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Luo F, Yan XJ, Hu XF, Yan LJ, Cao MY, Zhang WJ. Nitrate Quantification in Fresh Vegetables in Shanghai: Its Dietary Risks and Preventive Measures. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14487. [PMID: 36361361 PMCID: PMC9658243 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
To investigate nitrate and nitrite content in fresh vegetables, 264 samples were randomly collected in the farmers' markets in Shanghai, Southeast China. The results indicate that 25.0% of the fresh vegetables were critically or more contaminated by nitrate [>1440 mg/kg FW (Fresh weight)]. Generally, leafy vegetables were more highly enriched in nitrate than root-tuber and fruit vegetables. About 22.6% of the leafy vegetables had a nitrate content exceeding the limit for edible permission (>3000 mg/kg FW). Nitrite content in the fresh vegetables was all within the safe level (<1 mg/kg FW). It was estimated that the daily nitrate intake through eating vegetables in Shanghai exceeded the WHO/FAO allowable limit. The field experiment indicated that the hyper-accumulation of nitrate and nitrite in the vegetables was mainly attributed to the excessive application of chemical fertilizers. The maxima of nitrate and nitrite in the vegetables were attained one week after applying chemical fertilizer, and thus they cannot be picked for dietary use. Applying organic manure can effectively lower the risk of nitrate and nitrite contamination in vegetables. The old leaves and leaf petioles were more easily enriched in nitrate due to their weaker metabolic activity. Vegetables with high nitrate content had a high risk of nitrite toxicity during storage due to the biological conversion of nitrate into nitrite, which is easily triggered by suitable temperature and mechanical damage processing. Therefore, fresh vegetables should be stored by rapid cooling and in undamaged forms to prevent nitrite accumulation.
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Kotopoulou S, Zampelas A, Magriplis E. Risk Assessment of Nitrite and Nitrate Intake from Processed Meat Products: Results from the Hellenic National Nutrition and Health Survey (HNNHS). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph191912800. [PMID: 36232098 PMCID: PMC9565037 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Long-term exposure to a high nitrite and nitrate intake through processed meat is of concern, as it has been related to adverse health effects. Individual consumption data from 2152 participants (46.7% males) in the Hellenic National Nutrition and Health Survey (HNNHS) were linked with current Maximum Permitted Levels (MPLs) to calculate exposure to nitrite and nitrate from processed meat products (assessed as nitrite equivalent), evaluate potential risk and identify the major contributors. Processed meat intakes were determined by combining data from 24 h recalls and frequency of consumption reported in Food Propensity Questionnaires (FPQs). Median exposure was estimated to be within safe levels for all population groups. However, 6.6% (n = 143) of the consumers exceeded the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of nitrite (0.07 mg/kg bw/day), of which 20.3% were children aged 0-9 years (N = 29) (15.3% of all children participants in the study, N = 190). In total, pork meat was the major contributor (41.5%), followed by turkey meat (32.7%) and sausages (23.8%), although contribution variations were found among age groups. The outcomes are of public health concern, especially exposure among children, and future research is warranted to evaluate possible associations with health effects, by using more refined occurrence data if available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sotiria Kotopoulou
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
- Hellenic Food Authority, Leoforos Kifissias 124 & Iatridou 2, 11526 Athens, Greece
| | - Antonis Zampelas
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
- Hellenic Food Authority, Leoforos Kifissias 124 & Iatridou 2, 11526 Athens, Greece
| | - Emmanuella Magriplis
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
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Zhou X, Zhang C, Li Y, Xiong X, Wang Y, Rong S. Promoted microbial denitrification and carbon dioxide fixation via photogenerated electrons stored in novel core/shell memory photocatalysts in darkness. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 303:135259. [PMID: 35675870 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Excess nitrogen in water and greenhouse gases, especially atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) from the rapid development of modern society have become an acute threat to the environment. Herein, novel core/shell structured g-C3N4@WO3 memory photocatalyst was fabricated by coating g-C3N4 on the surface of WO3 nanoparticles and applied in the simultaneous coupling of memory photocatalysts and microbial communities (SCMPMC) for the synergistic removal of microbial nitrate and CO2 fixation in darkness. The results showed that ∼98.6% of nitrate was removed and ∼17.7% of CO2 was fixed in darkness by microorganisms in the presence of g-C3N4@WO3 memory photocatalyst within 48 h. Besides, the investigation of the mechanism evidenced that g-C3N4@WO3 memory photocatalyst can promote electron transfer in the SCMPMC system. Moreover, key enzyme activities (i.e., NAR, NIR, CAT, and ETSA) were accelerated, indicating that the activities of enzymes within microorganisms could be remarkably enhanced by the continuous release of stored electrons by the g-C3N4@WO3 memory photocatalyst in the dark. Furthermore, microbial community analysis revealed that the g-C3N4@WO3 memory photocatalyst increased the relative abundance of denitrifiers (i.e., Acidobacterota, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Proteobacteria) and CO2-assimilating microorganisms (i.e., Pseudomonas), in the treated communities compared with the original community in river sediment, demonstrating the positive effects of g-C3N4@WO3 memory photocatalyst on river sediment microbial communities. The results in this study could shed new light on the establishment of promising synergistic microbial nitrate removal and CO2 fixation methods and mechanisms in darkness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, PR China
| | - Chi Zhang
- College of Mechanics and Materials, Hohai University, Xikang Road #1, Nanjing, 210098, PR China.
