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Obesity (Ob) depicts a state of energy imbalance(s) being characterized by the accumulation of excessive fat and which predisposes to several metabolic diseases. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a promising option for addressing obesity and its associated metabolic co-morbidities. The present study aims at assessing the beneficial effects of human placental MSCs (P-MSCs) in mitigating Ob-associated insulin resistance (IR) and mitochondrial dysfunction both in vivo and in vitro. Under obesogenic milieu, adipocytes showed a significant reduction in glucose uptake, and impaired insulin signaling with decreased expression of UCP1 and PGC1α, suggestive of dysregulated non-shivering thermogenesis vis-a-vis mitochondrial biogenesis respectively. Furthermore, obesogenic adipocytes demonstrated impaired mitochondrial respiration and energy homeostasis evidenced by reduced oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and blunted ATP/NAD

Although they have several uses, organophosphates (OPs) are mostly employed in agriculture as insecticides. Every year, OPs are too accountable for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of individuals. Acute toxicity is caused by overstimulating the central and autonomic nervous systems with nicotinic and muscarinic receptors, as well as the neuromuscular junction, as a result of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme suppression. Based on the poisoning history, the odor of pesticides, the distinctive clinical symptoms, and decreased cholinesterase activity are used to make the diagnosis of OP poisoning. The keys to successful outcomes are appropriate supportive care, decontamination, intensive anti-muscarinic therapy, early seizure management, and the administration of antidotal oxime medication.

Phyllanthus emblica fruit has a rich source of polyphenolic compounds and is widely used due to its medicinal properties. A portion of the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) from 70% methanol extract (70% ME) showed greater 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) scavenging activities. Moreover, EAF has more polyphenol content than 70% ME. The EAF was subjected to a dry silica gel column eluted successively with a mixture of chloroform: ethyl acetate: formic acid (2.8: 2.4: 0.4ml) as a mobile phase solvent system, and to afford various fractions. EAF and isolated fraction-1 of ethyl gallate (EG) showed a unique pattern of EG standard chromatogram in thin layer chromatography (TLC) analysis. EAF and isolated fraction-1 real time (R.T) of the peaks were unique compared with those of the standard chromatogram in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. This chromatogram fraction was collected from isolated fraction-1 at the same R.T time by multiple HPLC analysis. The collected fraction from HPLC was injected into Mass spectroscopy (MS) and it showed a molecular ion at m/z 197 corresponding to C9H10O5. The substance was identified as EG based on the results mentioned above.

Obesity poses a significant risk factor for the onset of metabolic syndrome with allied complications, wherein mesenchymal stem cell therapy is seen as a promising treatment for obesity-induced metabolic syndrome. In the present study, we aim to explore the beneficial effects of the human placental mesenchymal stromal cells (P-MSCs) on obesity-associated insulin resistance (IR) including inflammation. To understand this, we have analyzed the peripheral blood glucose, serum insulin levels by ELISA, and the glucose uptake capacity of skeletal muscle by a 2-NBDG assay using flow cytometry in WNIN/GR-Ob rats treated with and without P-MSCs. Also, we have studied insulin signaling and cytokine profile in the skeletal muscle by western blotting, dot blotting, and Multiplex-ELISA techniques. The skeletal muscle of WNIN/GR-Ob rats demonstrates dysregulation of cytokines, altered glucose uptake vis-a-vis insulin signaling. However, P-MSCs' treatment was effective in WNIN/GR-Ob rats as compared to its control, to restore HOMA-IR, re-establishes dysregulated cytokines and PI3K-Akt pathway in addition to enhanced Glut4 expression and glucose uptake studied in skeletal muscle. Overall, our data advocate the beneficial effects of P-MSCs to ameliorate inflammatory milieu, improve insulin sensitivity, and normalize glucose homeostasis underlining the Ob-T2D conditions, and we attribute for immunomodulatory, paracrine, autocrine, and multipotent functions of P-MSCs.

