Search

Strawberry tree fruits (Arbutus unedo L.) are a natural source of valuable biologically active compounds. Therefore, the aim of this work was to develop a green extraction approach using pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) to provide the highest yield of bioactive compounds. Different extraction solvents (distilled water, 50% and 96% ethanol) and different PLE parameters were investigated: temperature (40, 80, and 120 °C), static extraction time (5 and 10 min), and number of cycles (1 and 2). Total phenolic contents (TPC), hydroxycinnamic acids (HCA), flavonols (FL), total flavonoids (TF), condensed tannins (CT), and antioxidant capacity (DPPH and FRAP) were determined in PLE extracts. Solvent type, temperature, static extraction time, and number of cycles had a statistically significant effect on all bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity (p ≤ 0.05). All bioactive compounds were positively correlated with temperature, except for TPC and DPPH. For all polyphenols studied, the optimal PLE parameters were a temperature of 120 °C, a static extraction time of 10 min and 2 cycles. The best solvent for most bioactive compounds was 96% ethanol, except for TPC, for which 50% ethanol was better. This study suggests that PLE is a promising tool to intensify the extraction of bioactive compounds from strawberry tree fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a novel vision of the brown seaweed Durvillaea antarctica aka 'cochayuyo' as an important food commonly consumed in Chile. ´Cochayuyo´ is a rich source of antioxidant and neuroprotective activity compounds demonstrated by evaluating the bioactivity associated with conventional and pressurized liquid extracts. Variables such as extraction yield, DPPH antioxidant assay, TEAC, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory capacity were studied employing Central Composite Design (CCD) based on a response surface methodology (RSM) and Pareto charts. Firstly, solvent polarity was evaluated by conventional extraction for the best antioxidant activity and they were employed in the experimental design (water/ethanol variations). Then, factors such as temperature (40–180 °C) and solvents (water/ethanol in 0, 50 to 100%) were selected resulting in CCD (12 total runs). In general, pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) improved the extraction yield and antioxidant activities compared to conventional extraction (twofold more using water). Moreover, PLE results showed that a higher yield (63.28%), was obtained with 50:50% water/ethanol at 180 °C. However, DPPH antioxidant assay was improved at the same temperature under 100% ethanol (EC50 equal to 0.16 mg mL−1). For the neuroprotective activity, D. antarctica extracts were enriched under low-intermediate temperature (40–110 °C) and 100% water (IC50 equal to 148.62 μg mL−1). After multiple response optimization, the best conditions to obtain antioxidant and neuroprotective extracts with high yield were 180 ºC and a ratio of 71:29 water:ethanol as extraction solvent. The results indicated that D. antarctica could be considered a functional food with significant antioxidant benefits and neuroprotective effects on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Borututu (Cochlospermum angolense Welw.) roots have been described as a rich source of phenolic compounds. Despite the potential of this plant for the production of bioactive extracts, studies reported until now have been scarce, and they have been based on the use of inefficient conventional extraction techniques. In this study, pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was investigated for the production of borututu root extracts. Different temperatures (50–200 °C) and solvents (water, ethanol, and 50% ethanol:water) were applied. The total phenolic compound (TPC) content, the main phenolic compounds and the in vitro antioxidant activity of the extracts were evaluated. The results were compared with those obtained by conventional decoction with water. The highest concentrations of TPC and antioxidant activity were obtained with 50% ethanol:water, followed by water. The extract obtained with 50% ethanol:water at 150 °C had a TPC concentration of 343.80 mg/g and presented the largest antioxidant activity (1488 and 4979 µmol Trolox/g extract, determined by DDPH and ABTS assay, respectively). These values were considerably higher than those obtained by conventional decoction. Ellagic acid, and ellagic and methyl ellagic acid glycosides were the main phenolic compounds found in the extracts. Therefore, was PLE demonstrated to be a selective and efficient technique to obtain extracts with high concentrations of phenolic compounds and high antioxidant activity form borututu roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laurus nobilis L., known as laurel or bay leaf, is a Mediterranean plant which has been long known for exhibiting various health-beneficial effects that can largely be attributed to the polyphenolic content of the leaves. Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) is a green extraction technique that enables the efficient isolation of polyphenols from different plant materials. Hence, the aim of this research was to determine optimal conditions for PLE (solvent, temperature, number of extraction cycles and static extraction time) of laurel leaf polyphenols and to assess the polyphenolic profile of the optimal extract by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) as well as to evaluate the antioxidant activity determined by FRAP, DPPH and ORAC assays. The optimal PLE conditions were 50% ethanol, 150 °C, one extraction cycle and 5 min static time. The polyphenolic extract obtained at optimal PLE conditions comprised 29 identified compounds, among which flavonols (rutin and quercetin-3-glucoside) were the most abundant. The results of antioxidant activity assays demonstrated that PLE is an efficient green technique for obtaining polyphenol-rich laurel leaf extracts with relatively high antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry tree fruits (Arbutus unedo L.) are a natural source of valuable biologically active compounds. Therefore, the aim of this work was to develop a green extraction approach using pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) to provide the highest yield of bioactive compounds. Different extraction solvents (distilled water, 50% and 96% ethanol) and different PLE parameters were investigated: temperature (40, 80, and 120 °C), static extraction time (5 and 10 min), and number of cycles (1 and 2). Total phenolic contents (TPC), hydroxycinnamic acids (HCA), flavonols (FL), total flavonoids (TF), condensed tannins (CT), and antioxidant capacity (DPPH and FRAP) were determined in PLE extracts. Solvent type, temperature, static extraction time, and number of cycles had a statistically significant effect on all bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity (p ≤ 0.05). All bioactive compounds were positively correlated with temperature, except for TPC and DPPH. For all polyphenols studied, the optimal PLE parameters were a temperature of 120 °C, a static extraction time of 10 min and 2 cycles. The best solvent for most bioactive compounds was 96% ethanol, except for TPC, for which 50% ethanol was better. This study suggests that PLE is a promising tool to intensify the extraction of bioactive compounds from strawberry tree fruits.

