Browse Our Chemical Engineering Journals
Chemical engineering is an engineering branch that deals with the chemical production and manufacture of products that undergo chemical processes. This includes equipment design, creating systems and processes to refine raw material, as well as mixing, compounding, and processing chemicals to create products.
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Abstract
Febrifugine, a potent quinazolinone compound derived from the Chinese herb Chang Shan (Dichroa febrifuga), exhibits diverse biological activities and has demonstrated anti-tumor effects by functioning as focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitors. In this study, our objective was to establish a quantitative UPLC-MS/MS method and investigate the pharmacokinetic characteristics of febrifugine in rats following intravenous and oral administration routes. The rat tail vein was used for the collection of blood samples at designated time intervals following intravenous (2.0 mg kg−1) and oral (6.0 mg kg−1) administrations. Plasma samples were pretreated with acetonitrile as a protein precipitant and methylcytisine as an internal standard. Febrifugine concentration in rat plasma was determined using the UPLC-MS/MS method, and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using drug and statistics (DAS) software version for statistical analysis. The linear range of febrifugine in rat plasma was 1.5–1,500 ng mL−1, meeting the precision, recovery, and stability requirements for determination purposes. Febrifugine had a half-life (t1/2) of 3.2 ± 1.6 h after administered via intravenous route, while t1/2 was 2.6 ± 0.5 h after oral administration. The developed UPLC-MS/MS method is facile to operate while adhering to rigorous methodological verification standards, rendering it suitable for investigating the pharmacokinetics of febrifugine; and bioavailability was determined as 45.8%.
Abstract
This study presents the development and validation of a robust HPLC-UV method for the simultaneous detection and quantification of vitamin D2, vitamin D3, ergosterol, and 7-dehydrocholesterol in a single analytical run, adhering to ICH Q2 (R1) guidelines. Application of the HPLC-UV method to six vegetable oils demonstrated inherent vitamin D content and its enhancement under different radiation conditions. Oils were exposed to direct sunlight, UVA, and UVB radiation, with UVB showing the most significant impact on vitamin D levels. Notably, UVB exposure increased vitamin D3 in castor oil from 2.82 μg mL−1 to 4.29 μg mL−1 and vitamin D2 in mustard oil from 0.73 μg mL−1 to 1.89 μg mL−1. The findings highlight the potential of UVB radiation to convert vitamin D precursors to active forms more effectively than other radiation sources. This study provides a novel approach for naturally enriching vitamin D in vegetable oils, offering a promising strategy to mitigate vitamin D deficiencies in populations with limited sun exposure or dietary restrictions. The developed HPLC-UV method and resultant insights into the radiation-induced enhancement of vitamin D content in oils contribute valuable knowledge to nutritional science.
Abstract
Zanubrutinib (Brukinsa, BeiGene) is a FAD approved second-generation Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has more selectivity and reduced off-target action, resulting in mitigated cardiotoxicity compared to ibrutinib. The target of this investigation was to establish a fast, precise, green, and extremely sensitive UPLC-MS/MS approach for quantifying the level of zanubrutinib (ZNB) in human liver microsomes (HLMs). The separation of ZMB and revumenib was achieved using C8 column and isocratic gradient of the mobile phase. The linearity of the constructed ZNB calibration curve was ranged from 1 to 3,000 ng mL−1. The StarDrop software package including DEREK and WhichP450 modules was used in screening for the toxic alerts the in silico metabolic lability of ZNB. The AGREE score was 0.76 that approves the greenness of the established method. The low in vitro t1/2 (17.61 min) and high intrinsic clearance (46.03 mL min−1 kg−1) of ZNB revealed that ZNB shares similarities with medications that have a high extraction ratio. The present LC-MS/MS approach is considered the first analytical methodology for assessment of ZNB metabolic stability in HLMs matrix. In silico data from WhichP450 and DEREK modules suggest that making small structural changes (bioisosteric replacement) to the carboxamide moiety during drug design can potentially improve the metabolic safety and stability of novel compounds relative to ZNB. These methods are essential for advancing the development of new pharmaceuticals, particularly in enhancing metabolic stability.