Objective and design: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an idiopathic inflammatory condition of the digestive system marked by oxidative stress, leukocyte infiltration, and elevation of inflammatory mediators. In this study, we demonstrate the protective effect of Ethyl gallate (EG), a phytochemical, and Propyl gallate (PG), an antioxidant, given through normal drinking water (DW) and copper water (CW) in various combinations, which had a positive effect on the amelioration of DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in C57BL/6J mice. Materials and methods: We successfully determined the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and Antioxidant enzymes by ELISA, tracked Oxidative/Nitrosative stress (RO/NS) by in vivo imaging (IVIS) using L-012 chemiluminescent probe, disease activity index (DAI), histopathological and morphometric analysis of colon in DSS-induced Colitis in a model. Results: The results revealed that oral administration of Ethyl gallate and Propyl gallate at a dose of 50 mg/kg considerably reduced the severity of colitis and improved both macroscopic and microscopic clinical symptoms. The limits of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and IFN-γ) in colonic tissue were considerably reduced in the DSS+EG-treated and DSS+PG-treated groups, compared to the DSS alone treated group. IVIS imaging of animals from the DSS+EG and DSS+PG treated groups showed a highly significant decrease in RO/NS species relative to the DSS control group, with the exception of the DSS+PG/CW and DSS+EG+PG/CW treated groups. We also observed lower levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO), nitric oxide (NO), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) and higher levels of GST and superoxide dismutase (SOD). In addition, we showed that the EG, PG, and EG+PG-treated groups had a healing impact on DAI score, body weight, and colon length in mice with DSS-induced colitis. In this 21-day study, mice were treated daily with test substances and were challenged to DSS from day 7 to 14. Conclusion: Our study highlights the protective effect of ethyl gallate and propyl gallate in various combinations which, in pre-clinical animals, serves as an anti-inflammatory drug against the severe form of colitis, indicating its potential for the treatment of IBD in humans. In addition, propyl gallate was investigated for the first time in this study for its anti-colitogenic effect with normal drinking water and reduced effect with copper water.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a pathological condition, wherein fat deposition exceeds the allowable limits of the healthy person. If the condition persists for a long time, the patient will eventually develop NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis), which will probably lead to HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma). The incidence of NAFLD is rising at an alarming rate, and still there are no drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for this devastating health condition. To combat and treat NAFLD successfully, it is essential to understand how routine lipid metabolism in the liver is altered under these conditions. In this review, we discuss specifically during the NAFLD progression how the signaling pathways leading to excess fat accumulation in the liver are changed. We also address variations in the mechanisms underlying hepatic lipid uptake and changes in fatty acid oxidation mechanisms. We will also highlight the role of transcription factors and other lipolytic enzymes that stringently regulate the hepatic de novo lipolysis (DNL) and emphasize how they are altered during NAFLD progression. Finally, we will also touch upon how the lipid disposal from the liver goes wrong during the NAFLD progression. A comprehensive understanding of the changes in lipid metabolism is essential for developing successful therapies for NAFLD.

The purpose of this study was to see the effect of fluoride (F) in Wistar NIN rats in a dose and time-dependent manner. Male rats (n=36) were taken and were randomly divided into six groups (Group I: control, group II: 5 mg/L F, Group III: 10 mg/L F, Group IV: 15 mg/L F, Group V: 50 mg/L F and Group VI: 100 mg/L F). Animals were examined at 3-time points of 30, 60 and 90 days for F toxicity changes. The results indicated that the F induced dose and time-dependent diet intake, body weight gain, food efficiency ratio, dental fluorosis, urinary, serum, bone and teeth F levels and histopathological changes in liver and kidney tissue. The significant increase in exposure of F through water in groups V and VI as compared to other groups has shown alterations in their food efficiency ratio, body weight gain, and the significant increase in the urinary and serum F levels. Histopathology of the kidney showed few dilated tubules in the kidney of group VI compared to all other groups. Whereas histopathology of the liver showed microvacuolation in groups V and VI compared to groups I, II and III. However, there were no significant differences between the organ weight ratios of different organs among all the groups. In conclusion, the dose-dependent effect of F starts at 100, 50 and 15mg/L from first, second and third months respectively, however, there were no significant differences in 5 and 10 mg/L F groups after 3 months.

Owing to the instability of Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), it may undergo auto-oxidation and form oxidised products or dimers. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects, including antioxidation and immunomodulatory action, of the Oxidised Epigallocatechin Gallate (O-EGCG) as compared to native EGCG and the action of these compounds on main protease (Mpro) docking against SARS-CoV-2. HCT-116 (Human Colon Cancer) cell lines were used to estimate the total antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation levels and pro-inflammatory markers (human IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α). Further, molecular docking analysis was performed by AutoDock and visualised in Discovery studio. Improved antioxidant capacity of O-EGCG was observed, and there was a significant decrease in the inflammatory markers (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) when O-EGCG was applied as compared to EGCG. The O-EGCG was shown to be strongly associated with the highest docking score and active site residues of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF- α, as well as the Mpro of SARS-CoV-2, according to in silico approach. The in vitro and in silico analyses indicate an improved therapeutic action of the oxidised form of EGCG. The effective inhibitory action of O-EGCG against SARS-CoV-2 suggests further exploration of the compound against COVID-19 and its efficacy. However, in vivo studies and understanding of the mechanism of action of O-EGCG may yield a better opinion on the use of O-EGCG and future human clinical trials.