Borututu (Cochlospermum angolense Welw.) roots have been described as a rich source of phenolic compounds. Despite the potential of this plant for the production of bioactive extracts, studies reported until now have been scarce, and they have been based on the use of inefficient conventional extraction techniques. In this study, pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was investigated for the production of borututu root extracts. Different temperatures (50–200 °C) and solvents (water, ethanol, and 50% ethanol:water) were applied. The total phenolic compound (TPC) content, the main phenolic compounds and the in vitro antioxidant activity of the extracts were evaluated. The results were compared with those obtained by conventional decoction with water. The highest concentrations of TPC and antioxidant activity were obtained with 50% ethanol:water, followed by water. The extract obtained with 50% ethanol:water at 150 °C had a TPC concentration of 343.80 mg/g and presented the largest antioxidant activity (1488 and 4979 µmol Trolox/g extract, determined by DDPH and ABTS assay, respectively). These values were considerably higher than those obtained by conventional decoction. Ellagic acid, and ellagic and methyl ellagic acid glycosides were the main phenolic compounds found in the extracts. Therefore, was PLE demonstrated to be a selective and efficient technique to obtain extracts with high concentrations of phenolic compounds and high antioxidant activity form borututu roots.

Laurus nobilis L., known as laurel or bay leaf, is a Mediterranean plant which has been long known for exhibiting various health-beneficial effects that can largely be attributed to the polyphenolic content of the leaves. Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) is a green extraction technique that enables the efficient isolation of polyphenols from different plant materials. Hence, the aim of this research was to determine optimal conditions for PLE (solvent, temperature, number of extraction cycles and static extraction time) of laurel leaf polyphenols and to assess the polyphenolic profile of the optimal extract by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) as well as to evaluate the antioxidant activity determined by FRAP, DPPH and ORAC assays. The optimal PLE conditions were 50% ethanol, 150 °C, one extraction cycle and 5 min static time. The polyphenolic extract obtained at optimal PLE conditions comprised 29 identified compounds, among which flavonols (rutin and quercetin-3-glucoside) were the most abundant. The results of antioxidant activity assays demonstrated that PLE is an efficient green technique for obtaining polyphenol-rich laurel leaf extracts with relatively high antioxidant activity.

