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Polymer capped metal nanoparticles have been used for numerous biomedical and analytical applications. In present study, highly stable gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) capped with polypropylene glycol (PPG) were synthesized using chemical reduction method. The characterization of PPG-AuNPs was accomplished by atomic force microscopy (AFM), zetasizer, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and UV–vis spectroscopy. Furthermore, PPG-AuNPs were utilized as colorimetric probe for third generation cephalosporin antibiotic, ceftriaxone (CEF). PPG-AuNPs permitted efficient, selective, quantitative and rapid recognition in concentration range of 0.1–100 μM in presence of numerous other drugs and salts. PPG-AuNPs have great potential for quantitative recognition of ceftriaxone in biological and environmental samples. Moreover, the developed sensor has capacity to be applied as quality control of pharmaceutical formulations containing ceftriaxone. The PPG-AuNPs based sensor permits quantitative and fast recognition of ceftriaxone away from a sophisticated laboratory setup.

In this study, a biodegradable natural polymer chitosan was modified with salicylaldehyde to prepare salicylaldehyde functionalized chitosan nanoparticles (N-Ch-Sal). The N-Ch-Sal was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The salicylaldehyde functionalized chitosan nanoparticles (N-Ch-Sal) (~80 nm) were then used for the adsorption of three heavy metals viz., Cu(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions. The above-mentioned techniques were also employed for evaluation of changes in N-Ch-Sal after metal adsorption. The parameters affecting the adsorption of metal ions including pH, contact time, amount of adsorbent, initial metal ion concentration and the effect of interfering ions, were studied thoroughly and optimized. The concentration of metal ions remaining in the aqueous system after adsorption experiments was analyzed by ICP-MS. At optimal conditions, sorption capacity of Pb(II) ion was found to be highest i.e., 123.67 followed by Cu(II) (84.60) and Cd(II) (63.71 mg/g). The adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and fitted well with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The adsorption method was applied to a real tap water sample for the quantification and removal of Pb(II) ions. The concentration of Pb(II) ions in the tested sample was 4.88 ppb.

The development of metal nanoparticle-based facile colorimetric assays for drugs and insecticides is an emerging area of current scientific research. In the present work, polypropylene glycol was used for stabilization of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in a simple one-pot two-phase process and subsequently employed it for the specific detection of cephradine (CPH). The characterization of the prepared PPG-AuNPs was conducted through various analytical techniques such as UV-visible spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), zeta potential and zetasizer techniques. As the major target of the study, the stabilized PPG-AuNPs were employed for colorimetric detection of CPH and other drugs. Typical wine-red colour of PPG-AuNPs disappeared immediately and surface plasmon resonance band quenched by addition of CPH in the presence of several other interferents (drugs and salts) and in real samples. PPG-AuNPs permitted efficient, selective, reliable and rapid determination in a concentration range of 0.01–120 mM with a detection limit (LoD) of 11.0 mM. The developed sensor has the potential to be used for fast scanning of pharmaceutical formulations for quantification of CPH at production facilities.

Sensitive cathodic stripping voltammetric methods have been developed for two fluoroquinolone antibacterial drugs, norfloxacin and enoxacin. Dimethylformamide (DMF) and 0.1 M hydrochloric acid were used as media for norfloxacin and enoxacin respectively. Potassium chloride was used as base electrolyte. A reduction wave was observed for norfloxacin within the range of -1.02 to -1.13V and for enoxacin within -0.93 to -1.07V. Linear calibration ranges for norfloxacin and enoxacin were observed within 20-100μg/mL and 1-40μg/mL with detection limits of 10μg/mL and 50ng/mL respectively Relative standard deviations (RSD) for the analysis of 10μg/mL norfloxacin and 10μg/mL enoxacin (n=5) were observed 1.l% and 0.2%. The presence of glucose, lactose, sorbitol, gum arabic, starch, magnesium stearate, methylparaben and propylparaben did not affect the determination. The methods were used for the analysis of pharmaceutical preparations and quantitative recoveries were obtained with relative deviation within 1.6-4.75%.

Apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.) are valuable resources for functional foods and nutraceuticals. Recently, apricot seed/kernel has become popular as a nonconventional source of high-oleic oil. Different extraction techniques have been used to extract oil from the apricot kernel; however, cold pressing is reported to retain a higher level of bioactive components in apricot kernel oil (AKO). Cold pressed AKO is known as a good source of edible quality vegetable oil due to its nutritionally important fatty acids such as oleic and linoleic acids. Among various minor bioactives such as tocopherols, phenolics, and carotenoids, amygdalin (glycosides) is detected in AKO, which are of great value due to their anticancer and antiinflammatory properties. AKO is employed as a major constituent in cosmetic products, high-quality toilet soaps, lip balms, and creams. Owing to increased awareness, nowadays consumers prefer to use cold pressed vegetable oils due to their better organoleptic flavor/aroma and better oxidative stability as compared with solvent extracted oils. This chapter aims mainly to explore the nutritional and nutraceutical prospects of AKO with a special focus on the use of cold pressing as a means of oil extraction. Moreover, fatty acids and minor bioactives compositions of AKO along with its food science and health-promoting attributes are also highlighted.

Development of novel materials for different analytical applications such as optical sensors is one of the major topics of modern scientific research. In this study, a nanosensor based on highly stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) conjugated with polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinyl pyridine) [PS-b-P2VP or P(S-VP)] copolymer was synthesized using two-phase one pot protocol. The nanosensor was characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, zetasizer, FTIR and AFM. Polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine)-conjugated silver nanoparticles [P(S-VP)-AgNPs] were further utilized as colorimetric sensor for thiocarbamate pesticide, cartap. P(S-VP)-AgNPs nanosensor allowed for rapid and quantitative detection of cartap in concentration range of 0.036–0.36 μgL−1 with detection limit as low as 0.06 μgL−1. The prepared sensor efficiently detected cartap in presence of other interfering pesticides. P(S-VP)-AgNPs demonstrated great potential for in situ detection of cartap in water and blood plasma.