Objective In the present study we reported oxidation of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and validation of oxidized product by a validated ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method. Methods Two hundred milligrams of EGCG was oxidized in 5 mL of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and was identified by a validated UHPLC method with precision and robustness. Confirmation of parameters like C–H stretching and mass was carried out using infrared spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy, respectively. Identification of oxidized EGCG (O-EGCG) was done by UHPLC. Results The infrared spectroscopy chromatograms observed less intensity C-H stretching as compared to O-EGCG. The mass of EGCG and O-EGCG were 459.09 and 915.16, respectively. Structure elucidation revealed a loss of one proton in O-EGCG as compared to EGCG. Validation of the developed method was specific, with linear correlation coefficient 0.9981 and 0.9917, respectively for EGCG and O-EGCG, the accuracy rate of 95.2%–99.6% for EGCG, and 99.18%–101.5% for O-EGCG. Conclusion Together, the results of this study demonstrate the formation of a dimer also the UHPLC method developed for identification of both EGCG and O-EGCG is validated as per the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) guidelines.

On 4th December 2020, a sudden outbreak, with neurological symptoms like seizures, loss of consciousness etc., was reported in a town from south India. By 3rdday about 400 people were involved. A multi disciplinary team from our institute visited the site to investigate the outbreak. Based on the case history and clinical examination of the patients, the team suspected a probable diagnosis of an acute pesticide, heavy metal and/or mycotoxin exposure for which, biological samples (blood, urine) were collected from those who reported the symptoms as well as from a few who did not report symptoms (controls). To identify the source, water and food samples were collected. The samples were subjected to ICP-MS for heavy metal analysis, LC-MS/MS for pesticide analysis, microbiological analysis and ELISA-Kit method for aflatoxins if any. Clinical and dietary details were collected from a total of 112 participants, of which, 103 cases (77 active cases at Hospital and 26 recovered cases from community) and 9 were controls. A total of 109 biological samples, 36 water samples and food samples were collected. The mean age of the study participants was 29.2 years. Among cases, Seizures were seen in 84%, loss of consciousness in 66%, mental confusion in 35%, pinpoint pupil in 11%. Triazophos (organophosphate) pesticide was present in 74% of Blood samples and its metabolites were present in 98% of the urine samples collected from the cases. All the ten heavy metals investigated including lead, mercury and nickel were found to be within permissible limits except for a few samples. No presence of mycotoxins was observed in Food samples. Water samples which included Head pump and reservoir were free from pesticides; however, all water samples from households of cases had triazophos pesticide with a mean concentration of 1.00 ug/L. Thus, it was concluded that, the probable cause of outbreak was Triazophos (Organophosphate) pesticide contamination in water at the Household level. Regular surveillance for the presence of residual pesticides in soil, water and food with heightened vigour is recommended to prevent future outbreaks.

Although Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the most available and beneficial catechin found in tea, its auto-oxidation property may lead to toxicity when consumed in large quantities. Thus, there is a need to quantify the EGCG, which enables to study the pharmacological characteristics of the compound. The study aimed to develop and validate a rapid and accurate analytical method for quantitative determination of EGCG. Standard EGCG was used to conduct trials for the optimization of the analytical method using Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC). Tests for validation (specificity, linearity, accuracy, system suitability, method precision, robustness, and ruggedness) were performed. The preliminary trials yielded an analytical method with good peak shape and acceptable system suitability which was further validated. The method was shown to be specific, with a linear correlation coefficient of > 0.9996 and accurate with acceptable recovery rate (99.1% to 100.4%). Acceptable system suitability and method precision were confirmed with a relative standard deviation (less than 2%). Further, robustness and ruggedness experiments also demonstrated the suitability of the present analytical method. The method developed for determination of EGCG was validated as per the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) guidelines and thus can be used in routine compliance tests in the laboratory for further studying/characterizing the properties of EGCG.

