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Microbiota and the metabolites they produce within the large intestine interact with the host epithelia under the influence of a range of host-derived metabolic, immune, and homeostatic factors. This complex host–microbe interaction affects intestinal tumorigenesis, but established microbial or metabolite profiles predicting colorectal cancer (CRC) risk are missing. Here, we aimed to identify fecal bacteria, volatile organic compounds (VOC), and their associations that distinguish healthy (non-adenoma, NA) from CRC prone (high-risk adenoma, HRA) individuals. Analyzing fecal samples obtained from 117 participants ≥15 days past routine colonoscopy, we highlight the higher abundance of Proteobacteria and Parabacteroides distasonis, and the lower abundance of Lachnospiraceae species, Roseburia faecis, Blautia luti, Fusicatenibacter saccharivorans, Eubacterium rectale, and Phascolarctobacterium faecium in the samples of HRA individuals. Volatolomic analysis of samples from 28 participants revealed a higher concentration of five compounds in the feces of HRA individuals, isobutyric acid, methyl butyrate, methyl propionate, 2-hexanone, and 2-pentanone. We used binomial logistic regression modeling, revealing 68 and 96 fecal bacteria-VOC associations at the family and genus level, respectively, that distinguish NA from HRA endpoints. For example, isobutyric acid associations with Lachnospiraceae incertae sedis and Bacteroides genera exhibit positive and negative regression lines for NA and HRA endpoints, respectively. However, the same chemical associates with Coprococcus and Colinsella genera exhibit the reverse regression line trends. Thus, fecal microbiota and VOC profiles and their associations in NA versus HRA individuals indicate the significance of multiple levels of analysis towards the identification of testable CRC risk biomarkers.

The current study presented a novel process of biogas upgrading to biomethane (higher than 97%) based on anaerobic sludge and zero-valent iron (ZVI) system. When ZVI was added into an aquatic system with anaerobic granular sludge (AnGrSl) under anaerobic abiotic conditions, H2 was generated. Then, the H2 and CO2 were converted by the hydrogenotrophic methanogens to CH4. Biogas upgrading to biomethane was achieved in 4 days in the AnGrSl system (50 g L-1 ZVI, initial pH 5 and 20 g L-1 NaHCO3). In this system, when zero-valent scrap iron (ZVSI) was added instead of ZVI, a more extended period (21 days) was required to achieve biogas upgrading. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the materials in a reactor with CO2 or biogas headspace, exhibited a mixture of ferrite and the iron carbonate phase of siderite (FeCO3), with the latter being the dominant phase. VOCs analysis in raw biogas (in the system of anaerobic sludge and ZVI) highlighted the reduction of low mass straight- and branched-chain alkanes (C6-C10). Also, H2S and NH3 were found to be substantially reduced when the anaerobic sludge was exposed to ZVI compared to the cases where ZVI was not added. This study found that simultaneously with biogas upgrading, VOCs, H2S and NH3 can be removed in a system of ZVI or ZVSI and AnGrSl under aquatic anaerobic conditions.

A headspace high sorptive extraction (HS-HiSorb) Thermal Desorption-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) method was developed and optimized for the determination of the volatile profile of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). The HS-HiSorb extraction parameters of temperature, sample mass, stirring rate, and adsorption time were optimized by applying the one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) approach. A total of 21 multi-varietal olive oil samples were collected from four different olive mills in Cyprus during the harvesting period 2020–2021. Seventy-six volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified and semi-quantified, belonging to several chemical categories such as hydrocarbons (31) three of which are terpenes, aldehydes (22), carboxylic acids (6), ketones (5), esters (4), alcohols (3), ethers (2), furans (2), and others (1). Aldehydes (40.20 %) and hydrocarbons (41.08 %) represented the main components of olive oil’s volatile profile. The overall concentrations of VOCs in the samples ranged from 8.73 to 39.81 mg/kg. The HiSorb-TD-GC-MS method was evaluated in terms of repeatability and linearity for selected VOCs. Repeatability was performed at three different concentrations (1, 10, and 100 ppbv), and the relative standard deviation (RSD) ranged from 2.21 to 15.86 %. The calibration curves of (E)-2-hexenal, 1-penten-3-one, nonanal, and hexanal were developed to evaluate the linearity range. The results were satisfactory, with the correlation coefficient (R 2) greater than 0.98. Finally, the limitations of the method are mentioned and discussed.