In this study, a quantitative colorimetric sensing strategy is developed for the rapid, sensitive and selective determination of melamine. The sensing system relies on the application of succinic acid as a selective recognition probe functionalized over Ag NPs. The synthesized Ag NPs were modified with cysteamine to induce positively charged atmosphere which allowed easy and favorable functionalization of succinic acid. The di-carboxyl nature of succinic acid enabled its binding to both cysteamine and melamine. The strong and favorable linkage between succinic acids carbonyl and amine moieties of melamine triggered aggregation of silver NPs producing a significant shift in the measured absorption excitation. This change in the excitation along with the colorimetric response was found linearly proportional to the melamine concentration in the range of 0.1–1.2 μM. The developed sensor system is simple and unlike electrostatic attraction based sensor system utilize selective linkage for the recognition of melamine. In addition to this, the developed optical probe can efficiently be used for the determination of melamine in milk samples.

Interfacial polymerization (IP) is recently evolved method to fabricate solvent resistant nanofiltration (SRNF) membrane. Herein the preparation of SRNF is presented which involves the polymerization of piperazine (PIP) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) on the surface of inert support i.e. Celgard 2400. The extent of interfacial polymerization (IP) on Celgard 2400 membrane was examined afterwards by different analytical techniques including atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Their outcome revealed obvious surface modification of Celgard 2400 with thin and homogenous polyamide layer. Furthermore, the sugar (dextrose, sucrose and raffinose) solutions were passed from SRNF membranes to calculate the molecular weight cutoff (MWCO). Based on sugar rejection, the value of MWCO of SRNF membranes come in the range of nanofiltration (> 300 Da). An economical, chemical resistant, homemade NF Cell was fabricated to conduct permeation study through these membranes. Effect of various reaction conditions i.e. monomer concentrations, curing temperature and reaction time on the synthesis of SRNF membranes was optimized. Bromothymol blue (BTB) was selected dye in ethanol to permeate across SRNF membranes. The rise in monomer concentrations augments the rejection of BTB thereby declining ethanol flux, owing to more even surface coverage of Celgard 2400 membrane. Moreover, the reaction time and curing temperature affect the BTB rejection and ethanol flux in the same way. The pore size in SRNF membranes was estimated theoretically by Hagen-Poiseuille as ~0.59 nm. In conclusion, PIP-TMC monomeric system synthesized stable, homogenous and effective SRNF membranes with distinct rejection and flux values.

In present work chitosan functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (CMNPs) were successfully prepared and investigated for the removal of Reactive Orange 107 dye (RO 107) from water. The chitosan was extracted from shrimp shells (Penaeus merguiensis) and was characterized by solubility test and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Degree of deacetylation of chitosan was examined by 1H-NMR and potentiometric titration method. Thereafter, the chitosan was used for synthesis of CMNPs. The synthesized CMNPs were characterized by FTIR, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Effects of various variables such as contact time, pH, stirring speed, adsorbent dosage, temperature, and concentration of electrolyte on extraction efficiency were evaluated. Freundlich isotherm model fits better that shows the removal of RO 107 with CMNPs by multilayer adsorption behaviour. Furthermore, kinetic study showed that adsorption process followed pseudo-second order kinetic model regulated by chemisorption. Thermodynamic analysis explained that adsorption of RO 107 onto CMNPs was endothermic as well as spontaneous. The developed CNMPs were applied to environmental remediation of spiked RO 107 treated waste water samples with 96.20% removal potential, hence, offered an effective sorbent for removal of RO 107 contaminated water samples.

Cationic dyes are widely used colorants in textile and other related industries. These dyes are highly toxic for marine life and make a major fraction of the industrial effluents. In this study, we report the synthesis of ester derivative of calix[4]arene (EDC) impregnated polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) and employed it for the transfer of cationic dyes between two aqueous phases. EDC forms inclusion complex with cationic dyes having 1:1 M ratio as revealed by the Job’s plot, the log/log plot, and the Benesi-Hildebrand methods while using methylene blue (MB) as a model cationic dye. EDC was used as carrier with cellulose triacetate (CTA) as a base polymer, and 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether (2-NPOE) as a plasticizer for the synthesis of EDC-PIM. Membranes were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) analysis. The extraction performance of the synthesized PIM was optimized by varying different external parameters including pH of the donor and the acceptor phases, temperature, stirring speed, and concentration of EDC and dye while using MB as a model cationic dye. More than 90% extraction was achieved under optimized conditions which is 4.5-fold more than EDC-free-PIM. The extraction efficiency of the EDC-PIM remained similar after ten consecutive cycles that demonstrates its reusability potential in context of economical industrial applications. Finally, the synthesized EDC-PIM was used for selective extraction of other cationic dyes (basic red and nile blue) at the optimized conditions from the real industrial effluents. The extraction efficiency of the EDC-PIM was reproducible in all cases. The reusability and robustness of the EDC-PIM makes it an excellent candidate for retrieving cationic dyes from the industrial effluents.

This study presents selective and efficient extraction of a medicinally important compound rosmarinic acid (RA) via molecular imprinting. Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) and its respective non-imprinted polymer (NIP) were synthesized using methacrylamide (MAAm), itaconic acid (IA), and 4-vinyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one (VD) as functional monomers, and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TRIM) as a crosslinker via bulk polymerization, and characterized by SEM, BET, FT-IR, and TGA. The adsorption properties of MIP were evaluated by batch rebinding experiments, Scatchard analysis, LF-isotherm, and kinetic models. The MIP showed higher adsorption capacity towards RA compared to the corresponding NIP: 41.9 mg/g compared to only 9.6 mg/g. In addition, the synthesized RA-MIP displayed a good selectivity towards RA compared to its structural analogs in competitive recognition studies, confirming the development of RA specific imprinting sites. HPLC was utilized to determine the concentration of RA and analogous compounds in competitive recognition tests and in the real sample analysis. Finally, RA-MIP was successfully utilized for the selective enrichment of RA from the ethanolic extract of Salvia hypoleuca. The obtained results show that RA-MIP can be a promising alternative to conventional extraction methods for the selective extraction and enrichment of RA from complex plant matrices.