Litchi fruits are a nutritious and commercial crop in the Indian state of Bihar. Litchi fruit contains a toxin, methylene cyclopropyl-glycine (MCPG), which is known to be fatal by causing encephalitis-related deaths. This is especially harmful when consumed by malnourished children. The first case of litchi toxicity was reported in Bihar in 2011. A similar event was recorded in 2014 among children admitted to the Muzaffarpur government hospital, Bihar. Litchi samples sent to ICMR-NIN were analyzed and MCPG was found to be present in both the pulp and seed of the fruit. Diethyl phosphate (DEP) metabolites were found in the urine samples of children who had consumed litchi fruit from this area indicating exposure to pesticide. The presence of both MCPG in litchi and DEP metabolites in urine samples highlights the need to conduct a comprehensive investigation that examines all factors of toxicity.

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) interfere with the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a vital enzyme that regulates the functioning of the nervous system, resulting in acetylcholine (Ach) accumulation at the synapses and myoneural junctions. It remains unknown whether the commonly used OPs in South India also interfere with the AChE activity and their toxicokinetics in humans remains poorly understood. We collected peripheral blood samples from OP-associated suicide cases (hospitalised) and analysed the pesticide concentration and AChE activity, and the toxicokinetics of six commonly used pesticides. LC-MS/MS was used for the estimation of pesticide concentration. Based on a comparison of six pesticide kinetic profiles and toxicokinetic parameters, we concluded that chlorpyrifos ingestion resulted in the highest concentration of chlopyrifos among the identified pesticides, followed by acephate, triazophos, propanil, while dimethoate exhibited the lowest concentration. Based on a time-course analysis, we observed a faster elimination phase for monocrotophos and dimethoate. We observed that there was a significant decrease in the mean concentration of monocrotophos (64 ng/mL) (P = 0.015), while the mean value of AChE (1.08 unit/mL) increased over time. While monocrotophos and dimethoate elimination phases were remarkable in human subjects, the other pesticides did notdemonstrate similar elimination phases owing to their low rate of metabolism and high stability.

Background Dengue is one of the most important arthropod-borne viral diseases of public health importance. Till now, any potential vaccine or suitable regimen of effective antiviral activities has not been reported in laboratories. So, a bioinformatic simulation of an antiviral compound was tried in the back-drop of randomly collected dengue viral serosamples in their active virulent stage in patients from endemic areas of widely distinct geo-coded geographical matrices to explore for a plausible 3-D interaction with Adefovir dipivoxil, an antiviral regimen, to extrapolate activities for its relative efficacies in designated endemic foci for its further extrapolation in other endemic areas in India. Methods Blood samples from the dengue infested patients, supposed to contain dengue serotype1, serotype 2, serotype 3 and serotype 4, have been collected from the urban and peri-urban OPD Clinics in hospitals from metro cities, Karnataka, India between the end of October 2013 and the end of February 2014. After their collection, the samples were sent to the laboratory in a cold-chain system, later on processed for its extraction of the susceptible A sequences from samples and identified their subtypes using reverse transcription polymeric chain reaction (RT-PCR). Further it has been identified motifs in serotype(s). Immediately thereafter its current epitopes have been reviewed, and a comprehensive summary of epitope prediction was performed and modelled the three serotypes using I-Tesser as per method already described. Results Molecular docking studies revealed that serotype-2 has binding affinities for a strong interaction. The Adefovir dipivoxil, an anti-viral regimen is strongly bound with the receptors of the serotypes-1 and 2 showing positively its confirmation for its use as an anti-viral regimen in infested communities in dengue virus (DENV) endemic areas. This compound may be used for the treatment of infested dengue viruses. Since, dengue is a worldwide problem particularly the developing countries, most notable are small-aged children; till date no suitable drug(s) available for its treatment. On the basis of results, the present anti-viral compound, Adefovir dipivoxil may be used as a regimen for therapeutic purposes.

Exposure to organophosphorus pesticides was assessed though bio-monitoring of urinary dialkyl phosphate metabolites to characterize children's exposure to pesticides. No reports have been found which evaluate exposure of pesticides among adolescents of different sexes. The primary objective was to develop a coupled exposure–dose modeling approach that can be used to determine the metabolite concentrations. Related objective was to determine any significant changes of pesticide exposure among the adolescents of different sexes. The primary objective was to develop a coupled exposure-dose modeling approach to determine the metabolites concentrations to keep children's urine metabolites levels below specified values considering exposures from water, and the food related objective was to determine any significant changes of pesticide exposure among the adolescents of different sexes. We recruited a sample of 377 children (188 boys, 189 girls) ages 6–10 and 11–15 years from Hyderabad, India for urine collection. Results showed that the mean concentrations of dialkyl phosphate metabolites in first morning first urine samples (3.05 µmol L−1) were strongly correlated with concentrations of the same-day 24-h samples (1.7 µmol L−1) ( r = 0.997, model R2 ≈ 0.994, p

Correction for ‘Analysis of dialkyl urine metabolites of organophosphate pesticides by a liquid chromatography mass spectrometry technique’ by Sukesh Narayan Sinha et al., Anal. Methods, 2014, 6, 1825–1834.

