Irina Geana

• PhD in Chemistry
• Principal Investigator at National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic Technologies, ICSI Rm. VAlcea

Bioethanol has proven to be a clean alternative fuel for road vehicles and energy, the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to bioethanol through sustainable production processes becoming increasingly important. Fruits processing by-products represent a promising lignocellulosic biomass which can be valorised in biorefinery approach to obtain diff...

Demonstrating the authenticity and traceability of quality wines based on parameters that reflect their composition and provenance contributes to protecting wine authenticity and to increasing consumer confidence in moderate wine consumption, which is associated with numerous health-promoting properties. A wine’s phenolic fingerprint is increasingl...

Any change in the composition or physicochemical parameters of honey outside the standardized intervals may be deemed fraud, irrespective of direct introduction of certain substances or feeding honeybees with syrups. Simple and rapid tools along with more sophisticated ones are required to monitor fraudulent practices in the honey trade. In this wo...

This study addresses the necessity to monitor the presence of glyphosate (Gly) in waters, highlighting the need for on-site detection of Gly by using electrochemical sensors in environmental and agricultural monitoring programs. Two approaches were employed: (1) modification with graphene decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs-Gr) and dispersed i...

The cider market has been significantly expanding and gaining momentum in Eastern Europe. As such, the aim of this study was to obtain sparkling cider via the Champenoise method using two Romanian apple varieties (Topaz and Red Topaz) alongside the employment of two fermentations. Four yeast strains were used in the first fermentation, while encaps...

Bee bread has received attention due to its high nutritional value, especially its phenolic composition, which enhances life quality. The present study aimed to evaluate the chemical and antimicrobial properties of bee bread (BB) samples from Romania. Initially, the bee bread alcoholic extracts (BBEs) were obtained from BB collected and prepared by...

Glyphosate (GLY), a widely utilized pesticide, poses a significant threat to human health even at minute concentrations. In this study, we propose an innovative electrochemical sensor for the indirect detection of GLY in surface water samples. The sensor incorporates a nanohybrid material composed of multi-layer graphene decorated with gold nanopar...

This study aimed to exploit two invasive plant species to develop a novel, multifunctional, bioactive wound dressing based on a microporous cellulosic sponge (CS) from Gleditsia triacanthos pods and functionalizing them with Phytolacca americana fruit extract. The CS was functionalized, lyophilized, and characterized by Attenuated total reflectance...

Interest in the extraction of phytochemical bioactive compounds, especially polyphenols from biomass, has recently increased due to their valuable biological potential as natural sources of antioxidants, which could be used in a wide range of applications, from foods and pharmaceuticals to green polymers and bio-based materials. The present researc...

Compound specific isotope analysis was extensively used to characterise the environmental processes associated with the abiotic and biotic transformation of persistent halogenated organic pollutants including those of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). In the last years, the compound specific isotope analysis was applied as tool to evaluate t...

Wine contains important amounts of antioxidants, which contribute to the protection of the body from oxidative stress and associated diseases. This study aims to characterize the bioactive characteristics and individual polyphenolic composition of different white and red musts and the corresponding wines obtained at Stefanesti vineyard, Romania, an...

Some organic pollutants including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been banned from production worldwide, but due to their toxicity and persistence are still of concern. Also, unintentional by-products of combustion and industrial processes such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), represent a perman...

This chapter discusses the composition of fruit pomaces, namely, apple and grape pomaces, as well as potential future industrial uses. Additionally, it provides an overview of the extraction techniques used to value bioactive substances. The main composition of these fruit pomaces and the use of the resulting compounds in various industrial sectors...

Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) and virgin olive oil (VOO) are valuable natural products of great economic interest for their producing countries, and therefore, it is necessary to establish methods capable of proving the authenticity of these oils on the market. This work presents a methodology for the discrimination of olive oil and extra-virgin ol...

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of chitosan treatments, applied in vineyard for plan protection, on the phenolic quality of grapes. The study was conducted for two consecutive years (2020-2021) in the wine center of Murfatlar, Romania, on ‘Fetească neagră’, an ancient but well-known indigenous Romanian grape variety for r...

Herein we report a feasible study concerning the synthesis and the in vitro antimicrobial activity of some new homodrimane sesquiterpenoids with a benzimidazole unit. Based on some homodrimane carboxylic acids, on their acyl chlorides and intermediate monoamides, a series of seven N-homodrimenoyl-2-amino-1,3-benzimidazoles and 2-homodrimenyl-1,3-be...

Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was applied for polyphenols extraction from Romanian propolis, followed by comparison with previous maceration work. The effects consisted not only in time reduction and extraction yield increase, but also in polyphenolics profile modification in terms of flavonoids / polyphenolic acids ratio. The operating para...

Grapes are rich in phenolic compounds, being important for human health with anti-inflammatory, antiatherosclerotic, antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic, antibacterial, antiviral, and antimicrobial activity. The winemaking of the grapes generates significant amounts of waste. These wastes contain bioactive compounds in their biomass that can be used as...

Ziziphus jujuba Mill. (jujube) is a well-known medicinal plant with pronounced wound healing properties. The present study aimed to establish the chemical composition of the lyophilized ethanolic extract from Romanian Ziziphus jujuba leaves and to evaluate the healing and anti-inflammatory properties of a newly developed lipophilic ointment contain...

This study provides important data on the distribution, sources and ecological risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), in surface waters and sediments collected from dam reservoirs on middle and lower course of the Olt River, the main tributary of the Danube, until the discharge into the Black Sea. A wide variation range of total PAHs con...

Biodeterioration of cultural heritage is caused by different organisms capable of inducing complex alteration processes. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of Rosmarinus officinalis hydro-alcoholic extract to inhibit the growth of deteriogenic microbial strains. For this, the physico-chemical characterization of the vegetal extract...

In anticipation of the food crisis, developing innovative products and technologies to increase crop yield and quality is a necessity. In this context, the aim of this study was to develop a phytostimulant based on Tagetes erecta extract and rhizobacteria to increase the antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi. The hydroalcoholic extract...

Based on some homodrimane carboxylic acids and their acyl chlorides, a series of fourteen 2-homodrimenyl-1,3-benzothiazoles, N-homodrimenoyl-2-amino-1,3-benzothiazoles, 4′-methyl-homodrimenoyl anilides and 4′-methyl-homodrimenthioyl anilides were synthesized and their biological activities were evaluated on five species of fungi (Aspergillus niger,...

This paper evaluated the chemical and biological properties of bee pollen samples from Romania. Firstly, the bee pollen alcoholic extracts (BPEs) were obtained from raw bee pollen harvested by Apis mellifera carpatica bees. The chemical composition of BPE was obtained by determination of total phenol content and total flavonoid content, UHPLC-DAD-E...

Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.), a valuable fruit crop, is cultivated in small areas in Romania, mostly in the west, where the moderate continental climate has a slight Mediterranean influence. This work aims to investigate the bioactive characteristics (total polyphenols, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity), individual polyphenolic composi...

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating the efficiency of Allium sativum hydro-alcoholic extract (ASE) againstFigure growth, biofilm development, and soluble factor production of more than 200 biodeteriogenic microbial strains isolated from cultural heritage objects and buildings. The plant extract composition and antiox...

Considering the growing interest in functional foods, the identification of the individual species of elements is of great importance in understanding specific nutraceutical properties. The present study aims to compare the dynamic of the elemental content (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, and Se), total polyphenols, and antioxidant activity of T...

The study aimed to investigate the chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of alcoholic extracts obtained from Phytolacca americana leaves and berries. The total phenols, flavonoids (spectrophotometric method, HPLC), carotenoids, betalains, saponins, antioxidant activity (ABTS and DPPH methods) and antimicrobial activity of P....

The tremendous impact of natural and anthropogenic organic and inorganic substances, continuously released into the environment requires a better understanding of the chemical status of aquatic ecosystems. Water contamination monitoring studies have been performed for different classes of substances, in different regions of the world. Reliable anal...

This study aimed to investigate two classes of POPs, namely PAHs and PCBs in different environmental matrices (vegetation, soil, water, and sediments) collected from two industrial areas of Romania: (1) Copșa Mică, an area with a history in industrial activity for the production of carbon black from methane gas (Carbosin SA) and the production of P...

The present study aims to investigate the distribution of organic contaminants in different species of fish (catfish - Silurus glanis, crucian - Carrassius gibelio, perch - Perca fluviatilis, slug - Rutilus rutilus, bream - Abramis brama) taken in the period 2019 - 2020 from the middle and lower course of Olt River, in the localities of Cornet, Str...

In this work two types of materials have been used to develop electrochemical sensor for Gly detetction. The gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) modified graphene (Gr) nanomaterials showing high sensitivity as non-enzymatic material for sensor modification, while the molecularly-imprinted polymer (MIP) showing both high sensitivity and high selectivity towa...

The tremendous impact of natural and anthropogenic organic and inorganic substances continuously released into the environment requires a better understanding of the chemical status of aquatic ecosystems. Water contamination monitoring studies were performed for different classes of substances in different regions of the world. Reliable analytical...