The work describes fabrication of structurally attractive CuO nanostructures using facile hydrothermal route. The nanostructures were synthesized by the application of suberic acid (SA),utilized both as an effective growth modifier and functionalizing agent. The dicarboxylic nature of SA allowed controlled growth of nanostructures and easy surface bound carbonyl functionalization. The SA-functionalized CuO nanostructures were observed to demonstrate high electro-catalytic potential for the oxidation of formoterol fumarate (FF) in aqueous medium. The high anodic current with low over potential observed for the CuO modified electrode enabled development of sensor system sensitive upto 0.01 μM. The enhanced electrochemical response was considered a synergetic outcome of the high surface area of CuO nanostructures and the facilitated interactions between the surface bound suberic acid and FF. Moreover, the excellent recoveries obtained for the FF from the broiler feed matrix and human serum samples further reflects the analytical robustness of the developed sensor.

The article illustrates about the synthesis of Mn(II)-Morin complex in methanol solvent. The characterization of the complex was carried out using UV-visible, IR, 1 H NMR spectroscopic techniques and thermal ( i.e. TGA, DSC) techniques. The complex formation was deduced by UV-visible spectra showing the successive Mn-Morin complex formation occurring at 1:1 (metal/ligand) ratio stoichiometrically. The antioxidant capacity of the complex has also been evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging method. The work describes that flavonoids complexed with metal ions are more free radical scavengers than the free molecules.

Anthocyanins ACNs are water soluble plant pigments having a vital role in plant physiology and human health Grewia asiatica L genus Tiliaceae is a fruit producing shrub originating from south Asia Pakistan India East Cambodia cultivated mainly for its comestible fruit and well reported diverse medicinal uses The current study was the first attempt to characterize ACNs from G asiatica native to Pakistan Results revealed that maximum anthocyanin extraction yield micro g g was obtained with acidified methanol as compared to other investigated solvents water methanol ethanol and their binary mixture Total seven ACNs were identified including non acylated delphinidin O glucoside peonidin O glucoside pelargonidin O malonyl glucoside acylated cyanidin peonidin and pelargonidin O rdquo acetylglucoside and pyranoanthocyanin Malvidin O glucoside pyruvic acid Among them cyanidin O quot acetylglucoside was the major ACN comprising micro g g of total ACNs composition followed by peonidin O glucoside consisting of micro g g and pelargonidin O rdquo acetyl glucoside micro g g Moreover the study of ACNs stability at the temperature deg C testified the better temperature tolerance by ACNs under dark at temperature ranging deg C Hence the results revealed that G asiatica is a potent fruit rich in ACNs and can be used as food colorant and nutraceutical

Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-glycidyl methacrylate) [p(HEMA-GMA)] cryogel discs were prepared under sub-zero temperatures. Gelatin was attached covalently on the p(HEMA-GMA) cryogel discs and reversible immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was performed. The p(HEMA-GMA) cryogel discs were characterized by swelling tests, scanning electron microscopy, and surface area measurements. HRP immobilization capacity of p(HEMA-GMA)/gelatin cryogel discs was 24.8 mg/g. Removal of phenol from aqueous solutions was performed using HRP immobilized p(HEMA-GMA)/gelatin cryogel. It was observed that within 2 h of contact time, the percentage of phenol removal reaches up to 91% in the presence of H2O2.

A monolithic column with high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with an ultraviolet detector was investigated for the determination of ochratoxin A in poultry feed. A systematic study was performed using solid phase extraction with a C-18 cartridge for sample pretreatment with three solvent systems. Ethyl acetate:methanol:formic acid (95:5:0.5) was found to be the most suitable. Pretreated samples were injected separately into packed and monolithic columns. The effects of the mobile phases on the chromatographic figures of merits were evaluated. Better peak symmetry, improved separation, and more theoretical plates were observed using an acetonitrile:water:formic acid (99:99:2) mobile phase. The repeatability and accuracy of the method were statistically evaluated and found to be satisfactory with a limit of detection of 40 mu gL(-1). The use of a monolithic column in conjunction with sample pretreatment provided good results for the determination of ochratoxin A in poultry feed.

A novel rhodium biphenylic imidazole phenanthroline metal-organic complex (BIP-MC) has been synthesised and characterised as a stable supramolecule. The structure of compound was established on the basis ESI, 1H NMR and UV–vis spectroscopic data. The selectivity of BIP-MC as a new fluorescent chemosensor for various antibiotics has been explored. The supramolecular interaction of amoxicillin with BIP-MC enhanced the fluorescence activity of BIP-MC. A linear response of the sensor was observed in the measuring ranges of excitation 240–298 nm and emission 290–360 nm with detection limits of up to 10 μg/ml at an optimum pH 8.0. Based on the observations made here, a new quantitative method for the determination of this drug in synthetic samples without the use of separation of matrix is developed. It is also inferred that the possible fluorescence enhancement is due to the formation of exciplex between the BIP-MC and amoxicillin. These finding will thus help in pharmacokinetics studies of drugs. The sensor w...

The present study was undertaken to investigate the flavonoid profile in four species of ber (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk.) fruit. The 12 flavonoids identified were quercetin 3-O-robinobioside, quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, quercetin 3'-O-galactoside, quercetin 3'-O-glucoside, quercetin 3'-O-rhamnoside, quercetin 3'-O-pentosylhexoside, quercetin 3-O-6'malonylglucoside, quercetin 3'-O-malonylglucoside, luteolin 7-O-6'malonylglucoside, luteolin 7-O-malonylglucoside, myricetin 3-O-galactoside, and naringenin tri glycoside. This is the first report on extraction of nine additional flavonoids from the ber fruits. In addition, we also compared the impact of three different base hydrolysis techniques namely ultrasonic assisted base hydrolysis (UABH), microwave assisted base hydrolysis (MWABH), and pressurised liquid assisted base hydrolysis (PLABH) for the quantification of total phenolic acids. Nine phenolic acids, protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, vanillin, ortho- and para-coumaric acids, were identified and quantified. The three major phenolic acids identified in all four ber species were p-coumaric acid, vanillin and ferulic acids. Higher amounts (p

A new extremely sensitive method for the determination of paracetamol by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) using a micro-crystalline natural graphite–polystyrene composite film modified electrode (CFE) was developed. The experimental parameters, such as pH of Britton–Robinson buffer and potentials for regeneration of the electrode surface, were optimized. Under optimized conditions in Britton–Robinson buffer (pH 4.0), linear calibration curves were obtained in the range of 0.02–100 μmol l −1 of paracetamol. The limit of determination was 0.034 μmol l −1 which shows high sensitivity of the developed method. The method was applied for the determination of paracetamol in pharmaceutical formulations and in human urine model samples.