Total diet study approach was used to assess the dietary intakes of pesticide residues among the select population in Hyderabad. When assessed by a food frequency questionnaire, it was found that the food intakes varied among five socioeconomic sections (SES). Therefore, we intended to compare the intakes of pesticide residues through these foods among the five SES. A total of 195 foods from different markets were collected and analyzed for 19 pesticides. The residues were analyzed with a gas chromatograph and were confirmed with mass spectrometry. About 51 % of the samples were detected with one or more residues. Thirteen out of the 19 residues were present in levels above detection limits in various concentrations. The median concentrations of the residues in all the samples tested, ranged from 0.00010 to 0.33 mg/kg. Highest median concentration was for β-HCH in water samples. Exposures to all the residues were below the respective ADIs at both mean and 95th percentile levels of food intakes with highest estimated dietary intakes (EDIs) of β-HCH in both the cases. The EDIs of β-HCH were the highest among all the residues at both the intake levels among all the SES. The EDIs of β-HCH were significantly higher in lower SES than higher SES possibly due to the consumption of rice cooked in water contaminated with β-HCH. EDIs for other residues did not differ significantly among the five SES.

The LC-MS/MS with Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and safe method was used for analysis of eighteen pesticides in fruit samples. This method was found to be accurate (≥99%), as it possessed limits of detection in the 0.002–0.087 ranges respectively. The coefficients of variations (≥0.9999) were less than 2% at the low ng g−1 concentration. Mean recoveries ranged between 97 and 101%, and % RSD were below 5%. The imidacloprid mean concentrations of red grapes (125.124 ng g−1) and green grapes (702.030 ng g−1) differed significantly (p

In this study, we assessed the exposure of urban populations to different classes of organophosphate pesticides due to the consumption of different types of vegetables. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry was used for quantification, while the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe extraction method was used to isolate eighteen organophosphate pesticides found in vegetable samples (eggplant, ladyfinger, cauliflower, cabbage, tomato and chili) at concentration of μg/kg. This method was accurate (≥ 99.5%) and possessed a limit of detection and quantification in the range of 0.002–0.099 and 0.009–0.337 μg/kg respectively. The coefficients of variation (≥ 0.9999) were less than 2% at the low end of the linear range of the method. The mean recovery ranged between 94 and 103%, and the % relative standard deviation (RSD) was generally below 10%. These results demonstrate that the methodology is both highly efficient and robust. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of vegetable samples collected from different government farmer markets and street shops in urban areas. The mean concentration of chlorpyrifos in eggplant (24.02 μg/kg), cabbage (10.55 μg/kg), cauliflower (2.85 μg/kg), tomato (178.87 μg/kg) and ladyfinger (2.49 μg/kg) differed significantly (p

A sensitive method for the quantification of 11 pesticides in sugar samples to the μg kg −1 level has been developed. These pesticides are often used in an agricultural context. A simple solvent extraction followed by selective analysis using a gas chromatography–mass spectrometric method was used. This method was accurate (⩾99%) as it possesses limits of detection in the 0.1-μg kg −1 range, and the coefficients of variations are less than 15% at the low μg kg −1 end of the method’s linear range. The percent recovery of all the pesticides at the lowest levels of detection ranges from 82% to 104%. This method was used for the quantification of pesticides in sugar samples collected from different factory outlets from different parts of India. In this study, 27 refined sugar samples were analysed in which one sample showed a detectable level of the chlorpyrifos pesticide. This study showed that Indian sugar is free from the commonly-used pesticides at the low μg kg −1 levels.

A sensitive method for the quantification of eight organophosphate pesticides in water samples at the ng L−1 concentration level has been developed. These organophosphates include pesticides, insecticides and herbicides used in agricultural applications. A lyophilization with simple solvent extraction followed by selective analysis using a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry method was used. This method was accurate (≥98.9%), as it possessed limits of detection and quantification in the 4.9–51 and 16.5–171 ng L−1 ranges, respectively. Furthermore, the coefficients of variations (≥0.999) were less than 8.2% at the low ng L−1 end of the linear range of the method. In addition, the percentage recovery of all pesticides at the 0.1 μg L−1 levels ranged from 96% to 103%. This method was then used for the quantification of organophosphates in drinking and bore water samples collected from different parts of urban areas. We subsequently found detectable levels of monocrotofos, imedacloprid, triazofos, atrazine, propanil, quinolfos and metribuzin in more than 23% of the water samples analyzed.

