Danuta Barałkiewicz

Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań | UAM

The pharmacological activation of the GPR39 receptor has been proposed as a novel strategy for treating seizures; however, this hypothesis has not been verified experimentally. TC-G 1008 is a small molecule agonist increasingly used to study GPR39 receptor function but has not been validated using gene knockout. Our aim was to assess whether TC-G 1...

Aim: In order to avoid side-effects of lithium doses in some patients, some commonly cultivated mushroom species including A. bisporus have been successfully lithiated, with the potential to provide more acceptable sources of Li. This study assessed the in vitro release (potential bio-accessibility) and possible intake of Li using the action of ar...

Several ligands have been proposed for the GPR39 receptor, including the element zinc. The relationship between GPR39 and magnesium homeostasis has not yet been examined, nor has such a relationship in the context of seizures/epilepsy. We used samples from mice that were treated with an agonist of the GPR39 receptor (TC-G 1008) and underwent acute...

The major concept of the research was to develop and validate a sensitive analytical procedure for the determination of Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺ and (CH3)3Pb⁺ in herb roots. The object of the study were roots accumulating significant amounts of Cd and Pb. The advanced high performance liquid chromatography combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectromet...

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the concentrations of essential and toxic elements present in the amniotic fluid (AF) and fetal chromosomal abnormalities in pregnant women. A total of 156 pregnant white Polish women aged between 20 and 43 years and screened to detect high risk for chromosomal defects in the first tri...

In Asian countries, the sclerotia of the wild-grown fungus Pachyma hoelen (“Fuling”), have been used as food and as medicinal products for centuries. To close the knowledge gaps about the value and possible environmental impacts, the occurrence, distribution, and associations of a range of elements (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Li, Mg, Mn, N...

Extracellular/intracellular zinc ions are implicated in processes underlying seizures/epileptogenesis. The G-protein coupled receptor 39 (GPR39) was suggested as a target for extracellular zinc. Activation of GPR39 was proposed as a novel strategy for treating seizures but there was a paucity of data on the relationship between the function of this...

In this paper 13 elements, both physiological and causing toxic effects, were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in roots of 26 species of herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The herbs were purchased from online shop in two batches 1 year apart to verify the variability of elemental content in time. The multivariate...

In an attempt to enrich the fruiting bodies with Lithium (Li), this study cultivated mushrooms using growing sets that were fortified with Li 2 O at 1.0, 5.0, 10, 50, 100 and 500 mg·kg ⁻¹ dw. Compost fortification up to 100 mg·kg ⁻¹ dw induced a dose-dependent increase in Li accumulation with resulting median mushroom concentrations of 2.0, 8.6, 16...

This study aimed to check the association of essential and toxic elements in amniotic fluid (AF) with chromosomal abnormalities. A total of 156 pregnant Polish white Caucasian women between the age of 20 and 43 years participated in the study. AF samples were collected during routine diagnostic and treatment procedures in pregnant women. Inductivel...

This study investigated the lithiation of white Agaricus bisporus (common button) mushrooms using compost fortified with LiOH solutions at concentrations from 1 to 500 mg kg⁻¹ compost dw. Apart from the highest level of fortification, the median Li concentrations in the cultivated mushrooms were elevated from 0.74 to 21 mg kg⁻¹ dw (corresponding to...

Attempts to bio-enrich fungal biomass with an essential trace elements to produce dietary supplements have some tradition and an example is selenium. Lithium salts have medical applications, but safer forms are sought after, and lithiated foods and food supplements may be an alternative. This study evaluated the lithiation of white Agaricus bisporu...

High doses of lithium salts are used for the treatment or prevention of episodes of mania in bipolar disorder, but the medication is rapidly excreted and also shows side effects. Li may also be beneficial in people with mood disorders. Nutritionally, popular foods such as wild and cultivated mushrooms have low Li contents. This study evaluated the...

Several reports confirm the deleterious effects of tobacco smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) resulting in changes in the composition of breast milk. The aim of our study was to compare the levels of selected essential, as well as, toxic metals found in colostrum (collected at day 1± 2 post-birth) and mature milk (1 month ± 7 days post...

Although simultaneous supplementation of iron and folic acid is justified, the potential interactions between these micronutrients and other elements are poorly known. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of iron and folic acid supplementation on the levels of selected essential and toxic elements in the serum of micronutrient-deficien...

Chemical elements speciation analysis of food samples has been among the most important scientific topics over the last decades. Food samples are comprised of high variety of chemical compounds, from which many can interact with metals and metalloids, forming complex elemental species with various influence on the human body. It is particularly imp...

The procedure for determination of 21 macro- and trace elements – Li, Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Sr, As, Cd, Sb, Ba, Pb and U – in human fetal urine by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) was developed and validated. The application of a micronebulizer and a dynamic reaction cell (DRC) allowed to perform a fu...

