A Collaborative Evaluation of LC-MS/MS Based Methods for BMAA Analysis: Soluble Bound BMAA Found to Be an Important Fraction

Exposure to β-N-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) might be linked to the incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Analytical chemistry plays a crucial role in determining human BMAA exposure and the associated health risk, but the performance of various analytical methods currently employed is rarely compared. A CYANOCOST initiated workshop was organized aimed at training scientists in BMAA analysis, creating mutual understanding and paving the way towards interlaboratory comparison exercises. During this workshop, we tested different methods (extraction followed by derivatization and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis, or directly followed by LC-MS/MS analysis) for trueness and intermediate precision. We adapted three workup methods for the underivatized analysis of animal, brain and cyanobacterial samples. Based on recovery of the internal standard D₃BMAA, the underivatized methods were accurate (mean recovery 80%) and precise (mean relative standard deviation 10%), except for the cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya. However, total BMAA concentrations in the positive controls (cycad seeds) showed higher variation (relative standard deviation 21%–32%), implying that D₃BMAA was not a good indicator for the release of BMAA from bound forms. Significant losses occurred during workup for the derivatized method, resulting in low recovery (<10%). Most BMAA was found in a trichloroacetic acid soluble, bound form and we recommend including this fraction during analysis.     

Determination of Acidic Pesticides in the Drinking Water of Greece Using Capillary Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

There is no data currently available on acidic pesticides in the drinking water of Greece, although considerable quantities of them are in use. In this study, the occurrence of the six most important acidic herbicides in the drinking water of Greece was investigated. The target compounds studied include four chlorophenoxy herbicides, namely mecoprop, dichlorprop, MCPA and 2,4-D, and two other acidic herbicides, i.e. bromoxynil and bentazone. Analysis was carried out at a concentration level of 100 ng L^?1 using capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with selected ion monitoring (SIM). The method involved a pre-concentration with solid phase extraction and derivatization with pentafluorobenzyl bromide. Thirty-eight samples of drinking water from nine regions in Greece were screened. No herbicides were detected although fortification experiments with parallel water samples resulted in recovery rates better than 70%. The detection limits of the recovered compounds were found to be between 10 and 50 ng L^?1.     

Photocatalytic Degradation of Lindane in Aqueous Solution

Photolysis of lindane in aqueous solution, using near-visible and UV light (λ >320 nm) and in the presence of the polyoxometallate PW₁₂O₄₀^3-, results in its conversion to CO₂ and HCl. Initial photodecomposition takes place within a few minutes both in the presence and absence of dioxygen. The effective mineralization in the absence of dioxygen suggests that OH radicals act as the primary oxidant in this case.     

Evaluation of Enteromorpha prolifera as a feed component in large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea,Richardson, 1846) diets

A 9‐week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary Enteromorpha prolifera on the growth performance and body composition of juvenile large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) (Richardson, 1846) (11.41 ± 1.59 g) in floating sea cages (1.5 × 1.5 × 2.0 m). Four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated to contain graded levels (0%, 5%, 10% and 15%) of E. prolifera. Survival ranged from 98.7% to 99.7%, and was independent of dietary treatment (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the feeding rate among dietary treatments (P>0.05). The specific growth rate (SGR) increased with increasing levels of E. prolifera. When the supplementation of E. prolifera was >5%, SGR was significantly higher compared with the control group (0%). The feed efficiency ratio (FER) in fish fed the diet with 5%E. prolifera (diet 2) was higher than that of the other groups, while in fish fed the diet with 10%E. prolifera (diet 3), it was the lowest (P<0.05). The protein retention (PR) decreased as the level of E. prolifera increased in diets (5%, 10% and 15%). The protein body content displayed a trend similar to that of PR. No significant difference was observed in body moisture and ash among the dietary treatments. An increase in minerals of potassium, magnesium and sodium in body was observed with an increase in dietary seaweed concentrations. On basis of the SGR and FER, supplementation levels of E. prolifera can reach at least 15% without affecting the growth and still maintain a high survival rate for juvenile large yellow croaker.