Search

The potential of utilizing inorganic constituents in processed animal proteins (PAPs) for species identification in animal feeds was investigated, with the aim of using these constituents to ensure the quality and authenticity of the products. This study aimed to quantify the inorganic content across various PAP species and assess whether inorganic analysis could effectively differentiate between PAP species, ultimately aiding in the identification of PAP fractions in animal feeds. Four types of PAPs, namely bovine, swine, poultry, and fish-based, were analyzed and compared to others made up of feathers of vegetal-based feed. Also, three insect-based PAPs (Cricket, Silkworm, Flour Moth) were considered in this study to evaluate the differences in terms of the nutrients present in this type of feed. Ionic chromatography (IC) was used to reveal the concentrations of NO3−, NO2, Cl−, and SO42−, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to detect Al, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Si, Sr, Ti, and Zn. The application of multivariate chemometric techniques to the experimental results allowed us to determine the identification capability of the inorganic composition to identify correlations among the variables and to reveal similarities and differences among the different species. The results show the possibility of using this component for discriminating between different PAPS; in particular, fish PAPs are high in Cd, Sr, Na, and Mg content; swine PAPs have lower metal content due to high fat; feathers and vegetal feed have similar Al, Si, and Ni, but feathers are higher in Fe and Zn; and insect PATs have nutrient levels comparable to PAPs of other origins but are very high in Zn, Cu, and K.

Iron, a crucial element in our environment, plays a vital role in numerous natural processes. Understanding the presence and concentration of iron in the environment is very important as it impacts various aspects of our planet’s health. The on-site detection and speciation of iron are significant for several reasons. In this context, the present work aims to evaluate the applicability of voltammetry for the on-site determination of iron and its possible speciation using a portable voltammetric analyzer. Voltammetry offers the advantage of convenience and cost-effectiveness. For iron (III) determination, the modification of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with an antimony-bismuth film (SbBiFE) using the acetate buffer (pH = 4) as a supporting electrolyte was used. The technique adopted was Square Wave Adsoptive Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry (SW-AdCSV), and we used 1-(2-piridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN) as the iron (III) ligand. Linearity, repeatability, detection limit, and accuracy were determined using synthetic solutions; then, a Standard Reference Material (SRM) of 1643f Trace Elements in Water (iron content: 93.44 ± 0.78 µg L−1) was used for validation measurements in the real matrix. the accuracy of this technique was found to be excellent since we obtained a recovery of 103.16%. The procedure was finally applied to real samples (tap, lake, and seawater), and the results obtained were compared via Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The amount of iron found was 207.8 ± 6.6 µg L−1 for tap water using voltammetry and 200.9 ± 1.5 µg L−1 with ICP-OES. For lake water, 171.7 ± 3.8 µg L−1, 169.8 ± 4.1 µg L−1, and 187.5 ± 5.7 µg L−1 were found using voltammetry in the lab both on-site and using ICP-OES, respectively. The results obtained demonstrate the excellent applicability of the proposed on-site voltammetric procedure for the determination of iron and its speciation in water.

The removal of four Contaminants of Emerging Concern, namely bisphenol A, sulfamethoxazole, diclofenac and benzotriazole; two odorous compounds, geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol, frequently detected in recirculating aquaculture systems; and Hg(II) was investigated using ZnO-based materials doped or co-doped with Ce and Cu under simulated solar radiation. Photocatalysts were synthetized via a hydrothermal route and their efficiency was assessed by changing some operational parameters in different water matrices of increasing complexity. The mixture of contaminants was successfully degraded in just 1 h, while the complete mineralization was achieved in a few hours; experiments performed in an actual aquaculture water confirmed the efficiency and broad versatility of the synthesized materials.