Propolis, a complex bee product, is a source of numerous bioactive principles, beneficial for human health, therefore it is intensively studied. In the present work, extracts of propolis from Bihor Romanian County were studied to identify the relationship between the polyphenolic derivatives profile and their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity....

The producers of essential oils from the Republic of Moldova care about the quality of their products and at the same time, try to capitalize on the waste from processing. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the chemical composition of lavender (Lavanda angustifolia L.) essential oil and some by-products derived from its production (res...

In this work a comparative assessment was performed on individual and total polyphenols and biochemical properties of some Feteasca Neagra red wines obtained from grapes cultivated with different farming technologies (organic vs. conventional). The effect of a 30% cluster thinning treatment in both organic and conventional vineyard, compared to con...

The phenolic composition of wine is mostly determined by the accumulation of the phenolic compounds in the grapes, as well as their extraction into wine. To increase their concentration in grapes, yield reduction is usually performed by pruning, while to increase the extraction in wines, the maceration on skins is extended for longer periods of tim...

Phenolic compounds are plants’ bioactive metabolites that have been studied for their ability to confer extensive benefits to human health. As currently there is an increased interest in natural compounds identification and characterization, new analytical methods based on advanced technologies have been developed. This paper summarizes current adv...

Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.), a popular and widely cultivated fruit world-wide, contains bioactive compounds responsible for their health benefits. Here we report the amounts of some bioactive compounds: two major triterpenes (oleanolic and ursolic acids) and polyphenols (phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, flavonoids and t-resveratrol), together with...

Gleditsia triacanthos is an aggressive invasive species in Eastern Europe, producing a significant number of pods that could represent an inexhaustible resource of raw material for various applications. The aim of this study was to extract cellulose from the Gleditsia triacanthos pods, characterize it by spectrophotometric and UHPLC–DAD-ESI/MS anal...

Organic contaminants (OCs) accumulate in the environment as a result of anthropogenic activities (industrial, agricultural, and household activities as well as auto traffic) and produce negative effects on the environment and humans. [...]

This work demonstrates the application of voltammetric sensors based on screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) modified with polypyrrole doped with different doping agents for the rapid fingerprinting of different white and red wines followed by the discrimination and classification depending on grape variety and vintage year. Disposable SPCEs we...

Considering the growing interest in functional foods, the identification of the individual species of elements is of great importance in understanding specific nutraceutical properties. The present study aims to compare the dynamic of the elemental content (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, and Se), total polyphenols, and antioxidant activity of T...

This work reports the application a sensor array based on modified screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE) in conjunction with chemometrics for wine discrimination and classification according to the varietal origin of the grapes. Three SPCEs modified with e nanomaterials such as single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), multi-walled carbon nanotubes...

Consumers are increasingly interested in the characteristics of the products they consume, including aroma, taste, and appearance, and hence, scientific research was conducted in order to develop electronic senses devices that mimic the human senses. Thanks to the utilization of electroanalytical techniques that used various sensors modified with d...

Identification and quantification of polyphenols in plant material are of great interest since they make a significant contribution to its total bioactivity. In the present study, an UPLC-Orbitrap-MS/MS approach using the variable data acquisition mode (vDIA) was developed and applied for rapid separation, identification, and quantification of the...

This paper is an overview of screening methods recently developed for emerging halogenated contaminants and their transformation products. The target screening methods are available only for a limited number of emerging pollutants since the reference standards for these compounds are not always available, but a risk assessment of those micropolluta...

There is a growing trend in food industry in combining safety and quality attributes of products with their distinct regional identity. In this study we used data on several elements (Cd, Cu, Cr, Zn, Pb and Ni) and phenolic compounds (gallic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, trans-resveratrol, rutin, quercetin and...

There is a growing trend in food industry in combining safety and quality attributes of products with their distinct regional identity. In this study we used data on several elements (Cd, Cu, Cr, Zn, Pb and Ni) and phenolic compounds (gallic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, trans-resveratrol, rutin, quercetin and...

One of the most important issues in the wine sector and prevention of adulterations of wines are discrimination of grape varieties, geographical origin of wine, and year of vintage. In this experimental research study, UV-Vis and FT-IR spectroscopic screening analytical approaches together with chemometric pattern recognition techniques were applie...

Assessing the authenticity of honey is a serious problem that has gained much interest internationally because honey has frequently been subject to various fraudulent practices, including mislabelling of botanical and geographical origin and mixing with sugar syrups or honey of lower quality. To protect the health of consumers and avoid competition...

