Sample records for zinc zn iron

  1. Zinc transport by respiratory epithelial cells and interaction with iron homeostasis.

    PubMed

    Deng, Zhongping; Dailey, Lisa A; Soukup, Joleen; Stonehuerner, Jacqueline; Richards, Judy D; Callaghan, Kimberly D; Yang, Funmei; Ghio, Andrew J

    2009-10-01

    Despite recurrent exposure to zinc through inhalation of ambient air pollution particles, relatively little information is known about the homeostasis of this metal in respiratory epithelial cells. We describe zinc uptake and release by respiratory epithelial cells and test the postulate that Zn(2+) transport interacts with iron homeostasis in these same cells. Zn(2+) uptake after 4 and 8 h of exposure to zinc sulfate was concentration- and time-dependent. A majority of Zn(2+) release occurred in the 4 h immediately following cell exposure to ZnSO(4). Regarding metal importers, mRNA for Zip1 and Zip2 showed no change after respiratory epithelial cell exposure to zinc while mRNA for divalent metal transporter (DMT)1 increased. Western blot assay for DMT1 protein supported an elevated expression of this transport protein following zinc exposure. RT-PCR confirmed mRNA for the metal exporters ZnT1 and ZnT4 with the former increasing after ZnSO(4). Cell concentrations of ferritin increased with zinc exposure while oxidative stress, measured as lipid peroxides, was decreased supporting an anti-oxidant function for Zn(2+). Increased DMT1 expression, following pre-incubations of respiratory epithelial cells with TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, and endotoxin, was associated with significantly decreased intracellular zinc transport. Finally, incubations of respiratory epithelial cells with both zinc sulfate and ferric ammonium citrate resulted in elevated intracellular concentrations of both metals. We conclude that exposure to zinc increases iron uptake by respiratory epithelial cells. Elevations in cell iron can possibly affect an increased expression of DMT1 and ferritin which function to diminish oxidative stress. Comparable to other metal exposures, changes in iron homeostasis may contribute to the biological effects of zinc in specific cells and tissues.

  2. Iron Bioavailability from Ferric Pyrophosphate in Extruded Rice Cofortified with Zinc Sulfate Is Greater than When Cofortified with Zinc Oxide in a Human Stable Isotope Study.

    PubMed

    Hackl, Laura; Zimmermann, Michael B; Zeder, Christophe; Parker, Megan; Johns, Paul W; Hurrell, Richard F; Moretti, Diego

    2017-03-01

    Background: Extruded rice grains are often cofortified with iron and zinc. However, it is uncertain if the addition of zinc to iron-fortified rice affects iron absorption and whether this is zinc-compound specific. Objective: We investigated whether zinc, added as zinc oxide (ZnO) or zinc sulfate (ZnSO 4 ), affects human iron absorption from extruded rice fortified with ferric pyrophosphate (FePP). Methods: In 19 iron-depleted Swiss women (plasma ferritin ≤16.5 μ/L) aged between 20 and 39 y with a normal body mass index (in kg/m 2 ; 18.7-24.8), we compared iron absorption from 4 meals containing fortified extruded rice with 4 mg Fe and 3 mg Zn. Three of the meals contained extruded rice labeled with FePP ( 57 FePP): 1 ) 1 meal without added zinc ( 57 FePP-Zn), 2 ) 1 cofortified with ZnO ( 57 FePP+ZnO), and 3 ) 1 cofortified with ZnSO 4 ( 57 FePP+ZnSO 4 ). The fourth meal contained extruded rice without iron or zinc, extrinsically labeled with ferrous sulfate ( 58 FeSO 4 ) added as a solution after cooking. All 4 meals contained citric acid. Iron bioavailability was measured by isotopic iron ratios in red blood cells. We also measured relative in vitro iron solubility from 57 FePP-Zn, 57 FePP+ZnO, and 57 FePP+ZnSO 4 expressed as a fraction of FeSO 4 solubility. Results: Geometric mean fractional iron absorption (95% CI) from 57 FePP+ZnSO 4 was 4.5% (3.4%, 5.8%) and differed from 57 FePP+ZnO (2.7%; 1.8%, 4.1%) ( P < 0.03); both did not differ from 57 FePP-Zn: 4.0% (2.8%, 5.6%). Relative iron bioavailabilities compared with 58 FeSO 4 were 62%, 57%, and 38% from 57 FePP+ZnSO 4 , 57 FePP-Zn, and 57 FePP+ZnO, respectively. In vitro solubility from 57 FePP+ZnSO 4 differed from that of 57 FePP-Zn (14.3%; P < 0.02) but not from that of 57 FePP+ZnO (10.2% compared with 13.1%; P = 0.08). Conclusions: In iron-depleted women, iron absorption from FePP-fortified extruded rice cofortified with ZnSO 4 was 1.6-fold (95% CI: 1.4-, 1.9-fold) that of rice cofortified with Zn

  3. [Interaction among the trace elements zinc, copper and iron after depletion and repletion of dairy cows with zinc].

    PubMed

    Kirchgessner, M; Schwarz, F J; Roth, H P; Schwarz, W A

    1978-12-01

    Imbalances in the supply with trace elements may be caused by the excessive administration of one or several elements or the insufficient administration in relation to other trace elements. This article deals with the interactions between the trace elements zinc and copper resp. zinc and iron under the conditions of the insufficient supply with Zn (6 mg per kg dry matter of the fodder) and the supply according to the demand with other trace elements (14 mg copper resp. 83 mg iron per dry matter of the fodder). For this purpose we investigated the copper, iron and zinc content of the milk and the serum of cows that were first depleted of zinc through a semi-synthetic zinc deficiency diet and then repleted with extra allowances of zinc. The closest connections exist between the copper and zinc content of the milk. Thus extreme Zn-deficiency feeding conditions the decreased Zn-content on the one hand and increased Cu-content on the other. In contrast to this, the cows' Zn-excretion in the milk increases after Zn-repletion whereas the Cu-content decreases. This shows a distinctly negative correlation. A loose connection could only be detected for the Cu- and Zn-content of the serum. Though the Zn-content changed considerably in dependence on the Zn-supply, the Cu-content remained largely uninfluenced. The Fe-content of both milk and serum shows no interaction with the nutritive Zn-supply. Only after 19 test weeks of extreme Zn-deficiency could a slight increase of the Fe-concentration be indicated.

  4. Evaluation of Serum Levels of Zinc, Copper, Iron, and Zinc/Copper Ratio in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

    PubMed Central

    Pourfallah, F; Javadian, S; Zamani, Z; Saghiri, R; Sadeghi, S; Zarea, B; Faiaz, Sh; Mirkhani, F; Fatemi, N

    2009-01-01

    Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the levels of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and zinc/ copper ratio in the serum of patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis in Qom Province, center of Iran. Methods: Serum levels of zinc and copper were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer and serum iron concentration was measured by using an Auto Analyzer. The study group consisted of 60 patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis and the control group of 100 healthy volunteers from the same area who were not exposed to cutaneous leishmaniasis. Result: There were no statistically significant differences in age and body mass index between the two groups. Serum Zn (P< 0.001) and Fe (P< 0.05) levels were lower in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis than the control group. We also found serum Cu concentration (P< 0.05) in the patient group was significantly higher than that of the control group. However, zinc/ copper ratio (P< 0.001) was lower in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis than in the control group. Conclusion: Our data indicated that Zn/Cu ratio was significantly lower in patients with CL as compared to the controls. Earlier reports suggest that, this ratio imbalance could be a useful marker for immune dysfunction in leishmaniasis. There was also strong association of Zn, Cu and Fe with CL. It suggests the use of blood zinc, copper, iron concentration and the copper/zinc ratio (Zn/Cu), as a means for estimating the prognosis of CL. PMID:22808376

  5. Iron, copper, and zinc status: response to supplementation with zinc or zinc and iron in adult females.

    PubMed

    Yadrick, M K; Kenney, M A; Winterfeldt, E A

    1989-01-01

    Response of iron, copper, and zinc status to supplementation with Zn or a combination of Zn and Fe was assessed in adult females in a 10-wk study. Group Z received 50 mg Zn/d as Zn gluconate; group F-Z received 50 mg Fe as ferrous sulfate monohydrate in addition to the Zn. For Group Z, serum ferritin, hematocrit, and erythrocyte Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (ESOD) were significantly lower (p less than 0.05) after 10 wk supplementation compared with pretreatment levels. Serum Zn increased (p less than 0.01) but no change occurred in serum ceruloplasmin, hemoglobin, or salivary sediment Zn with treatment. For Group F-Z ESOD decreased with treatment as did salivary sediment Zn (p less than 0.05). Serum ferritin and serum Zn increased significantly, but hemoglobin, hematocrit, and ceruloplasmin were not affected by this treatment. Supplementation with Zn poses a risk to Fe and Cu status. Inclusion of Fe with Zn ameliorates the effect on Fe but not on Cu status.

  6. Effect of Initial Iron Content in a Zinc Bath on the Dissolution Rate of Iron During a Hot Dip Galvanizing Process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Sang Myung; Lee, Suk Kyu; Paik, Doo-Jin; Park, Joo Hyun

    2017-04-01

    The mechanism of iron dissolution and the effect of initial Fe content in a Zn bath on the dissolution rate of iron were investigated using a finger rotating method (FRM). When the initial iron content, [Fe]°, in the zinc bath was less than the solubility limit, the iron content in the zinc bath showed a rapid increase, whereas a moderate increase was observed when [Fe]° was close to the solubility limit. Based on Eisenberg's kinetic model, the mass transfer coefficient of iron in the present experimental condition was calculated to be k M = 1.2 × 10-5 m/s, which was similar to the results derived by Giorgi et al. under industrial practice conditions. A dissolution of iron occurred even when the initial iron content in the zinc bath was greater than the solubility limit, which was explained by the interfacial thermodynamics in conjunction with the morphology of the surface coating layer. By analyzing the diffraction patterns using TEM, the outermost dendritic-structured coating layer was confirmed as FeZn13 ( ζ). In order to satisfy the local equilibrium based on the Gibbs-Thomson equation, iron in the dendrite-structured phase spontaneously dissolved into the zinc bath, resulting in the enrichment of iron in front of the dendrite tip. Through the diffusion boundary layer in front of the dendritic-structured layer, dissolved Fe atoms diffused out and reacted with Zn and small amounts of Al, resulting in the formation of dross particles such as FeZn10Al x ( δ). It was experimentally confirmed that the smaller the difference between the initial iron content in the zinc bath and the iron solubility limit at a given temperature, the lower the number of formed dross particles.

  7. Compromised zinc status of experimental rats as a consequence of prolonged iron & calcium supplementation.

    PubMed

    Jayalakshmi, S; Platel, Kalpana

    2016-02-01

    Iron supplementation is usually given to pregnant and lactating women who may also have marginal deficiency of zinc. The negative impact of supplemental iron and calcium on zinc status is a cause of concern. The present investigation was undertaken to examine the effect of inclusion of iron and calcium in the diet at supplementary levels on zinc status of experimental rats. Groups of experimental rats were maintained on diets supplemented with iron (Molar ratio - Zn:Fe 1:30) and calcium (Molar ratio - Zn:Ca 1:667) both individually and in combination for six weeks. Zinc status of these rats was assessed by determining zinc concentration in circulation and in organs, and the activities of zinc containing enzymes in serum and liver. The zinc status of experimental rats receiving supplemental levels of iron and calcium was significantly compromised. Zinc concentration in serum, kidney, spleen and liver was reduced significantly by both these minerals. Six weeks of supplementation of iron and calcium individually, significantly reduced the activity of liver and serum superoxide dismutase and alkaline phosphatase. Activity of liver alcohol dehydrogenase was lowered in calcium supplemented group and in calcium + iron supplemented group, while that of carbonic anhydrase was significantly reduced by iron, calcium and their combination. Supplemental levels of iron and calcium, both individually and in combination, significantly compromised the zinc status of experimental rats. This negative effect of these two minerals was more prominent when these were supplemented for a period of six weeks.