In this work, an evaluation of the air of two Italian industrial cities, Turin and Biella, has been performed to identify the main sources affecting its quality and to evaluate its evolution along 15 years. These two cities are placed at the border of the Po valley, one of the most polluted areas of Europe, and the automotive and textile industries have been their main economic sectors. The elemental analysis of the PM10 collected there in 2007 has been performed by ICP-MS and ICP-AES. The results identify the urban activities and the soil/road dust resuspension as the main sources of metals. Biella was overall less polluted in PM10 than Turin, probably because of its smaller size, its smaller traffic volume, and the lower number of industries. However, the limit value imposed by the European legislation for daily average PM10 mass concentration (50 μg m−3) was frequently exceeded in the collected samples: 22% and 50%, respectively for Biella and Turin. The concentration of specific toxic metals regulated by Italian legislation was never higher than the limit value for Cd (4 ng m−3) and Pb (0.5 μg m−3), whereas it was exceeded for Ni (20 ng m−3) in 22% of the samples from Turin and only in the 5% of those from Biella. In the same way, the risk analysis, performed using the target hazard quotient (THQ), calculated for children and adult populations, did not reveal warning values. Only for Cd in children were concerning values found (median THQ = 4.9). Element concentrations showed a seasonal trend, with higher values in November and December due to a combination of stable atmospheric conditions and strengthening of anthropic sources (e.g., combustion for heat generation). Finally, data concerning the amount of Cd, Ni, and Pb in the atmosphere provided by the regional agency for environmental protection (ARPA Piedmont) have been used to follow the evolution of these elements from 2007 to 2021 in the two cities. The data reveal a significant reduction of the concentrations of all considered metals in all the sites (higher than 50%), however maintaining the seasonal variability observed in PM10 samples of 2007, with higher concentrations during the cold months and lower concentrations during the summer.

The determination of the authenticity of extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) has become more interesting in recent years. Italy is the first country in Europe in terms of number of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) oils, which connects consumers to a feeling of tradition and thus to higher quality standards. This work focused on the consideration of the inorganic content as a possible marker of EVOOs. Ten vegetable oils (VOs), eight Italian EVOOs and seven not Italian EVOOs were analyzed. After pretreatment by acid mineralization, Al, Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Sb, Se and Zn were determined by ICP-OES. The electrochemical properties of a selected group of EVOOs and other vegetal oils of different botanical origin were investigated by voltammetry. Carbon paste electrodes (CPEs) were prepared. The features observed in the voltammograms reflect the reactions of electroactive compounds, which are present in the oils. A chemometric treatment of the results was performed to assess the possibility to distinguish (i) the region of provenience considering the inorganic profile; and (ii) the plant species from which each oil was obtained on the basis of the current profile registered during voltammetric analysis. Inorganic composition seems to be a useful marker for the assessment of the geographical origin of an EVOO. The EVOO-CPEs voltammetry seems to have a good ability to distinguish the plant species of origin. This method could be useful to monitor the conservation status of the oils, as the redox profile is linked to the oxidative degradation state.

Diclofenac (DCF) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug to treat pain and inflammatory diseases. The high consumption of the drug leads to a significant change in the ecosystem. With the aim of optimizing a fast screening analysis for DCF detection on many samples with a sensitive and cheap procedure, we considered electrochemical methods using carbon-based electrodes as sensors. The electrochemical behavior of the DCF was studied on glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) and on screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) from two different suppliers after an anodic activation. The surface of the SPCEs was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS). On all the activated electrodes, the voltammetric procedure (Differential Pulse Voltammetry) for the determination of DCF was optimized by the Experimental Design method, and the linearity range of the response, as well as the calibration and limit parameters (limits of detection—LoD; limit of quantification—LoQ), were defined. Analyses on SPCEs were performed both by immersing the electrode in the solution and by deposing a drop of solution on the electrode. DCF signals are stabilized by the polishing process and enhanced by the anodic activation and acid pH. The electrochemical response of DCF is not reversible, and its by-products tend to be adsorbed on the surfaces, particularly on GCE. The lowest limit parameters were obtained using the GCE (LoD = 1.6 µg L−1) and the SPCE, having the smallest surface, immersed in solution (LoD = 7 µg L−1).

