Assessment of Macro-, Micro-, Trace, and Ultratrace Element Concentration in Green-Legged Partridge Hens’ Eggs from a Free-Range System

The goal of this research was to determine the concentration of macro-, micro-, trace, and ultratrace elements in egg albumen and yolk of Green-Legged Partridge (GLP) hens (Polish native breed) maintained in a free-range system. The hens received two feed mixtures (FM), which differed in mineral content (Gr-1 and Gr-2). Analyses of 57 chemical elements were performed using inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy by ICP-OES and ICP-MS techniques. FM from Gr-2 were characterized by a significantly (p < 0.05 or 0.01) higher concentration of macro- and microelements (Al, Ba, Ca, K, P, S, Si) than that from Gr-1. Among the trace and ultratrace elements there were significantly higher levels of Co, Cr, Li, Nb, Ni, Pb, Ru, Sn, and Zr, and significantly lower levels of Cs, Pd, and Te in Gr-2 compared with Gr-1. Egg albumen from hens from the Gr-2 group contained a significantly higher Ba concentration. In the case of trace and ultratrace elements, significantly greater Au, Co, Cr, Mo, Nb, Ru, and Se, and less As were recorded in the albumen from Gr-2. No significant differences were observed in the concentrations of macro- and microelements in the egg yolk. Among the examined trace and ultratrace elements, substantial differences were observed in the level of Co, Cr, Ni, Se, Sn, and Y (more in Gr-2), and Au, Hf, Hg, Nb, Nd, and Rb (less in Gr-2). Only in the case of Co and Cr concentrations in the feed (Gr-2) was a significant increase found in the albumen and yolk. Gr-2 also showed a significantly greater concentration of Ba, Nb, and Ru in the albumen, and Ni and Sn in the yolk.

Geographical traceability in grapes: possible applications of trace and ultratrace elements

&lt;p&gt;In the last decades the demand for information and criteria, suitable for connecting products to their production regions, is becoming more urgent in order to protect the qualitative high-level productions by forgery. Wine is one of the products that could benefit of a scientific system of analysis able to define its production area. Features of the association between wine and territory are not only related to pedological but also to geographical aspects. Currently, several studies to define markers, such as isotopic ratios of O, C, and N, able to identify types of wine has been carried out, but they are not suitable to univocally define a specific type of wine in particular due to the high variability of some factors (temperature, age of the vineyard, period of such us isotopic&amp;#8230;). Several samples of soils and grapes have been collected within the narrow area, characterized by quite heterogeneous lithologies, of the Euganei Hills area (NE of Italy) in order to identify possible markers typical of the growing area. The concentration of 25 elements (Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Pb, Th) have been determined on grapes by using ICP-MS and on soils by using XRF techniques. Moreover, grapes have been further refined and separated in two different fractions (one residual solid fraction and one liquid fraction). The concentration of Pr, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu have been determined on both these fractions in order to implement and complete the distribution pattern of REEs in the samples. Areas with geochemically different soils have been identified and in each one of these areas have been collected grapes of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. &amp;#160;Moreover, in most areas, several cultivars have been collected in order to better understand how biological variables could affect the assimilation of chemical elements from soils. Chemical composition of the grapes&amp;#8217; inorganic fraction seems more influenced by soils than by cultivar type. In fact, REEs distribution patterns tend to differ more considering the same cultivar grown in areas with different pedological features.&lt;/p&gt;

Authentication and Traceability Study on Barbera d'Asti and Nizza DOCG Wines: The Role of Trace- and Ultratrace Elements

Barbera d'Asti - including Barbera d'Asti superiore - and Nizza are two DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) wines produced in Piemonte (Italy) from Barbera grape variety. Differences among them arise in the production specifications in terms of purity, ageing and zone of production, in particular with concern to Nizza, which has more stringent rules and can therefore be considered as the one with the highest market value, with even three-fold more average prices. To guarantee producers and consumers, authentication methods must be developed in order to distinguish among the different wines. As the production zones totally overlap, it is important to verify whether the distinction is possible or not according to metals content, or whether chemical markers more linked to winemaking are needed. In this work, Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) elemental analysis and multivariate data analysis are used to study the authentication and traceability of samples from the three designations of 2015 vintage. The results show that, as far as elemental distribution in wine is concerned, work in the cellar, rather than geographic provenance, is crucial for the possibility of distinction.