Aim Calligonum polygonoides Linn. (Polygonaceae) is commonly known as ‘Phog’ contains number of phytochemical constituents' viz. flavonoids, alkaloids, proteins, tannins, steroids, phenols, carbohydrates, terpenoids etc. The aim of the present study was to isolate and characterize steroids from the roots of C. polygonoides. Method Methanol extract of the roots of plant was subjected to column chromatography and eluted with solvent mixtures of increasing polarity, composed of chloroform, chloroform–ethyl acetate mixtures and ethyl acetate to isolate phytochemical constituents. The identities of these compounds were checked by solubility, preliminary phytochemical test, melting point determination and TLC study. Finally the structure was elucidated by different chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. Results On the basis of chemical and spectral evidence and upon comparison with the literature data, the isolated compounds were identified as campesterol (1), stigmasterol (2), (3β,5α,24S)-stigmastan-3-ol (3) and stigmast-4-en-3-one (4). Conclusion The steroids were isolated from the roots of C. polygonoides may serve as a potential source of useful drugs in the near future. The steroids were isolated first time from this plant extract.

A simple and rapid method was developed for the determination of erucic acid in rapeseed oil by single bounce attenuated total reflectance (SB-ATR) Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The various ratios prepared from the three different types of oils (rapeseed, canola, and sunflower) were run on gas chromatograph to identify amount of erucic acid. Therefore, a wide range of erucic acid (0.5‐ 53.0%) was obtained for the calibration. The partial least squares (PLS) calibration was used for predicting erucic acid using spectral region at 2983‐657/cm. The root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP), root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC), and root mean square error of cross-validation (RMSECV) were also determined to assess the accuracy of the method. The regression coefficient (R 2 ) was obtained 0.999 with least errors of RMSEC (0.12%), RMSECV (1.96%), and RMSEP (1.38%). The accuracy of the FTIR method was evaluated by analyzing canola and rapeseed oil samples by GC-MS and the results of both the techniques were found to be comparable. Practical applications: Generally, GC is used for determination of erucic acid in vegetable oils. But it needs the very laborious process of derivatization of fatty acids into their respective volatile methyl esters. Furthermore, lot of health hazardous chemicals and reagents are involved in the process of derivatization which are potential source for environmental pollution. Generally, FTIR spectroscopy has been recognized as a very simple, rapid, and cost effective technique. During the last decade, several researchers have used multivariate regression to build up calibration models based on FTIR data. The use of multivariate calibration methods is able to provide, estimates of the precision of the analysis, and yields important qualitative, quantitative, and analytical information. The objective of the present study was to develop a simple methodology for the quantitative analysis of low and high levels of erucic acid in canola and rapeseed oil, respectively by SB-ATR FTIR spectroscopy with PLSs regression.

The aim of study is to investigate the removal ability of some natural adsorbents for fluoride ion from aqueous solution. The batch dynamic adsorption method was carried out at neutral pH as the functions of contact time, adsorbent dose, adsorbate concentration, temperature and effect of co-anions, which are commonly present in water. The sorption kinetics and equilibrium adsorption isotherms of fluoride on natural adsorbing materials had been investigated at afore-mentioned optimized. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms, viz., Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms were investigated. Lagergren and Morris-Weber kinetic equations were employed to find the rate constants. The negative enthalpy ΔH = -46.54 KJ·mol-1 and Gibbs free energy calculated was ΔG288-333—(2.07785, 3.08966, 4.1064, 4.90716 and 5.38036 KJ·mol-1) respectively, envisage exothermic and spontaneous nature of sorption.

The extracted oils from four apple seed varieties (Royal Gala, Red Delicious, Pyrus Malus and Golden Delicious) from Pakistan were investigated for their fatty acid profiles and lipid biactives by GC-MS. The oil contents in the seeds of the apple varieties ranged from 26.8-28.7%. The results revealed that linoleic acid (40.5-49.6%) was the main fatty acid in the Royal Gala, Red Delicious and Pyrus Malus seeds, and oleic acid (38.7-45.5%) was the main fatty acid in the Golden Delicious seeds. Palmitic acid (6.1-7.4%) and stearic acid (2.0-3.1%) were the dominant saturated fatty acids, besides the small amount of palmitoleic, heptadecanoic, linolenic, archidic, eicosanoic, and behenicacids. Sterols, tocopherols, hydrocarbons and some other minor components were also identified from the unsaponifiable lipid fraction. The variation among the results of both fatty acids and lipid bioactives for the four different varieties was assessed by principal component analysis, discriminant analysis and cluster analyses. The results conclude that both oil fractions could be applied as a useful tool to discriminate among the apple seed varieties.Se ha estudiado el perfil de ácidos grasos y lípidos biactivos mediante GC-MS del aceite extraído de semillas de cuatro variedades de manzanas de Pakistán (Royal Gala, Red Delicious, Pyrus Malus y Golden Delicious). El contenido de aceite en las semillas de las variedades de manzanas estudiadas oscilaron desde 26,8 hasta 28,7%. Los resultados mostraron que el ácido linoleico (40.5-49.6%) fue el principal ácido graso de las semillas de las variedades Royal Gala, Red Delicious y Pyrus Malus, y el ácido oleico (38,7-45,5%) fue el principal ácido graso de Golden Delicious. Los ácidos palmítico (6.1-7.4%) y esteárico (2,0-3,1%) fueron los ácidos grasos saturados predominantes, las semillas contenían también pequeñas cantidades de palmitoleico, heptadecanoico, linolénico, araquídico, eicosanoico, y behénico. Esteroles, tocoferoles, hidrocarburos, y otros componentes menores también fueron identificados a partir de la fracción insaponificable. La variación de los resultados de ambos, ácidos grasos y lípidos bioactivos, de cuatro variedades diferentes se evaluó mediante análisis de componentes principales, análisis discriminante y análisis de cluster. Los resultados concluyen que las dos fracciones lipídicas de semillas de manzanas podrían aplicarse como una herramienta útil para distinguir variedades.

