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Iodine is an essential trace element for humans, and iodine deficiency is a significant health problem. In this study, an improved method for iodine biofortification based on seed germination was established. Solutions of KI (0.15, 0.30, 0.75 and 1.5 mg∙g−1 of seeds) were applied to germinating radish seeds of two cultivars Raphanus sativus L. var. sativus: Warta and Zlata. Compared with the control (seeds treated with water) the iodine content (in the radish sprouts produced by germinating seeds treated with KI were approximately 112.9–2730 times higher. The application KI rates did not adversely affect the biological quality of the radish sprouts. Regarding the biological quality of the iodine-enriched seedlings, we determined their length, dry mater, protein, soluble sugars, chlorophylls, total phenol, ascorbic acid, thiol group content and total antioxidant capacity. The effect of potassium iodide on the selected parameters of their biological quality varied depending on the KI doses and radish cultivars. The results showed that the most appropriate biofortification application rates were 0.15 and 0.30 mg KI per g seeds, because the enriched seedlings had excellent biological quality parameters.

In our investigation, the chemical composition and bioactive potential of leaf buds of raspberry, blackberry, and a raspberry-blackberry hybrid were determined. Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties were tested in water (W), ethanol-water (EW), and glycerol-water (GW) extracts from the buds. These plant organs contain relatively large amounts of minerals, especially Fe. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) measured by the ABTS and DPPH methods ranged from 2.86 to 12.19 and 6.75 to 24.26 mmol per 100 g fresh weight (FW) of buds, respectively. TAC values were generally higher in the raspberry than in the case of blackberry and raspberry-blackberry hybrid extracts. The antioxidant properties of the extracts were strongly positively correlated with their content of total phenolic (TP). No such relationship was noted for ascorbic acid (AA), whose concentration in all extracts was at a similarly low level. Antioxidant properties determined in vitro were confirmed for the GW extract from raspberry leaf buds in biological test based on the growth parameters of &Delta, sod1Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant cells in hypertonic medium. The extracts also exhibited strong antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis and weaker against Enterobacter aerogenes. The studied leaf buds could be therefore an unconventional source of minerals, natural antioxidants and antibacterial compounds with potential applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries.

The aim of this study was to select optimal conditions (C and N sources, initial pH and temperature) for biodecolorization of 0.03% anthraquinone dye Alizarin Blue Black B (ABBB) by microscopic fungi: Haematonectria haematococca BwIII43, K37 and Trichoderma harzianum BsIII33. The phenolic compounds, phytotoxicity (Lepidium sativum L.), biotoxicity (Microtox), cytotoxicity and yeast viability assay were performed to determine the extent of ABBB detoxification. Biodecolorization and detoxification of 0.03% ABBB in H. haematococca BwIII43 and T. harzianum BsIII33 cultures was correlated with extracellular oxidoreductases activity. In turn, secondary products, toxic to human fibroblasts and respiring sod1 Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, were formed in H. haematococca K37 strain cultures, despite efficient decolorization.

Effects of the absence of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) on the replicative life span of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were studied under different oxygen conditions. In both strains, replicative life span and the rate of cell divisions were found to be similar under the atmosphere of air and under hypoxic (3% oxygen) and anoxic conditions. These results indicate that deleterious consequences of the lack of CuZnSOD are not limited to elevation of superoxide concentration and involve function(s) other than superoxide scavenging.

Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) mutants lacking CuZn-superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) are hypersensitive to oxygen and have significantly decreased replicative life span. Both these defects can be ameliorated by exogenous ascorbate. The effect of ascorbate on life span is complicated by auto-oxidation of its compound in the medium. If negative effects of auto-oxidation are prevented by exchange of the medium, ascorbate prolongs not only mean but also maximal replicative life span of the yeast in the atmosphere of air and of pure oxygen. These results demonstrate that life span shortening due to the lack of a vital antioxidant enzyme can be ameliorated by a low-molecular weight antioxidant.