Odair Zenebon

Avaliação dos níveis de chumbo e cádmio em leite em decorrência de contaminação ambiental na região do Vale do Paraíba, Sudeste do Brasil

INTRODUCAO: Localizada em Cacapava, SP, Brasil, industria produtora de lingotes de chumbo provocou contaminacao ambiental na regiao do Vale do Paraiba, com chumbo e cadmio. Com o objetivo de avaliar o grau de contaminacao do leite produzido na regiao, devido a possivel ingestao, pelo gado, de gramineas e aguas contaminadas, foram determinados os teores de chumbo e cadmio no leite. MATERIAL E METODO: Foram analisadas 218 amostras de leite in natura e pasteurizado. O cadmio e o chumbo foram determinados por espectrofotometria de absorcao atomica com chama. RESULTADOS E CONCLUSOES: Das amostras analisadas, 43 apresentaram teores de chumbo acima do limite maximo estabelecido pela legislacao brasileira que e 0,05 mg/kg. O valor da mediana encontrada para o chumbo foi 0,04 mg/L. Os niveis de cadmio em todas as amostras foram menores que o limite de quantificacao do metodo que e 0,02 mg/L. Apesar da contaminacao ambiental, os niveis encontrados para o cadmio no leite estao abaixo do limite estabelecido pela legislacao brasileira que e 1,0 mg/kg.

Comparison of gas chromatographic and gravimetric methods for quantization of total fat and fatty acids in foodstuffs.

Different methods to determine total fat (TF) and fatty acids (FA), including trans fatty acids (TFA), in diverse foodstuffs were evaluated, incorporating gravimetric methods and gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC/FID), in accordance with a modified AOAC 996.06 method. Concentrations of TF and FA obtained through these different procedures diverged (p< 0.05) and TFA concentrations varied beyond 20 % of the reference values. The modified AOAC 996.06 method satisfied both accuracy and precision, was fast and employed small amounts of low toxicity solvents. Therefore, the results showed that this methodology is viable to be adopted in Brazil for nutritional labeling purposes.

Ácidos graxos trans em óleos vegetais refinados poli-insaturados comercializados no estado de São Paulo, Brasil

This paper describes the results of fatty acids composition, mainly trans, in refined polyunsaturated vegetable oils, commercialized in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil during the years 2005 and 2007. The following samples were analyzed: 34 of soybean oil, 7 of sunflower oil, 2 of canola, and 6 of corn oil. The fatty acids were transesterified in a cold process and analyzed with optimized conditions by gas chromatography in a 100 m capillary column (SP 2560). Sixteen samples of soybean, two of canola, and four of sunflower oil showed levels of trans fatty acids higher than 2.0% (w/w methyl ester). In accordance with RDC 360/2003 of the Brazilian Sanitary Survey Agency (ANVISA), the trans fatty acid content must be on the nutrition facts label all food labels. Samples with less than 0.2 g of trans fatty acids per serving are considered free of them. The serving for vegetable oil is 13 mL. Therefore, the label of several vegetable oil samples analyzed should contain levels of trans fatty acids higher than zero. The vegetable oil refining process improvement, like the controlling of deodorization temperature, could contribute to meet the recommendations of the World Health Organization to minimize the trans fatty acids levels in food and to preserve the population health.

Validação e aplicação de metodologia analítica na determinação de nutrientes inorgânicos em arroz polido

A method of partial digestion of raw milled rice (Oryza sativa) was validated for the determination of inorganic nutrients (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, and Zn) by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Based on hydrolysis with HCl, the method is simple and relatively fast, presenting satisfactory characteristics of performance. This method was used in the preparation of 40 raw milled rice samples commercialized in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Emission spectrometry was applied to determine the mean contents and standard deviations of Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, and Zn (in mg.100 g -1 rice), which were 4.31 ± 0.44, 0.22 ± 0.10, 0.32 ± 0.08, 58.0 ± 15.0, 26.1 ± 5.7, 1.06 ± 0.26, 1.78 ± 0.55, 92.1 ± 15.2, and 1.24 ± 0.18, respectively. These results were compared with seven food composition tables available in the literature, which revealed discrepancies for Ca, Fe, Na, and K. Our data were also used to estimate the contribution of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, P and Zn contained in daily rice consumption to the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI). It was found that rice contributes significantly to the RDI, especially of Mn, Cu, and Zn, particularly in view of the average daily consumption of rice per person in Brazil.

