The objectives of this study were to physicochemically characterize and determine the antioxidant activities and anthocyanin contents of organic Rabbiteye blueberries grown in Southern Brazil and its derived products, in order to investigate the utility of food processing wastes as raw materials for developing products with beneficial health properties. The antioxidant capacity of the blueberries was superior to that of other fruits and juices. The pomace exhibited high activity, albeit lower than that of the fruit, while the flour and the dried blueberries lost 66% and 46% of the original antioxidant activity, respectively. The average anthocyanin contents of the fruits were moderate compared to other sources and species of blueberries. The pomace contains a large amount of anthocyanins while the flour and dried blueberries exhibited a 32% and 42% loss in anthocyanin content, respectively. The use of agro-industrial residues, in addition to adding value and minimizing the impact caused by the accumulation in the environment, can be directed toward the development of new products with bioactive properties.

Neste trabalho foi investigado o índice de HMF (5-hidroximetilfurfural) em méis comercializados em Porto Alegre - RS, utilizando Cromatografia Capilar Eletrocinética Micelar. O HMF, produto da condensação da frutose, é um indicador da qualidade e conservação do mel. Foram analisadas 11 marcas de méis comercializados na cidade de Porto Alegre. O composto estudado esteve presente em todas as amostras, em um intervalo de concentração de 0,191 a 6,206 mg.kg-1. Para quantificar o HMF presente nos méis, utilizou-se a técnica de adição de padrão. A taxa de recuperação foi de 98% e o limite de detecção foi de 0,025 mg.kg-1. O limite permitido de HMF em méis, segundo a legislação brasileira, é de 60 mg.kg-1.

In this work, the occurrence of HMF (5-hydroxymethylfurfural) in honey marketed in Porto Alegre - RS was investigated using Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary Chromatography. The HMF, which is the product of the fructose condensation, is an indicator of honey quality and conservation. Eleven types of honey commercialized in Porto Alegre were analyzed, and all of them contained HMF in a range from 0.191 to 6.206 mg.kg-1. In order to quantify the HMF present in the samples, the technique of standard addition was employed. The recovery was 98% and the detection limit was 0.025 mg.kg-1. The allowed limit of HMF in honey, according to the Brazilian Legislation, is 60 mg.kg-1.

A patulina é uma micotoxina produzida por diversas espécies de fungos dos gêneros Penicillium e Aspergillus, encontrada em diversas espécies frutíferas e, notadamente, em maçãs e produtos derivados da maçã. A patulina tem um amplo espectro de toxicidade, incluindo carcinogenicidade e teratogenicidade em animais. Devido a sua estabilidade, níveis consideráveis de patulina permanecem nos produtos derivados da maçã, mesmo após as etapas do processamento. Este artigo revisa os diferentes métodos analíticos usados para a determinação de patulina e métodos empregados para reduzir os níveis de patulina nos produtos alimentícios.

Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by several fungal species of the genera Penicillium and Aspergillus, found on several fruit species and, remarkably, in apples and apple products. Patulin has a broad spectrum of toxicity, including carcinogenicity and teratogenicity in animals. Due to the stability of the molecule, considerable amounts of patulin still remain in apple products after processing. This paper reviews different analytical methods for patulin determination and methods to reduce levels of patulin in apple products as well.

Neste trabalho são apresentados modelos de regressão multivariada, empregando espectros por reflexão difusa no infravermelho com transformada de Fourier (DRIFTS), para análise quantitativa do sistema ternário formado pelos carbonatos de cálcio e magnésio e pelo óxido de magnésio. Através de um diagrama ternário, foram definidas as misturas para aquisição dos espectros por reflexão no infravermelho médio. Empregando-se a regressão por mínimos quadrados parciais (PLS), foram construídos modelos com os dados espectrais centrados na média e/ou escalados pela variância, utilizando o conjunto de espectros de calibração. Para selecionar os melhores modelos, foram comparados os valores de RMSEP (root mean square error of prediction). Os resultados comprovam que bons modelos de calibração multivariada para a determinação de carbonatos de cálcio e magnésio e de óxido de cálcio podem ser obtidos a partir dos espectros por reflexão no infravermelho. Estas determinações são particularmente úteis no estudo da decomposição térmica de rochas dolomíticas.