Headspace solid-phase micro extraction-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS) was performed for the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from books. Towards this, books of different ages were examined (old = 50-300 years and new = 2-25 years) using a CAR/PDMS fiber. The examined books were placed into an in-house made glass sampling chamber, where they remained enclosed for 24 h prior to SPME sampling and subsequent analysis. SPME is a green and non-destructive preconcentration technique based on the absorption of analytes on a fiber coating placed inside the sample’s headspace volume. The results were in line with previous reports; the most prominent VOCs released from old books were furfural, acetic acid, and acetone, whereas new books emitted toluene, acetone, and heptanal. This natural process takes place over time due to the decay of paper and degradation of ink and its mitigation is important for the preservation of texts that are considered cultural heritage. The method can be leveraged for monitoring the decay process, as well as the effect of external pollution on the books.

Sulfur compounds in liquid fuel are undesirable and the level of these compounds in diesel fuel is strictly regulated in the last 15 years by the European Union. These stringent regulations are imposing an urgent requirement for fuel terminals to produce fuels having ultra-low sulfur content. A promising Eco-Technology is to employ Biodesulfurization (BDS), a process where the bacteria (liquid phase) are mixed with oil at ambient temperature and pressure to selectively remove organosulfur components from oil fractions without degrading the carbon skeleton of the compounds. Most of the studies have examined the BDS under aerobic conditions using pure cultures or mix inoculum, and the main byproducts remain in the liquid phase. However, the present study explored a new proof of concept; BDS under anaerobic conditions using inoculums from various anaerobic sources. The enrichment in each inoculum took place several months and electron donors were used. In addition, the microbial profile over time was examined at the end of the BDS using next generation sequencing. The BDS of oil under anaerobic conditions profits of aeration cost, as well as the advantage of releasing H2S in the gas phase, which can be easily treated using the existing H2S technologies.

Size resolved measurements of aerosol particles are essential for understanding key processes in the atmosphere, and assessing their potential impacts on human health and climate. This has led to an increasing demand for compact and portable, yet cost-effective, instruments for characterizing the atmospheric aerosol. A commonly employed instrument for sizing aerosol particles in the sub-micrometer range is the Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA). Commercial DMAs weigh several kilograms, and have a cost higher than 10 kEUR. When employed in aerosol size spectrometers, they attribute a poor time resolution to the system (in the range of several minutes), as they require scanning of their operating conditions. This limits their ability to probe rapidly-changing aerosols caused by certain processes. One way to overcome this limitation is to employ several DMAs operated at fixed conditions (instead of one in which the operating conditions are scanned), but doing so multiplies the weight, the size and the cost of the entire system. Here we report on the design and testing of a lightweight, miniaturized and cost-effective Parallel-Plate DMA. The weight of this DMA is reduced to less than 1 kg, whereas its manufacturing cost is two orders of magnitude less than that of their commercial counterparts.

In the framework of circular economy, the need of new feedstock materials for the production of alternative new products is of high priority. Biowastes such as manure, sewage sludge (biosolids, BS) and food-waste are used as raw materials for the production of biochar. The present study aims at characterizing biochars produced from three distinct biowastes (i) manure from cattle waste (manure-derived biochar; MDB), (ii) biosolids (BS) from a conventional Urban Wastewater Treatment Plant (UWTP) (biosolids-derived biochar; BDB), and (iii) spent coffee grounds (SCG)-derived biochar (SCGDB). Samples were slowly pyrolyzed in a small-scale kiln with a capacity of 20–24 kg. The samples were heated under nitrogen atmosphere at approximately 6–7 °C min−1 up to the desired temperature (550 °C) and held for 1.5h. The physicochemical characterization of biochars showed the production of alkaline materials with similarities and variations in their characteristics, which depend to the type of feedstock used. The surface area of the raw materials was considerably low (