Occupational Exposure to Pesticides in Tobacco Fields: The Integrated Evaluation of Nutritional Intake and Susceptibility on Genomic and Epigenetic Instability

Pesticides used at tobacco fields are associated with genomic instability, which is proposed to be sensitive to nutritional intake and may also induce epigenetic changes. We evaluated the effect of dietary intake and genetic susceptibility polymorphisms in MTHFR (rs1801133) and TERT (rs2736100) genes on genomic and epigenetic instability in tobacco farmers. Farmers, when compared to a nonexposed group, showed increased levels of different parameters of DNA damage (micronuclei, nucleoplasmic bridges, and nuclear buds), evaluated by cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay. Telomere length (TL) measured by quantitative PCR was shorter in exposed individuals. Global DNA methylation was significantly decreased in tobacco farmers. The exposed group had lower dietary intake of fiber, but an increase in cholesterol; vitamins such as B6, B12, and C; β-carotene; and α-retinol. Several trace and ultratrace elements were found higher in farmers than in nonfarmers. The MTHFR CT/TT genotype influenced nucleoplasmic bridges, nuclear buds, and TL in the exposed group, whereas TERT GT/TT only affected micronucleus frequency. We observed a positive correlation of TL and lipids and an inverse correlation of TL and fibers. The present data suggest an important role of dietary intake and subjects’ genetic susceptibility to xenobiotics-induced damages and epigenetic alterations in tobacco farmers occupationally exposed to mixtures of pesticides.

Ultratrace element contents in rat tissues: Comparative analysis of serum and hair as indicative matrices of the total body burden

The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of ultratrace elements in rat tissues and to perform a comparative analysis of hair and serum as potential bioindicators of the total ultratrace element content. Thirty-six male Wistar rats were fed a standard chow containing 0.006?0.000, 0.001?0.000, 0.017?0.002, 0.382?0.031, 0.168?0.014, 3.211?0.134, 0.095?0.006, 0.000?0.000, 6.675?0.336, 15.327?0.564, 0.002?0.000, and 1.185?0.202 ?g/g of silver (Ag), gold (Au), cesium (Cs), gallium (Ga), germanium (Ge), lanthanum (La), niobium (Nb), platinum (Pt), rubidium (Rb), titanium (Ti), thallium (Tl)and zirconium (Zr), respectively, from weaning to 3 months old. The ultratrace element content in the liver, kidney, muscle, heart, serum and hair was assessed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The obtained data indicate that the highest concentrations of most of the studied elements (Ti, Zr, Ge, Nb, tungsten (W), La, uranium (U), Ag, Au, Pt) are in hair, whereas the lowest were observed in the serum. Statistical analysis revealed a significant association between concentrations in the hair and other tissues for Cs, Ti, Nb, Tl, La, U and Au. At the same time, serum Cs, Rb, Ti, Ge, Nb, W, Ga, Tl and La concentrations significantly correlated with the tissue content of the respective ultratrace elements. It can be concluded that hair may be used as a potential bioindicator for certain ultratrace element content in the mammalian organism.

Simultaneous Determination of 10 Ultratrace Elements in Infant Formula, Adult Nutritionals, and Milk Products by ICP/MS After Pressure Digestion: Single-Laboratory Validation

A single-laboratory validation (SLV) is presented for the simultaneous determination of 10 ultratrace elements (UTEs) including aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), molybdenum (Mo), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), and tin (Sn) in infant formulas, adult nutritionals, and milk based products by inductively coupled plasma (ICP)/MS after acidic pressure digestion. This robust and routine multielemental method is based on several official methods with modifications of sample preparation using either microwave digestion or high pressure ashing and of analytical conditions using ICP/MS with collision cell technology. This SLV fulfills AOAC method performance criteria in terms of linearity, specificity, sensitivity, precision, and accuracy and fully answers most international regulation limits for trace contaminants and/or recommended nutrient levels established for 10 UTEs in targeted matrixes.