  8. Compromised zinc status of experimental rats as a consequence of prolonged iron & calcium supplementation

    PubMed Central

    Jayalakshmi, S.; Platel, Kalpana

    2016-01-01

    Background & objectives: Iron supplementation is usually given to pregnant and lactating women who may also have marginal deficiency of zinc. The negative impact of supplemental iron and calcium on zinc status is a cause of concern. The present investigation was undertaken to examine the effect of inclusion of iron and calcium in the diet at supplementary levels on zinc status of experimental rats. Methods: Groups of experimental rats were maintained on diets supplemented with iron (Molar ratio - Zn:Fe 1:30) and calcium (Molar ratio - Zn:Ca 1:667) both individually and in combination for six weeks. Zinc status of these rats was assessed by determining zinc concentration in circulation and in organs, and the activities of zinc containing enzymes in serum and liver. Results: The zinc status of experimental rats receiving supplemental levels of iron and calcium was significantly compromised. Zinc concentration in serum, kidney, spleen and liver was reduced significantly by both these minerals. Six weeks of supplementation of iron and calcium individually, significantly reduced the activity of liver and serum superoxide dismutase and alkaline phosphatase. Activity of liver alcohol dehydrogenase was lowered in calcium supplemented group and in calcium + iron supplemented group, while that of carbonic anhydrase was significantly reduced by iron, calcium and their combination. Interpretation & conclusions: Supplemental levels of iron and calcium, both individually and in combination, significantly compromised the zinc status of experimental rats. This negative effect of these two minerals was more prominent when these were supplemented for a period of six weeks. PMID:27121523

  9. Mechanism study on the sulfidation of ZnO with sulfur and iron oxide at high temperature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, Junwei; Liu, Wei; Zhang, Tianfu; Xue, Kai; Li, Wenhua; Jiao, Fen; Qin, Wenqing

    2017-02-01

    The mechanism of ZnO sulfidation with sulfur and iron oxide at high temperatures was studied. The thermodynamic analysis, sulfidation behavior of zinc, phase transformations, morphology changes, and surface properties were investigated by HSC 5.0 combined with FactSage 7.0, ICP, XRD, optical microscopy coupled with SEM-EDS, and XPS. The results indicate that increasing temperature and adding iron oxide can not only improve the sulfidation of ZnO but also promote the formation and growth of ZnS crystals. Fe2O3 captured the sulfur in the initial sulfidation process as iron sulfides, which then acted as the sulfurizing agent in the late period, thus reducing sulfur escape at high temperatures. The addition of carbon can not only enhance the sulfidation but increase sulfur utilization rate and eliminate the generation of SO2. The surfaces of marmatite and synthetic zinc sulfides contain high oxygen due to oxidation and oxygen adsorption. Hydroxyl easily absorbs on the surface of iron-bearing zinc sulfide (Zn1-xFexS). The oxidation of synthetic Zn1-xFexS is easier than marmatite in air.

  10. Mechanism study on the sulfidation of ZnO with sulfur and iron oxide at high temperature

    PubMed Central

    Han, Junwei; Liu, Wei; Zhang, Tianfu; Xue, Kai; Li, Wenhua; Jiao, Fen; Qin, Wenqing

    2017-01-01

    The mechanism of ZnO sulfidation with sulfur and iron oxide at high temperatures was studied. The thermodynamic analysis, sulfidation behavior of zinc, phase transformations, morphology changes, and surface properties were investigated by HSC 5.0 combined with FactSage 7.0, ICP, XRD, optical microscopy coupled with SEM-EDS, and XPS. The results indicate that increasing temperature and adding iron oxide can not only improve the sulfidation of ZnO but also promote the formation and growth of ZnS crystals. Fe2O3 captured the sulfur in the initial sulfidation process as iron sulfides, which then acted as the sulfurizing agent in the late period, thus reducing sulfur escape at high temperatures. The addition of carbon can not only enhance the sulfidation but increase sulfur utilization rate and eliminate the generation of SO2. The surfaces of marmatite and synthetic zinc sulfides contain high oxygen due to oxidation and oxygen adsorption. Hydroxyl easily absorbs on the surface of iron-bearing zinc sulfide (Zn1−xFexS). The oxidation of synthetic Zn1−xFexS is easier than marmatite in air. PMID:28186156

  11. mRNA Levels of Placental Iron and Zinc Transporter Genes Are Upregulated in Gambian Women with Low Iron and Zinc Status.

    PubMed

    Jobarteh, Modou Lamin; McArdle, Harry J; Holtrop, Grietje; Sise, Ebrima A; Prentice, Andrew M; Moore, Sophie E

    2017-07-01

    Background: The role of the placenta in regulating micronutrient transport in response to maternal status is poorly understood. Objective: We investigated the effect of prenatal nutritional supplementation on the regulation of placental iron and zinc transport. Methods: In a randomized trial in rural Gambia [ENID (Early Nutrition and Immune Development)], pregnant women were allocated to 1 of 4 nutritional intervention arms: 1 ) iron and folic acid (FeFol) tablets (FeFol group); 2 ) multiple micronutrient (MMN) tablets (MMN group); 3 ) protein energy (PE) as a lipid-based nutrient supplement (LNS; PE group); and 4 ) PE and MMN (PE+MMN group) as LNS. All arms included iron (60 mg/d) and folic acid (400 μg/d). The MMN and PE+MMN arms included 30 mg supplemental Zn/d. In a subgroup of ∼300 mother-infant pairs, we measured maternal iron status, mRNA levels of genes encoding for placental iron and zinc transport proteins, and cord blood iron levels. Results: Maternal plasma iron concentration in late pregnancy was 45% and 78% lower in the PE and PE+MMN groups compared to the FeFol and MMN groups, respectively ( P < 0.001). The mRNA levels of the placental iron uptake protein transferrin receptor 1 were 30-49% higher in the PE and PE+MMN arms than in the FeFol arm ( P < 0.031), and also higher in the PE+MMN arm (29%; P = 0.042) than in the MMN arm. Ferritin in infant cord blood was 18-22% lower in the LNS groups ( P < 0.024). Zinc supplementation in the MMN arm was associated with higher maternal plasma zinc concentrations (10% increase; P < 0.001) than in other intervention arms. mRNA levels for intracellular zinc-uptake proteins, in this case zrt, irt-like protein (ZIP) 4 and ZIP8, were 96-205% lower in the PE+MMN arm than in the intervention arms without added zinc ( P < 0.025). Furthermore, mRNA expression of ZIP1 was 85% lower in the PE+MMN group than in the PE group ( P = 0.003). Conclusion: In conditions of low maternal iron and in the absence of supplemental

  12. Meta-QTL analysis of seed iron and zinc concentration and content in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

    PubMed

    Izquierdo, Paulo; Astudillo, Carolina; Blair, Matthew W; Iqbal, Asif M; Raatz, Bodo; Cichy, Karen A

    2018-05-11

    Twelve meta-QTL for seed Fe and Zn concentration and/or content were identified from 87 QTL originating from seven population grown in sixteen field trials. These meta-QTL include 2 specific to iron, 2 specific to zinc and 8 that co-localize for iron and zinc concentrations and/or content. Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important legume for human consumption worldwide and it is an important source of microelements, especially iron and zinc. Bean biofortification breeding programs develop new varieties with high levels of Fe and Zn targeted for countries with human micronutrient deficiencies. Biofortification efforts thus far have relied on phenotypic selection of raw seed mineral concentrations in advanced generations. While numerous quantitative trait loci (QTL) studies have been conducted to identify genomic regions associated with increased Fe and Zn concentration in seeds, these results have yet to be employed for marker-assisted breeding. The objective of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis from seven QTL studies in Andean and Middle American intra- and inter-gene pool populations to identify the regions in the genome that control the Fe and Zn levels in seeds. Two meta-QTL specific to Fe and two meta-QTL specific to Zn were identified. Additionally, eight Meta QTL that co-localized for Fe and Zn concentration and/or content were identified across seven chromosomes. The Fe and Zn shared meta-QTL could be useful candidates for marker-assisted breeding to simultaneously increase seed Fe and Zn. The physical positions for 12 individual meta-QTL were identified and within five of the meta-QTL, candidate genes were identified from six gene families that have been associated with transport of iron and zinc in plants.

  13. Maternal Cadmium, Iron and Zinc Levels, DNA Methylation and Birth Weight

    EPA Science Inventory

    BACKGROUND:Cadmium (Cd) is a ubiquitous and environmentally persistent toxic metal that has been implicated in neurotoxicity, carcinogenesis and obesity and essential metals including zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) may alter these outcomes. However mechanisms underlying these relationsh...

  14. Oral Zinc Supplementation Decreases the Serum Iron Concentration in Healthy Schoolchildren: A Pilot Study

    PubMed Central

    de Brito, Naira Josele Neves; de Medeiros Rocha, Érika Dantas; de Araújo Silva, Alfredo; Costa, João Batista Sousa; França, Mardone Cavalcante; das Graças Almeida, Maria; Brandão-Neto, José

    2014-01-01

    The recognized antagonistic actions between zinc and iron prompted us to study this subject in children. A convenience sample was used. Thirty healthy children between 8 and 9 years of age were studied with the aim of establishing the effect of a 3-mo oral zinc supplementation on iron status. Fifteen individuals were given a placebo (control group), and 15 were given 10 mg Zn/day (experimental group). Blood samples were collected at 0, 60, 120, 180 and 210 min after a 12-h overnight fast, before and after placebo or zinc supplementation. This supplementation was associated with significant improvements in energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, fiber, calcium, iron, and zinc intake in accordance with the recommendations for age and sex. The basal serum zinc concentration significantly increased after oral zinc supplementation (p < 0.001). However, basal serum iron concentrations and area under the iron curves significantly decreased in the experimental group (p < 0.0001) and remained at the same level throughout the 210-min study. The values obtained for hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, ferritin, transferrin, transferrin saturation, ceruloplasmin and total protein were within normal reference ranges. In conclusion, the decrease in serum iron was likely due to the effects of chronic zinc administration, and the decrease in serum iron was not sufficient to cause anemia. PMID:25192026

  15. Serum zinc, copper and iron status of children with coeliac disease on three months of gluten-free diet with or without four weeks of zinc supplements: a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Negi, K; Kumar, R; Sharma, L; Datta, S P; Choudhury, M; Kumar, P

    2018-04-01

    Data about the effect of zinc supplementation with gluten-free diet on normalisation of plasma zinc, copper and iron in patients with coeliac disease are scanty. We evaluated the effect of zinc supplementation on serum zinc, copper and iron levels in patients with coeliac disease, by randomising 71 children newly diagnosed with coeliac disease into two groups: Group A = gluten-free diet (GFD); and Group B = gluten-free diet with zinc supplements (GFD +Zn). The rise in iron and zinc was significantly higher in the latter, but the mean rise of copper levels was slightly higher in the former, but the difference was not significant.