Ceratonia siliqua L. is quite popular for the sweetness of its fruit (“natural chocolate”) and the strong, persistent, characteristic odor that associates not only carob fruit, but also its traditional food products. This is due to the emission of an array of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The released odor is a complex mixture, and therefore, needs to be separated prior detected, especially when its origin varies and is engaged. Therefore, Headspace–Solid-Phase Microextraction–Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (HS–SPME–GC–MS) analysis was performed in ground carob pods from three different European countries to decode their released aroma. The method was applied to Cypriot (Kountourka, Koumpota, Tilliria), Spanish (Negra, Rojal, Matalafera) and Italian (Saccarata, Racemosa, Gibiliana) cultivars, and the released volatile species were further processed with multivariate data analysis (MDA). The chromatographic separation highlighted 54 common VOCs in the grounded carob pods; the most abundant appeared to be propanoic acid 2-methyl (isobutyric acid), acetic acid, butanoic acid, hexanoic acid, and propanoic acid 2-methyl-methyl ester. The quantitative results for acetic acid, propanoic acid 2-methyl, butanoic acid, furfural and pentanoic acid revealed their emission in the low ppbv levels. The engage of MDA on the obtained results showed a clear differentiation of the carobs based on their geographical and botanical origin. The combination of HS–SPME–GC–MS and chemometrics contributes to the quality characterization of carobs and highlights their authenticity markers.

Cattle wastewater (CWW) is considered an important source of contamination in the livestock sector. Therefore, electrocoagulation (EC) using Aluminium electrodes and electrooxidation (EO) through Boron Doped Diamond (BDD) electrodes processes, were applied to the liquid fraction of cattle waste (CW) to decrease the levels of certain pollutants such as nitrogen (N-NO3, T-N), phosphates (P-PO4) and organic content (Chemical Oxygen Demand, COD), in order to eliminate their environmental impacts to soil, groundwater and atmosphere. The respective electrochemical methods, were compared with chemical coagulation process by using Al2(SO4)3 and FeCl3 as a coagulant. CWW samples were derived from three cattle farms. As experimentally was revealed, the main parameters strongly affecting the experimental procedure were the solid density of the sample and the high concentration of pollutants. Other operating parameters such as current density, electroprocessing time, dilution ratio and agitation speed were studied and optimised. Results showed an optimal removal efficiency after using the combined EC-EO processes at current density of 200A/m2, agitation at 300 rpm, duration time of 2 h for both processes at room temperature, with a 1:5 dilution ratio. The results also showed that P-PO4 were fully removed, COD up to 70%, N-NO3 at 80% and T-N close to 20%. The combined use of EC and EO improved the quality of CWW in regard to P-PO4, COD, N-NO3 and T-N content. Nevertheless, further experiments are needed in order to verify the respective results in a pilot scale.

In the current study, a novel process of ex-situ biogas upgrading to biomethane is presented which is based on a system consisted of anaerobic sludge and zero valent iron (ZVI). The ZVI when is added in an aquatic system with anaerobic granular sludge generates H2 under anaerobic abiotic conditions. Then, the H2 and CO2 are converted by the hydrogenotrophic methanogens to CH4. Biogas upgrading to biomethane was achieved in 4 days in a system of anaerobic granular sludge, 50 g L1 ZVI initial pH 5 and 20 g L1 NaHCO3. In this system when zero valent scrap iron (ZVSI) was added instead of ZVI required longer period (21 days) to achieve biogas upgrading. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) analysis in raw biogas (in system of anaerobic sludge and ZVI) showed mainly the reduction of low mass straight- and branched-chain alkanes (C6-C10); however, no other particular trend regarding the removal of other VOCs was observed. H2S and NH3 were found to be substantially reduced, when the anaerobic sludge was exposed to ZVI compared to no decrease in serum bottles free of ZVI.

Hairdressing personnel is daily exposed to various chemical air pollutants, and specifically to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Particulate Matter (PM) in hair salons. This is of concern, due to the hazardous effects of these chemicals on the individual's health. Nevertheless, a limited exposure assessment of indoor air quality (IAQ) has been performed. The aim of this study was to analyze the indoor air in 5 hair salons, to assess the IAQ of the occupational exposure, and to identify the main VOCs produced or activities responsible for the respective indoor pollution. The chemical analysis took place inside the salon environment by monitoring the emitted VOCs, as well as the PM of 1, 2.5, 4, and 10 μm aerodynamic diameter. The sampling of VOCs was performed by adsorption of pollutants on Tenax TA sorbent tubes, that were subsequently analyzed using a thermal desorption unit coupled to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS). The obtained results showed that hair products are a major source of air pollutants, as elevated concentrations of VOCs and PM are released in the working environment. Furthermore, the type and concentration of VOCs are affected by the various hair treatment activities taking place in the salons. Among the main compounds detected there was benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes, known as BTEX, as well as, diethyl phthalate, 1,4-dioxane, etc. More than 50 VOCs were identified (occurrence ≥60%) and 14 of them were quantified. Their average concentration levels varied from 12 μg m