In this study, we aimed to investigate the accumulation of airborne trace elements in Lolium multiflorum leaves concerning photosynthetic activity parameters. Five sites for four 28-day series of plant exposition were selected. The concentration of trace elements in leaves was measured after each series, while photosynthetic activity parameters wer...

Elastomeric ligatures are increasingly used as a part of esthetic orthodontic treatment, particularly in children. The aim of the present study was to experimentally test whether these appliances may contribute to exposure to toxic elements. In the present study, elastomeric ligatures (ELs) were incubated in artificial human saliva for 1 month (a t...

The growing popularity of algae as a foodstuff around the world raises concern for the safety of this food type with respect to arsenic content in algae. The need for determination of total arsenic content and arsenic speciation in algae food has become an important issue. In this paper we have developed a complete analytical procedure for arsenic...

Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EcMF) can mobilize mineral elements directly from insoluble mineral sources and accumulate various metallic elements and metalloids from soils to their fruiting bodies. Mushrooms from genus Boletus and its related genus are one of the most important EcMF which are consumed worldwide as wild edible mushrooms. Yunnan province (...

Arsenic (As) is a natural environmental contaminant to which humans are usually exposed in water, air, soil, and food. China is a typical high-As region, and also a great contributor of the world production of cultivated edible mushrooms and a region abundant in wild growing edible mushrooms. Mushrooms can accumulate different amounts of As and dif...

Biomass production and metal accumulation in plant tissue (bioconcentration) are two critical factors limiting the phytoextraction rate. Metal translocation to aboveground organs should be accounted for as the third most important factor, as harvesting of the plant roots is usually economically disadvantageous. These three parameters could be poten...

Packing material can release certain elements such as As, Cr, or Sb into its content and, thus, contaminate the drinking water. The effect of As, Cr, and Sb on human health depends highly on the chemical species in which these elements are introduced into the body. For the above reasons quantification and speciation of As, Cr, and Sb in flavored an...

There is limited information on whether metals such as aluminum (Al) can migrate from orthodontic braces to saliva and subsequently contribute to its exposure in humans. This study aimed to assess this experimentally by incubating elastomeric orthodontic ligatures in artificial saliva for 30 days and other components of orthodontic braces (brackets...

There is growing evidence that mushrooms (fruiting bodies) can be suitable for biogeochemical prospecting for minerals and as indicators of heavy metal and radioactive contaminants in the terrestrial environment. Apart from the nutritional aspect, knowledge of accumulation dynamics and distribution of elements in fruiting bodies, from emergence to...

Metal hyperaccumulating plants should have extremely efficient defense mechanisms, enabling growth and development in a polluted environment. Brassica species are known to display hyperaccumulation capability. Brassica juncea (Indiana mustard) v. Malopolska plants were exposed to trace elements, i.e., cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc...

Metal hyperaccumulating plants should have extremely efficient defence mechanisms, enabling growth and development in a polluted environment. Brassica species are known to display hyperaccumulation capability. Brassica juncea (Indiana mustard) v. Malopolska plants were exposed to trace elements, i.e., cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc...

In order to visualize the distribution of chemical elements in arterial walls and atherosclerotic plaque the laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was applied. As a result, the signals of structural elements in arterial wall and plaque (C, S, P, Ca), as well as trace and toxic elements (Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Co, Sr,...

Large branchiopod crustaceans are among the most threatened freshwater invertebrates of the world. They are regarded as a flagship group in the conservation of temporary waters, and knowledge of their ecology and conservation has developed rapidly in recent years, especially in the Mediterranean region. Little is known, however, about population fu...

The objective of this study was to determine the concentration and the reference ranges of essential and toxic elements in amniotic fluid (AF) and maternal serum (MS) at birth. This study was conducted among 175 healthy pregnant Caucasian European women aged 18–42. AF and maternal blood samples were collected during delivery. An inductively coupled...

This study concerns total arsenic (TAs) and arsenic species determination in three species of mushrooms collected in Yunnan, China. The purpose of this study was to check concentration level of arsenic in Boletus edulis, Tricholoma matsutake and Suillellus luridus, estimate arsenic bioaccessibility and find out which arsenic species occur in mushro...

Background. Mushrooms are a food that is often considered as an important source of minerals and other nutrients for consumers. There is little data on the minerals in mushrooms processed culinary and on the impact of processing. Objective. The research was aimed at understanding the similarities and differences in the mineral composition (Hg, Li,...

The main aim of the research was to develop a complementary analytical approach consisting of bespoke speciation analysis and non-targeted speciation analysis of As, Sb, and Cr in flavored bottled drinking water samples using HPLC/ICP-DRC-MS and ESI-MS/MS. The scope of two previously developed analytical procedures, (1) multielemental speciation pr...

