Air-nanobubble water (NBW) was applied to pre-acclimate anaerobically digested sludge that was then used as the inoculum in the two-stage anaerobic digestion (AD) of high saline (20 g NaCl/L) food waste (FW) to optimize NBW application in the AD of high saline FW. K⁺ was simultaneously supplemented during the methanogenic stage to resist the inhibition of salt on methanogens. Results showed that after the second pre-acclimation cycle, the inoculum activity was increased 27% in the Air-NBW supplemented reactor in comparison to the deionized water (DW) supplemented one. In the first-stage AD, H₂ yield was enhanced by 46% in the Air-NBW pre-acclimated sludge reactor compared with the DW pre-acclimated sludge reactor. Besides, supplementation of KOH in the methanogenic stage could enhance methane production by 17–25% in the DW reactors at initial pH 7.5, 8.0, and 9.0 when compared to the control reactor (using NaOH adjusted initial pH to 7.5), respectively.

Calcium (Ca) is an important driver of community structure in freshwaters. We examined the combined effects of increased temperatures and variations in food quantity on the tolerance to low Ca of Daphnia pulex. The aim was to predict the impact of climate warming on this keystone zooplanktonic species in cold-climate lakes. We conducted a factorial life-history experiment in a clone of North American Daphnia cf. pulex to analyse the interaction effects of a temperature increase (17.5 &deg:C&ndash:21 &deg:C) within their physiological preferred range and expected by climate warming over the next few decades and a narrow Ca gradient (0.25&ndash:1.74 mg Ca L&minus:1) under stressful vs. abundant food conditions. We found a striking positive synergistic effect of Ca and temperature on D. pulex reproduction at high food conditions. Although the increase in temperature to 21 &deg:C greatly reduced survival, high energy allocation to reproduction at high food levels allowed the population to succeed in poor Ca (&lt:0.25 mg Ca L&minus:1). Results suggest that climate warming and higher food availability will make the populations of many cold and Ca-limited lakes more tolerant to low Ca levels with higher growth population rates, thereby altering zooplanktonic community structures and inducing potential cascading effects on the food web.

La contaminación en aguas que son utilizadas para fines agrícolas (riego y lavado) o para consumo humano es una problemática, es por ello que cada vez se necesita de más métodos fiables que aseguren un correcto análisis microbiológico. Los objetivos de esta investigación fueron la construcción de las torundas de Moore, redactar procedimientos para el muestreo utilizando las torundas de Moore y el método de filtración por membrana. Se realizaron muestreos de aguas utilizadas después de lavar hortalizas para evaluar que tan eficientes son estos métodos para la detección de microorganismos. Los muestreos para la detección de Salmonella se realizaron con el uso de las torundas de Moore filtrando 10 litros de agua utilizando una bomba peristáltica y fueron sometidos a un análisis completo para la detección de Salmonella. Las 10 muestras de agua presentaron ausencia de Salmonella. Los muestreos para E. coli y coliformes totales se realizaron mediante la filtración por membrana donde se analizaron 10 muestras de agua de 100 mL cada una. Los resultados mostrados como Log UFC/100 mL presentaron medias entre 0 y 2.7 Log UFC/100 mL. Para poder obtener placas contables en muestras de lavado de frutas y vegetales se recomienda filtrar diluciones de 5:10 o de 1:10 de muestra y agua estéril para coliformes totales y de 5:10 para E. coli.

La contaminación en aguas que son utilizadas para fines agrícolas (riego y lavado) o para consumo humano es una problemática, es por ello que cada vez se necesita de más métodos fiables que aseguren un correcto análisis microbiológico. Los objetivos de esta investigación fueron la construcción de las torundas de Moore, redactar procedimientos para el muestreo utilizando las torundas de Moore y el método de filtración por membrana. Se realizaron muestreos de aguas utilizadas después de lavar hortalizas para evaluar que tan eficientes son estos métodos para la detección de microorganismos. Los muestreos para la detección de Salmonella se realizaron con el uso de las torundas de Moore filtrando 10 litros de agua utilizando una bomba peristáltica y fueron sometidos a un análisis completo para la detección de Salmonella. Las 10 muestras de agua presentaron ausencia de Salmonella. Los muestreos para E. coli y coliformes totales se realizaron mediante la filtración por membrana donde se analizaron 10 muestras de agua de 100 mL cada una. Los resultados mostrados como Log UFC/100 mL presentaron medias entre 0 y 2.7 Log UFC/100 mL. Para poder obtener placas contables en muestras de lavado de frutas y vegetales se recomienda filtrar diluciones de 5:10 o de 1:10 de muestra y agua estéril para coliformes totales y de 5:10 para E. coli.