Ber is a tropical fruit which grows from the tree species, Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk. The pericarp of this fruit is consumed either fresh or dried while its seeds are usually discarded as waste. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antioxidant activity and phenolic content of the fruit, and to evaluate if any potential value-added phytochemicals can be extracted from seed waste. The edible portion of the fruit was extracted with 60% aqueous methanol by sonication and then assayed for total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and individual phenolic compounds by HPLC-DAD. The seed oil extracted with n-hexane was assayed for fatty acid composition, sterols, and tocopherols content by GC-MS. The total phenolic content of the fresh fruit was 1.28 g/100 g gallic acid equivalent, with an antioxidant activity of 50.9 μmol/100 g quercetin equivalent by Folin-Ciocalteu and DPPH assays respectively. Hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillin, ortho- and para-coumaric acid, epicatechin, quercetin, and naringenin were tentatively identifi ed by matching retention time and UV spectra with those of commercial reference standards. GC-MS analysis of the TMS derivative of fruit extract showed the presence of following compounds: propanoic, hexanoic, heptanoic, octanoic, nonanoic, decanoic, dodecanoic, n-pentadecanoic, hexadecanoic, benzoic, and trihydroxybenzoic acids. In addition, D-fructose, galactofuranoside, gluconic acid, and β-sitosterol were also detected. In seed oil of ber, the fatty acids such as, hexanoic, octanoic, 7-octadecenoic, 9,12-octadecendoic, eicosanoic, 11-eicosenoic, and docosanoic acid with 7-octadecenoic acid, were found to make up 55% of total fatty acids. Squalene, γ-tocopherol and stigmasterol were identifi ed as minor constituents in the unsaponifi able fraction of seed oil. Current study shows that ber fruit is a good source of healthy phytochemicals. Original Paper Section: Food Quality and Functionality

This study was aimed to assess the adsorption and leaching potential of imidacloprid pesticide in column and field soil. To visibly understand these actions and factors affecting them, the experiments were carried out under laboratory and field conditions. Adsorption study was divided into kinetic and equilibrium sections. The evaluation of kinetic data was done through pseudo first and second order models. It was found that kinetic adsorption of imidacloprid on soil followed pseudo second order with rate constant value of 4.333 mg/g/h. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were used to explain equilibrium adsorption, from these isotherms it was evaluated that Freundlich isotherm was obeyed well with adsorption capacity of 2.190 - 4.573 mol/g. Leaching study was performed in laboratory using column made of poly-vinyl chloride having 30 cm length. Known amount of imidacloprid pesticide was applied to column left for adsorption and then eluted with 500 mL water in five equal portions. These water portions and soil of column which was divided into three sections were analyzed by HPLC. The result revealed that the concentration of imidacloprid was decreased from 0.481 ppm in first portion of water to 0.327 ppm in last portion of water while 0.783 ppm in first section of column soil to 0.038 ppm in last section of column soil. In field the leaching power of imidacloprid was observed up to 60 cm depth, its concentration decreased with soil depth. It was 3.311 ppm in first portion of soil and 0.357 ppm in last portion of soil. The leaching potential of imidacloprid pesticide up to 60 cm soil depth was due to less organic matter, sandy texture, alkaline pH, and low cation exchange capacity.

A bulk liquid membrane (BLM) experiment was carried out to check the Cu(II) transport efficiency of p-morpholinomethylcalix[4]arene (1) which was used as carrier. Liquid/liquid extraction experiments were also carried out to check the extraction and decomplexation efficiency of carrier 1. It has been observed that the maximum amount of Cu(II) was transported at pH = 12. The mass transfer of Cu(II) was analyzed on the basis of kinetic laws of two consecutive irreversible first order reactions. Thus, the kinetic parameters studied for the transport of Cu(II) were k1, k2, . BLM study revealed that Cu(II) transport increase with increase in concentration of carrier 1 from 1 × 10−5 to 1 × 10−4 M, rise in temperature from 298 to 308 K and at high stirring speed from 90 to 800 rpm. The effect of binary solvents on Cu(II) transport through BLM has also been studied. The values of k1, k2, decrease in the order of dichloromethane-hexane > dichloromethane-diethylether > dichloromethane > dichloromethane-ethylacetate...

In the present study, the quality of frying oil, as affected by commercial pan fish frying, was investigated. The quality of fresh frying oil, null replenishment (NR) oil, and discarded frying oil were evaluated by drawing out the oil samples from the fryer at the initial stage, just before the addition of new frying oil for level make-up and used oil of the last frying cycle, respectively. The parameters used to assess the quality were the fatty acid composition including trans fatty acid (TFA), free fatty acid, and peroxide values of frying oil. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) was used to examine fatty acids profiles of the frying oils. Trans fatty acid in fresh oils varied from 2.5%–3.8% (except oil-6, which contained 13%), whereas NR oils and discarded oils contained 5.6%–14.8% and 7.3%–20.8% trans fatty acids, correspondingly. Free fatty acid in fresh, NR, and discarded oils were 0.12%–0.24%, 0.22%–1.74%, and 0.80%–3.39%, respectively. Peroxide value in fresh, NR, and discarded oils were...

This study was carried out to determine the proximate composition, fatty acid profile and biometric data for farm fish species Labeo rohita , Cirrhinus mrigala , Catla catla raised under identical conditions. The analysed fish species were found as source of high polyunsaturated fatty acids with low fat high protein. Fat content of the fish fillets was in range 2.57–3.11 g/100 g. Whereas fat content for feed was 14.90 g/100 g. The protein level for the three fish ranged from 20.00–23.57 g/100 g and in feed it was estimated in the range of 67.70 g/100 g. The palmitic acid and stearic acid were the main saturated fatty acids (SFA), oleic acid was the predominant MUFA while the docosahexanoic acid and eicopentanoic acid were the major PUFA. The percentage of DHA exceeded that of EPA in all fish species analysed. The n−3/n−6 ratio ranged from 1.69–1.91. PUFA/SFA ratio was much higher in L. rohita (1.40) due to abundance of n−3 PUFA, particularly DHA.