This study presents a new cyanobacterium of the genus Geitlerinema sp. isolated from the Chilean coastal desert as a rich source of bioactive compounds. Phylogenetic tree is shown along with a broad biochemical characterization using conventional and pressurized liquid extraction. Variables as extraction yield, phycobiliproteins, lipids and methyl palmitate (C16:0) were studied by means of two experimental designs based on a response surface methodology (RSM) employing two factorial design 32. Factors as temperature (20–200 °C) and percentage of solvents were selected resulting in Factorial Design A with 0–100% (v/v) of ethanol–water and Factorial Design B with 0–100 (v/v) of ethanol–limonene solvents. The main bioactive compounds were total proteins (∼52% wt), phycobiliproteins (especially C-phycocyanin) and methyl palmitate (C16:0). Data obtained showed that water and ethanol:water (1:1, v/v) improved the extraction yield and phycobiliproteins recovery. As for ethanol:limonene extracts, they were better for lipids and methyl palmitate extractions. In general, high temperatures only improved the extraction yield whereas low temperatures favor the extraction of phycobiliproteins. Therefore, results indicated that Geitlerinema sp. could be one of the several cyanobacteria genera that display functional properties for nutritional, pharmaceutical or industrial use as sustainable and cost-effective bioactive compounds in algal biorefinery model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin E is an essential vitamin, consisting of eight organic liposoluble compounds which are tocopherols and tocotrienols. Tocopherols and tocotrienols are collectively named 'tocols'. Tocols are well-known for their potent biological activities, such as antioxidant, anticancer, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory activities, and they prevent vascular occlusion by providing fluidity in the veins. They are one of the main sources of human nutrition. Therefore, it is vital to analyze various forms of tocols in plants, foods, and other commercial products in addition to monitoring it in body fluids. Capparis Ovata is a plant from the family Capparaceae grown widely in Turkey and has a commercial value. We investigated eight tocols (α, β, δ, γ tocopherols and α, β, δ, γ tocotrienols) in C. Ovata seed; optimized a pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) method for isolation, and developed fully validated RP-HPLC–DAD method. The δ-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol and α-tocopherol quantities were 1505.61 ppm, 930.24 ppm and 47.10 ppm with methanolic PLE method, respectively. All quantities detected with Soxhlet extraction were less than those obtained with PLE. In the present study, δ-tocotrienol was 32 times, γ-tocopherol was 20 times more than α-tocopherol. In consideration of recently reported pharmacological activities of δ- and γ-tocopherols, and the higher effectiveness of δ-tocopherol, our results are of particular importance. We detected and separated all tocols in about 10 min, and β- and γ-isomers of tocopherols had the comparable resolution value of 1.52. The limits of quantification values were low with the range of 0.29 × 10−4 to 9.60 × 10−4 mg mL−1; the recoveries were between 95.84 and 113.83% for all eight tocols, and due to the wide linear quantification ranges, the developed method was stated to be suitable for various amounts of tocol analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfactant-mediated extraction (SME), pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), and enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE) have been compared to improve the isolation of phlorotannins from the brown algae Lobophora variegata. Enzymatic treatment with Alcalase 2.4 L FG, Carezyme 4500 L, protease from Streptomyces griseus, pectinase from Aspergillus niger, Celluclast 1.5 L, protease from Bacillus licheniformis; surfactant extraction with triacetin and guaiacol and PLE with ethanol:water as extracting solvent, have been studied in terms of total phenolic content by the Folin–Ciocalteu method and total phlorotannin content using the DMBA assay. The results showed that SME yields the highest amount of phenols and phlorotannins by using food grade guaiacol as the surfactant. An extraction protocol was developed to maximize the amount of extract obtained from L. variegata. The effects of various parameters such as the type of surfactant, efficacy of surfactant, and optimum pH, on the extraction efficiency of polyphenols were examined. The simultaneous use of the enzyme and surfactant was also investigated. However, a synergistic effect between the enzymes and the surfactant for the extraction of polyphenols has not been observed. Considering total phenols and total phlorotannins in the extract, the extraction yield were obtained for total phenols as SME > EAE > PLE and for total phlorotannins as SME > PLE > EAE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Chia seeds constitute a promising source of α-linolenic acid (ALA). In the present work, an underutilized and cheaper set of chia seeds, which were discarded after the harvest according to quality criteria - named in this work as low oil content seeds (LOCS) - have been evaluated as a potential source for obtaining PUFA-enriched oils against the commonly studied high-quality chia seeds denoted as high oil content seeds (HOCS) in this study. Two efficient and environmental friendly techniques, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), were evaluated to optimize the extraction process of chia oil. At 60 °C, by using pressurized food-grade ethanol, recoveries close to 100% were achieved from both sets of seeds in a short extraction time (10 min). By using SFE, the greatest oil extraction yield (>95%) was attained at the highest pressure and temperature conditions (45 MPa and 60 °C) after 240 min. At the early stage of SFE extraction, both LOCS and HOCS exhibited a similar kinetic behavior, reaching oil extraction rates of 0.59 g oil/min and 0.64 g oil/min, respectively. No differences were found between the fatty acid profile of the oils extracted from LOCS and HOCS both by PLE and SFE. ALA and linoleic acid (LA) concentrations ranged between 65‐68% and 17–23% respectively, and a predominance of high molecular weight triglycerides (≥ CN50), was found in all extracted oils. In conclusion, LOCS might constitute a new suitable raw material for the production of ALA-enriched oils. Concerning the extraction methods assayed, the oil was almost entirely recovered by both PLE and SFE at the used conditions. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • The economical, underutilized chia seeds were studied to obtain omega-3 rich oils. • Two green techniques were applied, supercritical fluid and pressurized liquid extraction. • The fatty acid composition obtained from high and low oil content seeds were very similar. • High oil recoveries were obtained from both types of seeds. • Low oil content seeds are a relevant alternative to obtain α-linolenic acid enriched oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Camu-camu, a typical Amazonian fruit, is known for the high vitamin C content of the peel and pulp. As vitamin C is widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries, it is of interest to study new sources, extraction techniques, and analytical methods for the identification and quantification of this compound. Here, evaluation was made of extraction and quantification methods, as well as the differences in vitamin C content according to the origin and part of the camu-camu fruit. The extraction techniques studied were pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), acid extraction, and maceration. The analytical methods evaluated were titrimetry and chromatography. Camu-camu samples were obtained from different regions, and the peel and pulp were studied separately. Acid extraction using sulfuric acid as solvent provided the highest vitamin C yields, while PLE, as a completely clean technique, proved to be a promising alternative for the recovery of ascorbic acid (L-AA). The application of an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography methodology (UHPLC-DAD) enabled the fast identification and quantification of L-AA and dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA), with high resolution, sensitivity, and specificity. The results obtained using the chromatographic and titration methods were not significantly different (p < 0.05), indicating that titrimetry is useful for routine analyses. L-AA and DHAA were found in the peel, but only L-AA was found in the pulp. The variation of vitamin C content among the lots could be explained by the edaphoclimatic conditions. The combination of a clean extraction technique and a fast analytical method is a promising approach for the determination of vitamin C in food products. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgal biomass is a sustainable and valuable source of lipids with omega-3 fatty acids. The efficient extraction of lipids from microalgae requires fast and alternative extraction methods, frequently combined with biomass pre-treatment by different procedures. In this work, Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was optimized and compared with traditional lipid extraction methods, Folch and Bligh and Dyer, and with a new Ultrasound Assisted Extraction (UAE) method for lipids from microalgae Isochrysis galbana. To further optimize PLE and UAE, enzymatic pre-treatment of microalga Isochrysis galbana was studied with commercial enzymes Viscozyme and Celluclast. No significant differences were found for lipid yields among different extraction techniques used. However, advanced extraction techniques with or without pre-treatment are a green, fast, and toxic solvent free alternative to traditional techniques. Lipid composition of Isochrysis was determined by HPLC-ELSD and included neutral and polar lipids, showing that each fraction comprised different contents in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The highest polar lipids content was achieved with UAE (50 °C and 15 min) and PLE (100 °C) techniques. Moreover, the highest omega-3 PUFA (33.2%), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (3.3%) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (12.0%) contents were achieved with the advanced technique UAE, showing the optimized method as a practical alternative to produce valuable lipids for food and nutraceutical applications.

Plant extracts have been long used by the traditional healers for providing health benefits and are nowadays suitable ingredient for the production of formulated health products and nutraceuticals. Traditional methods of extraction such as maceration, percolation, digestion, and preparation of decoctions and infusions are now been replaced by advanced extraction methods for increased extraction efficiency and selectivity of bioactive compounds to meet up the increasing market demand. Advanced techniques use different ways for extraction such as microwaves, ultrasound waves, supercritical fluids, enzymes, pressurized liquids, electric field, etc. These innovative extraction techniques, afford final extracts selectively rich in compounds of interest without formation of artifacts, and are often simple, fast, environment friendly and fully automated compared to existing extraction method. The present review is focused on the recent trends on the extraction of different bioactive chemical constituents depending on the nature of sample matrices and their chemical classes including anthocyanins, flavonoids, polyphenols, alkaloids, oils, etc. In addition, we review the strategies for designing extraction, selection of most suitable extraction methods, and trends of extraction methods for botanicals. Recent progress on the research based on these advanced methods of extractions and their industrial importance are also discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyphenols as phytochemicals have gained significant importance owing to several associated health benefits with regard to lifestyle diseases and oxidative stress. To date, the development of a single standard method for efficient and rapid extraction of polyphenols from plant matrices has remained a challenge due to the inherent limitations of various conventional extraction methods. The exploitation of polyphenols as bioactive compounds at various commercial levels has motivated