The air quality of modern cities is considered an important factor for the quality of life of humans and therefore is being safeguarded by various international organizations, concentrating on the mass concentration of particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10, 2.5 and 1 &mu, m. However, the different physical and anthropogenic processes and activities within the city contribute to the rise of fine (&lt, 1 &mu, m) and coarse (&gt, m) particles, directly impacting human health and the environment. In order to monitor certain natural and anthropogenic events, suspecting their significant contribution to PM concentrations, seven different events taking place on the coastal front of the city of Limassol (Cyprus) were on-site monitored using a portable PM instrument, these included both natural (e.g., dust event) and anthropogenic (e.g., cement factory, meat festival, tall building construction, tire factory, traffic jam, dust road) emissions taking place in spring and summer periods. The violations of the limits that were noticed were attributed mainly to the various anthropogenic activities taking place on-site, revealing once more the need for further research and continuous monitoring of air quality.

The wide use of fossil fuels and their associated environmental concerns, highlighted the importance of affordable and clean energy (goal 7), as adopted by the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations for 2030. For years now, the detection of sulfur components in liquid fuels is performed mainly for environmental and health purposes in compliance with the respective legislations. Towards this, the aerobic and anaerobic biodesulfurization (BDS) process, which entails the use of microorganisms to limit the sulfur concentration is followed. To ensure effective BDS, several traditional analytical methods are utilized, although they require bench-top, bulky, costly, and time-consuming instruments along with skilled personnel. The currently employed analytical methods are mostly chromatographic techniques (e.g. liquid and gas) coupled with various detectors. To start with, high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV), as well as electrospray ionization-LC-mass spectrometry (ESI-LC-MS) were mostly reported. Additionally, many detectors were coupled to gas chromatography (CG) including atomic emission detector (GC-AED), flame ionization detector (GC-FID), flame photometric detector (GC-FPD), sulfur fluorescence detector (GC-SFD), mass selective detector (GC–MS), etc. The solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique provides extra capabilities when added to the separation techniques. Towards the continuous interest in oil supercomplex synthesis, other atmospheric and surface desorption ionization techniques, as well as the multidimensional 2D chromatographic systems (GC × GC and LC × LC) were also investigated, due to their unsurpassed resolution power. The current review ends with final remarks per applied methodology and the necessity to respect and protect the human environment and life.

Solid phase micro extraction-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) analysis was performed in exhaled breath samples of 48 healthy volunteers: 20 non-smokers, 10 smokers and 18 e-cigarette (EC, vape) users. Each volunteer provided 1 L of exhaled breath in a pre-cleaned Tedlar bag, in which an SPME fiber was exposed to absorb the emitted breath volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The acquired data were processed using multivariate data analysis (MDA) methods in order to identify the characteristic chemicals of the three groups. The results revealed that the breath of non-smokers demonstrated inverse correlation with a variety of molecules related to the breath from smokers including furan, toluene, 2-butanone and other organic substances. Vapers were distinguished from smokers by the chemical speciation of the e-liquids, such as that of esters (e.g. ethyl acetate), terpenes (e.g. α-pinene, β-pinene, d-limonene, p-cymene, etc.) and oxygenated compounds (e.g. 3-hexen-1-ol, benzaldehyde, hexanal, decanal, etc). Two classification models were developed (a) using principal component analysis (PCA) with hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and (b) using partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Both models were validated using 8 new samples (4 vapers and 4 smokers), collected in addition to the 48 samples of the calibration set. The combination of GC/MS breath analysis and MDA contributed successfully in classifying the volunteers into their respective groups and highlighted the relevant characteristic VOCs. The respective dynamic combination (SPME-GC/MS and MDA) provides a means for long term non-invasive monitoring of the population's health status for early detection purposes.