The present article demonstrates the synthesis of p-tetraaminocalix[4]arene- and p-tetrathioureacalix[4]arene-based resins (4 and 5). The resins (4 and 5) were characterized by using different analytical techniques such as FT-IR and elemental analysis. In addition, their comparative fluoride sorption study was conducted and it was observed that 5 is highly efficient for the removal of fluoride from aqueous media at a wide range of pH as compared to 4. Consequently, on the basis of kinetic and thermodynamic studies, the pseudo first-order, pseudo second-order, entropy, enthalpy, and Gibbs free energy of fluoride sorption onto resin 5 were calculated. The experimental data were also evaluated by equations of isotherms used, i.e., Freundlich, Langmuir, and Dubinin–Radushkevich. The observations reveal that the sorption is favorable and confer the physiosorption interaction between resin 5 and fluoride.

The present study describes the sorption of fluoride on a potential and newly synthesized p-tetraaminocalix[4]arene based resin (p-TAC4 resin). The p-TAC4 resin was synthesized via immobilization of p-tetranitrocalix[4]arene (p-TNC4) onto the Merrifield resin followed by catalytic reduction with SnCl2/EtOH/HCl. The p-TNC4 and p-TAC4 resins were characterized using FT-IR, elemental analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fluoride removal capability from the aqueous media of the p-TAC4 resin has been evaluated through batch sorption study. The effect of pH, sorbate concentration, sorbent dosage, and contact time on fluoride removal was evaluated. The Langmuir (L), Freundlich (F), and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D-R) isotherms revealed that the fluoride on p-TAC4 resin follows physiosorption mechanism. All the results support and emphasize that the p-TAC4 resin is an effective sorbent for the removal of fluoride from the aqueous environment at a wide range of pH. The study may confer its impact on human ...

Summary A rapid and reliable analytical procedure has been developed for the separation and analysis of dioxouranium, thorium, gold, and mercury by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) using bis(acetylacetone)ethylenediamine (H2AA2en) as complexing reagent. Under the optimized conditions (64 mm borate buffer containing 12.25 mm SDS and 13% acetonitrile, pH 8.0, 25 kV, 311 nm as detection wavelength) the ions were separated within 5.0 min. Linear dynamic ranges were 1–5, 8–42, 10–50, and 2–40 μg mL−1, respectively, for gold, mercury, thorium, and uranium and the respective detection limits were 0.66, 3.33, 1.6, and 3.3 μg mL−1. The applicability of method has been evaluated by application to uranium and thorium from ore samples.

A market based survey was carried out to evaluate the level of 26 pesticides in some commonly used fruits in Hyderabad region, Pakistan. Gas chromatography coupled with micro electron capture detector was used to assess the levels of pesticide residues. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was also applied for the confirmation of results. Out of total 131 analyzed samples, 53 (40%) were found contaminated with pesticide residues while only 3 (2%) samples were exceeded the MRLs of some pesticides. Chlorpyrifos and dieldrin were detected in almost all analyzed samples. Residues of chlorpyrifos (1256 µg/kg) and endosulfan sulfate (1236 µg/kg) were found higher in orange and apple samples, respectively. The findings of this study provided important data about contamination of pesticide residue in some fruits sold in Hyderabad, Pakistan, and recommended that monitoring studies should be expanded to other fruits grown in different agro climatic regions, which may serve as basis for future policy about the standards and quality control of pesticides.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a phenolic antioxidant compound with medicinal activities especially as promising precursor for the development of medicines that can resist AIDS virus HIV. This study explores the micelle-mediated extraction of CGA from Morus laevigata W. leaves which is superior to conventional methods involving organic or organo-aqueous solvents. In this new method, sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) surfactant solution was used as efficient extraction medium in combination with microwave irradiation to shorten the extraction time. Crude extract of CGA with SDS solution as solvent was purified by ethyl acetate at high ionic strength followed by washing with hexane: chloroform mixture. Quantitation of CGA was carried out on liquid chromatography with diode array detection. The optimum extraction of 2152 mg/100 g CGA from freeze dried M. laevigata W. leaves was achieved using 0.1 M of SDS at pH 1.0 with extraction time of 10 s and microwave power of 50 W. Best results were observed when 0.2 g of plant material was extracted with 20 mL of solvent. CGA obtained from M. laevigata W. leaves was compared with pure standard of CGA, and found to be 95.9% pure.

Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Department of Analytical Chemistry, UNESCO Laboratory of EnvironmentalElectrochemistry, Hlavova 2030, 12843 Prague 2, Czech Republic*e-mail: barek@natur.cuni.czReceived: January 20, 2010Accepted: February 15, 2010AbstractA new simple, fast and sensitive differential pulse voltammetric method was developed for the determination ofdifferent aliphatic phthalates. Dibutyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, didecyl phthalate, and diallyl phthalate can bedetermined in 0.1 M tetramethylammonium bromide in methanol using a hanging mercury drop minielectrode and ameniscus modified silver solid amalgam electrode. Optimum conditions were found including concentration andcomposition of supporting electrolyte and solvent, scan rate, pulse amplitude, pulse width, etc. Linear calibrationcurves were obtained for 10

Complex formation between copper (II) sulfate and morin (3,5,7,2′,4′-pentahydroxyflavone) have been studied in methanol. Structure of the complex was determined through various analytical techniques including UV–vis, IR, 1 H NMR, thermal, gravimetric and elemental analyses. The stoichiometric ratio for the reaction between the flavonoid and the metal ion in methanol has been determined by Job’s method and elemental analysis for metal content of complex by titration with EDTA, which confirm that morin forms a 1:1 metal:ligand complex. 1 H NMR study reveals that, 3OH and 4CO groups of morin take part in complexation with a copper ion. Individual stress was given to the site of central ion and composition of the complex. Antioxidant activity of the complex was evaluated by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method, which showed that the antioxidant activity of complexed morin has higher value as compared to the free morin. Moreover, it was observed that the metal complex is sufficiently stable as well as the data indicates the spontaneous formation of complex (−Δ G ) that is exothermic in nature (−Δ H ) and entropically unfavourable (−Δ S ).