scientists to explore more eco-friendly, efficient, and cost-effective extraction techniques, based on a green extraction approach. The current review aims to provide updated technical information about extraction mechanisms, their advantages and disadvantages, and factors affecting efficiencies, and also presents a comparative overview of applications of the following modern green extraction techniques-supercritical fluid extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, pressurized liquid extraction, and pressurized hot water extraction-as alternatives to conventional extraction methods for polyphenol extraction. These techniques are proving to be promising for the extraction of thermolabile phenolic compounds due to their advantages over conventional, time-consuming, and laborious extraction techniques, such as reduced solvent use and time and energy consumption and higher recovery rates with lower operational costs. The growing interest in plant-derived polyphenols prompts continual search for green and economically feasible modern extraction techniques. Modern green extraction techniques represent promising approaches by virtue of overcoming current limitations to the exploitation of polyphenols as bioactive compounds to explore their wide-reaching applications on an industrial scale and in emerging global markets. Future research is needed in order to remove the technical barriers to scale-up the processes for industrial needs by increasing our understanding and improving the design of modern extraction operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free and polymeric carbohydrates in Cordyceps, a valued edible mushroom and well-known traditional Chinese medicine, were determined using stepwise pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) extraction and GC-MS. Based on the optimized PLE conditions, acid hydrolysis and derivatization, ten monosaccharides, namely rhamnose, ribose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose, galactose, mannitol, fructose and sorbose in 13 samples of natural and cultured Cordyceps were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed and compared with myo-inositol hexaacetate as internal standard. The results showed that natural C. sinensis contained more than 7.99% free mannitol and a small amount of glucose, while its polysaccharides were usually composed of mannose, glucose and galactose with a molar ratio of 1.00:16.61~3.82:1.60~1.28. However, mannitol in cultured C. sinensis and cultured C. militaris were less than 5.83%, and free glucose was only detected in a few samples, while their polysaccharides were mainly composed of mannose, glucose and galactose with molar ratios of 1.00:3.01~1.09:3.30~1.05 and 1.00:2.86~1.28:1.07~0.78, respectively. Natural and cultured Cordyceps could be discriminated by hierarchical clustering analysis based on its free carbohydrate contents.

Marine organisms are potentially prolific sources of high qualify fatty acids that represent useful leads in the development of new nutraceutical agents. In this work, we investigated the lipid composition of six algae species from the Northwest of Spain (Ulva intestinalis, Ulva lactuca, Fucus vesiculosus, Dictyota dichotoma, Cystoseira baccata and Himanthalia elongata) and compared the antioxidant and antibacterial activity of ethanolic extracts obtained by pressurized liquid extraction (PLE). Furthermore, Fucus vesiculosus (F. vesiculosus) PLE using five solvents of different polarities (hexane, ethyl acetate, acetone, ethanol and ethanol:water 50:50) at three temperatures (80 °C, 120 °C and 160 °C) was investigated. F. vesiculosus ethanolic PLE extract presents considerably higher capacity of inhibiting 50% of DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) (IC50 = 7.17 μg/mL) in comparison with the rest of macroalgae studied. Moreover, the potential antimicrobial activity tested on E. coli and S. aureus shows that F. vesiculosus extract produced the best inhibition (IC50 was 2.24 mg/mL (E. coli) and 1.27 mg/mL (S. aureus)). Furthermore, regarding the different solvents and temperatures used to investigate F. vesiculosus PLE, results showed that this technique using ethyl acetate is a selective method to enrich long chain fatty acids (oleic acid, arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid) with ω-6/ω-3 ratios close to 2.7.

Pressurized liquid extraction of Aglaonema sp. iminosugars has been optimized. A single cycle under optimal conditions (80 mg, 100 °C, 2 min) was enough to extract ⩾96% of most iminosugars. Further incubation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae for 5 h removed coextracted interfering low molecular weight carbohydrates from extracts of different Aglaonema cultivars. A complete characterization of these extracts was carried out by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry: three iminosugars were tentatively identified for the first time; α -homonojirimycin and 2,5-dideoxy-2,5-imino- d -mannitol were the major iminosugars determined. α -Glucosidase inhibition activity, cell viability and thermal stability of Aglaonema extracts were also evaluated. Extracts with IC 50 for α -glucosidase activity in the 0.010–0.079 mg mL −1 range showed no decrease of Caco-2 cell viability at concentrations lower than 125 μg mL −1 and were stable at 50 °C for 30 days. These results highlight the potential of Aglaonema extracts as a source of bioactives to be used as functional ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goals of this study were to determine the concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in textiles and to determine PFOS and PFOA contamination in textile washing water. Quantification analysis was performed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Analysis of 32 textile samples by methanol extraction revealed that the average concentrations of PFOS and PFOA were 0.18 µg m−2(0.02 to 0.61 µg m−2) and 2.74 µg m−2(0.31 to 14.14 µg m−2), respectively. Although the average concentration of PFOS found in textile samples was below European Union (EU) Commission regulations (<1 µg m−2), the average concentration of PFOA was 2.74 µg m−2, and 68.75% of textile samples had PFOA concentrations exceeding 1 µg m−2. Thus, based