Reduction of hexavalent chromium by digested oat bran proteins

Subcritical water extraction of bioactive phenolic compounds from distillery stillage

Distilleries generate huge amounts of by-products that have a negative impact on the environment, so the management of wastes generated by this sector should be improved. Because distillery by-products are a source of bioactive compounds, the recovery of these compounds not only reduces issues with environmental protection but also provides the basis for a waste-to-profit solution. Following the latest trends in the search for so-called green extraction techniques for recovering valuable products, this study investigated the effect of subcritical water extraction (SWE) conditions (temperature (25-260 °C), time (5-90 min), and solid-to-solvent ratio (1:5-1:50, w:v)) on the efficiency of recovery of bioactive compounds, i.e., polyphenols from distillery stillage, and on the antioxidant activity of the extracts. The highest extraction yield was obtained with 30-min SWE with a solid-to-solvent ratio of 1:15 at either 140 °C (for total polyphenol content and phenolic acid content) or 200 °C (for total flavonoid content), as indicated by the Response Surface Methodology analysis. Phenolic acids in the extracts were present mainly in free forms (up to 88% of the total content). The antioxidant activity, which was measured using several assays, correlated positively with the content of phenolic acids, which confirmed their significant contribution to the bioactive properties of the extracts. The antioxidant effects of the extracts were mostly due to hydroxycinnamic acids (especially ferulic and p-coumaric acids). Principal component analysis showed that the temperature and time of SWE were the factors that can explain the greatest amount of variation in the extraction yield, composition, and bioactive properties of the polyphenols. These results will influence the design of further processes, such as purification and concentration, which are necessary before using the extracted compounds as substrates that are applicable in various industries. Based on the analysis of the elemental composition, the biomass remaining after SWE was evaluated to consider the possibilities of its further utilization.

Chromium and arsenic speciation analysis in meats by HPLC-ICP-MS in the presence of hydrolyzed oat proteins with radical scavenging activities

Transition metals play an important role in a wide variety of biological processes, but their functions are dependent on the quantity and the type of species present. Specific forms of arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr) are associated with oxidative stress, cellular damage and inflammation. The aim of this research was to test in a food system whether, in the presence of hydrolyzed oat proteins, arsenic or chromium will exist predominantly in a specific oxidative state, and to evaluate the potential implication of promoting or decreasing oxidative stress. Eight hydrolyzed proteins with different degrees of radical scavenging activities were produced by combining two extraction methods and four proteases. The addition of hydrolysates to ground chicken meat decreased lipid hydroperoxides by up to 50% when stored at 4 °C but had no effect at -20 °C. The ratio of pentavalent arsenic (As(V)) to arsenobetaine (AsB) in meat was about 2:1 but in the presence of the hydrolysates, meanwhile, the amount of AsB detected was 3-fold higher depending on the storage condition. This was due to better extraction of AsB in the presence of hydrolysates rather than to the conversion of other species. Data on chromium showed that Cr(VI) contents decreased from 14.3 ± 0.1 to 6.3 ± 0.5 μg/g while concentrations of Cr(III) increased from 2.8 ± 0. 2 to 8.6 ± 0.7 μg/g. In summary, the addition of hydrolyzed oat proteins to chicken meat enhanced the extraction of AsB, and had little effect on arsenic speciation during storage meanwhile, there was a reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) which was in part due to the relative content of thiol groups. Additionally, there was a reduction of lipid oxidation in meats that contained the oat protein hydrolysates.

Structure-function relationships of hydroxyl radical scavenging and chromium-VI reducing cysteine-tripeptides derived from rye secalin

The aim of the study was to determine the activity of four rye peptides and molecular descriptors responsible for the detected biological function. The activity was determined using hydroxyl radical scavenging and chromium-VI (Cr(VI) reducing assays while the density functional theory (DFT) was used for molecular descriptors (i.e. structure-activity relationships). It was found that at pH 7.4, peptide CQV had the highest Cr(VI) reducing activity (76%) followed by QCA (30.8%) while other peptides had less than 25% reduction. All tested peptides were less active at pH 3.0 and this was due to poor spatial proximity of thiol and amine on the glutamine side chain. In the hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, CQV had the highest activity with 28.9 ± 1.3% inhibition of the formation of HO radicals compared to 19.0-13.6% for other peptides. Cysteine at the N-terminal was important for both the reduction of chromium (pH 7.4) and the HO activity because S-H bond energies at that position were lower based on DFT calculations.

Feather degradation potential of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia KB13 and feather protein hydrolysate (FPH) mediated reduction of hexavalent chromium

An efficient keratinolytic strain of Stenorophomonas maltophilia KB13 was isolated from feather disposal site of Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India. The strain could metabolize 10 g/l chicken feathers as sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Soluble protein, amino acid, and cysteine content were found to be maximum (690.6 ± 8.7, 688.9 ± 9.12 and 21 ± 0.36 µg/ml, respectively) at late logarithmic phase of growth. Protease and keratinase activity reached its maximum level (103.26 ± 7.09 and 178.5 ± 9.10 U/ml) at the 4th day of incubation. The feather protein hydrolysate (FPH) obtained after degradation of chicken feathers was utilized to reduce hexavalent chromium. About 78.4 ± 2.4 and 63.6 ± 2.2 % reduction of 50 and 100 mg/l Cr(VI), respectively, was observed after 60 min of incubation with FPH. Further, there was no effect of autoclaved FPH on Cr(VI) reduction indicating that any bacterial enzyme was not involved in reduction process. Cr(VI) reduction was significantly inhibited by 10 mm Hg²⁺ ions indicating the role of sulfur-containing amino acids in reduction process. FTIR analysis confirmed that chromium reduction occurred due to oxidation of amino acids cysteine and cystine. This study shows that FPH arising after feather degradation can be employed as a potential candidate for the reduction of hexavalant chromium.

Characteristics and kinetics of hexavalent chromium reduction by gallic acid in aqueous solutions

Gallic acid (GA) is a naturally occurring plant polyphenol compound. Experiments were conducted to study the kinetics and effects of pH, temperature, irradiation, and initial hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) concentration on Cr(VI) reduction by GA. Results indicated that Cr(VI) could be reduced to chromium oxide (Cr(III)) with GA in a wide range of pH values from 2.0 to 8.5. The reaction followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic model with respect to Cr(VI) and GA in acid conditions (pH 2.0-5.0). However, the reaction did not follow the pseudo-first-order kinetic model at pH 6.5 and 8.5. Removal efficiencies and reaction rate constants of Cr(VI) significantly increased with decreasing pH value and increasing temperature. The effect of irradiation on Cr(VI) reduction increased with increasing pH, and irradiation improved the removal efficiency of Cr(VI) by 11.29% at pH 6.5. At pH 2.0, nearly all molar ratios of GA required for the reduction of Cr(VI) were 1:2 (±0.1) under different initial Cr(VI) concentrations; however, the molar ratios of GA required for the reduction of Cr(VI) were 1:1.29, 1:1.43, and 1:1.69, respectively, when the initial Cr(VI) concentrations were 10, 25, and 50 mg/L at pH 5.5.