Analytical methods for the determination of total arsenic (TAs) and arsenic species (arsenite—As(III), arsenate—As(V), monomethylarsenic acid—MMA, dimethylarsenic acid—DMA and arsenobetaine—AsB) in freshwater fish samples were developed. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with dynamic reaction cell (ICP-DRC-MS) and high-performance liquid...

Congenital birth defects may result in a critical condition affecting the baby, including severe fetal/neonatal handicap and mortality. Several studies have shown that genetic, nutritional, and environmental factors may have an impact on fetal development and neonatal health. The relevance of essential and toxic elements on fetal development has no...

The aim of the study was to determine the correlations between body mass index (BMI) values before pregnancy and the concentrations of selected elements (Mg, Co, Cu, Zn, Sr, Cd, Ba, Pb, U, Ca, Cr, Al, Mn, V, Fe) in blood serum and amniotic fluid (AF) in pregnant women. Elemental analysis of serum and amniotic fluid in 225 Polish women (Caucasian/wh...

The impact of stormwater on benthic macroinvertebrates was studied in two annual cycles. Five small catchments drained by stormwater sewers to a small urban river and a small and shallow reservoir situated in its course were selected. These catchments were located in residential areas with single-family houses or blocks of flats as well as industri...

The major aim of the study was to identify the relationship of photos ithetic pigments with elemental contents of plants exposed to various ambient air conditions. Lolium multi forum L. plants were exposed at five sites varying in environmental characteristics, including potential air pollution travels. The effect of air pollution by trace elements...

Despite the fact that titanium is considered highly biocompatible, its presence in the oral cavity (an environment of frequently changing pH and temperature) may result in the release of titanium from intraosseous implants into the oral mucosa, causing a range of reactions from the human body. Fragments of oral mucosa collected from patients after...

Mushrooms are considered as potential bio-remediation agents in soil polluted with heavy metals, while many species which efficiently accumulate them in flesh are edible. Question is if there is any possible culinary use of edible mushrooms with high heavy metal contents? This study aimed to investigate and discuss a fate of cadmium (Cd) in common...

A new procedure of simultaneous determination of elements derived from titanium implants and physiological elements in soft tissues by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is presented. The analytical procedure was developed which involved preparation of in-house matrix matched solid standards with analyte additio...

The interaction between lead, copper, cadmium and zinc in their binary combinations was investigated in Indian mustard seedlings (Brassica juncea L. var. Malopolska). Fourteen-days-old seedlings were treated with Pb(NO3)2, CuSO4, CdCl2, ZnSO4 at 50 μmol of metal ion concentration and at 25 μmol of each metal ion in combinations. Metal combinations...

Amniotic fluid is the substantial factor in the development of an embryo and fetus due to the fact that water and solutes contained in it penetrate the fetal membranes in an hydrostatic and osmotic way as well as being swallowed by the fetus. Elemental composition of amniotic fluid influences the growth and health of the fetus, therefore, an analys...

Yunnan Province in China is known for its high biodiversity of mushrooms and a diverse geochemistry of soil bedrock and polymetallic soils, but our knowledge of mineral compositions of mushrooms from Yunnan is scarce. The metallic trace elements, Ag, Ba, Co, Cd, Cs, Cu, Cr, Hg, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, V, Tl, U and Zn, and the metalloids, As and Sb,...

Data on multi-trace element composition and content relationships have been obtained for Cantharellus cibarius, C. tubaeformis, and C. minor mushrooms from Poland and China by inductive coupled plasma–dynamic reaction cell–mass spectroscopy. There is no previous data published on As, Li, V, Tl, and U in chanterelles from Poland and on Ba, Co, Cr, N...

The leaching of arsenic and fifteen metallic elements from freshly collected caps of Amanita fulva Fr. fruiting bodies as a result of food processing was investigated. The caps were respectively dried, deep frozen, blanched and pickled. No previous data were available on impact of pickling with vinegar on fate of heavy metals accumulated in flesh b...

The laser ablation-ICP-MS method was used for a quantitative assessment of the distribution of elements Al, Ba, Ca, Cu, Mg, Mn, Pb, Sr, and Zn in feathers. We analysed the rectrices of first-year red-breasted flycatchers characterized by a black-and-white colouration, which gave the opportunity to examine the content of elements in two aspects: (i)...

Fungi can effectively accumulate various metallic elements, metalloids and non-metals in fruiting bodies. This study provides information on the accumulation of Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cs, Cu, Cr, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, V, Tl, U and Zn in the edible mushroom Sarcodon imbricatus (L.) P. Karst. using the technique of inductively coupled plasma – mass sp...

Dried sclerotia of Wolfiporia extensa has a long history of a wide medicinal uses in Asia because of anti-inflammatory effect. There is deficit of information on inorganic constituents of sclerotia. This study aimed at providing and evaluating data on some trace metals (Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, Tl, U, V, Zn) contents...