The ability of biochar to be used as filter or as additive for the adsorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from cattle manure is investigated. The employed biochar was produced from cattle manure after slow pyrolysis at 550 °C (under nitrogen). Towards this, in-house-made glass emission reactors were filled with fresh cattle manure samples and a thin layer of biochar (10% w/w) was placed on the top of the manure layer. The mixture was left for 24 h to equilibrate and air samples were collected from the headspace air. The samples were then analyzed using the headspace solid-phase micro-extraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) method. Cattle manure emissions are considered unpleasant and odoriferous. The respective changes in the emitted cattle manure VOCs were reported; these included mainly reduction in sulfur- (thiols and sulfides) and oxygen-containing VOCs (alcohols, ketones, phenolics), showing a promising application of biochar for the removal of such compounds from manure wastes. Also, five VOCs were selected as sorbents for further laboratory studies: hexane, dimethyl trisulfide, phenol, p-cresol, and 2-methyl-3-pentanone. The results of cattle manure-derived biochar, revealed a reduction in their emitted concentrations (low ppbv). The present application highlights a straightforward example of cyclic economy, where a waste product is reused after being processed; its re-usage as odor adsorbent serves again the agriculture sector.

Four novel fruit-derived biochars were developed: pomegranate peels (PB), prickly pear peels (PPB), carob (CB), and locust bean gum (LBGB). The feedstocks were pyrolyzed at 350 and 550 ℃ (under N2), respectively, and characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Elemental Analysis (EA), Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (B.E.T) analysis, and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). A systematic and comprehensive comparison for the adsorption of selected volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by biochar was established. Cresol, dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS), hexane, and benzene were examined as a function of contact time (30–480 min), mass (0.1–1 g), concentration levels (50–1000 ppbv), efficiency, and reusability, using the headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC–MS) method. PB 550 ℃ revealed a specific surface area of 8.3 m2 g−1, the fastest complete removal, an ideal mass of 1 g, 3-times reuse, and ∼ 99% removal of 500 ppbv benzene, cresol, DMTS, and 100 ppbv hexane.

Biochars produced from various organic waste feedstocks have lately been utilized as adsorbents for the decontamination of antibiotics-contaminated environmental matrices. The aims of the present study were a) the assessment of the adsorption capacity of three distinct derived biochars [biosolids (BDΒ), cattle manure (MDB) and spent coffee grounds (SCGDB)], applied either at a low (1 g L−1) or high (10 g L−1) dose on seven antibiotics (tetracycline, TET; erythromycin, ERY; clarithromycin, CLA; ampicillin, AMP; ofloxacin, OFL; sulfamethoxazole, SMX; trimethoprim, TMP) spiked as mixture in environmentally relevant concentration (100 μg L−1) of an aqueous solution (8.27 85%) of AMP and TMP. However, the studied biochars failed to remove OFL and SMX. The adsorption results were best fitted to the Freundlich model with the sole exception of SMX. The main responsible mechanisms for the adsorption of antibiotics included surface complexation, H-bonding, π-π electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) interactions, pore-filling effects or the simultaneous occurrence of several of these mechanisms. Overall, the results highlighted the potential utilization of BDB, MDB and SCGDB for the decontamination of antibiotics-contaminated water bodies, while promoting the circular economy strategy.

A multi-residue method for the simultaneous analysis of a wide range of pesticides in raisins using liquid and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS and GC–MS/MS) has been validated. Pesticides are extracted from raisins with ethyl acetate, followed by centrifugation. The validation study was in accordance with DG SANTE guidelines. Validation experiments have been performed in both analytical instruments. A total number of 314 pesticides were spiked in raisins of organic farming at two spiking levels for GC–MS/MS (0.025 and 0.1 mg/kg), and at three spiking levels for LC-MS/MS (0.005, 0.05, and 0.1 mg/kg) with 6 replicates at each concentration. The scope of validation included linearity, limits of quantification (LOQ), accuracy, precision, and matrix effects (%) for each pesticide. The validated method was then applied for the analysis of 37 commercial raisin samples purchased from the market. For the evaluation of the results, processing factors (PFs) have been applied to derive the amount of residue in raisins, from the maximum residue levels (MRLs) of grapes, and which in this paper will be referred as to the MRL expressed in raisins. In all conventional samples, pesticides were detected at concentrations above the LOQ. In total, 55 different pesticides were detected. All conventional samples contained multiple pesticides ranging from 2 to 24. On the other hand, samples from organic farming were found to be free of the analysed pesticides. The 13.5% of the examined samples were considered as violations. The exposure assessment for the acute risk of the violating samples indicated that no potential risk derives from the detected and approved in the EU pesticides, while the detection of not approved pesticides in the EU, and the lack of toxicological reference values for certain pesticides raise concerns for the human health, especially for children. The results of the survey study indicate the need to include processed samples, and in particular dry fruits with a high consumption rate such as raisins, in the official controls of pesticide residues in food.

The biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) emissions from cultivated plants-soil systems and N fertilization's role on these emissions are mostly unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the BVOCs emissions from a plant-soil system receiving N fertilization using Rosmarinus officinalis as a model case study. We put forward the hypothesis that N fertilization changes the BVOCs emissions patterns irrespectively the presence of Rosmarinus officinalis and that the emissions are related to N availability and bacterial abundance. To test our hypothesis, we established a microcosm (glass static chambers) study in a fully randomized design with four treatments: soil (S), soil and plant (S + P), soil and fertilizer (S + F), soil, plant, and fertilizer (S + P + F); using NH4NO3 as N source. BVOCs were sampled from the microcosms, using the static headspace sampling technique with a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) device and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC–MS). Sampling occurred 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 15, 17, 22, 25, and 31 days after applying the NH4NO3 and besides BVOCs, we measured soil NH4+ and NO3− concentration as well as 16S rRNA bacterial abundance. Time drives a significant portion of the variation in the chemical diversity and quantity of the different VOCs found throughout the experiment (PERMANOVA; R2 = 0.28, p

Carobs unique compositional and biological synthesis enables their characterization as functional foods. In the present study, 76 samples derived from fruit and seeds of carobs, with origin from the countries of the Mediterranean region (Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Jordan and Palestine) were analyzed for their nutritional composition, in order to identify potential markers for their provenance and address the carobs’ authenticity issue. Moisture, ash, fat, proteins, sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose), dietary fibers and minerals (Ca, K, Mg, Na, P, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) were estimated following official methods. Due to the large number of data (76 samples × 17 parameters × 7 countries), chemometric techniques were employed to process them and extract conclusions. The samples of different geographical origin were discriminated with 79% success in total. The carobs from Cyprus, Italy and Spain were correctly classified without error. The main discriminators were found to be the dietary fibers, the carbohydrates and Cu, Zn and Mn, which emphasize their specific nutritional added value to the product and the country of origin impact. The results suggest that the proposed analytical approach is a powerful tool that enables the discrimination of carobs based on their country of origin. This research contributes to authenticity of carobs, adding value to local products.

The performance of biomass char production and application systems depends strongly on feedstock characteristics, conversion techniques, and methods of char handling, transport, and utilization. Although several combinations of biomass resources, conversion processes, and applications have been reported in the literature, few studies are focused on their environmental and economic benefits. This chapter provides a sustainability assessment for biomass utilization in char production and utilization in various applications, including soil amendment, energy production, and the synthesis of green adsorbents, catalysis, and supercapacitors.

Mining in Cyprus resulted in a significant number of abandoned sulphide mines without any rehabilitation measures. The present study aims to describe and compare the environmental parameters in three such mines with respect to water chemistry, waste dumps geochemistry, slope-topography and plant growth. The mines under study are that of Kokkinopezoula, North and South Mathiatis located at the northeast of the Troodos massif. A synopsis of the previous studies conducted for the above-mentioned mines is presented, which includes water and soil samples analyses. Although, in these areas environmental degradation is reported, there are some plants which grow naturally. Therefore, a preliminary attempt to report these plants is conducted, while remediation options presented in the literature including technosols, revegetation, phytoremediation and phytostabilization are proposed. Potential use of native plants such as Phragmites australis, Tamarix smyrnensis, Poaceae, Pinus brutia and Schoenus nigricans Poaceace could be applied for phytoremediation of the sulphide mines in Cyprus. These plants seem to have great strength at low pH values and high metal content in contaminated soils and water. The three mines under study are also compared with three other old mines located in the broader area of Cyprus; that of Xeros, Limni and Skouriotissa, which operated under similar climatic conditions. By improving abandoned mines environment with technosols, the action of native plants will be enhanced and thus work towards a successful phytoremediation treatment, resulting in the minimization of future pollutants generated by the solid waste dumps.

