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EFSA Journal. European Food Safety... Sep 2023Mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) are composed of saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH). Due to the complexity of the MOH composition, their...
Mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) are composed of saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH). Due to the complexity of the MOH composition, their complete chemical characterisation is not possible. MOSH accumulation is observed in various tissues, with species-specific differences. Formation of liver epithelioid lipogranulomas and inflammation, as well as increased liver and spleen weights, are observed in Fischer 344 (F344) rats, but not in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. These effects are related to specific accumulation of wax components in the liver of F344 rats, which is not observed in SD rats or humans. The CONTAM Panel concluded that F344 rats are not an appropriate model for effects of MOSH with wax components. A NOAEL of 236 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day, corresponding to the highest tested dose in F344 rats of a white mineral oil product virtually free of wax components, was selected as relevant reference point (RP). The highest dietary exposure to MOSH was estimated for the young population, with lower bound-upper bound (LB-UB) means and 95th percentiles of 0.085-0.126 and 0.157-0.212 mg/kg bw per day, respectively. Considering a margin of exposure approach, the Panel concluded that the present dietary exposure to MOSH does not raise concern for human health for all age classes. Genotoxicity and carcinogenicity are associated with MOAH with three or more aromatic rings. For this subfraction, a surrogate RP of 0.49 mg/kg bw per day, calculated from data on eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, was considered. The highest dietary exposure to MOAH was also in the young population, with LB-UB mean and 95th percentile estimations of 0.003-0.031 and 0.011-0.059 mg/kg bw per day, respectively. Based on two scenarios on three or more ring MOAH contents in the diet and lacking toxicological information on effects of 1 and 2 ring MOAH, a possible concern for human health was raised.
PubMed: 37711880
DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8215 -
ACS Omega Oct 2023In three-phase gravity separators used in gas and oil production, foaming can occur by either depressurization or injection of gas in the equipment. This formed foam can...
In three-phase gravity separators used in gas and oil production, foaming can occur by either depressurization or injection of gas in the equipment. This formed foam can be harmful, causing various problems such as liquid carry-over, gas carry-under, decreased capacity, and difficulty in level measurement. The mechanism of foam formation by gas injection in separators motivated the present study. Thus, this work proposes the analysis of the influence of certain physical-chemical parameters such as temperature (20-40 °C), pressure (1-10 bar), and types of gases (nitrogen and methane) on the formation of the column and stability of the foam formed, in ISO14 mineral oil + sodium laureth sulfate + water, through gas injection in separator conditions. To carry out this analysis, an experimental apparatus was designed and assembled consisting of a transparent foam formation cell of 0.5 m height and 5 cm internal diameter. Parameters such as foamability, foaminess, and the collapse curve were also evaluated to characterize the foam formed. In addition, simplified models of foam formation and decay by gas injection were proposed based on models already available in the literature, which were validated with the experimentally obtained results. The experimental results showed good agreement when compared to the literature, referring to the behavior of temperature (higher temperature, lower stability), pressure (higher pressure, higher stability), and type of injected gas (dependency on solubility). In addition, maximum errors of 26% (in height) and 11% (decay phase) were obtained for the formation and decay models, respectively.
PubMed: 37929091
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c04565 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2023This study centers around examining the impact of introducing varying (small) quantities of crude oil into mineral oil (Exxsol D60) on the resultant properties of...
This study centers around examining the impact of introducing varying (small) quantities of crude oil into mineral oil (Exxsol D60) on the resultant properties of dispersions and emulsions in oil-salty-water mixture properties such as rheology, droplet size distribution, separation duration, and interfacial tension. The experimentation encompassed bottle tests and a compact flow loop configuration featuring a 2 m horizontal pipe segment. The findings indicate that blends of oil infused with crude oil, combined with salty water at water ratios of 25% and 50%, necessitate an extended duration for separation and for the establishment and stabilization of interfaces, in contrast to mixtures of unaltered oil and saline water. To illustrate, in samples with spiking concentrations ranging from 200 to 800 ppm within a 25% water fraction, the separation period escalates from 51 s to 2 min and 21 s. Interestingly, when the water fraction increased to 75 percent, the impact of crude oil spiking on separation time was minimal. The analysis revealed that the Pal and Rhodes emulsion viscosity model yielded the most accurate predictions for the viscosity of resulting emulsions. The introduction of crude oil spiking elevated emulsion viscosity while diminishing interfacial tension from 30.8 to 27.6 mN/m (800 ppm spiking). Lastly, a comparative assessment was performed between droplet size distributions in the devised dispersed pipe flow and observed in an actual emulsion system comprising crude and salty water.