Ethyl chloroformate was used as a derivatizing reagent to develop a simple and sensitive gas chromatographic procedure for the determination of tranexamic acid. Analysis was performed on an HP-5 column (30 m × 0.32 mm i.d.) coupled with mass spectrometric detection. Linear response was obtained from 60 to 500 pg with a limit of detection of 20 pg tranexamic acid injected onto the column. Aminocaproic acid was used as an internal standard. Tranexamic acid was determined in pharmaceutical preparations and blood samples after therapy with the drug. Appoximately 2.0 μg mL−1 was found in blood samples. Relative standard deviation for analysis was within 0.1–0.4% (n = 3). Recovery of tranexamic acid added to deprotenized serum was 99.6% with an RSD of 1.2–1.6% (n = 3). Pharmaceutical additives and amino acids, if also present, did not affect the determination.

Fluoride in drinking water above permissible level is responsible for human being affected by skeletal fluorosis. In this study, Amberlite XAD-4™ has been modified by introducing amino group onto the aromatic ring for its application in fluoride remediation. Characterization of the modified resin was made by, FT-IR and elemental analysis (CHNS) techniques. The pH 9 was optimum value for quantitative sorption of fluoride in both batch and column experiments. The desorption of fluoride was achieved by using 10% HCl. The batch and column sorption studies of fluoride with modified resin were carried out to evaluate sorption isotherms too. Thus equation isotherms such as Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) were successfully used to model the experimental data. The sorption capacity of modified Amberlite XAD-4 resin was found as 5.04 × 10 −3 mol g −1 . From the D–R isotherm parameters, it has been evaluated that the uptake of fluoride by modified resin occurs through ion exchange adsorption mechanism. The study will contribute toward the removal of fluoride from the aqueous environment as well as in the field of analytical and environmental chemistry.

A differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) method was developed for the determination of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) at a newly developed silver amalgam paste electrode (AgA-PE) in Britton–Robinson buffer pH 3.0. The electrode is based on a disposable plastic pipette tip filled with paste amalgam based on a mixture of mercury and fine silver powder (9 : 1, w/w). The experimental parameters, such as pH of Britton–Robinson buffer and activation and regeneration potential of the electrode surface were optimized. The reduction peak current dependences were linear for the concentration of 4-NP from 0.2 to 100 μM. The method showed reproducible results with RSD (n=45) of 1.7%. The limit of determination (LOD) was 0.3 μM. The method was successfully applied for the direct determination of 4-NP in drinking water.

An efficient voltammetric method was developed for the determination of maleic acid at a silver amalgam paste electrode (AgA-PE) in Britton–Robinson buffer pH 2.0. The experimental parameters, such as pH of Britton–Robinson buffer, type of the supporting electrolyte and activation of the electrode surface were optimized. Under the optimal conditions, a linear response was observed over the 2×10−6–1×10−4 mol L−1 maleic acid concentration range, determination limit being 5×10−7 mol L−1. A highly stable response, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.6% for 45 repetitive measurements of 1×10−4 mol L−1 maleic acid showed that there was no apparent surface passivation indicating the suitability of the method. The method was successfully applied for direct determination of maleic acid in drinking and river water.

The chemical composition and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the hydro-distilled essential oils from the fruit of sweet fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Miller) were investigated at three stages of maturity (immature, intermediate, and mature). Maximum essential oil content (3.5%) was observed in the mature, and the minimum oil content (2.8%) was observed in immature fruit. GC–MS analysis of the fennel essential oils from the plants revealed the presence of trans-anethole (65.2%, 69.7%, 72.6 %); fenchone (8.8%, 10.0%, 11.0%); estragole (6.9%, 6.9%, 7.2 %); and limonene (7.8%, 4.7%, 3.5 %) as the main components at immature, intermediate, and mature stages, respectively. Both the essential oils and trans-anethole, the principal constituent, exhibited appreciable antioxidant and antimicrobial activities as assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical-scavenging ability, bleaching β-carotene in linoleic acid system, inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation, disc diffusion, and microdilution brot...

The adsorption of methyl parathion from aqueous solutions by the low-cost and abundant adsorbent mango kernel was studied in a batch adsorption system. The adsorption was studied as a function of pH, contact time, initial pesticide concentration, adsorbent dose, and temperature. A maximum adsorption of 98% ± 1% was achieved. Physicochemical characterization of the adsorbent was carried out by EDXRF, BET, and CHNS analysis. Freundlich, Langmuir, and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherms were employed to evaluate the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent. Lagergren, Morris-Weber, and Reichenberg equations were employed to study the kinetics of the adsorption process. Thermodynamic parameters Δ H, Δ S, and Δ G were computed. The developed adsorption method was applied to real environmental samples.