Abstract
Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Maxim. fruits (ESF) is a natural health food that has been widely used in traditional medicine. This study aimed to establish and validate a rapid and sensitive method for determining of six phenolic acids in plasma of normal and T2DM rats by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Separation and quantification were performed on a Waters HSS T3 column (100 × 2.1 mm, 1.8 μm) with water (A) and methanol (B). The electrospray ionization (ESI) source was operated in negative ionization mode. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) was used to quantitatively analyzed hyperoside m/z 463.2→301.1, caffeic acid m/z 179.1→135.1, chlorogenic acid m/z 353.2→190.9, gallic acid m/z 169.0→125.1, protocatechuic acid m/z 153.1→109.1, and isofraxidin m/z 221.1→191.0, respectively. The hypoglycemic effect of ESF was verified by determining blood glucose and lipid levels in a type 2 diabetes model. This study laid the foundation for exploring ESF clinical guidelines in the future.
Abstract
High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography has capacity to run many samples simultaneously and its reduced solvent usage. Simultaneous quantification of gallic acid, ferulic acid, rutin and berberine in Asthimajja Pachak Kwath has been developed and validated using a specific, precise, accurate, and low-cost high performance thin layer chromatography technique. Toluene: ethyl acetate: chloroform: methanol: formic acid (5:2:2:2:1, v/v/v/v/v) was used as mobile phase during separation, which took place on a stationary phase of pre-coated silica gel aluminum plate 60 F254. At 270 nm, separated components were densitometrically measured. The method was validated for linearity and range, precision, reproducibility, specificity, robustness, accuracy, limit of detection and limit of quantification as per International Council for Harmonization Q2 (R2) guideline. Gallic acid, ferulic acid, rutin and berberine regression coefficients (R 2) were found to be 0.9995, 0.9990, 0.9985 and 0.9997 accordingly. Gallic acid, ferulic acid, rutin and berberine percentage recoveries were measured to be 99.81 ± 0.833, 99.15 ± 0.776, 99.56 ± 0.582 and 99.90 ± 0.719 respectively. Having a reliable analytical method is essential for ensuring the quality, consistency, and efficacy of herbal formulations in traditional medicine. This meticulous approach is crucial for accurate quantification of the target compounds in the Asthimajja Pachak Kwath.
Abstract
Nowadays, drone imagery is a common way to quickly obtain information on the state of vegetation, as well as a method for taking orthophotos and terrain models. For terrain modelling, aerial photographs are required to have at least 60% overlap between adjacent images. Typically, the inadequate overlap is only discovered later, during post-processing. In our previous work we have presented a method we developed to determine on the spot, whether the in-flight images are suitable for producing the terrain model or whether it is necessary to re-render a part of the area, which can be done under the same conditions (weather, ionosphere, satellite geometry). Our proposed method for calculating the overlap is different from the usual procedure. Using VBA-based calculations, we computed the overlap between the images based on the position of the centre of the images, the altitude of the flight and the rotation angle of the images. The method was tested in practice, but we felt it necessary to verify our calculations. During the verification, we checked the VBA-based calculations using a Python script. The test showed that the results obtained with a previous midpoint calculation method were 92.2 percent identical to the calculations performed with Python. The Python program is accurate and fast; therefore, the use is recommended on the field.
Abstract
Similar to other regions, in East Central Europe, agriculture is the most vulnerable sector regarding the consequences of climate change through increasing variability in weather conditions, even on the short-term and local scales. Agricultural engineers make decisions; higher education has a crucial role in taking proper actions. Our survey aimed to get up-to-date information on the knowledge and attitude of graduating students completing agriculture-related studies at 6 universities located in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia, with particular attention to weather projections, crop production, and soil protection issues. Analyses revealed adequate lexical knowledge of young engineers in each country. They are familiar with the agro-environmental actualities and future trends, issues to address at the right time, and the repertoire of tools and practices for taking efficient measures. A positive attitude toward proactive actions was proved. We report proof of a high level of preparedness resulting from the proper efficacy of agricultural higher education. The content of the curricula and the teaching methodologies meet well the receptiveness to learning in the V4 countries. Our findings confirm that frequent updating of the content of subjects as well as incorporating practical applications that promote active learning and engagement, are more critical today than ever, and it is possible to achieve a high level of preparedness for the challenges in the agricultural sector.
Abstract
This study analyzed the impact of storing Golden Delicious apples at 3 °C with a relative humidity of 85 ± 5% in two environments, namely a darkroom (D03) and a lightroom (L03), on the fruit quality. The research evaluated weight loss (Δm) and color metrics (a*, b*, L*, ΔE, C*, hue angle). The number of apples used for each storage was 12. Weight loss was calculated by measuring the changes in mass during storage. Color differences (ΔE), chroma (C*), and hue angle were determined based on the L*a*b* scale values. Apples stored at 3 °C in D03 experienced a minimal percentage of weight loss of 7.02%. The results indicated that compared to the D03 storage, the L03 storage had a more significant increase in Δm and color variation. The non-destructive method of measuring color characteristics facilitates the assessment of the storage conditions for Golden Delicious apples.