In the process of the development of agriculture, pesticides have become an important tool as an insecticide to kill the insect from plant for boosting food production. Therefore the insecticides/pesticides and herbicides have been used in India for agriculture setting. In this connection a sensitive method for the quantification of 5 pesticides in drinking water samples to the µgL–1 level has been developed. The paper also describes the effect of dissociation energy on ion formation and sensitivity of pesticides in water samples. The structure, ion formations, distribution of base peak and fragmentation schemes were correlated with the different dissociation energies. The new ion was obtained at different mass to charge ratio, which was the characteristic ion peak of targeted pesticide. Additionally, a simple solvent lyophilization followed by selective analysis using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method was used. This method was accurate (≥98%) as it possesses limits of detection in the 6 - 38 ngL–1 range, and the percentage relative standard deviations are less than 8.62% at the low µgL–1 end of the method’s linear range. The percentage recovery of all the pesticides at the 0.1 µgL–1 levels of detection ranges from 92% - 104%. This method was used for the quantification of pesticides in water samples collected from different parts from urban city of Hyderabad, India. In this study, 13 water samples were analyzed in which all samples showed detectable level of the malathion and alachlor. The concentration of pesticides ranged from 0.004 µgL–1 to 0.691 µgL–1 exceeded to the maximum residual limit of Indian standard.

The paper describes the effect of dissociation energy on ion formation and sensitivity of triazofos in blood samples. Six millilitres hexane was used for the extraction of triazofos from 2 mL serum samples. The extract was reconstituted in 1 mL hexane and analyzed by GC–MS/MS in electron impact MS/MS mode. The structure, ion formations, nature of base peak and fragmentation schemes were correlated with the different dissociation energies. The new ion was obtained at mass to charge ratio 161 (100%), which was the characteristic ion peak of triazofos. On using different exciting amplitudes different behaviours of fragmentation schemes were obtained. The effect of dissociation energy on sensitivity of the analyte was also demonstrated. The mass spectra recorded at different exciting amplitudes 60 V correspond to the m/z 161 (100%), 77 (100%) and 119 (100%), respectively. The maximum sensitivity of analyte in blood sample was obtained on using 50 V dissociation energy. Additionally, the effect of current on sensitivity of the method was also demonstrated. In all conditions the new characteristic ion at m/z 161 was obtained and used for quantification of triazofos in blood samples with maximum sensitivity. The limit of detection and quantification was 0.351 and 1.17 ng mL−1, respectively, with 99% accuracy. The observed correlation coefficient was 0.995. The inter-day percentage recoveries from 83.9% to 111% were obtained below 9.38 percentage RSD. This present method gives combined picture of confirmation and quantification of triazofos in critical care practices and also provides tremendous selectivity advantages due to matrix elimination in the parent ion isolation step in blood sample analysis for triazofos in poisoning emergency cases.

Correction for ‘Analysis of dialkyl urine metabolites of organophosphate pesticides by a liquid chromatography mass spectrometry technique’ by Sukesh Narayan Sinha et al., Anal. Methods, 2014, 6, 1825–1834.

The objective of this study is to determine the concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in different fish species collected from fish outlets in the south Indian city of Hyderabad. The samples of fish extracted by using Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) and concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, 45 congeners) were determined by gas chromatography-microelectron capture detection (GC-μECD) method. The intake of individual PCB congeners through fish, toxicity equivalence factors (TEFs), hazardous quotient, quantitative assessment, and risk evaluations was estimated in the Indian population. Daily dietary intakes of PCBs at the 95th-percentile-measured concentrations were twice the values of the 50th-percentile-measured concentrations in all socio-economic groups. The dietary intakes of PCBs through fish consumption in middle-income group, low-income group, and industrial laborers (0.023 μg kg(-1) day(-1)), the high-income group (0.031 μg kg(-1) day(-1)), and slum dwellers (0.039 μg kg(-1) day(-1)) exceeded the reference dose. The observed estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of our study for all socio-economic sections (0.0087 μg/kg/day) crossed the cancer benchmark concentration of 0.0003 μg/kg/day. In slum dwellers, the ingestion of fish from freshwater and marine water results in the highest lifetime cancer risks of 4.7 in 100,000 and 7.8 in 100,000, respectively. Ultimately, the concentrations of PCBs were determined high in all of the fish species collected. Risk assessment showed that the fish were highly contaminated with PCBs and may pose health threats to consumers in the city of Hyderabad as well as a lifetime cancer risk.

