Ricerc@Sapienza

Potential exposure to toxic elements initially occurs during gestation and after birth via breast milk, which is the principal source of nutrients for infants during the first months of life. In this study, we evaluated whether maternal oral supplementation with a multi-strain probiotic product can protect infants from exposure to arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) via breast milk.

Washed and unwashed Arundo donax L. (A. donax) leaves were analyzed for elements, and results were compared with element concentrations detected in river water and particulate matter (PM) Samples were collected along a river in an urban and industrial hot spot of Central Italy, where element concentrations show relevant spatial gradients both in air and river water. The aim of this study is to identify the role of the two environmental matrices on leaves composition.

Particulate matter (PM) is a complex mixture of solid and liquid airborne particles, characterized by different size, shape, chemical composition, solubility and origin [1]. The high costs associated to the definition of a traditional monitoring network determine an increasing demand for new and low-cost techniques for air pollution monitoring [2]. In this context, leaves are often described as efficient passive biomonitors for airborne pollutants such as particulate matter [3].

In this study, the validation of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) isotopic dilution method for the determination of benzene and nicotine metabolites in urine was carried out. Limit of detection are 0.026 ?g/L for S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA), 0.55 ?g/L for t,t-muconic acid (t,t-MA), and 12.41 ?g/L for the cotinine, and the relative combined uncertainty was also calculated. The study involves 446 healthy volunteer residents since at least 10 years in an area of central Italy.