In the present work multivariate regression models were developed for the quantitative analysis of ternary systems using Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) to determine the concentration in weight of calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate and magnesium oxide. Nineteen spectra of standard samples previously defined in ternary diagram by mixture design were prepared and mid-infrared diffuse reflectance spectra were recorded. The partial least squares (PLS) regression method was applied to the model. The spectra set was preprocessed by either mean-centered and variance-scaled (model 2) or mean-centered only (model 1). The results based on the prediction performance of the external validation set expressed by RMSEP (root mean square error of prediction) demonstrated that it is possible to develop good models to simultaneously determine calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate and magnesium oxide content in powdered samples that can be used in the study of the thermal decomposition of dolomite rocks.

Este estudo foi realizado em casa de vegetação, no ano de 1997, na Faculdade de Agronomia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Em um desenho experimental de blocos casualizados com parcelas divididas e seis repetições, foram avaliadas as seguintes variáveis: comprimento das raízes, raio médio, superfície ocupada e matéria seca produzida pelas raízes do azevém, visando avaliar o efeito da adição de substâncias húmicas no desenvolvimento das raízes do azevém. As plantas foram cultivadas em areia irrigada, com uma solução nutritiva completa e quatro doses de substâncias húmicas (0, 10, 20 e 30-mg/litro), extraídas a partir dos carvões das minas do Capané (Palermo CE-4.200 e Palermo CE-4.700), Leão (Leão CE-5.200) e Candiota (Candiota Camada Superior, Candiota Camada Inferior, Candiota CE-3.300 e Candiota CE-4.700). Para todas as variáveis analisadas a análise estatística acusou significância para os efeitos da interação doses x matéria-prima. Os resultados demonstraram que as substâncias húmicas promoveram o desenvolvimento das raízes aumentando: a) em 100,87% o comprimento da raiz; b) em 49,23% o peso das raízes e c) em 68% a superfície ocupada pelas raízes. Conclui-se que as substâncias húmicas promoveram o desenvolvimento das raízes do azevém e as distintas fontes destas substâncias agiram de forma diferente sobre os parâmetros das quatro variáveis analisadas.

This work was carried out under greenhouse conditions, in 1997, at Faculdade de Agronomia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). A split plot randomized complete block experimental design was used, with six replications, to evaluate root lengths, average radius, roots surface and dry matter of roots with the objective to evaluate the effect of humic compounds addition in the development of ryegrass roots. Ryegrass forage was grown in pots with irrigated sand with four levels of humic compounds added to a complete nutritive solution with four-doses of humic compounds (0, 10, 20 and 30-mg/liter). The humic compounds were extracted from the charcoals of the Capané (Palermo CE-4,200 and Palermo CE-4,700), Leão (Leão CE-5,200) and Candiota (Candiota superior layer, Candiota inferior layer, CE-3,300 and Candiota CE-4,700) mines. For all variables, the statistical analyses showed significance for the interaction dose x raw material effects. Results demonstrated that humic compounds promoted roots development, increasing: a) roots length at 100,87%; b) roots weight at 49,23% and c) 68% of the roots surface. The humic compounds influence ryegrass roots development and that these substances from different raw materials distinctly act on the parameters of the four variables analyzed.

This work aims at the study of the air quality determination regarding the total suspended particles (TSP) and the associated metals in the counties of Charqueadas and Sapucaia do Sul at the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The TSP samples were collected using high volume samplers and the analysis of the metallic elements was accomplished through ICP-AES. The results revealed that the TSP concentrations, found in the two studied regions, have exceded the current air quality patterns established by the Brazilian Legislation. They also revealed high levels of several of the elements being attributed to the presence of anthropogenic sources. The correlation between meteorological data (speed and wind direction) and TSP concentrations were significant and revealed strong influence in particle dispersion.