  16. Iron and Vitamin C Co-Supplementation Increased Serum Vitamin C Without Adverse Effect on Zinc Level in Iron Deficient Female Youth

    PubMed Central

    Khoshfetrat, Mohammad Reza; Mortazavi, Sima; Neyestani, Tirang; Mahmoodi, Mohammad Reza; Zerafati-Shoae, Nahid; Mohammadi-Nasrabadi, Fatemeh

    2014-01-01

    Background: Iron supplementation can decrease the absorption of zinc and influence other antioxidants levels such as vitamin C. This study aimed to investigate the effect of iron supplements alone and in combination with vitamin C on zinc and vitamin C status in iron deficient female students. Methods: In a double-blind randomized clinical trail, 60 iron deficient students were selected from 289 volunteers residing in dormitory. After matching, subjects were randomly assigned into two groups: Group I (50 mg elemental iron supplements) and Group II (50 mg elemental iron + 500 mg ascorbic acid). Serum ferritin, iron, serum zinc, and plasma vitamin C concentrations were measured by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, spectrophotometer, atomic absorption spectrometer, and colorimeter, respectively after 6 and 12 weeks supplementation. Student's t-test and repeated measures analysis of variance were applied to analyze the data using SPSS software. Results: Serum zinc levels had no significant differences between 2 groups at the baseline; however, its concentration decreased from 80.9 ± 4.2-68.9 ± 2.7 μg/dl to 81.2 ± 4.5-66.1 ± 2.9 μg/dl (P < 0.001) in Groups I and II, respectively after 6 weeks of supplementation. Continuous supplementation increased serum zinc concentration to baseline levels (79.0 ± 2.9 μg/dl; P < 0.01) in Group I and 70.5 ± 3.1 μg/dl in Group II following 12 weeks of supplementation. Plasma vitamin C increased from 3 ± 0/1-3.3 ± 0.2 mg/dl to 2.7 ± 0. 1-4.2 ± 0.2 mg/dl (P < 0.01) in Groups I and II, respectively. At the end of study, plasma vitamin C significantly increased from 3.3 ± 0.3-4.7 ± 0.3 (P < 0.01) to 4.2 ± 0.2-7.1 ± 0.2 (P < 0.001) in Groups I and II, respectively. Conclusions: Iron supplementation with and without vitamin C led to reduction in serum Zn in iron-deficient female students after 6 weeks. However, the decreasing trend stops after repletion of iron stores and Zn levels returned to the approximately

  17. Changes in iron, zinc and chelating agents during traditional African processing of maize: Effect of iron contamination on bioaccessibility.

    PubMed

    Greffeuille, Valérie; Polycarpe Kayodé, A P; Icard-Vernière, Christèle; Gnimadi, Muriel; Rochette, Isabelle; Mouquet-Rivier, Claire

    2011-06-15

    The effect of the different unit operations of processing traditionally used to produce four maize foods commonly consumed in Africa on the nutritional composition of the products was investigated, using Benin as a study context. The impact of the processes on lipid, fibre, phytate, iron and zinc contents varied with the process. The lowest IP6/Fe and IP6/Zn molar ratios, the indices used to assess Fe and Zn bioavailability were obtained in mawè, a fermented dough. Analysis of maize products highlighted a significant increase in iron content after milling, as a result of contamination by the equipment used. Evaluation of iron bioaccessibility by in vitro enzymatic digestion followed by dialysis revealed that the iron contamination, followed by lactic acid fermentation, led to a considerable increase in bioaccessible iron content. Extrinsic iron supplied to food products by the milling equipment could play a role in iron intake in developing countries. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. In situ Zn/ZnO mapping elucidating for "shape change" of zinc electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakata, Akiyoshi; Arai, Hajime; Murayama, Haruno; Fukuda, Katsutoshi; Yamane, Tomokazu; Hirai, Toshiro; Uchimoto, Yoshiharu; Yamaki, Jun-ichi; Ogumi, Zempachi

    2018-04-01

    For the use of the zinc anode in secondary batteries, it is necessary to solve the "shape change" deterioration issue in that zinc species agglomerate in the center of the electrode to fade the available capacity. The local chemical compositions of the zinc electrodes during "shape change" were precisely analyzed using the synchrotron X-ray diffraction mapping analysis of practical zinc-nickel cells in a non-destructive manner. The in situ Zn/ZnO mapping shows that metallic Zn deposition chiefly occurs in the periphery of ZnO while ZnO are left in the center of electrode like a hill on charging. On discharging, the ZnO hill grows to the perpendicular direction on the electrode while metallic zinc is oxidized and dissolved. These findings allow us to propose a mechanism for the shape change; thus dissolved zincate species are decomposed on the ZnO hill during discharging to be accumulated in the center of the electrode. It is suggested that suppressing zincate dissolution and non-uniform zinc deposition slow the growth rate of the ZnO hill to enhance the cyclability of zinc-based secondary batteries.

  19. Advantages and limitations of in vitro and in vivo methods of iron and zinc bioavailability evaluation in the assessment of biofortification program effectiveness

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Biofortification aims to improve the micronutrient concentration of staple food crops through the best practices of breeding and modern biotechnology. However, increased zinc and iron concentrations in food crops may not always translate into proportional increases in absorbed zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe...

  20. Genome Wide Identification of Orthologous ZIP Genes Associated with Zinc and Iron Translocation in Setaria italica.

    PubMed

    Alagarasan, Ganesh; Dubey, Mahima; Aswathy, Kumar S; Chandel, Girish

    2017-01-01

    Genes in the ZIP family encode transcripts to store and transport bivalent metal micronutrient, particularly iron (Fe) and or zinc (Zn). These transcripts are important for a variety of functions involved in the developmental and physiological processes in many plant species, including most, if not all, Poaceae plant species and the model species Arabidopsis. Here, we present the report of a genome wide investigation of orthologous ZIP genes in Setaria italica and the identification of 7 single copy genes. RT-PCR shows 4 of them could be used to increase the bio-availability of zinc and iron content in grains. Of 36 ZIP members, 25 genes have traces of signal peptide based sub-cellular localization, as compared to those of plant species studied previously, yet translocation of ions remains unclear. In silico analysis of gene structure and protein nature suggests that these two were preeminent in shaping the functional diversity of the ZIP gene family in S. italica . NAC, bZIP and bHLH are the predominant Fe and Zn responsive transcription factors present in SiZIP genes. Together, our results provide new insights into the signal peptide based/independent iron and zinc translocation in the plant system and allowed identification of ZIP genes that may be involved in the zinc and iron absorption from the soil, and thus transporting it to the cereal grain underlying high micronutrient accumulation.

  1. Mathematical model of the direct reduction of dust composite pellets containing zinc and iron

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    An, Xiu-wei; Wang, Jing-song; She, Xue-feng; Xue, Qing-guo

    2013-07-01

    Direct reduction of dust composite pellets containing zinc and iron was examined by simulating the conditions of actual production process of a rotary hearth furnace (RHF) in laboratory. A mathematical model was constructed to study the reduction kinetics of iron oxides and ZnO in the dust composite pellets. It was validated by comparing the calculated values with experimental results. The effects of furnace temperature, pellet radius, and pellet porosity on the reduction were investigated by the model. It is shown that furnace temperature has obvious influence on both of the reduction of iron oxides and ZnO, but the influence of pellet radius and porosity is much smaller. Model calculations suggest that both of the reduction of iron oxides and ZnO are under mixed control with interface reactions and Boudouard reaction in the early stage, but only with interface reactions in the later stage.

  2. Biofortified indica rice attains iron and zinc nutrition dietary targets in the field

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies are the most prevalent micronutrient malnutrition globally1. Fe in rice has proven efficacious in improving serum ferritin concentration and body Fe levels2. Rapid progress in biofortification demonstrates the feasibility to enhance Fe in polished rice by expre...

  3. Release of iron, zinc, and lead from common iron construction bars and zinc metallic bars in water solutions and meals.

    PubMed

    Lechtig, Aarón; Lòpez de Romaña, Daniel; Boy, Erick; Vargas, Alejandro; Rosas del Portal, Mauricio; Huaylinos, María Luisa

    2007-12-01

    The use of iron pots has decreased the prevalence of anemia. To investigate the release of iron, zinc, and lead from metallic iron and zinc bars incubated in water and in meals. Iron, zinc, and lead concentrations were measured at different incubation conditions in water and in meals. The iron concentration in water was 1.26 mg/L after incubation with one iron bar at pH 7 and 100 degrees C for 20 minutes and in meals was 0.97 mg per 100 g of wet meals, rich in phytate, cooking at 100 degrees C during 20 minutes. The maximum contents were 7720 mg/L of iron and 1826 mg/L of zinc in vinegar at pH 3 and 20 degrees C after 90 and 32 days, respectively. Lead was released from the bars, but at concentrations well below the upper tolerable limits. In outreach populations, the use of iron and zinc metallic bars in water and meals could contribute to sustainable, very low-cost prevention of iron and zinc deficiencies, and home-fortified vinegar could be used for treatment of both deficiencies. Field trials should be performed to determine the impact that the use of iron and zinc metallic bars in water and meals might have on the iron and zinc status of population groups.

  4. Zinc deficiency-induced iron accumulation, a consequence of alterations in iron regulatory protein-binding activity, iron transporters, and iron storage proteins.

    PubMed

    Niles, Brad J; Clegg, Michael S; Hanna, Lynn A; Chou, Susan S; Momma, Tony Y; Hong, Heeok; Keen, Carl L

    2008-02-22

    One consequence of zinc deficiency is an elevation in cell and tissue iron concentrations. To examine the mechanism(s) underlying this phenomenon, Swiss 3T3 cells were cultured in zinc-deficient (D, 0.5 microM zinc), zinc-supplemented (S, 50 microM zinc), or control (C, 4 microM zinc) media. After 24 h of culture, cells in the D group were characterized by a 50% decrease in intracellular zinc and a 35% increase in intracellular iron relative to cells in the S and C groups. The increase in cellular iron was associated with increased transferrin receptor 1 protein and mRNA levels and increased ferritin light chain expression. The divalent metal transporter 1(+)iron-responsive element isoform mRNA was decreased during zinc deficiency-induced iron accumulation. Examination of zinc-deficient cells revealed increased binding of iron regulatory protein 2 (IRP2) and decreased binding of IRP1 to a consensus iron-responsive element. The increased IRP2-binding activity in zinc-deficient cells coincided with an increased level of IRP2 protein. The accumulation of IRP2 protein was independent of zinc deficiency-induced intracellular nitric oxide production but was attenuated by the addition of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine or ascorbate to the D medium. These data support the concept that zinc deficiency can result in alterations in iron transporter, storage, and regulatory proteins, which facilitate iron accumulation.

  5. Power scaling of ultrafast laser inscribed waveguide lasers in chromium and iron doped zinc selenide.

    PubMed

    McDaniel, Sean A; Lancaster, Adam; Evans, Jonathan W; Kar, Ajoy K; Cook, Gary

    2016-02-22

    We report demonstration of Watt level waveguide lasers fabricated using Ultrafast Laser Inscription (ULI). The waveguides were fabricated in bulk chromium and iron doped zinc selenide crystals with a chirped pulse Yb fiber laser. The depressed cladding structure in Fe:ZnSe produced output powers of 1 W with a threshold of 50 mW and a slope efficiency of 58%, while a similar structure produced 5.1 W of output in Cr:ZnSe with a laser threshold of 350 mW and a slope efficiency of 41%. These results represent the current state-of-the-art for ULI waveguides in zinc based chalcogenides.