| | - Yi Li
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, PR China
| | - Xinyan Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, PR China
| | - Ye Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, PR China
| | - Shengxiang Rong
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, PR China
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Rajasulochana P, Ganesan Y, Kumar PS, Mahalaxmi S, Tasneem F, Ponnuchamy M, Kapoor A. Paper-based microfluidic colorimetric sensor on a 3D printed support for quantitative detection of nitrite in aquatic environments. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 208:112745. [PMID: 35051426 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.112745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
To ensure safe drinking water, it is necessary to have a simple method by which the probable pollutants are detected at the point of distribution. Nitrite contamination in water near agricultural locations could be an environmental concern due to its deleterious effects on the human population. The development of a frugal paper-based microfluidic sensor could be desirable to achieve the societal objective of providing safe drinking water. This work describes the development of a facile and cost-effective microfluidic paper-based sensor for quantitative estimation of nitrite in aquatic environments. A simple punching machine was used for fabrication and rapid prototyping of paper-based sensors without the need of any specialized equipment or patterning techniques. A reusable 3D printed platform served as the support for simultaneous testing of multiple samples. The nitrite estimation was carried out with smartphone-assisted digital image acquisition and colorimetric analysis. Under optimized experimental conditions, the variation in average grayscale intensity with concentration of nitrite was linear in the range from 0.1 to 10 ppm. The limits of detection and quantitation were 0.12 ppm and 0.35 ppm respectively. The reproducibility, expressed as relative standard deviation was 1.31%. The selectivity of nitrite detection method was determined by performing interference studies with commonly existing co-ions in water, such as bicarbonates, chloride and sulphate. The paper-based sensor was successfully applied for estimation of nitrite in actual water samples and showed high recoveries in the range of 83.5-109%. The results were in good agreement with those obtained using spectrophotometry. The developed paper-based sensor method, by virtue of its simplicity, ease of fabrication and use, could be readily extended for detection of multiple analytes in resource-limited settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Rajasulochana
- Department of Genetic Engineering, Bharath Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600073, India
| | - Yaswanth Ganesan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
| | - P Senthil Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Chennai, 603110, India; Centre of Excellence in Water Research (CEWAR), Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Chennai, 603110, India.
| | - S Mahalaxmi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Chennai, 603110, India; Centre of Excellence in Water Research (CEWAR), Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Chennai, 603110, India
| | - Fahira Tasneem
- Department of Genetic Engineering, Bharath Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600073, India
| | - Muthamilselvi Ponnuchamy
- Department of Chemical Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
| | - Ashish Kapoor
- Department of Chemical Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India.