Sensitive cathodic stripping voltammetric methods have been developed for two quinolone antibacterial drugs, pipemidic acid (PIP) and ofloxacin (OFL) using hanging mercury drop electrode as working electrode vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The methods were developed for the determination of drugs individually as well as simultaneously. 0.1 M and 0.01 M hydrochloric acid was used as medium for PIP and OFL, respectively, 0.1 M potassium chloride was used as base electrolyte. Reduction waves were observed for PIP within −700 mV to −800 mV and for OFL within −1100 mV to −1200 mV. Linear calibration ranges for PIP and OFL were observed within 10–100 μg ml−1 with detection limits of 50 ng ml−1 and 1 μg ml−1, respectively. Relative standard deviations (RSD) for the analysis of 10 gµg ml−1 of PIP and OFL (n = 6) were 0.5% and 1.4%, respectively. The presence of glucose, lactose, sorbitol, gum arabic, starch, magnesium stearate, methylparaben and propylparaben did not affect the determinations of both PIP and OFL. The methods were used for the analysis of pharmaceutical preparations and the results indicated relative deviation of 0.5–5.5% from labeled values with RSD within 0.49–2.5%. PIP and OFL could also be determined simultaneously, and were determined from spiked human urine.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the breed influence on milk fatty acid (FA) composition, particularly on the concentration of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) from two different indigenous breeds of goats (Pateri and Kamori; n = 30 for each breed) and ewes (Kachi and Kooka; n = 25 for each) from Sindh, Pakistan. All animals were managed together and received the same diet. Statistical significant differences ( P cis -9, trans -11 CLA concentration from Kamori goats and Kooka ewes were [17–28%] higher when compared to Pateri goats and Kachi ewes, with mean values of 0.48 g/100 g for goat breeds and 0.82 g/100 g for ewes. The greatest differences ( P P > 0.05) among goat and ewe breads, ranging from 2.45 to 3.60 for goats and 2.48 to 3.27 g/100 g for ewes. The present study reveals that the breed has a pronounced effect on FA composition of goat and ewes milk fat, and in the future genetic selection plans along with improved nutrition program of goats and ewes may result in optimum levels of various fatty acids in milk.

The sorption efficiency of chickpea husk of black gram variety (BGH), for the removal of organophosphorous pesticides (OPPs), i.e. triazophos (TAP) and methyl parathion (MP) from aqueous media has been investigated. Optimization of operating sorption parameters, i.e. particle size, sorbent dose, agitation time, pH, initial concentration of sorbates, and temperature has been studied. The sorption data fitted well to Freundlich, Langmuir and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) sorption isotherms. The maximum sorption capacities of BGH for TAP and MP were calculated to be 3.5 ± 0.45 and 10.6 ± 0.83 mmol g −1 by Freundlich, 0.0077 ± 0.021 and 0.025 ± 0.0094 mmol g −1 by Langmuir and 0.48 ± 0.037 and 0.15 ± 0.077 mmol g −1 by D–R isotherms respectively, employing 0.2 g of sorbent, at pH 6, 90 min agitation time and at 303 K. Application of first order Lagergren and Morris–Weber equations to the kinetic data yielded correlation coefficients, close to unity and showed partial intra-particle diffusion. The negative values of thermodynamic parameters, i.e. Δ H (kJ mol −1 ), Δ S (J mol −1 K −1 ) and Δ G (kJ mol −1 ) indicate the exothermic and spontaneous nature of the sorption process. The sorbed pesticides were recovered by sonication with methanol, making the regeneration and reutilization of the sorbents promising. The investigated sorbent exhibited potential applications in water decontamination, treatments of industrial and agricultural waste waters and thus productively demonstrated viable use of agricultural waste material.

Quercetin (3,3′,4′,5,7-pentahydroxyflavone) one of the most abundant dietary flavonoids, has been investigated in the presence of Cu(II) in methanol. The spectroscopic studies (UV–vis, 1H NMR and IR) were useful to assess the relevant interaction of Quercetin with Cu(II) ions, the chelation sites and dependence of the complex structure from the metal/ligand ratio. A 1:2 (L:M) complex was indicated by Job's method of continuous variation, which was applied to ascertain the stoichiometric composition of the complex. The antioxidant activities of the compounds were evaluated by using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method. The complexed flavonoid was much more effective free radical scavengers than the free flavonoids.

Owing to increased safety concerns about synthetic antioxidants, exploitation of safer antioxidants based on natural origin is the focus of research nowadays. Cumin is a common spice and is used as a routine supportive cooking agent. Extracts of cumin were prepared in methanol, ethanol, dichloromethane and hexane by employing Soxhlet extraction apparatus. Determination of the total phenolic content, chelating activity, reducing power and free radical scavenging activity were taken as parameters for the assessment of antioxidant properties. The findings of this study suggest cumin to be a potent source of antioxidants. Results from the different parameters were in agreement with one another.

This article describes a novel synthesis of cobalt and quercetin·2H 2 O complex in methanol, characterized by using elemental analysis, UV–visible, 1 H NMR, TGA, DSC and IR spectrometric techniques. The formation of complex is deduced from the UV–visible spectra which shows that the successive formation of cobalt–quercetin complex occurs in a ratio of 2:1 (metal/ligand) stoichiometrically. The antioxidant activity of the complex was evaluated by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method. In this work, we have shown that the metal complexed flavonoids are much more effective free radical scavengers than the free flavonoids.

The present study was undertaken to assess the intramuscular fatty acid composition of different muscles taken from male Pateri (n=15) goats, reared on naturally grown grasses, leaves and pods of Acacia nilotica and crushed cereal, under traditional way of feeding. Goats were slaughtered with an average weight of 68±7kg and age 12±1 month. The samples were taken from longissimus dorsi region (between the 12th and 13th rib) and distal region of semitendinosus muscle. Results of total fat content and fatty acids composition does not show significant (P>0.05) variation among muscles investigated. The fatty acid composition of muscles studied were primarily composed of oleic (31.50-33.38%), followed by palmitic acid (19.84-22.05%) and stearic acid (22.25-24.91%) respectively. Muscle tissue in general contained an average 51.13% of saturated fatty acids and 48.87% of unsaturated fatty acids. The mean conjugated linoleic acid was found 0.41%, 0.43% and 0.47% in ribeye and loin portion of longissimus dorsi muscle and distal region of semitendinosus muscle, respectively.

The selective behavior of calix[n]arene ester derivatives in two-phase extraction systems using polarographic technique has been investigated. Calix[4]arene tetraester derivative shows remarkable Na+ over Pb2+ selectivity; whereas calix[6]arene hexaester derivative shows Pb2+ over Na+ selectivity. The interference of some selected cations (Na+, K+, Cu2+ and Mg2+) were also examined and no significant effect on the selectivity behavior as well as extraction ability of these ionophores was found except Na+. The study reveals for the first time that the calix[6]arene hexaester derivative is highly Pb2+ selective ionophore and can be employed in the field of sensor as well as separation science and technology. The work also highlights the usefulness of polarographic technique in trace metal determination.