techniques were applied including density separation. The assessment and scrutiny of the MPs was carried out using stereo-zoom microscopy with supplementary validation using advanced fluorescence microscopy for enhanced precision in identification. Our comparative assessment suggests peroxide treatment followed by density separation could be a robust procedure for the definitive identification and characterization of MPs in the atmosphere. Average total abundance of MPs was found to be 1.30 ± 0.14 n/m 3 in 2016 and 1.46 ± 0.12 n/m 3 in 2020 with fibres, fragments and films having similar relative contributions (41 %, 31 %, 28 % in 2016 and 40 %, 35 %, 25 % in 2020). Fibres were found to be dominant morphotype followed by fragments and films over the coastal region of the Arabian Sea. In order to unravel the detailed chemical nature of these MPs, spectral analysis using μ-FTIR was carried out. The outcome of the analysis showed prevailing polymers as polyvinyl chloride and polymethyl methacrylate (50545 %) as dominant polymers followed by polyester (15 %), styrene butyl methacrylate (11 %), and polyacetal (9 %). MPs present in the vicinity of the Arabian Sea have potential to supply nutrients and toxicants, consequently can contribute to the modulation of the surface water biogeochemical processes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

During the Southwest monsoon (SWM), aeolian dust is mainly supplied via wet deposition over the northeast Arabian Sea (NEAS). To understand their impact on the biogeochemistry of the Arabian Sea, it is important to identify their sources and characteristics. In this context, wet deposit particulate (WDP) samples were collected at a coastal station (Goa; 15.4° N, 73.8° E) in the NEAS during the SWM for three years. These samples were used to characterize and identify mineral dust sources using mineralogical, elemental, and isotopic (Sr and Nd) signatures. The WDP samples were classified as Beginning of Monsoon (BM, June samples), Mid Monsoon (MM, July-August samples) and End of Monsoon (EM, September samples). Clay mineralogical composition indicate high palygorskite content during BM, which subsequently found to decrease in MM, and almost negligible in EM. However, smectite is highest during MM, with moderate presence of palygorskite during this period. The considerable variation in the relative percentages of clay minerals suggests significant temporal variability in dust sources which is further corroborated by the radiogenic isotopic composition. A strong seasonality in the isotopic composition is observed with 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio being relatively less radiogenic during MM than the BM and highly radiogenic at the EM. Whereas Ɛ Nd values show an opposite trend to 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios throughout the monsoon, with more radiogenic Ɛ Nd in the MM, and less radiogenic at the EM. End member mixing plot indicate dominant contribution of dust from the Arabian Peninsula (ARB) and Northeast African (NEA) sources during BM and MM, while a shift towards the Thar desert and Southwest Asian (SWA) sources at the EM. Trace elements associated with different sources were quantified and suggest high Fe concentration is associated with NEA dust sources, despite ARB being major supplier of aeolian dust to the Arabian Sea., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aβ cascade hypothesis being considered most evident event in AD pathology and even today it holds good. Dysregulation of catalytic events of Aβ regulating enzymes can possibly cause faulty Aβ trafficking; inequity of Aβ formation and clearance resulting in misfolded protein accumulation, neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. Many novel approaches have been made on this pathway to discover new molecules, unfortunately couldn't reach the terminal phases of clinical trials. Over decades, studies have been more focused on enzyme chemistry and explored the relationship between structural features and catalytic function of Aβ regulating enzymes. However, the modulations of catalytic mechanisms of those enzymes have not been imposed so far to reduce the Aβ load. Hence, in this review, we have critically detailed the knowledge of basic structural dynamics and possible catalytic modulations of enzymes responsible for Aβ formation and clearance that will impart new perspectives in drug discovery process., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Advancements in brain imaging techniques have emerged as a significant tool in detecting Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. The complicated cascade of AD progression can be detected using radio imaging, especially with Positron emission tomography (PET). The review focus on recently introduced investigational PET tracers targeting neurofibrillary tau aggregates found typically in AD. Herein, we also address the use of different PET tracers and the clinical implementation of established and newer generation tracers. This review also intends to discuss the importance of several PET radiotracers and challenges in PET imaging., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Groundnut bud necrosis orthotospovirus (GBNV) is one of the causative plant viruses responsible for the outbreak of many viral epidemics in food crops across India and other south-Asian countries. Its management is a major challenge due to fast vector transmission, and the non-availability of appropriate agrochemical treatment. The timely detection of GBNV becomes indispensable for the effective management of viral infection and the periodic monitoring of plant health. We report the fabrication of graphene oxide (GO) based electrochemical immunosensor for the rapid and sensitive detection of GBNV. The immunoelectrode is prepared by depositing GO onto indium-tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates and functionalized by anti-GBNV antibodies using N-ethyl-N'-(3- dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride and N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC-NHS) conjugation chemistry. The response measurements of the immunoelectrodes revealed a sensitivity of 221 ± 1 μA μg -1  mL -1 (n = 3) and limit of detection (LOD) of 5.7 ± 0.7 ng mL -1 (n = 3) for the standard concentrations of GBNV antigen. Further, the GBNV detection was carried out in infected leaf extracts of three different host plants i.e., Tomato, Cowpea, and N. benthamiana, and the results have been compared with the conventionally used direct antigen coated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAC-ELISA) technique. The comparable results obtained for the detection of GBNV in infected plants using electrochemical immunosensing and DAC-ELISA techniques advocated the immense potential of GO based immunosensor as a point-of-care sensing device that is poised to overcome the limitations of the traditional methods of virus detection in field conditions and may transform the diagnostics in agriculture., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Annual monitoring was carried out in the shoreline sediments of the Calicut beach, from 2016 to 2019 to understand the distribution and abundance of microplastics and its environmental implications. Further, the impact of the severe fluvial floods of Kerala during the August months of 2018 and 2019, on the microplastic pollution of the Calicut beach was also determined. Microplastic concentrations ranged between 80.56 items/kg of dry sand to 467.13 items/kg of dry sand during the sampling period. Polyethylene type was consistently higher in all the samples. There was a surge in microplastics concentration during both the floods with a higher proportion of low-retention-period microplastics. Among the different oceanographic parameters, it was found that significant wave height and surface wind speed are positively correlated to the number of the microplastics in Calicut beach., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The Arabian Sea, one of the most biologically productive oceanic regions, receive significant amount of nutrients through aeolian dust deposition which have potential to modulate surface water biogeochemical processes. Identification of dust sources is important to assess role of dust deposition to surface water biogeochemistry. Here we report geochemical characteristics (major elements and trace metals composition, clay mineralogy and radiogenic isotopes of Sr and Nd) of aeolian dust, derived from dust storms in Middle East and South West Asia, to decipher its sources and possible transport pathways over the Arabian Sea. Twelve bulk aerosol samples were collected, during dusty period, at a coastal station (Goa; 15.4 o N, 73.8 o E) located in the Northeastern Arabian Sea, spanning over three years in different seasons. A preliminary estimation of sources for dust storms was done using satellite imagery and air mass back trajectory analyses. Major element and trace metal compositions of storm derived dust samples indicate insignificant contribution from anthropogenic sources. Illite and chlorite are major clay minerals found in all dust samples, however, high palygorskite content were observed for dust sourced from the Arabian Peninsula. A more uniform Sr-Nd signature is found for those derived from Arabia, however, highly variable Sr-Nd isotope signatures were observed for those derived from the South West Asia (Iran and Makran coast). The reported comprehensive data set on geochemical characteristics of mineral dust, is the first attempt that provides important information to understand present and past dust emission and deposition over the Arabian Sea., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: NIKSHAY is a web-based TB case notification & management portal. The study aimed to assess the awareness and utilization of NIKSHAY among the private practitioners in Udupi district and identify the operational barriers to TB notification., Methods: The study was conducted between January to May 2019. Allopathic doctors were included in the study. Interviewer-administered structured validated questionnaire was used. The doctors were interviewed at their clinics/hospital., Result: Out of 206 doctors, 138 were included in the study. Most of the participants were males (88.4%).Whereas, majority of the doctors were specialists (73.2%). 99% of the doctors knew that TB notification is mandatory. The awareness of NIKSHAY was low (21.7%) among them. Of those aware, 51.9% of the doctors were registered on NIKSHAY. 92.7% of the doctors who were registered had notified at least one case in last 6 months. Training programs were effective in increasing awareness of NIKSHAY but not utilization. Factors like out-patient load, number of presumptive and diagnosed TB cases seen were associated with the awareness and utilization of NIKSHAY. The major perceived barriers for notification were difficult to treat TB, ignorance of TB burden, complicated notification system, patient stigma and loss to follow up, lack of acknowledgement from the government., Conclusion: The awareness and utilization of NIKSHAY was low. Patient load was positively associated with the utilization of NIKSHAY. Private practitioners face various barriers which needs to be addressed to increase the notification rates., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors have none to declare., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The relative importance of organic nitrogen (ON) and inorganic nitrogen (IN) as nitrogen sources for the phytoplankton communities were studied through a seasonal time series of nitrogen species in the eastern Arabian Sea. Seasonal data on nitrogen species showed that ON dominates the system throughout the year and account for >90% of the total nitrogen (TN) during north east monsoon (NEM). The average ON concentration in the study region was 11.5 μM during NEM as compared to 7.2 μM during south west monsoon (SWM). The contribution of picoplankton to the total phytoplankton pool (f pico ) increased from 19% during SWM to 36% in NEM. Along with cyanobacteria, the diatoms Thalassionema nitzchoides and Thalassiosira sp. and among the dinoflagellates Pronoctiluca sp. were found to proliferate in ON rich waters. We suggest atmospheric deposition, riverine-input, resuspension of bottom sediment and ground water intrusion as the possible sources of ON in the study region., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Eu/Yb co-doped NaYF 4 phosphors have been synthesized by the combustion method. The Eu doping was fixed and the effect of Yb doping concentration on the structural, morphological and luminescence properties has been investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the phosphors consisted of mixed α- and β-phases, but the β-phase was dominant. All elements of the host and dopants, as well as adventitious C, were detected using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The surface morphology showed a microrod-like structure with sharp hexagonal edges. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy spectra proved the formation of the desired materials. The photoluminescence spectra illustrated the optical emission properties of Eu 3+ in the red region when excited at 394 nm, while, under the same excitation, Yb 3+ ions gave emission at 980 nm. The up-conversion (UC) emission of Eu/Yb co-doped NaYF 4 produced a white color at the higher concentration of Yb excited by a 980 nm laser, which was made possible by green emission of Er contamination (from Yb source) and blue emission of Eu 2+ ions. The lifetime of the Eu 3+ UC luminescence at 615 nm was also affected by the Yb doping concentration. The temperature sensitivity associated with the Er 3+ peaks at 520 and 542 nm was assessed as a function of temperature and the maximum of 0.0040 K -1 occurred at 463 K., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

For various biomedical applications, biopolymeric films are often crosslinked using chemical crosslinker such as glutaraldehyde, which is considered as a toxic chemical. In this report, we have prepared and characterized biopolymeric films using different combinations of chitosan, CMC, alginate and PVA using glyoxal as the crosslinker. The prepared films were subjected to various physico-chemical and mechanical characterizations such as swelling index, surface pH, surface morphology analysis using SEM, interact ion study using XRD, flexibility study using tensile testing and hardness testing. Glyoxal crosslinking resulted in variation of physico-chemical and mechanical alteration of the chitosan-PVA films while it had the negligible effect on the CAP film. Further, the hardness of the films demonstrated a decrease in value in the crosslinked films as compared to non-crosslinked films. We have interpreted that glyoxal is a potential crosslinker for chitosan-based composite polymers while in this case, it did not show any significant effect on CMC and alginate based composite structures. Therefore, using this type of films would be the cheap, safe and new alternative in drug delivery and other biomedical applications., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Non-parenteral drug delivery routes primarily remove the local pain at the injection site. The drugs administered through the oral route encounter the process of hepatic first pass metabolism. Among the alternative delivery routes, mucosal route is being investigated as the most preferred route. Different mucosal routes include the gastrointestinal tract (oral), vagina, buccal cavity and nasal cavity. Novel formulations are being developed using natural and synthetic polymers that could increase the residence time of the drug at mucosal surface in order to facilitate permeation and reduce (or bypass) the first pass metabolism. For recombinant drugs, the formulations are accompanied by enzyme inhibitors and penetration enhancers. Buccal cavity (buccal and sublingual mucosa) has smaller surface area than the gastrointestinal tract but the drugs can easily escape the first pass metabolism. Chitosan is the most applied natural polymer while synthetic polymers include Carbopol and Eudragit. Chitosan has inherent properties of mucoadhesion and penetration enhancement apart from biodegradability and efflux pump inhibition. This review hoards the important research purview of chitosan as a compatible drug carrier macromolecule for mucosal delivery on single platform., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Unlabelled: Following injury, transfusion of red blood cells (RBCs) of increased storage duration has been associated with an increased morbidity and mortality. Prospective trials focusing on the impact of the storage age of RBCs in severely bleeding trauma patients have failed to accrue patients. This has been attributed to an inability to maintain a large inventory of fresh RBCs, and the difficulties in obtaining consent in severely bleeding trauma patients. To address these issues, we performed a prospective, observational pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of conducting a trial focusing on RBC age in patients following injury., Methods: Patients with bleeding due to trauma were transfused RBCs ≤10 day old if they were ABO blood Type O (Group O) or were transfused the oldest RBCs in inventory if they were Type A, B or AB (Group A/B/AB). Clinicians were unaware of the specific age of the RBCs., Results: 63 patients were analyzed (Group O, n=19; Group A/B/AB, n=44). Half of all patients had severe injuries ISS (median 22). The median admission base deficit was -5 mEq/L, and median total 24h use of RBC and FFP was 1.2 L. The age of RBCs transfused to Group O was significantly lower than for Group A/B/AB [median (IQR) A/B/AB=18.4 (11.4-25.4) days, and Group O=6 (4.2-7.8) days; p<0.001]., Conclusions: It appears feasible to conduct a RBC age trial in trauma patients using ABO blood type to construct comparative groups. Adequate RBC age separation between cohorts and reduced RBC age in the "young" group of patients who received units ≤10 days old was achieved., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A new approach for the extraction and determination of myricetin and quercetin by using SPME-HPLC-UV system has been developed. The method involves adsorption of flavonoids on CAR/TPR fiber followed by desorption in the desorption chamber of SPME-HPLC interface using citrate buffer (0.001 M):acetonitrile (70:30) as mobile phase and UV detection at 372 nm. The detection limits for myricetin and quercetin are 48.3 and 24.7 pgmL(-1), respectively. The proposed method was validated by determining myricetin and quercetin in tomato, onion, grapes and red wine samples.