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Sun J, Zhang W. Supplementation with dietary omega-3 PUFA mitigates fetal brain inflammation and mitochondrial damage caused by high doses of sodium nitrite in maternal rats. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266084. [PMID: 35324981 PMCID: PMC8947126 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Food safety and nutrition during pregnancy are important concerns related to fetal brain development. In the present study, we aimed to explore the effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA ω-3) on exogenous sodium nitrite intervention-induced fetal brain injury in pregnant rats. Methods During pregnancy, rats were exposed to water containing sodium nitrite (0.05%, 0.15%, and 0.25%) to establish a fetal rat brain injury model. Inflammatory factors and oxidative stress levels were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or flow cytometry. Subsequently, animals were divided into three groups: control, model, and 4% PUFA ω-3. Pregnancy outcomes were measured and recorded. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were utilized to observe brain injury. ELISA, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blot, flow cytometry, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were adopted to measure the levels of inflammatory factors, the NRF1/HMOX1 signaling pathway, and mitochondrial and oxidative stress damage. Results With the increase of sodium nitrite concentration, the inflammatory factors and oxidative stress levels increased. Therefore, the high dose group was set as the model group for the following experiments. After PUFA ω-3 treatment, the fetal survival ratio, average body weight, and brain weight were elevated. The cells in the PUFA ω-3 group were more closely arranged and more round than the model. PUFA ω-3 treatment relieved inflammatory factors, oxidative stress levels, and mitochondria damage while increasing the indicators related to brain injury and NRF1/HMOX1 levels. Conclusions Sodium nitrite exposure during pregnancy could cause brain damage in fetal rats. PUFA ω-3 might help alleviate brain inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial damage, possibly through the NRF1/HMOX1 signaling pathway. In conclusion, appropriately reducing sodium nitrite exposure and increasing PUFA omega-3 intake during pregnancy may benefit fetal brain development. These findings could further our understanding of nutrition and health during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingchi Sun
- Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Weishe Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Hunan Engineering Research Center of Early Life Development and Disease Prevention, Changsha, Hunan, China
- * E-mail:
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Kotopoulou S, Zampelas A, Magriplis E. Dietary nitrate and nitrite and human health: a narrative review by intake source. Nutr Rev 2021; 80:762-773. [PMID: 34919725 DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuab113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrate and nitrite are plant nutrients that, although ubiquitous in plant foods, are highly controversial substances in human nutrition because they are also used as additives in processed foods and may be found as contaminants in drinking water. The aim for this narrative review is to provide a thorough insight into the current literature on the relationship between dietary nitrate and nitrite and the health risks and benefits by source of intake. The results highlight beneficial effects of nitrate and nitrite consumption from plant origin on cardiovascular disease and, to date, no positive correlation has been reported with cancer. On the contrary, high intake of these compounds from processed animal-based foods is related to an increased risk of gastro-intestinal cancer. Nitrate in drinking water also raises some concern, because it appears to be related to adverse health effects. The up-to-date debate on the role of nitrate and nitrite in human nutrition seems to be justified and more research is required to verify safe consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sotiria Kotopoulou
- S. Kotopoulou, A. Zampelas, and E. Magriplis are with the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece. S. Kotopoulou and A. Zampelas are with the Hellenic Food Authority, Athens, Greece
| | - Antonis Zampelas
- S. Kotopoulou, A. Zampelas, and E. Magriplis are with the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece. S. Kotopoulou and A. Zampelas are with the Hellenic Food Authority, Athens, Greece
| | - Emmanuella Magriplis
- S. Kotopoulou, A. Zampelas, and E. Magriplis are with the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece. S. Kotopoulou and A. Zampelas are with the Hellenic Food Authority, Athens, Greece
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Vlachou C, Griesbacher A, Fuchs K, Wolf J, Mihats D, Steinwider J, Hofstädter D. Probabilistic modelling techniques in dietary exposure assessment: application on the risk assessment of cadmium for Austrian adults. Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess 2021; 38:1301-1315. [PMID: 34077339 DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2021.1921282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Probabilistic exposure and risk assessment of chemical hazards in the diet have increasingly gained ground in recent years as a pragmatic approach for the approximation of reality. This work presents the outcomes of a project which aimed at applying probabilistic techniques for basic modelling of chronic dietary exposure to food contaminants following EFSA guidance. These techniques, based on Monte Carlo Risk Assessment (MCRA) software and on the programming language R, were employed for the risk assessment of cadmium for Austrian adults, enabling the validation and the critical comparison of the two approaches. Harmonisation and optimisation of procedures, refinement of exposure assessment skills and confidence in the results were the main benefits. Data amount and validity were identified as critical parameters, influencing the precision of the results. Cadmium was selected as a case study due to its toxicological properties, its ubiquitous presence in food and the availability of Austrian occurrence data. Similar exposure and risk estimates were generated through MCRA and R in alternative optimistic and pessimistic exposure scenarios, suggesting low levels of concern, except for vegetarians, whose upper tail exposures are close to the established Tolerable Weekly Intake. However, as occurrence data gaps have been identified as the major element of uncertainty, the estimated exposure and risk levels are characterised as underestimated. Grains and grain-based products, potatoes and leafy vegetables are the main contributors to the intake. The results will contribute to risk management and to a future refinement of the assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Vlachou
- General Chemical State Laboratory, Chemical Service of Central Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Antonia Griesbacher
- Division Data, Statistics and Risk Assessment, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Graz, Austria
| | - Klemens Fuchs
- Division Data, Statistics and Risk Assessment, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Graz, Austria
| | - Josef Wolf
- Division Data, Statistics and Risk Assessment, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela Mihats
- Division Data, Statistics and Risk Assessment, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Johann Steinwider
- Division Data, Statistics and Risk Assessment, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela Hofstädter
- Division Data, Statistics and Risk Assessment, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
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