Open Access

A method for the identification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from packaging expanded polystyrene (EPS) is presented. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) with a 75-μm carboxen-polydimethylsiloxan fiber was used as sample preparation technique before the determination of the volatile organic compounds by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). For separation of compounds, two fused silica capillary columns of different polarity (DB-5ms and BPX-50) were used. Styrene monomer with his impurities and oxidation products, as well as residual pentane, were identified in the headspace of EPS.

In searching for new targets for antimalarials we investigated the biosynthesis of hypusine present in eukaryotic initiation factor-5A (eIF-5A) in Plasmodium. Here, we describe the cloning and expression of deoxyhypusine hydroxylase (DOHH), which completes the modi. cation of eIF-5A through hydroxylation of deoxyhypusine. The dohh cDNA sequence revealed an ORF of 1236 bp encoding a protein of 412 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 46.45 kDa and an isoelectric point of 4.96. Interestingly, DOHH from Plasmodium has a FASTA SCORE of only 27 compared with its human ortholog and contains several matches similar to E-Z-type HEAT-like repeat proteins (IPR004155 (InterPro), PF03130 (Pfam), SM00567 (SMART) present in the phycocyanin lyase subunits of cyanobacteria. Purified DOHH protein displayed hydroxylase activity in a novel in vitro DOHH assay, but phycocyanin lyase activity was absent. dohh is present as a single-copy gene and is transcribed in the asexual blood stages of the parasite. A signal peptide at the N-terminus might direct the protein to a different cellular compartment. During evolution, Plasmodium falciparum acquired an apicoplast that lost its photosynthetic function. It is possible that plasmodial DOHH arose from an E/F-type phycobilin lyase that gained a new role in hydroxylation.

Die analytische Pyrolyse ist eine universell einsetzbare Messtechnik zur Untersuchung von hoch molekularen organischen Verbindungen. Bei der Pyrolyse der hochmolekularen organischen Ver bindungen entstehen durch thermische Zersetzung bei 500-1400°C in einem Inertgasstrom nieder molekulare Verbindungen. Diese niedermolekularen Pyrolyse-Produkte werden dann den her kömmlichen Analyseverfahren wie GC-FID, GC/MS oder GC/FTIR unterworfen, die Rück schlüsse auf chemische Zusammensetzung und Struktur der Ausgangsstoffe erlauben. Die Festphasen mikroextraktion (SPME) ist eine lösungsmittelfreie Mikroextraktionstechnik. Im Headspace-Modus (HS) wurde SPME in den letzten Jahren für die Bestimmung von Rest mono meren und gesund heits gefährdenden, leichtflüchtigen organischen Verbindungen (VOCs) in Kunststoffen verwendet.

Die Wiederverwertung von Kunststoffen (Kunststoffrecycling) kann in die werkstoffliche (materielle), die rohstoffliche (chemische) und die energetische Verwertung unterteilt werden. Beim werkstofflichen Kunststoffrecycling werden sortenreine Kunststoffreste gewaschen, gemahlen und von der Kunststoff verarbeitenden Industrie als Rohmaterial eingesetzt. Der chemische Aufbau des erhaltenen Werkstoffs (Re-Granulats) bleibt erhalten. Bei der rohstofflichen Verwertung werden Kunststoffreste zu Monomeren zurückgeführt. Die erhaltenen Monomere werden dann bei der Herstellung neuer Kunststoffe verwendet. Bei der energetischen Verwertung werden die Kunststoffreste der Zement- oder Stahlindustrie als Energieträger zugeführt.

Balanites aegyptiaca (Balanitaceae) is a widely grown desert plant with multiuse potential. In the present paper, a crude extract from B. aegyptiaca seeds equivalent to a ratio of 1 : 2000 seeds to the extract was screened for antiplasmodial activity. The determined IC(50) value for the chloroquine-susceptible Plasmodium falciparum NF54 strain was 68.26 μg/μL ± 3.5. Analysis of the extract by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detected 6-phenyl-2(H)-1,2,4-triazin-5-one oxime, an inhibitor of the parasitic M18 Aspartyl Aminopeptidase as one of the compounds which is responsible for the in vitro antiplasmodial activity. The crude plant extract had a K(i) of 2.35 μg/μL and showed a dose-dependent response. After depletion of the compound, a significantly lower inhibition was determined with a K(i) of 4.8 μg/μL. Moreover, two phenolic compounds, that is, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-phenol and 2,4-di-tert-butyl-phenol, with determined IC(50) values of 50.29 μM ± 3 and 47.82 μM ± 2.5, respectively, were detected. These compounds may contribute to the in vitro antimalarial activity due to their antioxidative properties. In an in vivo experiment, treatment of BALB/c mice with the aqueous Balanite extract did not lead to eradication of the parasites, although a reduced parasitemia at day 12 p.i. was observed.

The criteria for assessing the quality of rubber materials are the polymer or copolymer composition and the additives. These additives include plasticizers, extender oils, carbon black, inorganic fillers, antioxidants, heat and light stabilizers, processing aids, cross-linking agents, accelerators, retarders, adhesives, pigments, smoke and flame retardants, and others. Determination of additives in polymers or copolymers generally requires the extraction of these substances from the matrix as a first step, which can be challenging, and the subsequent analysis of the extracted additives by gas chromatography (GC), GC-mass spectrometry (MS), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), HPLC-MS, capillary electrophoresis, thin-layer chromatography, and other analytical techniques. In the present work, nitrile rubber materials were studied using direct analytical flash pyrolysis hyphenated to GC and electrospray ionization MS in both scan and selected ion monitoring modes to demonstrate that this technique is a good tool to identify the organic additives in nitrile rubber.

The analytical pyrolysis technique hyphenated to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) has extended the range of possible tools for the characterization of synthetic polymers and copolymers. Pyrolysis involves thermal fragmentation of the analytical sample at temperatures of 500–1400 °C. In the presence of an inert gas, reproducible decomposition products characteristic for the original polymer or copolymer sample are formed. The pyrolysis products are chromatographically separated using a fused-silica capillary column and are subsequently identified by interpretation of the obtained mass spectra or by using mass spectra libraries. The analytical technique eliminates the need for pretreatment by performing analyses directly on the solid or liquid polymer sample. In this article, application examples of analytical pyrolysis hyphenated to GC–MS for the identification of different polymeric materials in the plastic and automotive industry, dentistry, and occupational safety are demonstrated. For the first time, results of identification of commercial light-curing dental filling material and a car wrapping foil by pyrolysis–GC–MS are presented.