PubMed: 37687192
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28176363 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2023Bone health encompasses not only bone mineral density but also bone architecture and mechanical properties that can impact bone strength. While specific dietary... (Review)
Review
Bone health encompasses not only bone mineral density but also bone architecture and mechanical properties that can impact bone strength. While specific dietary interventions have been proposed to treat various diseases such as obesity and diabetes, their effects on bone health remain unclear. The aim of this review is to examine literature published in the past decade, summarize the effects of currently popular diets on bone health, elucidate underlying mechanisms, and provide solutions to neutralize the side effects. The diets discussed in this review include a ketogenic diet (KD), a Mediterranean diet (MD), caloric restriction (CR), a high-protein diet (HP), and intermittent fasting (IF). Although detrimental effects on bone health have been noticed in the KD and CR diets, it is still controversial, while the MD and HP diets have shown protective effects, and the effects of IF diets are still uncertain. The mechanism of these effects and the attenuation methods have gained attention and have been discussed in recent years: the KD diet interrupts energy balance and calcium metabolism, which reduces bone quality. Ginsenoside-Rb2, metformin, and simvastatin have been shown to attenuate bone loss during KD. The CR diet influences energy imbalance, glucocorticoid levels, and adipose tissue, causing bone loss. Adequate vitamin D and calcium supplementation and exercise training can attenuate these effects. The olive oil in the MD may be an effective component that protects bone health. HP diets also have components that protect bone health, but their mechanism requires further investigation. In IF, animal studies have shown detrimental effects on bone health, while human studies have not. Therefore, the effects of diets on bone health vary accordingly.
Topics: Humans; Bone Density; Diet, Ketogenic; Bone and Bones; Caloric Restriction; Diet; Animals; Diet, Mediterranean
PubMed: 38665424
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1287140 -
Scientific Reports Jul 2023Formation damage poses a widespread challenge in the oil and gas industry, leading to diminished permeability, flow rates, and overall well productivity. Acidizing is a...
Formation damage poses a widespread challenge in the oil and gas industry, leading to diminished permeability, flow rates, and overall well productivity. Acidizing is a commonly employed technique aimed at mitigating damage and enhancing permeability. In this study, to predict the permeability after acidizing in oil and gas reservoirs, three machine learning models, namely artificial neural networks, random forest, and XGBoost, along with genetic programming were used to estimate permeability changes after acidizing. These models are utilized to estimate permeability changes following acidizing operations. Training of the models involved a dataset comprising 218 acidizing operations conducted in diverse reservoirs across Iran. The input parameters, namely permeability, porosity, skin factor, calcite mineral fraction, acid injection rate, and injected acid volume, were optimized through the use of a genetic algorithm. Statistical and graphical analysis of the results demonstrates that genetic programming outperformed the other machine learning techniques, yielding superior performance with R square and RMSE values of 0.82 and 17.65, respectively. Nevertheless, the other models also exhibited commendable performance, surpassing an R square value of 0.73. The post-acidizing permeability data obtained from core flooding experiments conducted on carbonate and sandstone cores was utilized to validate the models. The genetic programming model demonstrates an average error of 21.1%. The evaluation of post-acidizing permeability using genetic programming, in comparison with the results obtained from the core-flood test, revealed errors of 22.95% and 32.4% for carbonate and sandstone cores, respectively. Furthermore, a comparison between the calculated post-acidizing permeability derived from the GP model and previous studies indicated errors within the range of 8.6-26.59%. The findings highlight the potential of genetic programming and machine learning algorithms in accurately predicting post-acidizing permeability, thereby aiding in acidizing design, effectiveness assessment, and ultimately enhancing oil and gas production rates.
PubMed: 37481625
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39156-9 -
Microbial Biotechnology Jan 2024The Halopseudomonas species, formerly classified as Pseudomonas pertucinogena lineage, form a unique phylogenetic branch within the Pseudomonads. Most strains have...