  6. Meta-QTL analysis of seed iron and zinc concentration in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important legume for human consumption worldwide and it is an important source of microelements, especially iron and zinc. Bean biofortification programs develop new varieties with high levels of Fe and Zn targeted for countries with human micronutrien...

  7. Inclusion of Guava Enhances Non-Heme Iron Bioavailability but Not Fractional Zinc Absorption from a Rice-Based Meal in Adolescents12

    PubMed Central

    Nair, Krishnapillai Madhavan; Brahmam, Ginnela N.V.; Radhika, Madhari S.; Dripta, Roy Choudhury; Ravinder, Punjal; Balakrishna, Nagalla; Chen, Zhensheng; Hawthorne, Keli M.; Abrams, Steven A.

    2013-01-01

    Assessing the bioavailability of non-heme iron and zinc is essential for recommending diets that meet the increased growth-related demand for these nutrients. We studied the bioavailability of iron and zinc from a rice-based meal in 16 adolescent boys and girls, 13–15 y of age, from 2 government-run residential schools. Participants were given a standardized rice meal (regular) and the same meal with 100 g of guava fruit (modified) with 57Fe on 2 consecutive days. A single oral dose of 58Fe in orange juice was given at a separate time as a reference dose. Zinc absorption was assessed by using 70Zn, administered intravenously, and 67Zn given orally with meals. The mean hemoglobin concentration was similar in girls (129 ± 7.8 g/L) and boys (126 ± 7.1 g/L). There were no sex differences in the indicators of iron and zinc status except for a higher hepcidin concentration in boys (P < 0.05). The regular and modified meals were similar in total iron (10–13 mg/meal) and zinc (2.7 mg/meal) content. The molar ratio of iron to phytic acid was >1:1, but the modified diet had 20 times greater ascorbic acid content. The absorption of 57Fe from the modified meal, compared with regular meal, was significantly (P < 0.05) greater in both girls (23.9 ± 11.2 vs. 9.7 ± 6.5%) and boys (19.2 ± 8.4 vs. 8.6 ± 4.1%). Fractional zinc absorption was similar between the regular and modified meals in both sexes. Hepcidin was found to be a significant predictor of iron absorption (standardized β = −0.63, P = 0.001, R2 = 0.40) from the reference dose. There was no significant effect of sex on iron and zinc bioavailability from meals. We conclude that simultaneous ingestion of guava fruit with a habitual rice-based meal enhances iron bioavailability in adolescents. PMID:23596161

  8. Studies on the bioavailability of zinc in humans: intestinal interaction of tin and zinc.

    PubMed

    Solomons, N W; Marchini, J S; Duarte-Favaro, R M; Vannuchi, H; Dutra de Oliveira, J E

    1983-04-01

    Mineral/mineral interactions at the intestinal level are important in animal nutrition and toxicology, but only limited understanding of their extent or importance in humans has been developed. An inhibitory interaction of dietary tin on zinc retention has been recently described from human metabolic studies. We have explored the tin/zinc interaction using the change-in-plasma-zinc-concentration method with a standard dosage of 12.5 mg of zinc as zinc sulfate in 100 ml of Coca-Cola. Sn/Zn ratios of 2:1, 4:1, and 8:1, constituted by addition of 25, 50, and 100 mg of tin as stannous chloride, had no significant overall effect on zinc uptake. The 100-mg dose of tin produced noxious gastrointestinal symptoms. Addition of iron as ferrous sulfate to form ratios of Sn/Fe/Zn of 1:1:1 and 2:2:1 with the standard zinc solution and the appropriate doses of tin produced a reduction of zinc absorption not dissimilar from that seen previously with zinc and iron alone, and addition of picolinic acid did not influence the uptake of zinc from the solution with the 2:2:1 Sn/Fe/Zn ratio.

  9. The effect of Mg dopants on magnetic and structural properties of iron oxide and zinc ferrite thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saritaş, Sevda; Ceviz Sakar, Betul; Kundakci, Mutlu; Yildirim, Muhammet

    2018-06-01

    Iron oxide thin films have been obtained significant interest as a material that put forwards applications in photovoltaics, gas sensors, biosensors, optoelectronic and especially in spintronics. Iron oxide is one of the considerable interest due to its chemical and thermal stability. Metallic ion dopant influenced superexchange interactions and thus changed the structural, electrical and magnetic properties of the thin film. Mg dopped zinc ferrite (Mg:ZnxFe3-xO4) crystal was used to avoid the damage of Fe3O4 (magnetite) crystal instead of Zn2+ in this study. Because the radius of the Mg2+ ion in the A-site (tetrahedral) is almost equal to that of the replaced Fe3+ ion. Inverse-spinel structure in which oxygen ions (O2-) are arranged to form a face-centered cubic (FCC) lattice where there are two kinds of sublattices, namely, A-site and B-site (octahedral) interstitial sites and in which the super exchange interactions occur. In this study, to increase the saturation of magnetization (Ms) value for iron oxide, inverse-spinal ferrite materials have been prepared, in which the iron oxide was doped by multifarious divalent metallic elements including Zn and Mg. Triple and quaternary; iron oxide and zinc ferrite thin films with Mg metal dopants were grown by using Spray Pyrolysis (SP) technique. The structural, electrical and magnetic properties of Mg dopped iron oxide (Fe2O3) and zinc ferrite (ZnxFe3-xO4) thin films have been investigated. Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) technique was used to study for the magnetic properties. As a result, we can say that Mg dopped iron oxide thin film has huge diamagnetic and of Mg dopped zinc ferrite thin film has paramagnetic property at bigger magnetic field.

  10. Wet chemical synthesis of zinc-iron oxide nanocomposite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ito, Honami; Amagasa, Shota; Nishida, Naoki; Kobayashi, Yoshio; Yamada, Yasuhiro

    2017-11-01

    Zinc-iron oxide nanoparticles (ZnxFe3-xO4 and δ-ZnxFe1-xOOH) were successfully synthesized by room temperature chemical reaction of a solution containing ZnCl2 and FeCl2 in the presence of gelatin. The composition of products could be controlled by variation of the Zn/Fe mixture ratio of the starting material. ZnxFe3-xO4 nanoparticles were obtained from a solution with a high Zn/Fe ratio, whereas Zn-doped feroxyhyte ( δ-ZnxFe1-xOOH) nanoparticles were obtained from a solution with a low Zn/Fe ratio. The ZnxFe3-xO4 nanoparticles were spherical with diameters of approximately 10 nm, and the δ-ZnxFe1-xOOH particles were needle-like with lengths of approximately 100 nm. Mössbauer spectra measured at room temperature indicated superparamagnetic behavior of the nanoparticles, whereas the magnetic components were observed at low temperature. The Zn content of the intermediate species (( {Zn}^{ {II}}x {Fe}^{ {II}}_{1-x} {Fe}^{ {III}}2O4)) plays an important role in the oxidation process. When the Zn concentration was high, the content of Fe2+ in the intermediate species was small, and Zn2+ prevented further oxidation of the nanoparticles. When the starting material had low Zn concentration, the amount of Fe2+ in the intermediate species became large and was rapidly oxidized into δ-ZnxFe1-xOOH while rinsing under the ambient atmosphere.

  11. Effects of rutin supplementation on antioxidant status and iron, copper, and zinc contents in mouse liver and brain.

    PubMed

    Gao, Zhonghong; Xu, Huibi; Huang, Kaixun

    2002-09-01

    The effect of rutin on total antioxidant status as well as on trace elements such as iron, copper, and zinc in mouse liver and brain were studied. Mice were administrated with 0.75 g/kg or 2.25 g/kg P. O. of rutin for 30 d consecutively. Following the treatment, the activity of total antioxidant status, catalase, Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase, Mn-superoxide dismutase, zinc, copper, and iron were measured in mouse liver and brain. The results showed that rutin significantly increased the antioxidant status and Mn-superoxide dismutase activities in mouse liver, but it had no effect on these variables in the brain. Treatment with a higher concentration of rutin significantly decreased catalase activity and iron, zinc, and copper contents in mouse liver; it also resulted in a slower weight gain for the first 20 d. These results indicate that rutin taken in proper amount can effectively improve antioxidant status, whereas at an increased dosage, it may cause trace element (such as iron, zinc, and copper) deficiencies and a decrease in the activities of related metal-containing enzymes.

  12. Copper, iron and zinc absorption, retention and status of young women fed vitamin B-6 deficient diets

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Turnlund, J.R.; Keyes, W.R.; Hudson, C.A.

    1991-03-11

    A study was conducted in young women to determine the effect of vitamin B-6 deficient diets on copper, iron and zinc metabolism. Young women were confined to a metabolic research unit for 84 and 98 days. They were fed a vitamin B-6 deficient formula diet initially, followed by food diet containing four increasing levels of vitamin B-6. Copper, iron and zinc absorption, retention and status were determined at intervals throughout the study. Absorption was determined using the stable isotopes {sup 65}Cu, {sup 54}Fe, and {sup 67}Zn. Status was based on serum copper and zinc, hemoglobin, hematocrit and mean corpuscular volume.more » Copper absorption averaged 18 {plus minus} 1% during vitamin B-6 depletion, significantly lower than 24 {plus minus} 1% during repletion, but serum copper was not affected and balance was positive. Iron absorption was not impaired significantly by vitamin B-6 deficient diets, but status declined during the depletion period. Zinc absorption averaged 40 {plus minus} 2% during depletion and 27 {plus minus} 2% during repletion. Zinc absorption and retention were significantly greater during vitamin B-6 depletion, but serum zinc declined suggesting the absorbed zinc was not available for utilization. The results suggest that vitamin B-6 depletion of young women may inhibit copper absorption, affect iron status and alter zinc metabolism. The effects of vitamin B-6 depletion differ markedly among these elements.« less

  13. Supplemental levels of iron and calcium interfere with repletion of zinc status in zinc-deficient animals.

    PubMed

    Jayalakshmi, S; Platel, Kalpana

    2016-05-18

    Negative interactions between minerals interfering with each other's absorption are of concern when iron and calcium supplements are given to pregnant women and children. We have previously reported that supplemental levels of iron and calcium inhibit the bioaccessibility of zinc, and compromise zinc status in rats fed diets with high levels of these two minerals. The present study examined the effect of supplemental levels of iron and calcium on the recovery of zinc status during a zinc repletion period in rats rendered zinc-deficient. Iron and calcium, both individually and in combination, significantly interfered with the recovery of zinc status in zinc deficient rats during repletion with normal levels of zinc in the diet. Rats maintained on diets containing supplemental levels of these two minerals had significantly lower body weight, and the concentration of zinc in serum and organs was significantly lower than in zinc-deficient rats not receiving the supplements. Iron and calcium supplementation also significantly inhibited the activity of zinc-containing enzymes in the serum as well as liver. Both iron and calcium independently exerted this negative effect on zinc status, while their combination seemed to have a more prominent effect, especially on the activities of zinc containing enzymes. This investigation is probably the first systematic study on the effect of these two minerals on the zinc status of zinc deficient animals and their recovery during repletion with normal amounts of zinc.

  14. Effects of sulfur, zinc, iron, copper, manganese, and boron applications on sunflower yield and plant nutrient concentration

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hilton, B.R.; Zubriski, J.C.