A rapid method for mercury determination in urine of workers exposed to mercury vapor

ABSTRACT It is shown that the urine from workers exposed to mercury vapor contains practically only inorganic mercury (II), which can be easily determined by flow injection cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry after adding only HNO3 to the urine at room temperature. If organic mercury is suspected to be present, the sample is treated with KMnO4/H2SO4 at 80°C - 100°C and total mercury is determined. On using HNO3 only, 30 - 40 urine samples/h can be easily processed. The method presents good accuracy, precision and high sensitivity, achieving a limit of detection and a limit of quantification (L.O.Q), respectively, of 0.12 mg/L and 0.4 mg/L Hg (II) in the final dilution, using 1.0 mL urine. Urine reference SRM - NIST as well as samples from workers exposed to mercury vapor were analyzed by the proposed methodology.

Botulism: considerations about eight cases occurred in Triângulo Mineiro, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Botulism constitutes a rare form of intoxication, particularly in our country. The only confirmed outbreak of this disease in Brazil occurred in the 50s in Rio Grande do Sul where nine persons acquired the disease after ingestion of home-canned fish. The present work reports an outbreak of type A botulism which occurred in eight members of the same family of whom seven contracted this food toxic infection after ingestion of home-canned pork. Two persons died and the others recovered after variable time of evolution. After eleven months a new case of botulism was diagnosed, but the source of this intoxication could not be found. The authors intend with this work to divulge the second confirmed outbreak of botulism in Brazil and to direct a special attention to ootulism clinical pictures, diagnostic and treatment pratically unknown in our country.

Dental Lesions in Cattle and Sheep Due to Industrial Pollution Caused by Coal Combustion

Abstract Dental lesions in cattle were studied in 11 farms located within 1.2 to 9.6 km from a coal combustion thermoelectric plant. Incisor teeth of some cattle showed evidence of chronic fluoride poisoning. The most important alteration was dental attrition. Cattle from farms near the plant had complete attrition of incisors at 6 to 7 years. The degree of wear was related to the distance between the farms and the plant as a linear function y = 4.11 + (-0.42x); r 2 = 0.75 (P

Mercúrio total em cação comercializado em São Paulo - SP, Brasil

Total mercury contents in shark species - anjo, cacao-azul, cambeva, cacoa, machote and anequim - commercialized in Sao Paulo-SP, Brazil. Were determined. The levels ranged from 0.04 to 4.71 mg Hg/kg being 54% above the Brazilian acceptable legal limit of 1 mg Hg/kg (predator fishes) for consumption purposes. The results show that sharks have been commercialized in disagreement with the legislation exposing consumers to a high risk of mercury toxicity. Considerations were made in relation to the observed high levels of mercury and to the corresponding consumption based upon the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake to a total mercury of 0.3 mg Hg/person, of which no more than 0.2 mg should be present as methylmercury (FAO/WHO). Considerations were also made regarding the need of inspection and monitoring of the shark species locally used as food.

Determinação de mercúrio em águas sanitárias comercializadas em região do sudeste do Brasil

In order to determine the mercury content present as a contaminant in samples of bleach used in water and food disinfection, a method for sample treatment using chloridric acid to eliminate the chlorine was proposed. The technique of cold vapour atomic absorption spectrophotometry, used to quantify the mercury, showed a recovery of 103%. Sixty nine samples of bleach were analysed and the values found for the median and 90th percentil were respectively, 15 and 67 mg/L. According to the values of residual mercury found and using the quantities of bleach recommended by the Brazilian Sanitary Authorities, the use of these disinfectants offers no risk to human health.In order to determine the mercury content present as a contaminant in samples of bleach used in water and food disinfection, a method for sample treatment using chloridric acid to eliminate the chlorine was proposed. The technique of cold vapour atomic absorption spectrophotometry, used to quantify the mercury, showed a recovery of 103%. Sixty nine samples of bleach were analysed and the values found for the median and 90th percentil were respectively, 15 and 67 mg/L. According to the values of residual mercury found and using the quantities of bleach recommended by the Brazilian Sanitary Authorities, the use of these disinfectants offers no risk to human health.In order to determine the mercury content present as a contaminant in samples of bleach used in water and food disinfection, a method for sample treatment using chloridric acid to eliminate the chlorine was proposed. The technique of cold vapour atomic absorption spectrophotometry, used to quantify the mercury, showed a recovery of 103%. Sixty nine samples of bleach were analysed and the values found for the median and 90th percentil were respectively, 15 and 67 micrograms/L. According to the values of residual mercury found and using the quantities of bleach recommended by the Brazilian Sanitary Authorities, the use of these disinfectants offers no risk to human health.