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Highly ordered-pore SBA-15 was synthesized by co-condensation of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) using an amphiphilic block copolymer as structure-directing agent. The BET, EDX, TGA-DSC and SEM analysis have been used for sorbent characterization. The adsorption properties of the calcined mesoporous silica SB...

Romania has tradition in walnut culture and favorable climatic conditions. In order to establish the suitable cultivars for growing into the Northern Oltenia area several walnut cultivars of different origin were evaluated for productivity and fruits quality. Twelve Romanian cultivars and two foreign ones with terminal bearing and 10 cultivars with...

The aim of the study was to investigate the differences between walnut genotypes of various geographical and genetic origins grown under the same or different environmental conditions. The biological material analyzed consisted in walnut kernels of 34 cultivars, nine advanced selections, and six hybrids harvested in 2015 and 2016, summing up to a t...

Introduction Honey has been considered to have therapeutic properties since ancient times and among the factors responsible for such activity are phenolic compounds including phenolic acids and flavonoids from different natural sources. Objective This study investigated the phenolic compounds profile and bioactive properties of different honey typ...

The phytotoxicity testing was intended to demonstrate specific traits of invasive plants, namely their ability to remove native species. For this purpose, we determined the effect of extracts obtained from Amaranthus retroflexus L., Helianthus tuberosus L. and Ailanthus altissima Mill. Swingle on root elongation and the mitotic film cell by Triticu...

Wine geographical traceability is an important topic in the context of wine authentication and for that, many researchers worldwide have addressed this subject by developing different methodologies based on multivariate analysis of natural chemical composition data (inorganic or organic parameters) and isotopic signature. The goal of this work was...

The feasibility of isotopic and elemental fingerprinting in the classification of wines according to their geographical origin was investigated by applying advanced techniques such as isotope ratio mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to characterize wines produced in four major vineyards in Romania from both indigenou...

Certification of quality and authenticity of food, among which fruits and its derivate products have a significant contribution on the market, remains a topic of interest for both consumers and producers since the price of agricultural products can vary greatly according to their denomination of origin and nutritional value. For this purpose reliab...

Methodologies for chemometric classification of five authentic red wine varieties from Murfatlar wine center, Romania, young and aged are reported. The discriminant analysis based on several anthocyanins, organic acids, (13)C/(12)C, (18)O/(16)O and D/H isotopic ratios, (1)H and (13)C NMR fingerprints revealed a very satisfactory categorization of t...

Characterization of acacia, sunflower, rape, linden and polyfloral Romanian honey was performed by high performance liquid chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and physico-chemical analysis for classification by floral origin and to assess quality and storage conditions. The pH, electrical conductivity, moisture content, total solids,...

Trans-resveratrol (3, 5, 4' – trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is naturally present in the skin of grapes and therefore would be expected to occur in grape products. Recently, there has been a renewal of interest in wine as medical treatment for various disorders. In this study, berry skins of five red grape varieties were analysed at weekly intervals fo...

This paper presents the spectral and electrochemical properties correlated to antioxidant character attributed to anthocyans: Pelargonidin-3-O-Glucoside, Cyanidin-3-O-Glucoside, Delphinidin-3-O-Glucoside, Peonidin-3-O-Glucoside, Malvidin-3-O-Glucoside. The Anthocyans were obtained and purified from natural selective hydroalcoholic extracts using HP...

Several wines were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-PDA), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) in order to associate the concentration levels of the chemical parameters with the geographical origin of wines and wine varieties. Thus, the concentrations of 22 el...

The goal of this study was to determine the trans-resveratrol concentration in wine. A set of 70 wine samples from Romania, produced according to the appellation of origin system, were analyzed by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. White wines were found to have markedly lower concentrations of trans-resveratrol in comparison wit...

Abstract The latest research revealed that phenolic compounds play an important role in the quality of red wine, particularly on colour and astringency and also are responsible for the sanogenic or multiple benefic effects on human health after a moderate consumption of wine. This paper presents the ripening evolution of routine quality control par...

The aim of the present essay is the detection of the phenolic rutin compound, a phenolic compound with antioxidant properties, in musts coming from autochthonous variety. The detection and quantification of the rutin has been carried out through chromatographic methods HPLC, resulting the identification in three must variety, Sauvignon blanc (SB),...

The latest research revealed that phenolic compounds play an important role in the quality of red wine, particularly on colour and astringency and also are responsible for the sanogenic or multiple benefic effects on human health after a moderate consumption of wine. This paper presents the ripening evolution of routine quality control parameters (...