A sensitive GC–MS method in MS/MS ion preparation was developed for quantitative estimation and qualitative determination of chlorpyrifos in human blood samples. This paper describes the combined effect of dissociation energy on ion formation of chlorpyrifos and sensitivity of this analytical method. Chlorpyrifos was extracted using methanol/hexane mixture from 0.2 ml human blood, deactivated with saturated acidic salt solution. The extract was then re-concentrated and analyzed by electron impact (EI) MS/MS gas chromatography–mass spectrometer. The MS/MS spectra of chlorpyrifos ion were recorded on different dissociation energy (30–100 V) to establish the structural confirmation and to demonstrate the effect of this energy on sensitivity, S / N ratio and detection limit for quantification of chlorpyrifos, which is first time reported. At different exciting amplitude (30–100 V), different behaviors of base peak, sensitivity, S / N ratio and detection limit of this method were observed for quantification of chlorpyrifos. The mass spectra recorded at dissociation energy 80 V correspond to the m / z 314 (100%), m / z 286 (100%) and m / z 258 (100%), respectively. The sensitivity, signal and detection limit of this method increased on 95 V at m / z 258. Therefore, m / z 258 was used for the quantification of chlorpyrifos. The detection limit for quantification was 0.1 ng/ml with S / N : 2 in human blood. The linear calibration curve with the correlation coefficient ( r > 0.99) was obtained. The percentage recoveries from 95.33% to 107.67% were observed for chlorpyrifos from human blood. The blood samples were collected at different time intervals. The concentration of chlorpyrifos in poisoning case was 3300, 3000, 2200, 1000, 600, 300 ng/ml on day 1, 3, 6, 8, 10 and 12, respectively. On the 12th day of exposure of chlorpyrifos, 90.9% reduction in concentration was observed. On day 14th the chlorpyrifos was not detected in the blood of the same subject. Thus the present method is useful for detection of chlorpyrifos in critical care practices and also provides tremendous selectivity advantages due to matrix elimination in the parent ion isolation step in blood sample analysis for chlorpyrifos.

Exposure to benzene and toluene from the combustion of solid biomass fuels is one of the important causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. In this study, we assessed the exposure of cooks to benzene and toluene from biomass fuel combustion in 55 rural homes. The GC-MS was used for quantification while a personnel sampler was used for environmental monitoring. The benzene exposure differed significantly (p < 0.0001) across different types of indoor kitchen fuel combinations. The geometrical mean (GM) of benzene exposure for cooks during cooking hours in an indoor kitchen using mixed fuel was 75.3 microg/m3 (with partition) and 63.206 microg/m3 (without partition), while the exposure was 11.7 microg/m3 for open type. The benzene exposure was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in an indoor kitchen with respect to open type using mixed fuels. Concentration of benzene (114.1 microg/m3) for cooks in an indoor kitchen with partition using dung fuel was significantly higher in comparison to non-cooks (5.1 microg/m3) for open type. Benzene exposure was not significantly different for kitchen with ventilation (31.2 microg/m3) and without ventilation (45.0 microg/m3) using wood fuel. However, this value was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than in indoor kitchens with or without partition. An almost similar trend was observed for toluene but the difference was statistically non-significant. This study may be helpful in developing a regional exposure database and in the facilitation of health risk assessment due to volatile organic pollutants in our day-to-day environment.

A gas chromatography-mass spectroscopic method in electron ionization (EI) mode with MS/MS ion preparation using helium at flow rate 1 ml min(-1) as carrier gas on DB-5 capillary column (30 m x 0.25 mm i.d. film thickness 0.25 microm) has been developed for the determination of benzene in indoor air. The detection limit for benzene was 0.002 microg ml(-1) with S/N: 4 (S: 66, N: 14). The benzene concentration for cooks during cooking time in indoor kitchen using dung fuel was 114.1 microg m(-3) while it was 6.6 microg m(-3) for open type kitchen. The benzene concentration was significantly higher (p < 0.01) in indoor kitchen with respect to open type kitchen using dung fuels. The wood fuel produces 36.5 microg m(-3) of benzene in indoor kitchen. The concentration of benzene in indoor kitchen using wood fuel was significantly (p < 0.01) lower in comparison to dung fuel. This method may be helpful for environmental analytical chemist dealing with GC-MS in confirmation and quantification of benzene in environmental samples with health risk exposure assessment.