    1985-01-01

    Sulfur, zinc, iron, copper, manganese, and boron application did not affect the seed yield or oil percentage of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) on both dryland and irrigated soils in North Dakota in 1981. Field averages indicated significant Zn, Mn, and B uptake by sunflower at the 12-leaf stage as a result of fertilization with these elements. Increased Zn uptake was also observed in the uppermost mature leaf at anthesis from zinc fertilization. Although sunflower yield from boron fertilization was not significantly different from the check, a trend was observed in which boron fertilization seemed to decrease sunflower yield. Sunflower yieldsmore » from the boron treatment were the lowest out of seven treatments in three out of four fields. Also, sunflower yield from the boron treatment was significantly lower than both iron and sulfur treatments when all fields were combined.« less

  15. Reversing Sports-Related Iron and Zinc Deficiencies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loosli, Alvin R.

    1993-01-01

    Many active athletes do not consume enough zinc or iron, which are important for oxygen activation, electron transport, and injury healing. Subclinical deficiencies may impair performance and impair healing times. People who exercise regularly need counseling about the importance of adequate dietary intake of iron and zinc. (SM)

  16. Deciphering Genomic Regions for High Grain Iron and Zinc Content Using Association Mapping in Pearl Millet

    PubMed Central

    Anuradha, N.; Satyavathi, C. Tara; Bharadwaj, C.; Nepolean, T.; Sankar, S. Mukesh; Singh, Sumer P.; Meena, Mahesh C.; Singhal, Tripti; Srivastava, Rakesh K.

    2017-01-01

    Micronutrient malnutrition, especially deficiency of two mineral elements, iron [Fe] and zinc [Zn] in the developing world needs urgent attention. Pearl millet is one of the best crops with many nutritional properties and is accessible to the poor. We report findings of the first attempt to mine favorable alleles for grain iron and zinc content through association mapping in pearl millet. An association mapping panel of 130 diverse lines was evaluated at Delhi, Jodhpur and Dharwad, representing all the three pearl millet growing agro-climatic zones of India, during 2014 and 2015. Wide range of variation was observed for grain iron (32.3–111.9 ppm) and zinc (26.6–73.7 ppm) content. Genotyping with 114 representative polymorphic SSRs revealed 0.35 mean gene diversity. STRUCTURE analysis revealed presence of three sub-populations which was further supported by Neighbor-Joining method of clustering and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). Marker-trait associations (MTAs) were analyzed with 267 markers (250 SSRs and 17 genic markers) in both general linear model (GLM) and mixed linear model (MLM), however, MTAs resulting from MLM were considered for more robustness of the associations. After appropriate Bonferroni correction, Xpsmp 2261 (13.34% R2-value), Xipes 0180 (R2-value of 11.40%) and Xipes 0096 (R2-value of 11.38%) were consistently associated with grain iron and zinc content for all the three locations. Favorable alleles and promising lines were identified for across and specific environments. PPMI 1102 had highest number (7) of favorable alleles, followed by four each for PPMFeZMP 199 and PPMI 708 for across the environment performance for both grain Fe and Zn content, while PPMI 1104 had alleles specific to Dharwad for grain Fe and Zn content. When compared with the reference genome Tift 23D2B1-P1-P5, Xpsmp 2261 amplicon was identified in intergenic region on pseudomolecule 5, while the other marker, Xipes 0810 was observed to be overlapping with aspartic

  17. Development and optimization of iron- and zinc-containing nanostructured powders for nutritional applications.

    PubMed

    Hilty, F M; Teleki, A; Krumeich, F; Büchel, R; Hurrell, R F; Pratsinis, S E; Zimmermann, M B

    2009-11-25

    Reducing the size of low-solubility iron (Fe)-containing compounds to nanoscale has the potential to improve their bioavailability. Because Fe and zinc (Zn) deficiencies often coexist in populations, combined Fe/Zn-containing nanostructured compounds may be useful for nutritional applications. Such compounds are developed here and their solubility in dilute acid, a reliable indicator of iron bioavailability in humans, and sensory qualities in sensitive food matrices are investigated. Phosphates and oxides of Fe and atomically mixed Fe/Zn-containing (primarily ZnFe2O4) nanostructured powders were produced by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP). Chemical composition and surface area were systematically controlled by varying precursor concentration and feed rate during powder synthesis to increase solubility to the level of ferrous sulfate at maximum Fe and Zn content. Solubility of the nanostructured compounds was dependent on their particle size and crystallinity. The new nanostructured powders produced minimal color changes when added to dairy products containing chocolate or fruit compared to the changes produced when ferrous sulfate or ferrous fumarate were added to these foods. Flame-made Fe- and Fe/Zn-containing nanostructured powders have solubilities comparable to ferrous and Zn sulfate but may produce fewer color changes when added to difficult-to-fortify foods. Thus, these powders are promising for food fortification and other nutritional applications.

  18. Transfer of useful variability of high grain iron and zinc from Aegilops kotschyi into wheat through seed irradiation approach.

    PubMed

    Verma, Shailender Kumar; Kumar, Satish; Sheikh, Imran; Malik, Sachin; Mathpal, Priyanka; Chugh, Vishal; Kumar, Sundip; Prasad, Ramasare; Dhaliwal, Harcharan Singh

    2016-01-01

    To transfer the 2S chromosomal fragment(s) of Aegilops kotschyi (2S(k)) into the bread wheat genome which could lead to the biofortification of wheat with high grain iron and zinc content. Wheat-Ae. kotschyi 2A/2S(k) substitution lines with high grain iron and zinc content were used to transfer the gene/loci for high grain Fe and Zn content into wheat using seed irradiation approach. Bread wheat plants derived from 40 krad-irradiated seeds showed the presence of univalents and multivalents during meiotic metaphase-I. Genomic in situ hybridization analysis of seed irradiation hybrid F2 seedlings showed several terminal and interstitial signals indicated the introgression of Ae. kotschyi chromosome segments. This proves the efficacy of seed radiation hybrid approach in gene transfer experiments. All the radiation-treated hybrid plants with high grain Fe and Zn content were analyzed with wheat group 2 chromosome-specific polymorphic simple sequence repeat markers to identify the introgression of small alien chromosome fragment(s). Radiation-induced hybrids showed more than 65% increase in grain iron and 54% increase in Zn contents with better harvest index than the elite wheat cultivar WL711 indicating effective and compensating translocations of 2S(k) fragments into wheat genome.

  19. Advanced zirconia-coated carbonyl-iron particles for acidic magnetorheological finishing of chemical-vapor-deposited ZnS and other IR materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salzman, S.; Giannechini, L. J.; Romanofsky, H. J.; Golini, N.; Taylor, B.; Jacobs, S. D.; Lambropoulos, J. C.

    2015-10-01

    We present a modified version of zirconia-coated carbonyl-iron (CI) particles that were invented at the University of Rochester in 2008. The amount of zirconia on the coating is increased to further protect the iron particles from corrosion when introduced to an acidic environment. Five low-pH, magnetorheological (MR) fluids were made with five acids: acetic, hydrochloric, nitric, phosphoric, and hydrofluoric. All fluids were based on the modified zirconia-coated CI particles. Off-line viscosity and pH stability were measured for all acidic MR fluids to determine the ideal fluid composition for acidic MR finishing of chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) zinc sulfide (ZnS) and other infrared (IR) optical materials, such as hot-isostatic-pressed (HIP) ZnS, CVD zinc selenide (ZnSe), and magnesium fluoride (MgF2). Results show significant reduction in surface artifacts (millimeter-size, pebble-like structures on the finished surface) for several standard-grade CVD ZnS substrates and good surface roughness for the non-CVD MgF2 substrate when MR finished with our advanced acidic MR fluid.

  20. Preparation and antibacterial properties of titanium-doped ZnO from different zinc salts

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    To research the relationship of micro-structures and antibacterial properties of the titanium-doped ZnO powders and probe their antibacterial mechanism, titanium-doped ZnO powders with different shapes and sizes were prepared from different zinc salts by alcohothermal method. The ZnO powders were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and the antibacterial activities of titanium-doped ZnO powders on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were evaluated. Furthermore, the tested strains were characterized by SEM, and the electrical conductance variation trend of the bacterial suspension was characterized. The results indicate that the morphologies of the powders are different due to preparation from different zinc salts. The XRD results manifest that the samples synthesized from zinc acetate, zinc nitrate, and zinc chloride are zincite ZnO, and the sample synthesized from zinc sulfate is the mixture of ZnO, ZnTiO3, and ZnSO4 · 3Zn (OH)2 crystal. UV-vis spectra show that the absorption edges of the titanium-doped ZnO powders are red shifted to more than 400 nm which are prepared from zinc acetate, zinc nitrate, and zinc chloride. The antibacterial activity of titanium-doped ZnO powders synthesized from zinc chloride is optimal, and its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) are lower than 0.25 g L−1. Likewise, when the bacteria are treated by ZnO powders synthesized from zinc chloride, the bacterial cells are damaged most seriously, and the electrical conductance increment of bacterial suspension is slightly high. It can be inferred that the antibacterial properties of the titanium-doped ZnO powders are relevant to the microstructure, particle size, and the crystal. The powders can damage the

  1. Selectivity shifting behavior of Pd nanoparticles loaded zinc stannate/zinc oxide (Zn2SnO4/ZnO) nanowires sensors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arafat, M. M.; Ong, J. Y.; Haseeb, A. S. M. A.

    2018-03-01

    In this research, the gas sensing behavior of Pd nanoparticles loaded zinc stannate/zinc oxide (Zn2SnO4/ZnO) nanowires were investigated. The Zn2SnO4/ZnO nanowires were grown on Au interdigitated alumina substrate by carbon assisted thermal evaporation process. Pd nanoparticles were loaded on the Zn2SnO4/ZnO nanowires by wet reduction process. The nanowires were characterized by X-ray diffractometer, field emission scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope. The Zn2SnO4/ZnO and Pd nanoparticles loaded Zn2SnO4/ZnO nanowires were investigated for detecting H2, H2S and C2H5OH gases in N2 background. Results revealed that the average diameter and length of as-grown Zn2SnO4/ZnO nanowires were 74 nm and 30 μm, respectively. During wet reduction process,Pd particles having size of 20-60 nm were evenly distributed on the Zn2SnO4/ZnO nanowires. The Zn2SnO4/ZnO nanowires based sensors showed selective response towards C2H5OH whereas Pd nanoparticles loaded Zn2SnO4/ZnO nanowires showed selective response towards H2. The recovery time of the sensors reduced with Pd loading on Zn2SnO4/ZnO nanowires. A mechanism is proposed to elucidate the gas sensing mechanism of Pd nanoparticles loaded Zn2SnO4/ZnO nanowires.