Solid phase microextraction (SPME) is an innovative, solvent free technology that is fast, economical and versatile. SPME is a fiber coated with a liquid (polymer), a solid (sorbent) or a combination of both. The fiber coating takes up the compounds from the sample by absorption in the case of liquid coatings or adsorption in the case of solid coatings. The SPME fiber is then transferred with the help of a syringe like device into the analytical instrument for desorption and analysis of the target analytes. The sol-gel process provides a versatile method to prepare size, shape and charge selective materials of high purity and homogeneity by means of preparation techniques different from the traditional ones, for the chemical analysis. This review is on the current state of the art and future trends in the developments of solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibers using sol-gel method. To achieve more selective determination of different compound classes, the variety of different coating material for SPME fibers has increased. Further developments in SPME as a highly efficient extraction technique, will greatly depend on new breakthroughs in the area of new coating material developments for the SPME fibers. In sol-gel approach, appropriate sol-gel precursors and other building blocks can be selected to create a stationary phase with desired structural and surface properties. This approach is efficient in integrating the advantageous properties of organic and inorganic material systems and thereby increasing and improving the extraction selectivity of the produced amalgam organic-inorganic stationary phases. This review is mainly focused on recent advanced developments in the design, synthesis, characterisation, properties and application of sol-gel in preparation of coatings for the SPME fibers.

Cyclooxygenase (COX) is a key enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway leading to the formation of prostaglandins, which are mediators of inflammation [D.L. Dewitt, W.L. Smith, Primary structure of prostaglandin G/H synthase from sheep vesicular gland determined from the complementary DNA sequence, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85 (1988) 1412-1416, 1]. It exists mainly in two isoforms COX-1 and COX-2 [A. Raz, A. Wyche, N. Siegel, P. Needleman, Regulation of fibroblast cyclooxygenase synthesis by interleukin-1, J. Biol. Chem. 263 (1988) 3022-3028, 2]. The conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have adverse gastrointestinal side-effects, because they inhibit both isoforms [T.D. Warner, F. Guiliano, I. Vojnovic, A. Bukasa, J.A. Mitchell, J.P. Vane, Nonsteroid drug selectivities for cyclo-oxygenase-1 rather than cyclo-oxygenase-2 are associated with human gastrointestinal toxicity: a full in vitro analysis, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96 (1999) 7563-7568, 3; L.J. Marnett, A.S. Kalgutkar, Cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors: discovery, selectivity and the future, Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 20 (1999) 465-469, 4; J.R. Vane, NSAIDs, Cox-2 inhibitors, and the gut, Lancet 346 (1995) 1105-1106, 5]. Therefore drugs which selectively inhibit COX-2, known as coxibs were developed. Recent reports on the harmful cardiovascular and renovascular side-effects of the anti-inflammatory drugs have led to the quest for a novel class of COX-2 selective inhibitors. Keeping this in mind, we have used the X-ray crystal structures of the complexes of the COX-1 and COX-2 with the known inhibitors for a rational, structure based approach to design a small peptide, which is potent inhibitor for COX-2. The peptides have been checked experimentally by in-vitro kinetic studies using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and other biochemical methods. We have identified a tripeptide inhibitor which is a potential lead for a new class of COX-2 inhibitor. The dissociation constant (K(D)) determined for COX-2 with peptide WCS is 1.90x10(-10)M, the kinetic constant (K(i)) determined by spectrophotometry is 4.85x10(-9)M and the IC(50) value is 1.5x10(-8)M by ELISA test.

Methods developed for the analysis of explosives by SPME coupled to HPLC are reviewed with special emphasis on determination and monitoring in environmental samples such as soil and water. Analysis of explosives by using SPME-HPLC as analytical technique is comparatively a new method on which a special attention is focused nowadays. It saves time, avoid use of hazardous extraction solvents, disposal costs and consequently improve the detection limits. The application of SPME is also widened for explosives by using modified 10-port interface and a C-8 refocusing unit combined with two pumps. Several parameters have been optimized to ensure quantitative results such as high concentration of salt and less acetonitrile:water ratio. CW/PDMS/DVB coatings were found to be superior over PA in terms of sensitivity.