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ABSTRACT: The chemical changes of three types of cheese, yoghurt and kefir were evaluated during storage in packages containing TiO2 with two different compositions of the mixed anatase–rutile phase. The influence of TiO2 packaging during storage on titratable acidity and fat content and on the external aspect was investigated. Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses were performed to establish whether the TiO2 penetrated the food during storage. The results showed that the TiO2 nanoparticles deposited on polyethylene surface significantly decreased acidity and fat content of the investigated cheese and yoghurt types. During storage in TiO2 nanopackages, the change in chemical parameters is accentuated as the content of rutile grows from 2.8% to 6.9%. The sensory evaluation revealed that the dairy products stored for 11 days in TiO2 nanopackages present similar colour, texture and flavour with that of the references; the samples stored in polyethylene film were found to be unacceptable.
International Journal of Food Science & Technology 02/2013; 47(7):1448–1456. · 1.26 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The role of natural zeolite and of two types of modified zeolite (with ammonium and with calcium ions) in reducing the accumulation of ions of heavy metals in roots and leaves of Hieracium piloselloides grown on tailing ponds was investigated. The variation of the content of zeolite (5% w/w and 10% w/w) is another parameter that significantly and positively affects the accumulation of the metal ions in Hieracium piloselloides. The results showed that zeolite used as an amendment in the soil in tailing ponds significantly reduces the accumulation of heavy metal ions in Hieracium piloselloides. The highest concentrations of heavy metals were accumulated in plants grown on soil without zeolite, being followed by the plants grown on the substrate with natural zeolite. Moreover, the translocation factors of heavy metal ions uptake in roots and leaves grown on substrates with modified zeolites are lower than those calculated for the organs grown on the substrate amended with natural zeolite. This behaviour has demonstrated the positive effect of those changes of zeolite amendments in the potential phytoremediation practice.
Journal of Environmental Monitoring 08/2012; 14(10):2807-14. · 1.99 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Indirect measures were considered to study the lead transfer along the soil-melliferous flora-bee family-apiary products food chain. The concentrations of total and bioavailable lead in the soil were first investigated. Next, the lead level in different organs of melliferous flora and subsequently in the bee family and apiary products was measured. The results indicate a decrease in contamination as follows: honeybees > drones > propolis > wax > bee larvae > honey > royal jelly. The statistical analysis highlights the "lead pollution bioindicator" role of honeybees, honey and propolis. The risk factor parameter allows the prediction of the most impacted month and the least impacted of the melliferous season.
Journal of Environmental Monitoring 05/2012; 14(6):1622-30. · 1.99 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to determine the way in which zeolite, zeolite modified with ammonium ions, zeolite modified with calcium ions and bentonite, influence the accumulation of copper, lead, iron, zinc and cadmium in different organs of tomatoes with each of the four tested at two different concentrations (5 and 10%). Moreover, the influence of the amendments on the content of chlorophyll and carotenoid was evaluated. The germination and biometric analyses demonstrated that the most vigorous plants were those grown on substrate containing zeolite-Ca and zeolite-NH4. The accumulation of iron in the tomato plants can be reduced by using the zeolite modified with ammonium ions as amendment. All the investigated adsorbents are efficient to reduce the content of copper and lead in tomato organs. All the amendments tested are found to induce the increase of chlorophyll content in tomato leaves. The statistical analyses revealed that only the cooper concentration varies significantly between reference substrate (with no amendment) and each of those with amendments.
African journal of agricultural research 11/2011; 6(Vol. 6(21)):5010-5023. · 0.08 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The adsorption of Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Fe2+ and Pb2+ on three types of systems (microorganisms, microorganisms-zeolite, and zeolite) has been investigated. Experimental data have been analyzed by kinetic models including the pseudo-first order, the pseudo-second order and Elovich equations. The film and pore diffusion coefficients were also calculated. The studied ions are desorbed from the microorganisms-systems, after 72 hours, excepting Pb2+ which remains adsorbed on bacteria and yeasts
systems. The pseudo-second-order equation provides a good fitting to the experimental data points obtained from metal ions adsorption on microorganisms-zeolite and zeolite systems. The zeolite modified with fungi is a more efficient adsorbent than bacteria-zeolite, yeast-zeolite or zeolite for Cd2+. Cu2+, Zn2+ and Fe2+ were adsorbed with the highest rate by the yeast-zeolite system and Pb2+ was adsorbed more efficiently by the bacteria-zeolite system. The adsorption of Cu2+, Cd2+ and Pb2+ onto microorganism-zeolite systems occurs by chemisorption.
Revue Roumaine de Chimie 09/2011; 56(9):847-852. · 0.42 Impact Factor