Abstract Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is a potential, sustainable protein alternative. Germination behavior of Vicia faba L. var. minor and Vicia faba L. var. major needs further studies in order to enable larger scale bioprocessing. In this study, early‐stage water uptake of two distinct faba bean varieties was assessed by hyperspectral imaging. Nutritional and technological functionality of germinated faba bean ingredients as such and in combination with fermentation were evaluated. Hyperspectral imaging revealed that early‐stage water uptake in faba beans occurred evenly from the different sides of the beans. Germination on petri dishes and in pilot‐scale showed that smaller faba beans moistened and germinated significantly (p < 0.05) faster and retained water better through germination than larger faba beans. Germinated faba flour of minor‐type variety resulted in 72% higher dextran production in Weissella confusa VTT E‐143403 fermentation than respective native faba flour. With both types of faba bean varieties, germination as such, and with minor‐type variety, germination as combined with fermentation decreased notably the content of raffinose family oligosaccharides. These bioprocessing methods also improved functionality of faba bean ingredients by increasing protein separation efficiency in air classification, protein solubility, foaming capacity, and foam stability. Based on this study, minor‐ and major‐type or small‐ and large‐seeded faba bean varieties set different requirements to the germination process. In addition, germination alone or as combined with fermentation was proved to improve the nutritional and technological quality of faba bean material promoting its use in several food applications including also gluten‐free products.

A very explicate and ligand-less ultrasound-vortex-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (US-VA-DLLME) technique has been designed for the pre-concentration and extraction of ultra-trace amounts of cadmium ions, before its determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. In the proposed approach, a hydrophobic natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES), prepared from combination of salicylic acid (SA) and l-menthol (M), was studied as both the extraction solvent and the complexing agent for the extraction of cadmium ions. Some significant factors influencing the microextraction performance including pH, volume of DES, sonication time, and extraction temperature were carefully examined and optimized. The calibration curve, obtained under the optimal extraction and instrumental parameters for determination of cadmium, exhibited a wide linearity over the range of 0.001–7.5 µgL⁻¹ (R² = 0.9953). The proposed method provided low limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 0.37 × 10⁻⁴ and 1.24 × 10⁻⁴ µgL⁻¹, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) and pre-concentration factor (PF) were also evaluated as 2.65% and 125, respectively. Finally, the developed US-VA-DLLME technique was favorably applied to the separation and determination of ultra-traces of cadmium in several waters and food samples.

Calcium (Ca) is an important driver of community structure in freshwaters. We examined the combined effects of increased temperatures and variations in food quantity on the tolerance to low Ca of <i>Daphnia pulex</i>. The aim was to predict the impact of climate warming on this keystone zooplanktonic species in cold-climate lakes. We conducted a factorial life-history experiment in a clone of North American <i>Daphnia</i> cf. <i>pulex</i> to analyse the interaction effects of a temperature increase (17.5 °C–21 °C) within their physiological preferred range and expected by climate warming over the next few decades and a narrow Ca gradient (0.25–1.74 mg Ca L⁻¹) under stressful vs. abundant food conditions. We found a striking positive synergistic effect of Ca and temperature on <i>D. pulex</i> reproduction at high food conditions. Although the increase in temperature to 21 °C greatly reduced survival, high energy allocation to reproduction at high food levels allowed the population to succeed in poor Ca (<0.25 mg Ca L⁻¹). Results suggest that climate warming and higher food availability will make the populations of many cold and Ca-limited lakes more tolerant to low Ca levels with higher growth population rates, thereby altering zooplanktonic community structures and inducing potential cascading effects on the food web.

The main aim of this research article is to develop a new sample preparation method based on liquid-liquid microextraction using nanostructured supramolecular solvent for analysis of total lead in food, vegetables, grilled meat products, and water samples. Optimization of important microextraction parameters was optimized using central composite design based on response surface methodology. Sulfadiazine provided the complexation of Pb(II) ions in the aqueous solution. Prior to optimization step, three supramolecular solvents were prepared and tested for analysis of Pb(II). Analysis of variance was used to investigate the main effects of microextraction parameters and their interactions and optimum parameters were selected based on the model of experimented results. Using optimized conditions, the working range, coefficient of determination, limit of detection, and enhancement factor of the developed method were found to be 0.5–400 μgL⁻¹, 0.997, 0.15 μg L⁻¹ and 126, respectively. The validation of the developed method was confirmed with certified reference material. Spiked recovery tests were also performed on food, vegetables, grilled meat products, and water samples to determine the method's accuracy and applicability to the selected samples. The percent recoveries for Pb(II) ions were between 91 and 104%, and percent relative standard deviation values were below 3.8% indicating acceptable precision and accuracy. The developed method represents a promising choice for a green sample preparation procedure for determination of total Pb in real samples.

In our work, hydrophobic thymol-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) with strong reducibility, a lower density than water, and a slightly higher melting point than room temperature were synthesized. Based on these solid DESs, one-step derivatization and temperature-controlled vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction based on the solidification of a floating DES (TC-VA-LLME-SFDES) via UV–Vis spectrophotometry for the rapid determination of total iron was developed. The derivatization and TC-VA-LLME were carried out simultaneously by the addition of DES as both the reducing agent and extraction solvent. After optimization, the calibration curve (5–250 μg L⁻¹, R² = 0.9982), limit of detection (1.5 μg L⁻¹), limit of quantitation (5.0 μg L⁻¹), precision (≤4.0%) and enrichment factor (92) was obtained. This method was applied for the determination of total iron in water and food samples with satisfactory recoveries (85.4–106.2%). One-step derivatization and TC-VA-LLME only required 2 min. Furthermore, this method opened up the application of solid DESs in liquid–liquid microextraction.