The Halopseudomonas species, formerly classified as Pseudomonas pertucinogena lineage, form a unique phylogenetic branch within the Pseudomonads. Most strains have recently been isolated from challenging habitats including oil- or metal-polluted sites, deep sea, and intertidal zones, suggesting innate resilience to physical and chemical stresses. Despite their comparably small genomes, these bacteria synthesise several biomolecules with biotechnological potential and a role in the degradation of anthropogenic pollutants has been suggested for some Halopseudomonads. Until now, these bacteria are not readily amenable to existing cultivation and cloning methods. We addressed these limitations by selecting four Halopseudomonas strains of particular interest, namely H. aestusnigri, H. bauzanensis, H. litoralis, and H. oceani to establish microbiological and molecular genetic methods. We found that C -C dicarboxylic acids serve as viable carbon sources in both complex and mineral salt cultivation media. We also developed plasmid DNA transfer protocols and assessed vectors with different origins of replication and promoters inducible with isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside, l-arabinose, and salicylate. Furthermore, we have demonstrated the simultaneous genomic integration of expression cassettes into one and two attTn7 integration sites. Our results provide a valuable toolbox for constructing robust chassis strains and highlight the biotechnological potential of Halopseudomonas strains.
Topics: Phylogeny; Plasmids; Genomics; Bacteria; Molecular Biology
PubMed: 37991430
DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14369 -
Brazilian Journal of Biology = Revista... 2023Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) is the main transmitter of pathogens that cause human diseases, including dengue, chikungunya, zika and yellow fever. Faced with...
Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) is the main transmitter of pathogens that cause human diseases, including dengue, chikungunya, zika and yellow fever. Faced with this problem, this study aims to select fungi with entomopathogenic potential against Ae. aegypti and develop formulations that optimize the control action of entomopathogenic fungi in the semi-field condition. 23 fungal strains native from Amazon were inoculated in Potato-Dextrose-Agar (PDA) culture medium for 14 days and then transferred by scraping to tubes containing 0.9% NaCl solution. To obtain the larvae, eggs were collected using traps in peridomestic environments for 7 days. 20 larvae of Ae. aegypti in 125 mL erlenmeyers containing 20 mL of conidial suspension at a concentration of 1x106 conidia/mL for initial selection and 1×104, 1×105, 1×106 and 1×107 conidia/mL for determination of LC50. Mortality was checked every 24 h for 5 days. The three fungi with the best virulence rates were identified using molecular techniques. The compatibility between fungi at a concentration of 1×106 conidia/mL and oily adjuvants, mineral oil and vegetable oil (andiroba, chestnut and copaiba) at concentrations of 0.1, 0.5 and 1% was evaluated. The germination capacity of 100 conidia per treatment was evaluated after incubation at 28 ºC for 24 h. To evaluate the entomopathogenic potential of the fungal formulations, conidial suspensions (1×106 conidia/mL) were added with 0.1% mineral and vegetable oil. The treatments were submitted to laboratory and semi-field conditions and mortality was verified every 24 h for 5 days. Beauveria sp. (4,458) (LC50 = 8.66× 103), Metarhizium anisopliae (4,420) (LC50 = 5.48×104) and M. anisopliae (4,910) (LC50 = 1.13×105) were significantly more effective in the larval control of Ae. aegypti, in relation to the other fungal morphospecies evaluated. Mineral oil was better compatible in all treatments evaluated. Beauveria sp. (4,458) was considerably less virulent under semi-field conditions. M. anisopliae (4,910) formulated with mineral oil increased larval mortality to 100% on the 4th day in the laboratory and on the 5th day in the semi-field. Fungal formulations developed from native Amazonian isolates represent a promising tool for the development of strategies to control Ae. aegypti.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Aedes; Pest Control, Biological; Mineral Oil; Metarhizium; Larva; Plant Oils; Zika Virus; Zika Virus Infection; Spores, Fungal
PubMed: 37909558
DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.274954 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2023The main objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of the low-quality brown coal, ash obtained as a result of its combustion, as well as used gear oil for the...