Both inorganic and organic complexation of metal cations in clouds or rainwater is essential to describe the global biogeochemical cycles of metals, because complexation can increase metal solubility and stabilize some of their oxidation states. Within a Project of the National Research Program in the Antarctica, atmospheric depositions were collected during the Antarctic summer 2017–2018 in eight sampling sites. The main ionic components occurring in water extracts of these atmospheric depositions were quantified, and a chemical model was applied, in order to identify the main species occurring in the samples. The speciation study showed that most cations were present as aquoions, except for Fe, which occurred predominantly in hydrolytic forms. The model allowed us to foresee the effect of an increase in the concentration levels of all the solution components, by simulating what could happen when the original particles act as cloud condensation nuclei. The role of inorganic anions as complexing agents becomes important when increasing total concentrations of all the solutes by a factor >100 compared to the water extracts, while the presence of organic acids acquires significance for samples having organic acid concentration higher than 10−5 mol L−1. Moreover, it was possible to pinpoint the formation constants that mostly affect the chemical system, and to gain insight into the behavior of metals in wet depositions, which is fundamental knowledge in atmospheric photochemistry studies and in the modeling of the biogeochemical cycles of metal cations.

In this work, we present chemical stratigraphies of two sampling lines collected within a 4 m depth snow pit dug in Dome C during the Antarctic summer Campaign 2017/2018, 12 years after the last reported snow pit. The first sampling line was analyzed for nine anionic and cationic species using Ion Chromatography (IC); the second sampling line was analyzed for seven major elements in an innovative way with Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) after sample pre-concentration, allowing the study of deposition processes of new markers especially related to crustal source. This coupled analysis, besides confirming previous studies, allowed us to investigate the depositions of the last decades at Dome C, enriching the number of the detected chemical markers, and yielding these two techniques complementary for the study of different markers in this kind of matrix. As a result of the dating, the snow layers analyzed covered the last 50 years of snow depositions. The assessment of the accumulation rate, estimated about 9 cm yr−1, was accomplished only for the period 1992–2016, as the eruption of 1992 constituted the only tie-point found in nssSO42− depth profile. Na, the reliable sea salt marker, together with Mg and Sr, mainly arose from marine sources, whereas Ca, Al and Fe originated from crustal inputs. Post-depositional processes occurred on Cl− as well as on NO3− and methanesulfonic acid (MSA); compared to the latter, Cl− had a more gradual decrease, reporting a threshold at 2.5 m for the post-depositional process completion. For NO3− and MSA, instead, the threshold was shallower, at about 1 m depth, with a loss of 87% for NO3− and of 50% for MSA.

Lead content, enrichment factors, and isotopic composition (208Pb/206Pb and 207Pb/206Pb) measured in atmospheric particulate matter (PM10) samples collected for nine years at Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard islands, Norwegian Arctic) during spring and summer are presented and discussed. The possible source areas (PSA) for particulate inferred from Pb isotope ratio values were compared to cluster analysis of back-trajectories. Results show that anthropogenic Pb dominates over natural crustal Pb, with a recurring higher influence in spring, compared to summer. Crustal Pb accounted for 5–16% of the measured Pb concentration. Anthropogenic Pb was affected by (i) a Central Asian PSA with Pb isotope signature compatible with ores smelted in the Rudny Altai region, at the Russian and Kazakhstan border, which accounted for 85% of the anthropogenic Pb concentration, and (ii) a weaker North American PSA, contributing for the remaining 15%. Central Asian PSA exerted an influence on 71–86% of spring samples, without any significant interannual variation. On the contrary, 59–87% of summer samples were influenced by the North American PSA, with higher contributions during 2015 and 2018. Back-trajectory analysis agreed on the seasonal difference in PSA and highlighted a possible increased influence for North American air masses during summer 2010 and 2018, but not for summer 2015.

The financial and real crisis started in 2007-2008 has deeply transformed the way the Italian financial and capital market act. Italian SMEs need to be aware of the transformation not to be pushed out of the market itself and to take profit of the new relevant opportunities coming out thanks to the emerging new products and new intermediaries. The paper focuses the disappear of banks relationship lending and provides evidence about how to approach the market in the emerging “competing for capital” prevailing rule. It also stresses the relevance of ESG topics as emerging risk factor companies must look at when asking for new finance because of the Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on sustainability related disclosures in the financial services (SFDR).