Ricerc@Sapienza

Titanium dioxide is produced or imported into the EU for over one million tons/year. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classification is 2B, a possible inhalation carcinogen for humans. This study evaluates urinary biomarkers of oxidative stress in workers of a plant producing TiO2 pigment powder, having 0.25 µm average particle size and an ultrafine fraction, compared to unexposed subjects. Urine samples were collected from forty workers before and after the shift, from six employees of the same company and eighteen volunteers from the same geographical area.

The levels of 30 elements (Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Sb, Se, Si,
Sn, Sr, Ti, Tl, U, V, Zn) and some typical quality parameters were measured in 40 honey samples from the Lazio
region (Italy). The main purpose of this study was to enhance the information variety. The mean values for the
quality parameters were: pH, 4.0; sugar, 80.9 °brix; moisture, 17.4%; electrical conductivity 0.63 mS cm⁠-1. Mineral
elements were quantified by ICP-OES and ICP-MS and compared with literature data. The most abundant

Milk contains a variety of nutrients and is long associated with a number of health benefits. It is rich in high-quality proteins and important vitamins and minerals, including calcium, phosphorus and B vitamins. Recently, however, some people have started to avoid milk due to health problems, such as dietary restrictions, allergies and intolerances, and ethical issues regarding the use of animals. As a result, various types of non-standard dairy milk and nondairy milk beverages are now available (goat milk, donkey milk, soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, oat milk etc.).

Breast milk guarantees all the nutrients required by infants during their first few months of life and remains the most important food source for their health and growth. However, the mother may transfer potentially toxic chemicals to the suckling infant through breastfeeding. The aim of this study was to optimize and validate a fast method for the determination of a total content of 34 elements (Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Sb, Se, Si, Sn, Sr, Te, Ti, Tl, U, V, and Zn) in liquid and lyophilized breast milk.

Thallium is a metal widely distributed in nature even though its abundance is very low. Although its presence in water distribution systems (WDSs) as a result of raw water contamination is an extremely rare condition, its toxicity has aroused concern in consumers. In September 2014, a severe contamination was detected in two WDSs of Pietrasanta, an Italian town (about 24,900 inhabitants including hamlets) of the province of Lucca in Tuscany region. The two WDSs, fed by one drainage gallery, three springs and five wells, were connected each other by a pipe and a reservoir.

In the last years, element content has been used as geographical tracer to determine the provenance of food. In the present work the content of 19 minerals (K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Zn, B, Cu, Al, Mn, Ni, Cr, Pb, Co, As, Se, Cd, Sb
and V) and 13 lanthanide elements (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm and Lu) in Protect Geographical Indication (PGI) Interdonato lemon Messina (Italy) and non-PGI Turkish lemon pulps was evaluated

Arsenic, a common metalloid, is worldwide recognised as important toxic element for human beings and
living organisms (1,2). Natural processes as well as anthropogenic activities contribute to its diffusion and
occurrence in the environment (1,2). Fungi, as geoactive agents, can play very important geological roles in
several processes, including decomposition, biogeochemical cycling, element biotransformations, metal and
mineral transformations, bioweathering and soil formation (3,4). Fungi can tolerate and accumulate high

Arsenic (As) is a metalloid, naturally occurring in the earth crust. Anthropogenic sources, such as
processing of arsenic-bearing minerals, are mainly responsible for environmental contamination,
arising concern for toxic effects of As on human health and ecosystems. Fungi play key roles in
fundamental biogeochemical cycles of essential and toxic elements and soil formation. Several
studies reported that fungi can tolerate and accumulate high concentrations of arsenic and mediate