Vaping is promoted as a healthier alternative to smoking over the recent years, and e-cigarette (EC) users are considered to affect air quality (and thus contribute to passive smoking) much less than tobacco cigarette (TC) smokers. Here we test this hypothesis, by comparing measurements of the size distributions of particles and the levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) exhaled by both EC and TC users. A total of 26 individuals (16 EC users and 10 TC users) provided exhaled air samples that were analyzed using the same protocol. Our measurements show that the particle number concentration emitted by both EC and TC users are comparable, but the size distributions of the particles emitted by the former exhibit significantly higher variability compared to those from the latter. The burden of the VOCs was much higher in the exhaled air of TC smokers compared to that of EC users. Although some of the VOCs measured in the exhaled air of EC users were expected, as they are used directly in the e-liquids, the collected mixtures were highly variable (i.e., varying significantly from case to case) with only 8 compounds being common among all individuals participating in the study. In contrast, we identified 65 compounds among the TC smokers that were common among the participants. Toxic compounds (e.g., benzene, acetaldehyde, toluene, xylenes, styrene, phenol, naphthalene, etc.) were also present in the exhaled air of EC users. The high variabilities observed in the size distributions of the exhaled particles and the levels of VOCs from different EC users (i.e., due to different devices, operational settings and liquids) warrants for further research in order to fully understand the main- and side-stream effects of EC use in the human micro-environment. Despite that, the high particle emissions and the presence, even at trace levels, of toxic VOCs in the exhaled air of EC users that are reported in this study, suggests that ECs should not be considered as harmless substitutes of TCs.

Ceratonia siliqua L. Fabaceae, commonly known as the carob tree, is native to the eastern Mediterranean countries and its products are widely used in the diet of people living in Mediterranean Europe, Middle East and North Africa. Carobs are considered to be of high nutritional value, as they are virtually fat-free, rich in proteins, antioxidants, vitamins and contain several important minerals. Different types of carob products are available in the local market, such as carob syrup, powder, flour, snack, cream, etc. However, the potential positive health effects of carob-containing products are largely unknown and have not been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to determine significant urine and fecal metabolome alterations in 8 rats treated with carob powder for 15 days as compared to 8 non-treated ones (controls) using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and to underly specific metabolites that changed according to the treatment. Urine and fecal samples were collected in five time points during a 15 day period of treatment with carob powder throughout water consumption (10 g powder / L). A targeted HILIC-UPLC-MS/MS method was applied for the determination of 101 polar metabolites (sugars, amino acids, organic acids, amines, etc) in a single run of 40 min in both rat urine and feces. Chromatographic separation was performed on an Aquity BEH amide column (2.1 x 100 mm, i.d. 1.7 μm); the mobile phase was consisted of A: Acetonitrile:H2O 95:5 v/v (+ 10 mM ammonium formate) and B: H2O:Acetonitrile 70:30 v/v (+10 mM ammonium formate). The solvents flow rate was set at 0.5 mL/min. Mass spectrometry parameters were optimized for each of the 101 pre-selected analytes. Approximately 55 urinary and fecal metabolites were identified in both specimens. Data were further processed with multivariate (SIMCA 13) and univariate statistics (ANOVA). The differentiation of treated rats and controls was highlighted using discriminant multivariate models. Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank the “Black Gold” project financially supported by the University of Cyprus.

In this article, a database of blood:air and fat:air partition coefficients (λ b:a and λ f:a) is reported for estimating 1678 volatile organic compounds recently reported to appear in the volatilome of the healthy human. For this purpose, a quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) approach was applied and a novel method for Henry's law constants prediction developed. A random forest model based on Molecular Operating Environment 2D (MOE2D) descriptors based on 2619 literature-reported Henry's constant values was built. The calculated Henry's law constants correlate very well (R(2) test = 0.967) with the available experimental data. Blood:air and fat:air partition coefficients were calculated according to the method proposed by Poulin and Krishnan using the estimated Henry's constant values. The obtained values correlate reasonably well with the experimentally determined ones for a test set of 90 VOCs (R(2) = 0.95). The provided data aim to fill in the literature data gap and further assist the interpretation of results in studies of the human volatilome.

A wide spectrum of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is continuously produced in the human body and released through breath and sweat, thereby revealing important medical information. The variety of the analytical instrumentation used for measuring these biogenic VOCs is reviewed, highlighting the need to move towards field operability. The goal of this paper was to outline the potential of breath and sweat analysis for medical diagnostics and to introduce the idea of hand-held monitoring devices. Looking ahead, easy-to-use, low-power consumption, miniaturized instruments with processing capabilities and screening systems can further expand the use of breath and skin applications. Human breath and sweat present high potential as sources of volatiles for medical diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring. This medical knowledge should be integrated into personal care hand-held monitoring devices.