on these results, the concentration of PFOA in products should also be regulated. Experiments on PFOS and PFOA leaching into washing water were conducted. The maximum concentrations of PFOS and PFOA were measured after the first washing; the concentrations gradually decreased with each subsequent washing. PFOS and PFOA migrated from textiles and were released into the environment, with disappearance percentages of 29.8% for PFOS and 99% for PFOA. The data presented in this study showed that textiles could be a significant direct and indirect source of PFOS and PFOA exposure for both humans and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Thymol (2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol) is the main monoterpene phenol found in thyme essential oil. This compound has revealed several biological properties, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. In this work, a comparison was made between the performance of different green solvents (ethanol, limonene and ethyl lactate), by pressurized liquid extraction ( PLE) and supercritical fluid extraction ( SFE) at different conditions, to extract thymol from three different varieties of thyme ( Thymus vulgaris, Thymus zygis and Thymus citriodorus). Additionally, new solubility data of thymol in limonene and ethanol at ambient pressure and temperatures in the range 30-43 °C are reported. RESULTS The highest thymol recoveries were attained with T. vulgaris (7-11 mg g−1). No thymol could be quantified in the PLE samples of T. citriodorus. The highest concentrations of thymol in the extracts were obtained with limonene. Thymol is very soluble in both solvents, particularly in ethanol (∼900 mg g−1 at ∼40 °C), and is the main compound (in terms of peak area) present in the essential oil extracts obtained. CONCLUSION The three solvents show good capacity to extract thymol from T. vulgaris and T. zygis by PLE. Although PLE proved to be a suitable technology to extract thymol from thyme plants, the highest concentrations of thymol were obtained by SFE with supercritical CO2. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are persistent environmental pollutants, extremely stable, and possibly adversely affect human health. They are widely used in many industries and consumer goods, including sunscreen products. These substances are stable chemicals made of long carbon chains, having both lipid- and water-repellent qualities. The research objectives are (1) to find the most effective method for the preparation of semi-liquid samples by comparing solid phase extraction (SPE) and centrifugation after Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), and (2) to determine the contamination levels of PFOS and PFOA in waterproof sunscreen samples. All sunscreen samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Sunscreen samples were purchased from domestic and international brands sold in Thailand. Special chemical properties were considered for the selection of samples, e.g., those found in waterproof, sweat resistant, water resistant, and non-stick products. Considering the factors of physical properties, e.g., operation time, chemical consumption, and recovery percentage for selecting methods to develop, the centrifugation method using 2 mL of extracted sample with the conditions of 12,000 rpm and 5°C for 1 hour after PLE was chosen. The highest concentrations of PFOS and PFOA were detected at 0.0671 ng/g and 21.0644 ng/g, respectively. Even though present concentrations are found at ng/g levels, the daily use of sunscreen products is normally several grams. Therefore, a risk assessment of PFOS and PFOA contamination in sunscreen products is an important concern, and more attention needs to be paid to the long-term effects on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloropropanols are heat-induced food toxicants that recently caused concern among industrial and scientific experts. World and European organizations related to food safety asked researchers to investigate mitigation strategies regarding these contaminants. The essential objective of this project was development of fast analytical methods enabling reliable determination and quantification of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol, 2-monochloropropane-1,3-diol and 1,3-dichloropropanol. There are now several widely applied methods, which meet the requirements to some extent, but they involve a multi-step sample-preparation process, rather undesirable in routine analysis. The solution seems to be application of modern extraction techniques, especially combined with derivatization, which may lead to shortening and simplifying the whole procedure. We present the advantages of possible options for determination of chloropropanols by summarizing methods already developed involving techniques such as solid-phase microextraction, magnetic solid-phase extraction, pressurized liquid extraction or dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims at evaluating the impact of different processes-pulsed electric fields (PEF), pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and a multistep process combining PEF + PLE on the yield of antioxidant compounds (protein, polyphenols, chlorophyll a , chlorophyll b , and carotenoids) from Spirulina. Firstly, the effects of PEF or PLE treatment on the extraction yield of Spirulina biomolecules were evaluated. To further increase the extraction yield, PEF + PLE was used, as an innovative extraction approach. The results showed that PEF + PLE greatly improved the extraction yield compared with the PEF or PLE treatments alone. Compared with Folch extraction (conventional control technique), PEF + PLE significantly (P < 0.05) shortened the extraction time (−165 min) and increased the protein, polyphenol, chlorophyll a and antioxidant capacity values of Spirulina extracts by 1328%, 979%, 11% and 47% respectively. Furthermore, Triple TOF-LC-MS-MS results showed that PEF + PLE increased both the type and content of phenolic compounds. The above results were attributed to PEF-induced damage on Spirulina helical structure, which was verified by fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. • PEF + PLE greatly improved the extraction efficiency compared to treatments alone. • PEF + PLE significantly shortened the extraction time compared to Folch extraction. • Compared to Folch PEF + PLE increased biomolecules and antioxidant recovery. • PEF + PLE increased both the type and content of polyphenols. • PEF-induced damage on Spirulina helical structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We quantify herbicide loss rates from individual fields within a catchment. [•] The spatial pattern of herbicide losses to the stream changed between events. [•] Characteristics of rain events and land management influenced the spatial patterns. [•] Implications for using the critical source area concept to mitigate diffuse pollution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A validated procedure was developed for the separation and clean-up of Organo-Chlorinated Pesticides (OCPs) extracted from fish samples, using different adsorbent materials and different solvents composition. Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) has been utilized for the extraction of OCPs. PLE provides one of the best alternative to conventional extraction methods. The different adsorbent materials as well as solvents composition were evaluated for the best clean-up steps of OCPs extracted from fish samples. Among the eight examined adsorbent materials, florisil and alumina were selected with hexane: ethylacetate (8:2, v/v) solvent mixture throughout the experiment. The highest recoveries were obtained (75-99.8 %). Detection was performed by GC-MS in Negative Chemical Ionization (NCI) mode, due to its high sensitivity and selectivity to chlorinated compounds. Bio-Beads SX-3 Based on Gel permeation Chromatography (GPC) was utilized for the removal of fat. The accuracy of the method (n= 5) is expressed as recovery (%) that was calculated to be between 56% and 98%, and the precision of the method is expressed as Relative Standard Deviation (RSD), that was obtained to be between 5% and 28 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Harmonization of the analytical methods used for oxy-PAHs and N-PACs in soil. [•] Oxy-PAHs were determined with good accuracy, similar to that for PAHs. [•] N-PACs were determined with lower accuracy than PAHs and oxy-PAHs. [•] Methods have to be better optimized for N-PACs. [•] Relevant internal standards are needed for all compound classes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Determination of parabens in cosmetics products, with emphasis on sample preparation. [•] Simple approaches, such as dilution and homogenization, or direct analysis. [•] The application of new materials for solid-phase extraction of parabens. [•] Microextraction techniques applied in determination of parabens. [•] The use of supercritical fluid extraction and pressurized liquid extraction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] We show the possibility of foodomics being a green discipline. [•] We discuss the possibilities of reducing environmental impact using foodomics. [•] We demonstrate and compare different metrics for environmental analytical chemistry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] We review analytical procedures for benzotriazole UV stabilizers (BUVSs). [•] We discuss advantages and disadvantages of each step of the analytical procedure. [•] GC-MS and LC-MS/MS are the most used techniques for the determination of BUVSs. [•] BUVSs have been determined mainly in environmental samples and marine organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Arsenic is an element widely present in nature. Additionally, it may be found as different species in several matrices and therefore it is one of the target elements in chemical speciation. Although the number of studies in terrestrial plants is low, compared to matrices such as fish or urine, this number is raising due to the fact that this type of matrix are closely related to the human food chain. In speciation analysis, sample preparation is a critical step and several extraction procedures present drawbacks. In this review, papers dealing with extraction procedures, analytical methods, and studies of species conservation in plants cultivated in terrestrial environment are critically discussed. Analytical procedures based on extractions using water or diluted acid solutions associated with HPLC–ICP–MS are good alternatives, owing to their versatility and sensitivity, even though less expensive strategies are shown as feasible choices. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Packaging can represent a primary source of food contamination with mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH), especially when recycled cardboard or mineral oil based printing inks are used. A pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) method, followed by on-line LC–GC analysis, has been optimized for rapid mineral oil determination in cardboard and paper samples. The proposed method involves extraction with hexane (2 cycles) at 60°C for 5min, and allows for the processing of up to 6 samples in parallel with minimal sample manipulation and solvent consumption. It gave good repeatability (coefficient of variation lower than 5%) and practically quantitative extraction yield (less than 2% of the total contamination found in a third separate cycle). The method was applied to different cardboards and paper materials intended for food contact. Results obtained were similar to those obtained by applying classical solvent extraction with hexane/ethanol 1:1 (v/v) as described by Lorenzini et al. [20]. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Overview of analytical methodologies and sample preparation. [•] Trend is to develop and to apply automatic techniques and multi-class methods. [•] High-resolution, full-scan analysis and UHPLC have increased in popularity. [•] Future development should extend analysis to dozens of multiclass compounds. [•] Future development should also keep acceptable recoveries and sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Current analytical techniques for POPs in environment and biota are reviewed. [•] The review covers most updated literatures reports on POPs analysis. [•] For the first time, analysis of new POPs under Stockholm Convention is reviewed. [•] Future perspectives on POPs, especially the potential POPs, are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this work, ultrasonic assisted extraction combined with solid phase extraction (SPE) was applied in the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in environment samples. A titania nanotubes/titanium plate was modified with n-octadecanethiol monolayer-protected Ag nanoparticles, and developed as the adsorbent in SPE of PAHs. Six different PAHs in soil samples were analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection. The experiment conditions including the deposition time of Ag nanoparticles, extraction solvent properties, the amount of extraction solvent, the amount of organic modifier, extraction time, and desorption solvent properties were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, good linearity and low limits of detection of 0.0015–0.4ngg−1 were obtained. The analysis of PAHs in real soil samples gave satisfactory recoveries ranging from 70.32% to 115.51% with 3.14%–13.56% intra-day relative standard deviations (RSD) and 4.92%–14.87% inter-day RSD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are ubiquitous compounds, well-known to be carcinogenic, which can reach the food in different ways. Thus the analysis of such compounds has always been of great importance. The aim of the present review, is not only to give an overview of the most recent sample preparation and analytical approaches (such as pressurized liquid extraction, solid-phase microextraction, supercritical fluid extraction, etc.), but also to introduce such a topic to researchers who want to approach it for the first time; therefore, the most significant references related to general aspects, such as formation, toxicity, risk assessment, occurrence in food, are reported and briefly discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The improvement of sample-preparation and extraction techniques for determinations of natural bioactive compounds is very important. New concepts relate to not only enhancement of extraction efficiencies but also environmental impact. This evolution towards Green Analytical Chemistry is to new extraction and sample-preparation processes that should be faster, more reproducible and more environmentally friendly. Compressed fluid-based sample-preparation techniques (e.g., supercritical fluid extraction and pressurized liquid extraction) demonstrate good capabilities. In this review, we update knowledge on the techniques together with the main technical developments and the most notable recent applications for the extraction of bioactive compounds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A comparative study between “alternative” extraction processes such as centrifugal partition extraction (CPE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and classical solid/liquid used in the laboratory are currently focusing on the efficiency (selectivity and productivity) to obtain bioactive phenolic compounds from the phaeophyte Sargassum muticum model. The choice of the best process was based on several measurements: (i) the total phenolic content measured by the colorimetric Folin–Ciocalteu assay, (ii) radical scavenger and antioxidant activities assessed by the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assay, and the β-carotene bleaching method and finally (iii) the method productivity. Irrespective of the solvent used in the processes, alternative methods are always sharply more effective than classical ones. With the exception of SFE which does not allow extracting the totality of the active phenolic compounds, two of the other extraction methods were particularly promising. First, CPE afforded the most important yields in concentrated phenolic compounds (PC) (22.90±0.65%DW) also displaying the best activities (0.52±0.02 and 0.58±0.19mg/mL for IC50 and AAC700, respectively). Secondly, PLE using an EtOH:water mixture 75:25 (v/v) allowed a good PC extraction (10.18±0.25%DW) with huge efficiency. Despite a lesser activity of the extracts (0.77±0.01 and 1.59±0.15mg/mL for IC50 and AAC700, respectively) PLE is a green process and potentially complies European norms requirements for the prospective valorization of phenolic compounds from S. muticum in Brittany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel ionic liquid-based pressurized liquid extraction (IL-PLE) procedure coupled with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) tandem chemiluminescence (CL) detection capable of quantifying trace amounts of rutin and quercetin in four Chinese medicine plants including Flos sophorae Immaturus, Crateagus pinnatifida Bunge, Hypericum japonicum Thunb and Folium Mori was described in this paper. To avoid environmental pollution and toxicity to the operators, ionic liquids (ILs), 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C n mim][Cl]) aqueous solutions were used in the PLE procedure as extractants replacing traditional organic solvents. In addition, chemiluminescence detection was utilized for its minimal interference from endogenous components of complex matrix. Parameters affecting extraction and analysis were carefully optimized. Compared with the conventional ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) and heat-reflux extraction (HRE), the optimized method achieved the highest extraction efficiency in the shortest extraction time with the least solvent consumption. The applicability of the proposed method to real sample was confirmed. Under the optimized conditions, good reproducibility of extraction performance was obtained and good linearity was observed with correlation coefficients (r) between 0.9997 and 0.9999. The detection limits of rutin and quercetin (LOD, S/N =3) were 1.1×10−2 mg/L and 3.8×10−3 mg/L, respectively. The average recoveries of rutin and quercetin for real samples were 93.7–105% with relative standard deviation (RSD) lower than 5.7%. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first contribution to utilize a combination of IL-PLE with chemiluminescence detection. And the experimental results indicated that the proposed method shows a promising prospect in extraction and determination of rutin and quercetin in medicinal plants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]