Baseline concentrations of Ag, Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Sr, Tl, V, U and Zn were presented in Amanita fulva collected from unpolluted areas in Poland. There is no previous data published on the bio-element constituents of A. fulva. A very narrow range of values was determined by ICP-DRC-MS and ICP-AES for th...

The main aim of the research was to evaluate the impact of the type and color of container and the type of stored water on the concentration of toxic As, Cr and Sb species. The applicability of the method previously developed in our laboratory for the multielemental speciation analysis of five toxic species: AsIII, AsV, CrVI, SbIII and SbV in drink...

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was used for in-situ quantitative analysis of oral mucosa of patients before and after implantation with titanium implants and a closing screw based on Ti6Al4V alloy. Two calibration strategies were applied, both were based on matrix matched solid standards with analytes additi...

Arsenic is a ubiquitous element which may be found in surface water, groundwater, and drinking water. In higher concentrations, this element is considered genotoxic and carcinogenic; thus, its level must be strictly controlled. We investigated the concentration of total arsenic and arsenic species: As(III), As(V), MMA, DMA, and AsB in drinking wate...

Speciation analysis has become an invaluable tool in human health risk assessment, environmental monitoring or food quality control. Another step is to develop reliable multielemental speciation methodologies, to reduce costs, waste and time needed for the analysis. Separation and detection of species of several elements in a single analytical run...

The content of elements in fish tissues and organs from Swarzędzkie Lake was investigated in order to evaluate the possible risk associated with their consumption by animals as well as humans. Samples of muscle, liver and fish bone of three fish species; roach (Rutilus rutilus), silver bream (Blicca bjoerkna) and crucian carp (Carassius carassius)...

The concentrations of various trace elements in amniotic fluid (AF) change over the course of pregnancy, with gestational age and fetus growth. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the concentrations of selected essential and toxic elements in AF and their relations to maternal and fetal parameters. The study was carried out in 39 pregnant...

Qualitative and quantitative methods were developed for cadmium, lead, cooper and zinc mapping and quantification in root of pea Pisum sativum L. Plants were cultivated hydroponically in a Hoagland medium with the addition of 50 μM of: CdCl2, Pb(NO3)2, CuSO4, or ZnSO4. After 48 h, parts of roots were cut and analysed. LA-ICP-MS was used for in vivo...

Analytical procedure dedicated for multielemental determination of toxic species: As(III), As(V), Cr(VI), Sb(III) and Sb(V) in drinking water samples using high performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC/ICP-DRC-MS) technique was developed. Optimization of the detection and separation conditio...

Head and neck cancers are one of the most frequent cancers worldwide. This paper attempts to evaluate disturbances of homeostasis of the necessary elements (calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, manganese) and changes in the levels of toxic metals (lead, cadmium, cobalt, chromium VI) in hair of patients with head and neck cancers, as well as peop...

Two analytical procedures have been developed for the determination of total chromium (TCr) and its highly toxic species, i.e. Cr(VI) in water samples using the following methods: inductively coupled plasma dynamic reaction cell isotope dilution mass spectrometry (ICP-DRC-IDMS) and high performance liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma d...

Analytical procedures for multielemental speciation analysis of arsenite – As(III), arsenate – As(V) and hexavalent chromium – Cr(VI) in water using high performance liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC/ICP-DRC-MS) hyphenated technique have been developed. A dynamic reaction cell (DRC) for spectral interferences...

Nickel and chromium accumulation from the air in Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) is presented in this paper. Plants were exposed at five sites varying in environmental characteristics. Four one-month series were performed during the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons. Chromium and nickel concentrations in leaves were analysed after every series...

This paper describes a summer school organized in the context of an International Master Program, which was created to address a qualification framework required by many employers for having graduates with knowledge and competences required to work in an accredited laboratory. The development of this program started in 2005 when the European Commis...

Chromium holds a special position among living organisms because depending on its species it can be either essential or toxic. Cr(VI) even at very low concentrations is harmful and carcinogenic, while Cr(III) is a necessary microelement for cellular metabolism. Therefore, a simple analysis of Cr concentration in collected samples will not be able t...

The detection limit (LD) and the quantification limit (LQ) are important parameters in the validation process. Estimation of these parameters is especially important when trace and ultra-trace quantities of analyte are to be detected. When the apparatus response from the analyte is below the detection limit, it does not necessarily mean that the an...

Streszczenie Praca prezentuje rezultaty biomonitoringu ołowiu w zróżnicowanych warunkach środowiskowych. Do oceny zawartości poziomu ołowiu wykorzystano rośliny życicy wielokwiatowej. Dodatkowo w liściach oznaczono zawartość chlorofilu (a+b, a oraz b) w świeżej masie. Rośliny eksponowano w okresie wegetacyjnym roku 2011 na pięciu stanowiskach badaw...