The main objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of the low-quality brown coal, ash obtained as a result of its combustion, as well as used gear oil for the production of mineral-carbon adsorbents. The adsorbents were characterized in terms of textural parameters, acidic-basic character of the surface, mineral matter contribution to the structure, as well as their suitability for drinking water purification. Adsorption tests were carried out against two synthetic dyes-methylene blue and methyl orange. In order to understand the nature of the organic pollutants adsorption, the effect of the initial dye concentration, temperature, and pH of the system as well as the phase contact time were investigated. The obtained mineral-carbon composite and activated carbons significantly differed not only in terms of the elemental composition and chemical character of the surface (from slightly acidic to strongly alkaline), but also showed a very diverse degree of specific surface development (from 21 to 656 m/g) and the type of porous structure generated (from micro/mesoporous to typically mesoporous). Adsorption tests showed that the efficiency of organic dye removal from aqueous solutions primarily depends on the type of the adsorbent and adsorbate applied, and, to a lesser extent, on the temperature and pH of the system. In turn, kinetic studies have shown that the sorption of dyes on such materials is consistent with a pseudo-second-order kinetics model, regardless of the type of adsorbed dye.
PubMed: 37836762
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28196919 -
Microorganisms Dec 2023The present study aimed to investigate the recovery of soil quality and the bacterial and fungal communities following various recultivation methods in areas...
The present study aimed to investigate the recovery of soil quality and the bacterial and fungal communities following various recultivation methods in areas contaminated with oil. Oil spills are known to have severe impacts on ecosystems; thus, the restoration of contaminated soils has become a significant challenge nowadays. The study was conducted in the forest-tundra zone of the European North-East, where 39 soil samples from five oil-contaminated sites and reference sites were subjected to metagenomic analyses. The contaminated sites were treated with different biopreparations, and the recovery of soil quality and microbial communities were analyzed. The analysis of bacteria and fungi communities was carried out using 16S rDNA and ITS metabarcoding. It was found that 68% of bacterial OTUs and 64% of fungal OTUs were unique to the reference plot and not registered in any of the recultivated plots. However, the species diversity of recultivated sites was similar, with 50-80% of bacterial OTUs and 44-60% of fungal OTUs being common to all sites. New data obtained through soil metabarcoding confirm our earlier conclusions about the effectiveness of using biopreparations with indigenous oil-oxidizing micro-organisms also with mineral fertilizers, and herbaceous plant seeds for soil remediation. It is possible that the characteristics of microbial communities will be informative in the bioindication of soils reclaimed after oil pollution.
PubMed: 38257907
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010080 -
British Journal of Cancer Sep 2023Occupational exposures constitute the second leading cause of urinary bladder cancer after tobacco smoking. Increased risks have been found in the petroleum industry,...
BACKGROUND
Occupational exposures constitute the second leading cause of urinary bladder cancer after tobacco smoking. Increased risks have been found in the petroleum industry, but high-quality exposure data are needed to explain these observations.
METHODS
Using a prospective case-cohort design, we analysed 189 bladder cancer cases (1999-2017) and 2065 randomly drawn non-cases from the Norwegian Offshore Petroleum Workers cohort. Cases were identified in the Cancer Registry of Norway, while work histories (1965-1998) and lifestyle factors were recorded by questionnaire at baseline (1998). Occupational petroleum-related hydrocarbon exposures were assessed by expert-developed job-exposure matrices. Hazard ratios were estimated by weighted Cox-regressions, adjusted for age, tobacco smoking, education, and year of first employment, and with lagged exposures.
RESULTS
Increased risks were found in benzene-exposed workers, either long-term exposure (≥18.8 years, HR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.14-3.13; p-trend = 0.044) or high-level cumulative benzene exposure (HR = 1.60, 95% CI: 0.97-2.63; p-trend = 0.065), compared with the unexposed. Associations persisted with 20-year exposure lag. No associations were found with skin or inhalation exposure to crude oil, mineral oil (lubrication, hydraulics, turbines, drilling), or diesel exhaust.
CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that exposures in the benzene fraction of the petroleum stream may be associated with increased bladder cancer risk.
Topics: Humans; Male; Benzene; Petroleum; Hydrocarbons; Occupational Exposure; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms; Occupational Diseases
PubMed: 37464024
DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02357-0