  2. Nanosized zero-valent iron as Fenton-like reagent for ultrasonic-assisted leaching of zinc from blast furnace sludge.

    PubMed

    Mikhailov, Ivan; Komarov, Sergey; Levina, Vera; Gusev, Alexander; Issi, Jean-Paul; Kuznetsov, Denis

    2017-01-05

    Ultrasonic-assisted sulphuric acid leaching combined with a Fenton-like process, utilizing nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI), was investigated to enhance the leaching of zinc from the blast furnace sludge (BFS). The leaching of iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) from the sludge was investigated using Milli-Q water/BFS ratio of 10 and varying the concentration of hydrogen peroxide, sulphuric acid, the temperature, the input energy for ultrasound irradiation, and the presence or absence of nZVI as a Fenton reagent. The results showed that with 1g/l addition of nZVI and 0.05M of hydrogen peroxide, the kinetic rate of Zn leaching increased with a maximum dissolution degree of 80.2%, after 5min treatment. In the absence of nZVI, the maximum dissolution degree of Zn was 99.2%, after 15min treatment with 0.1M of hydrogen peroxide. The rate of Zn leaching at several concentrations of hydrogen peroxide is accelerated in the presence of nZVI although a reduction in efficiency was observed. The loss of Fe was no more than 3%. On the basis of these results, the possible route for BFS recycling has been proposed (BFS slurry mixed with sulphuric acid and hydrogen peroxide is recirculated under ultrasonic irradiation then separated). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Expression of zinc transporter ZnT7 in mouse superior cervical ganglion

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The superior cervical ganglion (SCG) neurons contain a considerable amount of zinc ions, but little is known about zinc homeostasis in the SCG. It is known that zinc transporter 7 (ZnT7, Slc30a7), a member of the Slc30 ZnT family, is involved in mobilizing zinc ions from the cytoplasm into the Golgi...

  4. Sulfur-Doped Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Nanostars: Synthesis and Simulation of Growth Mechanism

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-10-01

    Zinc Oxide ( ZnO ) Nanostars: Synthesis and Simulation of Growth Mechanism Jinhyun Cho1, Qiubao Lin2,3, Sungwoo...characterization, and ab initio simulations of star-shaped hexagonal zinc oxide ( ZnO ) nanowires. The ZnO nanostructures were synthesized by a low...Introduction Zinc oxide ( ZnO ) is a wide bandgap (3.37 eV), Ⅱ–Ⅵ semiconductor of great interest for optoelectronic applications [1–3]. Its

  5. Calcium, Iron, and Zinc Bioaccessibilities of Australian Sweet Lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) Cultivars.

    PubMed

    Karnpanit, Weeraya; Coorey, Ranil; Clements, Jon; Benjapong, Wenika; Jayasena, Vijay

    2017-06-14

    In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of the cultivar and dehulling on calcium, iron, and zinc bioaccessibilities of Australian sweet lupin (ASL). Ten ASL cultivars grown in 2011, 2012, and 2013 in Western Australia were used for the study. The bioaccessibilities of calcium, iron, and zinc in whole seed and dehulled lupin samples were determined using a dialysability method. The cultivar had significant effects on calcium, iron, and zinc contents and their bioaccessibilities. Average bioaccessibilities of 6% for calcium, 17% for iron, and 9% for zinc were found for whole seeds. Dehulled ASL had average calcium, iron, and zinc bioaccessibilities of 11%, 21%, and 12%, respectively. Compared to some other pulses, ASL had better iron bioaccessibility and poorer calcium and zinc bioaccessibilities. Dehulling increased calcium bioaccessibilities of almost all lupin cultivars. The effect of dehulling on iron and zinc bioaccessibilities depends on the ASL cultivar.

  6. Genetic Variability, Genotype × Environment Interaction, Correlation, and GGE Biplot Analysis for Grain Iron and Zinc Concentration and Other Agronomic Traits in RIL Population of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench)

    PubMed Central

    Phuke, Rahul M.; Anuradha, Kotla; Radhika, Kommineni; Jabeen, Farzana; Anuradha, Ghanta; Ramesh, Thatikunta; Hariprasanna, K.; Mehtre, Shivaji P.; Deshpande, Santosh P.; Anil, Gaddameedi; Das, Roma R.; Rathore, Abhishek; Hash, Tom; Reddy, Belum V. S.; Kumar, Are Ashok

    2017-01-01

    The low grain iron and zinc densities are well documented problems in food crops, affecting crop nutritional quality especially in cereals. Sorghum is a major source of energy and micronutrients for majority of population in Africa and central India. Understanding genetic variation, genotype × environment interaction and association between these traits is critical for development of improved cultivars with high iron and zinc. A total of 336 sorghum RILs (Recombinant Inbred Lines) were evaluated for grain iron and zinc concentration along with other agronomic traits for 2 years at three locations. The results showed that large variability exists in RIL population for both micronutrients (Iron = 10.8 to 76.4 mg kg−1 and Zinc = 10.2 to 58.7 mg kg−1, across environments) and agronomic traits. Genotype × environment interaction for both micronutrients (iron and zinc) was highly significant. GGE biplots comparison for grain iron and zinc showed greater variation across environments. The results also showed that G × E was substantial for grain iron and zinc, hence wider testing needed for taking care of G × E interaction to breed micronutrient rich sorghum lines. Iron and zinc concentration showed high significant positive correlation (across environment = 0.79; p < 0.01) indicating possibility of simultaneous effective selection for both the traits. The RIL population showed good variability and high heritabilities (>0.60, in individual environments) for Fe and Zn and other traits studied indicating its suitability to map QTL for iron and zinc. PMID:28529518

  7. Ferritin: a zinc detoxicant and a zinc ion donor.

    PubMed Central

    Price, D; Joshi, J G

    1982-01-01

    Rats were injected with 1 mg of Zn2+ as zinc sulfate or 2 mg of Cd2+ as cadmium sulfate per kg of body weight on a daily basis. After seven injections, ferritin and metallothionein were isolated from the livers of the rats. Significant amounts of zinc were associated with ferritin. Incubation of such ferritin with apoenzymes of calf intestinal alkaline phosphatase, yeast phosphoglucomutase, and yeast aldolase restored their enzymic activity. The amount of zinc injected was insufficient to stimulate significant synthesis of metallothionein, but similar experiments with injection of cadmium did stimulate the synthesis of metallothionein. The amount of Zn2+ in ferritin of Cd-injected rats was greater than that in ferritin in Zn-injected rats, which was greater than that in ferritin of normal rats. Thus at comparable protein concentration ferritin from Cd-injected rats was a better Zn2+ donor than was ferritin from Zn-injected or normal animals. Ferritin is a normal constituent of several tissues, whereas metallothionein is synthesized under metabolic stress. Thus ferritin may function as a "metal storage and transferring agent" for iron and for zinc. It is suggested that ferritin probably serves as the initial chelator for Zn2+ and perhaps other metal ions as well and that under very high toxic levels of metal ions the synthesis of metallothionein is initiated as the second line of defense. PMID:6212927

  8. Zinc and selenium accumulation and their effect on iron bioavailability in common bean seeds.

    PubMed

    de Figueiredo, Marislaine A; Boldrin, Paulo F; Hart, Jonathan J; de Andrade, Messias J B; Guilherme, Luiz R G; Glahn, Raymond P; Li, Li

    2017-02-01

    Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are the most important legume crops. They represent a major source of micronutrients and a target for essential trace mineral enhancement (i.e. biofortification). To investigate mineral accumulation during seed maturation and to examine whether it is possible to biofortify seeds with multi-micronutrients without affecting mineral bioavailability, three common bean cultivars were treated independently with zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se), the two critical micronutrients that can be effectively enhanced via fertilization. The seed mineral concentrations during seed maturation and the seed Fe bioavailability were analyzed. Common bean seeds were found to respond positively to Zn and Se treatments in accumulating these micronutrients. While the seed pods showed a decrease in Zn and Se along with Fe content during pod development, the seeds maintained relatively constant mineral concentrations during seed maturation. Selenium treatment had minimal effect on the seed accumulation of phytic acid and polyphenols, the compounds affecting Fe bioavailability. Zinc treatment reduced phytic acid level, but did not dramatically affect the concentrations of total polyphenols. Iron bioavailability was found not to be greatly affected in seeds biofortified with Se and Zn. In contrast, the inhibitory polyphenol compounds in the black bean profoundly reduced Fe bioavailability. These results provide valuable information for Se and Zn enhancement in common bean seeds and suggest the possibility to biofortify with these essential nutrients without greatly affecting mineral bioavailability to increase the food quality of common bean seeds. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  9. A micronutrient powder with low doses of highly absorbable iron and zinc reduces iron and zinc deficiency and improves weight-for-age Z-scores in South African children.

    PubMed

    Troesch, Barbara; van Stuijvenberg, Martha E; van Stujivenberg, Martha E; Smuts, Cornelius M; Kruger, H Salomè; Biebinger, Ralf; Hurrell, Richard F; Baumgartner, Jeannine; Zimmermann, Michael B

    2011-02-01

    Micronutrient powders (MNP) are often added to complementary foods high in inhibitors of iron and zinc absorption. Most MNP therefore include high amounts of iron and zinc, but it is no longer recommended in malarial areas to use untargeted MNP that contain the Reference Nutrient Intake for iron in a single serving. The aim was to test the efficacy of a low-iron and -zinc (each 2.5 mg) MNP containing iron as NaFeEDTA, ascorbic acid (AA), and an exogenous phytase active at gut pH. In a double-blind controlled trial, South African school children with low iron status (n = 200) were randomized to receive either the MNP or the unfortified carrier added just before consumption to a high-phytate maize porridge 5 d/wk for 23 wk; primary outcomes were iron and zinc status and a secondary outcome was somatic growth. Compared with the control, the MNP increased serum ferritin (P < 0.05), body iron stores (P < 0.01) and weight-for-age Z-scores (P < 0.05) and decreased transferrin receptor (P < 0.05). The prevalence of iron deficiency fell by 30.6% (P < 0.01) and the prevalence of zinc deficiency decreased by 11.8% (P < 0.05). Absorption of iron from the MNP was estimated to be 7-8%. Inclusion of an exogenous phytase combined with NaFeEDTA and AA may allow a substantial reduction in the iron dose from existing MNP while still delivering adequate iron and zinc. In addition, the MNP is likely to enhance absorption of the high native iron content of complementary foods based on cereals and/or legumes.

  10. Facilitated citrate-dependent iron translocation increases rice endosperm iron and zinc concentrations.

    PubMed

    Wu, Ting-Ying; Gruissem, Wilhelm; Bhullar, Navreet K

    2018-05-01

    Iron deficiency affects one third of the world population. Most iron biofortification strategies have focused on genes involved in iron uptake and storage but facilitating internal long-distance iron translocation has been understudied for increasing grain iron concentrations. Citrate is a primary iron chelator, and the transporter FERRIC REDUCTASE DEFECTIVE 3 (FRD3) loads citrate into the xylem. We have expressed AtFRD3 in combination with AtNAS1 (NICOTIANAMINE SYNTHASE 1) and PvFER (FERRITIN) or with PvFER alone to facilitate long-distance iron transport together with efficient iron uptake and storage in the rice endosperm. The citrate and iron concentrations in the xylem sap of transgenic plants increased two-fold compared to control plants. Iron and zinc levels increased significantly in polished and unpolished rice grains to more than 70% of the recommended estimated average requirement (EAR) for iron and 140% of the recommended EAR for zinc in polished rice grains. Furthermore, the transformed lines showed normal phenotypic growth, were tolerant to iron deficiency and aluminum toxicity, and had grain cadmium levels similar to control plants. Together, our results demonstrate that deploying FRD for iron biofortification has no obvious anti-nutritive effects and should be considered as an effective strategy for reducing human iron deficiency anemia. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Sulfur dioxide leaching of spent zinc-carbon-battery scrap

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Avraamides, J.; Senanayake, G.; Clegg, R.