Abstract
Nutritional information on packaging is becoming increasingly important in the food industry. Currently, labels are seen not only on the back of the packaging but also on the front. As there are many versions of front-of-pack labels (FoPLs), the research aims to determine which helps consumers the most in making decisions about which food to include in a healthier lifestyle. Nutri-Score, Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) and Multiple Traffic Lights (MTL) FoPLs on cereals were compared using eye-tracking (ET) and choice-based conjoint analysis (CBCA). CBCA was used to assess consumer preferences and the labels and products were also ranked. Based on the results, GDA type FoPL proved to be the most useful based on conjoint analysis, ranking and the analysis of ET parameters. This label helped participants the most in choosing the product that best fits into a healthier lifestyle. The Nutri-Score label, which offers little information on a product's nutritional content, was not favourably received by the Hungarian sample, who preferred more detailed FoP labels.
A vízpótlás talajvízszintre gyakorolt hatásának értékelése egy délnyugat-magyarországi példán keresztül
Evaluation of the water supply’s impact on groundwater levels, with an example from South-West Hungary
Az Európát is érintő jelenlegi, napjainkban zajló éghajlatváltozás statisztikailag szignifikáns felmelegedési tendenciával jellemezhető. Az éghajlatváltozás hatása a csapadékviszonyok és az evapotranszspirációs folyamatok megváltoztatásán keresztül érinti a vízkörforgalmat, így a csapadék eloszlásának és mennyiségének várható változásai a folyamatosan emelkedő hőmérséklettel együtt a növények nagyobb vízfelhasználását eredményezhetik, ami változásokat indukálhat a talajnedvességben, a talajvízben és ennek következtében a vízmérlegben. Az emelkedő hőmérséklet hatására a jövőben a növekvő transzspirációs igény valószínűleg a növényi közösségek fokozott talajvízfelvételét eredményezi, ami a talajvízszint további csökkenését is magával vonhatja. Ha ez bekövetkezik, a talajvízfüggő erdei közösségek regenerálódása ezeken a területeken kérdésessé válik, mivel a fiatal fák gyökérzete nem fogja tudni elérni a vízforrást. Következésképpen a Kárpát-medence sík vidékein és vizes élőhelyein a nagy vízigényű erdők fennmaradása kérdésessé válhat. A fás vegetáció számára kiemelten fontos a talajvíz szerepe a vegetációs időszakban, éppen ezért a talajvízszint változását régóta, rendszeresen monitorozzák.
Konkrét megoldás lehet az árhullámok visszaduzzasztásából származó vízpótlás. A pozitív vízpótlási beavatkozásokra példa a Kaszó LIFE projekt. A projekt célja a leromlott élőhelyek rehabilitációja volt, ami a kedvező ökológiai állapot stabilizálásával teszi lehetővé a hosszú távú megőrzést. A megvalósítás eszközeként tórehabilitációt és folyó-mederbordákat alkalmaztak, biztosítva a Szentai-erdő (Nyugat-belső-somogyi kistérség) erdeinek, kis lápjainak és gyepterületeinek vízellátás javítását.
Jelen kutatás célja pedig a Kaszó LIFE projekt vízpótlási beavatkozásai után, azok felszín alatti vízszintre gyakorolt hidrológiai hatásainak elemzése volt. A meteorológiai adatok és a monitoring adatok alapján elmondható, hogy a Szentai-erdőben 30 éves szárazodási tendencia volt tapasztalható, amelynek elsődleges mutatója a talajvízszint csökkenése. Kiemelendőek a 2016–2017-es vizsgálati időszak évei, amikor az alapvetően lefolyástalan vizsgálati területen nem volt elegendő csapadék a talajvíz szintjének fenntartásához. Kutatási eredményeink azonban azt mutatták, hogy a vízpótlást célzó beavatkozások (mederbordák és tározótavak) összességében a talajvízszint emelkedését biztosítják.
A két beavatkozási típus talajvízszint emelkedésére gyakorolt hatását vizsgálva arra a következtetésre jutottunk, hogy míg a tavak építése jelentősen befolyásolja a környező kutak vízszintjét, addig a mederbordák esetében kisebb mértékű a hatás.