A number of families in a rural area of Jabalpur District (Madhya Pradesh), India, were affected by repeated episodes of convulsive illness over a period of three weeks. The aim of this investigation was to determine the cause of the illness.The investigation included a house-to-house survey, interviews of affected families, discussions with treating physicians, and examination of hospital records. Endosulfan poisoning was suspected as many villagers were using empty pesticide containers for food storage. To confirm this, our team collected blood and food samples, which were transported to the laboratory and analyzed with GC-ECD.Thirty-six persons of all age groups had illness of varying severity over a period of three weeks. In the first week, due to superstitions and lack of treatment, three children died. In the second week, symptomatic treatment of affected persons in a district hospital led to recovery but recurrence of convulsive episodes occurred after the return home. In the third week, 10 people were again hospitalized in a teaching hospital. Investigations carried out in this hospital ruled out infective etiology but no facilities were available for chemical analysis. All persons responded to symptomatic treatment. The blood and food samples analyzed by our team showed presence of endosulfan, which was confirmed by GCMS. One of the food items (Laddu) prepared from wheat flour was found to contain 676 ppm of alpha-endosulfan.Contamination of wheat grains or flour with endosulfan and its consumption over a period of time was the most likely cause of repeated episodes of convulsions, but the exact reason for this contamination could not be determined. This report highlights the unsafe disposal of pesticide containers by illiterate farm workers, superstitions leading to delay in treatment, and susceptibility of children to endosulfan.

During the complete oxidation of fatty acids, the electrons removed from fatty acids in different forms (FADH2 and NADH2) pass through the respiratory chain, driving the ATP synthesis. Generally, the ATP yield due to the complete oxidation of fatty acids is calculated by sum total the ATPs obtained due to the oxidation of FADH2 and NADH2 due to lack of any particular method. This calculation is simple for saturated even numbered fatty acids, but in the case of saturated and unsaturated odd numbered fatty acids the calculation of ATP yield is difficult and needs mathematical calculations due to some changes in their beta-oxidation pathway when compared to the pathway of saturated even numbered fatty acids. These calculations are made simple by our derivations and following formulae where we require only number of carbon atoms and double bonds present in a fatty acid. Our method is superior and easier in comparison to long mathematical calculations that are in the practice.

Paint thinners containing a mixture of volatile organic solvents have considerable potential for solvent abuse. Deaths from solvent inhalation have been reported but most of them relate to intentional solvent abuse and occur soon after exposure. Accidental death due to unintentional inhalation of solvent vapors can also occur suddenly but more often, death results from late complications secondary to multi-organ toxicity. Malfunctioning of the cardiorespiratory, renal, and central nervous systems as a result of latent-toxic effects of solvent exposure has received little attention.An adult male unintentionally inhaled an excessive amount of paint thinner vapors and immediately developed central nervous system effects, followed by severe cardiorespiratory and renal pathologies that ultimately led to death 11 days after exposure.Acute unintentional inhalation of paint thinner fumes resulted in serious multi-organ toxicity and death. This case strongly suggests the need to employ suitable precautionary measures while handling volatile organic solvents in a confined area.

Fuel adulteration increases the emission of total hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and respirable particulate matter, and thus adds to air pollution. The study examined the effects of mixing of different percentage of kerosene with petrol on the motorized rickshaw exhausts in terms of volatile organic compounds (benzene, toluene, xylene and ethyl benzene) and total suspended particulate matter (SPM). The personal sampler was used for sampling, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for quantification of compounds. Concentration of volatile organic compounds significantly decreased (p0.001) along with the increase in fraction of kerosene in petrol. The level of benzene in exhausts while, using petrol (100%) was significantly higher (p0.001) than that of three combinations used in this study (75% petrol + 25% kerosene, 50% petrol + 50% kerosene and 25% petrol + 75% kerosene). Similar trend was observed for toluene, xylene and ethyl benzene also. The mean concentration of benzene, toluene, xylene and ethyl benzene were 31.34,160.93, 10.07 and 5.58 microg m(-3) in pure petrol, while 12.30, 51.41,4.89 and 3.16 microg m(-3) for fuel combination 75% petrol + 25% kerosene. The observed levels of benzene, toluene, xylene and ethyl benzene were 9.12, 41.04, 4.33 and 2.91 microg m(-3) for fuel mixture having 50% petrol with 50% kerosene and levels were 8.36, 20.05, 3.82 and 2.95 microg m(-3) were for 25% petrol with 75% kerosene fuel combination. The levels of suspended particulate matter (SPM) increased along with the increase in fraction of kerosene in petrol. The data generated is useful to understand the common volatile organic compounds trend with the increasing fraction of kerosene in petrol.