    Zinc-carbon batteries, which contain around 20% zinc, 35% manganese oxides and 10% steel, are currently disposed after use as land fill or reprocessed to recover metals or oxides. Crushed material is subjected to magnetic separation followed by hydrometallurgical treatment of the non-magnetic material to recover zinc metal and manganese oxides. The leaching with 2 M sulfuric acid in the presence of hydrogen peroxide recovers 93% Zn and 82% Mn at 25 °C. Alkaline leaching with 6 M NaOH recovers 80% zinc. The present study shows that over 90% zinc and manganese can be leached in 20-30 min at 30 °C using 0.1-1.0 M sulfuric acid in the presence of sulfur dioxide. The iron extraction is sensitive to both acid concentration and sulfur dioxide flow rate. The effect of reagent concentration and particle size on the extraction of zinc, manganese and iron are reported. It is shown that the iron and manganese leaching follow a shrinking core kinetic model due to the formation of insoluble metal salts/oxides on the solid surface. This is supported by (i) the decrease in iron and manganese extraction from synthetic Fe(III)-Mn(IV)-Zn(II) oxide mixtures with increase in acid concentration from 1 M to 2 M, and (ii) the low iron dissolution and re-precipitation of dissolved manganese and zinc during prolonged leaching of battery scrap with low sulfur dioxide.

  12. Adsorption of poly(vinyl formamide-co-vinyl amine) (PVFA-co-PVAm) polymers on zinc, zinc oxide, iron, and iron oxide surfaces.

    PubMed

    Seifert, Susan; Simon, Frank; Baumann, Giesela; Hietschold, Michael; Seifert, Andreas; Spange, Stefan

    2011-12-06

    The adsorption of poly(vinyl formamide) (PVFA) and the statistic copolymers poly(vinyl formamide-co-vinyl amine) (PVFA-co-PVAm) onto zinc and iron metal particles as well as their oxides was investigated. The adsorbates were characterized by means of XPS, DRIFT spectroscopy, wet chemical analysis, and solvatochromic probes. Dicyano-bis-(1,10-phenanthroline)-iron(II) (1), 3-(4-amino-3-methylphenyl)-7-phenyl-benzo-[1,2-b:4,5-b']difuran-2,6-dione (2), and 4-tert-butyl-2-(dicyano-methylene)-5-[4-(diethylamino)-benzylidene]-Δ(3)-thiazoline (3) as solvatochromic probes were coadsorbed onto zinc oxide to measure various effects of surface polarity. The experimental findings showed that the adsorption mechanism of PVFA and PVFA-co-PVAm strongly depends on the degree of hydrolysis of PVFA and pH values and also on the kind of metal or metal oxide surfaces that were employed as adsorbents. The adsorption mechanism of PVFA/PVFA-co-PVAm onto zinc oxide and iron oxide surfaces is mainly affected by electrostatic interactions. Particularly in the region of pH 5, the adsorption of PVFA/PVFA-co-PVAm onto zinc and iron metal particles is additionally influenced by redox processes, dissolution, and complexation reactions. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  13. Anti-cancer activity of ZnO chips by sustained zinc ion release.

    PubMed

    Moon, Seong-Hee; Choi, Won Jin; Choi, Sik-Won; Kim, Eun Hye; Kim, Jiyeon; Lee, Jeong-O; Kim, Seong Hwan

    2016-01-01

    We report anti-cancer activity of ZnO thin-film-coated chips by sustained release of zinc ions. ZnO chips were fabricated by precisely tuning ZnO thickness using atomic layer deposition, and their potential to release zinc ions relative to the number of deposition cycles was evaluated. ZnO chips exhibited selective cytotoxicity in human B lymphocyte Raji cells while having no effect on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Of importance, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration of the ZnO chip on the viability of Raji cells was 121.5 cycles, which was comparable to 65.7 nM of daunorubicin, an anti-cancer drug for leukemia. Molecular analysis of cells treated with ZnO chips revealed that zinc ions released from the chips increased cellular levels of reactive oxygen species, including hydrogen peroxide, which led to the down-regulation of anti-apoptotic molecules (such as HIF-1α, survivin, cIAP-2, claspin, p-53, and XIAP) and caspase-dependent apoptosis. Because the anti-cancer activity of ZnO chips and the mode of action were comparable to those of daunorubicin, the development and optimization of ZnO chips that gradually release zinc ions might have clinical anti-cancer potential. A further understanding of the biological action of ZnO-related products is crucial for designing safe biomaterials with applications in disease treatment.

  14. SYNTHESIS, REACTIVITY, AND CATALYTIC BEHAVIOR OF IRON/ZINC-CONTAINING SPECIES INVOLVED IN OXIDATION OF HYDROCARBONS UNDER GIF-TYPE CONDITIONS. (R823377)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The present study explores the nature and reactivity of iron- and zinc-containing species
    generated in hydrocarbon-oxidizing Gif(IV)-type solutions Fe catalyst/Zn/O-2 in pyridine/acetic acid
    (10:1 v/v). The ultimate goal of this investigation is to unravel the role of metal...

  15. Interactions of iron with manganese, zinc, chromium, and selenium as related to prophylaxis and treatment of iron deficiency.

    PubMed

    Bjørklund, Geir; Aaseth, Jan; Skalny, Anatoly V; Suliburska, Joanna; Skalnaya, Margarita G; Nikonorov, Alexandr A; Tinkov, Alexey A

    2017-05-01

    Iron (Fe) deficiency is considered as the most common nutritional deficiency. Iron deficiency is usually associated with low Fe intake, blood loss, diseases, poor absorption, gastrointestinal parasites, or increased physiological demands as in pregnancy. Nutritional Fe deficiency is usually treated with Fe tablets, sometimes with Fe-containing multimineral tablets. Trace element interactions may have a significant impact on Fe status. Existing data demonstrate a tight interaction between manganese (Mn) and Fe, especially in Fe-deficient state. The influence of Mn on Fe homeostasis may be mediated through its influence on Fe absorption, circulating transporters like transferrin, and regulatory proteins. The existing data demonstrate that the influence of zinc (Zn) on Fe status may be related to their competition for metal transporters. Moreover, Zn may be involved in regulation of hepcidin production. At the same time, human data on the interplay between Fe and Zn especially in terms of Fe-deficiency and supplementation are contradictory, demonstrating both positive and negative influence of Zn on Fe status. Numerous data also demonstrate the possibility of competition between Fe and chromium (Cr) for transferrin binding. At the same time, human data on the interaction between these metals are contradictory. Therefore, while managing hypoferremia and Fe-deficiency anemia, it is recommended to assess the level of other trace elements in parallel with indices of Fe homeostasis. It is supposed that simultaneous correction of trace element status in Fe deficiency may help to decrease possible antagonistic or increase synergistic interactions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  16. Characterization of copper oxides, iron oxides, and zinc copper ferrite desulfurization sorbents by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Siriwardane, Ranjani V.; Poston, James A.

    1993-05-01

    Characterization of copper oxides, iron oxides, and zinc copper ferrite desulfurization sorbents was performed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive spectroscopy at temperatures of 298 to 823 K. Analysis of copper oxides indicated that the satellite structure of the Cu22p region was absent in the Cu(I) state but was present in the Cu(II) state. Reduction of CuO at room temperature was observed when the ion gauge was placed close to the sample. The satellite structure was absent in all the copper oxides at 823 K in vacuum. Differentiation of the oxidation state of copper utilizing both Cu(L 3M 4,5M 4,5) X-ray-induced Auger lines and Cu2p satellite structure, indicated that the copper in zinc copper ferrite was in the + 1 oxidation state at 823 K. This + 1 state of copper was not significantly changed after exposure to H 2, CO, and H 2O. There was an increase in Cu/Zn ratio and a decrease in Fe/Zn ratio on the surface of zinc copper ferrite at 823 K compared to that at room temperature. These conditions of copper offered the best sulfidation equilibrium for the zinc copper ferrite desulfurization sorbent. Analysis of iron oxides indicated that there was some reduction of both Fe 2O 3 and FeO at 823K. The iron in zinc copper ferrite was similar to that of Fe 2O 3 at room temperature but there was some reduction of this Fe(III) state to Fe(II) at 823 K. This reduction was more enhanced in the presence of H 2 and CO. Reduction to Fe(II) may not be desirable for the lifetime of the sorbent.

  17. Inheritance of seed iron and zinc concentrations in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Micronutrients are essential elements needed in small amounts for adequate human nutrition and include the elements iron and zinc. Both of these minerals are essential to human well-being, and an adequate supply of iron and zinc helps to prevent iron deficiency anemia and zinc deficiency, two preva...

  18. Acceptability of Iron- and Zinc-Biofortified Pearl Millet (ICTP-8203)-Based Complementary Foods among Children in an Urban Slum of Mumbai, India

    PubMed Central

    Huey, Samantha Lee; Venkatramanan, Sudha; Udipi, Shobha A.; Finkelstein, Julia Leigh; Ghugre, Padmini; Haas, Jere Douglas; Thakker, Varsha; Thorat, Aparna; Salvi, Ashwini; Kurpad, Anura V.; Mehta, Saurabh

    2017-01-01

    Biofortification, a method for increasing micronutrient content of staple crops, is a promising strategy for combating major global health problems, such as iron and zinc deficiency. We examined the acceptability of recipes prepared using iron- and zinc-biofortified pearl millet (FeZnPM) (~80 ppm Fe, ~34 ppm Zn, varietal ICTP-8203), compared to conventional pearl millet (CPM) (~20 ppm Fe, ~19 ppm Zn) in preparation for an efficacy trial. Our objective was to examine the acceptability of FeZnPM compared to CPM among young children and mothers living in the urban slums of Mumbai. Standardized traditional feeding program recipes (n = 18) were prepared with either FeZnPM or CPM flour. The weight (g) of each food product was measured before and after consumption by children (n = 125) and the average grams consumed over a 3-day period were recorded. Mothers (n = 60) rated recipes using a 9-point hedonic scale. Mean intakes and hedonic scores of each food product were compared using t-tests across the two types of pearl millet. There were no statistically significant differences in consumption by children (FeZnPM: 25.27 ± 13.0 g; CPM: 21.72 ± 6.90 g) across the food products (P = 0.28). Overall mean hedonic scores for all recipes were between 7 to 9 points. CPM products were rated higher overall (8.22 ± 0.28) compared to FeZnPM products (7.95 ± 0.35) (P = 0.01). FeZnPM and CPM were similarly consumed and had high hedonic scores, demonstrating high acceptability in this population. These results support using these varieties of pearl millet in a proposed trial [http://Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT02233764; Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI), reference number REF/2014/10/007731, CTRI number CTRI/2015/11/006376] testing the efficacy of FeZnPM for improving iron status and growth. PMID:28971097

  19. Acceptability of Iron- and Zinc-Biofortified Pearl Millet (ICTP-8203)-Based Complementary Foods among Children in an Urban Slum of Mumbai, India.

    PubMed

    Huey, Samantha Lee; Venkatramanan, Sudha; Udipi, Shobha A; Finkelstein, Julia Leigh; Ghugre, Padmini; Haas, Jere Douglas; Thakker, Varsha; Thorat, Aparna; Salvi, Ashwini; Kurpad, Anura V; Mehta, Saurabh

    2017-01-01

    Biofortification, a method for increasing micronutrient content of staple crops, is a promising strategy for combating major global health problems, such as iron and zinc deficiency. We examined the acceptability of recipes prepared using iron- and zinc-biofortified pearl millet (FeZnPM) (~80 ppm Fe, ~34 ppm Zn, varietal ICTP-8203), compared to conventional pearl millet (CPM) (~20 ppm Fe, ~19 ppm Zn) in preparation for an efficacy trial. Our objective was to examine the acceptability of FeZnPM compared to CPM among young children and mothers living in the urban slums of Mumbai. Standardized traditional feeding program recipes ( n  = 18) were prepared with either FeZnPM or CPM flour. The weight (g) of each food product was measured before and after consumption by children ( n  = 125) and the average grams consumed over a 3-day period were recorded. Mothers ( n  = 60) rated recipes using a 9-point hedonic scale. Mean intakes and hedonic scores of each food product were compared using t -tests across the two types of pearl millet. There were no statistically significant differences in consumption by children (FeZnPM: 25.27 ± 13.0 g; CPM: 21.72 ± 6.90 g) across the food products ( P  = 0.28). Overall mean hedonic scores for all recipes were between 7 to 9 points. CPM products were rated higher overall (8.22 ± 0.28) compared to FeZnPM products (7.95 ± 0.35) ( P  = 0.01). FeZnPM and CPM were similarly consumed and had high hedonic scores, demonstrating high acceptability in this population. These results support using these varieties of pearl millet in a proposed trial [http://Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT02233764; Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI), reference number REF/2014/10/007731, CTRI number CTRI/2015/11/006376] testing the efficacy of FeZnPM for improving iron status and growth.

  20. Functional studies of Drosophila zinc transporters reveal the mechanism for dietary zinc absorption and regulation

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Zinc is key to the function of many proteins, but the process of dietary zinc absorption is not well clarified. Current knowledge about dietary zinc absorption is fragmented, and mostly derives from incomplete mammalian studies. To gain a comprehensive picture of this process, we systematically characterized all zinc transporters (that is, the Zip and ZnT family members) for their possible roles in dietary zinc absorption in a genetically amenable model organism, Drosophila melanogaster. Results A set of plasma membrane-resident zinc transporters was identified to be responsible for absorbing zinc from the lumen into the enterocyte and the subsequent exit of zinc to the circulation. dZip1 and dZip2, two functionally overlapping zinc importers, are responsible for absorbing zinc from the lumen into the enterocyte. Exit of zinc to the circulation is mediated through another two functionally overlapping zinc exporters, dZnT1, and its homolog CG5130 (dZnT77C). Somewhat surprisingly, it appears that the array of intracellular ZnT proteins, including the Golgi-resident dZnT7, is not directly involved in dietary zinc absorption. By modulating zinc status in different parts of the body, we found that regulation of dietary zinc absorption, in contrast to that of iron, is unresponsive to bodily needs or zinc status outside the gut. The zinc transporters that are involved in dietary zinc absorption, including the importers dZip1 and dZip2, and the exporter dZnT1, are respectively regulated at the RNA and protein levels by zinc in the enterocyte. Conclusions Our study using the model organism Drosophila thus starts to reveal a comprehensive sketch of dietary zinc absorption and its regulatory control, a process that is still incompletely understood in mammalian organisms. The knowledge gained will act as a reference for future mammalian studies, and also enable an appreciation of this important process from an evolutionary perspective. PMID:24063361

  1. The potential of lentil (Lens culinaris L.) as a whole food for increased selenium, iron, and zinc intake: Preliminary results from a three year study

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Micronutrient malnutrition, especially selenium (Se), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) deficiency, is a major global health problem. Previous attempts to prevent micronutrient malnutrition through food fortification, supplementation, and enrichment of staple crops has had limited success. Canadian grown len...

  2. Modeling the thermal conductivities of the zinc antimonides ZnSb and Zn4Sb3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bjerg, Lasse; Iversen, Bo B.; Madsen, Georg K. H.

    2014-01-01

    ZnSb and Zn4Sb3 are interesting as thermoelectric materials because of their low cost and low thermal conductivity. We introduce a model of the lattice thermal conductivity which is independent of fitting parameters and takes the full phonon dispersions into account. The model is found to give thermal conductivities with the correct relative magnitudes and in reasonable quantitative agreement with experiment for a number of semiconductor structures. The thermal conductivities of the zinc antimonides are reviewed and the relatively large effect of nanostructuring on the zinc antimonides is rationalized in terms of the mean free paths of the heat carrying phonons. The very low thermal conductivity of Zn4Sb3 is found to be intrinsic to the structure. However, the low-lying optical modes are observed in both Zn-Sb structures and involve both Zn and Sb vibrations, thereby strongly questioning dumbbell rattling. A mechanism for the very low thermal conductivity observed in Zn4Sb3 is identified. The large Grüneisen parameter of this compound is traced to the Sb atoms which coordinate only Zn atoms.

  3. Mapping Grain Iron and Zinc Content Quantitative Trait Loci in an Iniadi-Derived Immortal Population of Pearl Millet

    PubMed Central

    Kumar, Sushil; Hash, Charles Tom; Nepolean, Thirunavukkarasu; Mahendrakar, Mahesh D.; Satyavathi, Chellapilla Tara; Singh, Govind; Rathore, Abhishek; Gupta, Rajeev; Srivastava, Rakesh K.

    2018-01-01

    Pearl millet is a climate-resilient nutritious crop requiring low inputs and is capable of giving economic returns in marginal agro-ecologies. In this study, we report large-effect iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) content quantitative trait loci (QTLs) using diversity array technology (DArT) and simple sequence repeats (SSRs) markers to generate a genetic linkage map using 317 recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from the (ICMS 8511-S1-17-2-1-1-B-P03 × AIMP 92901-S1-183-2-2-B-08) cross. The base map [seven linkage groups (LGs)] of 196 loci was 964.2 cM in length (Haldane). AIMP 92901-S1-183-2-2-B-08 is an Iniadi line with high grain Fe and Zn, tracing its origin to the Togolese Republic, West Africa. The content of grain Fe in the RIL population ranged between 20 and 131 ppm (parts per million), and that of Zn from 18 to 110 ppm. QTL analysis revealed a large number of QTLs for high grain iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) content. A total of 19 QTLs for Fe and Zn were detected, of which 11 were for Fe and eight were for Zn. The portion of the observed phenotypic variance explained by different QTLs for grain Fe and Zn content varied from 9.0 to 31.9% (cumulative 74%) and from 9.4 to 30.4% (cumulative 65%), respectively. Three large-effect QTLs for both minerals were co-mapped in this population, one on LG1 and two on LG7. The favorable QTL alleles of both mineral micronutrients were contributed by the male parent (AIMP 92901-deriv-08). Three putative epistasis interactions were observed for Fe content, while a single digenic interaction was found for Zn content. The reported QTLs may be useful in marker-assisted selection (MAS) programs, in genomic selection (GS) breeding pipelines for seed and restorer parents, and in population improvement programs for pearl millet. PMID:29751669

  4. Mapping Grain Iron and Zinc Content Quantitative Trait Loci in an Iniadi-Derived Immortal Population of Pearl Millet.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Sushil; Hash, Charles Tom; Nepolean, Thirunavukkarasu; Mahendrakar, Mahesh D; Satyavathi, Chellapilla Tara; Singh, Govind; Rathore, Abhishek; Yadav, Rattan S; Gupta, Rajeev; Srivastava, Rakesh K

    2018-05-11

    Pearl millet is a climate-resilient nutritious crop requiring low inputs and is capable of giving economic returns in marginal agro-ecologies. In this study, we report large-effect iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) content quantitative trait loci ( QTLs) using diversity array technology (DArT) and simple sequence repeats (SSRs) markers to generate a genetic linkage map using 317 recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from the (ICMS 8511-S1-17-2-1-1-B-P03 × AIMP 92901-S1-183-2-2-B-08) cross. The base map [seven linkage groups (LGs)] of 196 loci was 964.2 cM in length (Haldane). AIMP 92901-S1-183-2-2-B-08 is an Iniadi line with high grain Fe and Zn, tracing its origin to the Togolese Republic, West Africa. The content of grain Fe in the RIL population ranged between 20 and 131 ppm (parts per million), and that of Zn from 18 to 110 ppm. QTL analysis revealed a large number of QTLs for high grain iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) content. A total of 19 QTLs for Fe and Zn were detected, of which 11 were for Fe and eight were for Zn. The portion of the observed phenotypic variance explained by different QTLs for grain Fe and Zn content varied from 9.0 to 31.9% (cumulative 74%) and from 9.4 to 30.4% (cumulative 65%), respectively. Three large-effect QTLs for both minerals were co-mapped in this population, one on LG1 and two on LG7. The favorable QTL alleles of both mineral micronutrients were contributed by the male parent (AIMP 92901-deriv-08). Three putative epistasis interactions were observed for Fe content, while a single digenic interaction was found for Zn content. The reported QTLs may be useful in marker-assisted selection (MAS) programs, in genomic selection (GS) breeding pipelines for seed and restorer parents, and in population improvement programs for pearl millet.

  5. Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Development, Zinc Metabolism and Biodistribution of Minerals (Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn) in Mice

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Chao; Lu, Jianjun; Zhou, Le; Li, Jun; Xu, Jiaman; Li, Weijian; Zhang, Lili; Zhong, Xiang; Wang, Tian

    2016-01-01

    Zinc oxide nanoparticles (nano-ZnOs) are widely used and possess great potentials in agriculture and biomedicine. It is inevitable for human exposure to these nanoparticles. However, no study had been conducted to investigate the long term effects of nano-ZnOs. This study aimed at investigating effects of nano-ZnOs on development, zinc metabolism and biodistribution of minerals (Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn) in mice from week 3 to 35. After the characteristics of nano-ZnOs were determined, they were added into the basal diet at 0, 50, 500 and 5000 mg/kg. Results indicated that added 50 and 500 mg/kg nano-ZnOs showed minimal toxicity. However, 5000 mg/kg nano-ZnOs significantly decreased body weight (from week 4 to 16) and increased the relative weights of the pancreas, brain and lung. Added 5000 mg/kg nano-ZnOs significantly increased the serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase activity and zinc content, and significantly enhanced mRNA expression of zinc metabolism-related genes, including metallothionein 1(32.66 folds), metallothionein 2 (31.42 folds), ZIP8 (2.21folds), ZIP14 (2.45 folds), ZnT1 (4.76 folds), ZnT2 (6.19 folds) and ZnT4 (1.82 folds). The biodistribution determination showed that there was a significant accumulation of zinc in the liver, pancreas, kidney, and bones (tibia and fibula) after receiving 5000 mg/kg nano-ZnO diet, while no significant effects on Cu, Fe, and Mn levels, except for liver Fe content and pancreas Mn level. Our results demonstrated that long term exposure to 50 and 500 mg/kg nano-ZnO diets showed minimal toxicity. However, high dose of nano-ZnOs (5000 mg/kg) caused toxicity on development, and altered the zinc metabolism and biodistribution in mice. PMID:27732669

  6. Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Development, Zinc Metabolism and Biodistribution of Minerals (Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn) in Mice.

    PubMed

    Wang, Chao; Lu, Jianjun; Zhou, Le; Li, Jun; Xu, Jiaman; Li, Weijian; Zhang, Lili; Zhong, Xiang; Wang, Tian

    2016-01-01

    Zinc oxide nanoparticles (nano-ZnOs) are widely used and possess great potentials in agriculture and biomedicine. It is inevitable for human exposure to these nanoparticles. However, no study had been conducted to investigate the long term effects of nano-ZnOs. This study aimed at investigating effects of nano-ZnOs on development, zinc metabolism and biodistribution of minerals (Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn) in mice from week 3 to 35. After the characteristics of nano-ZnOs were determined, they were added into the basal diet at 0, 50, 500 and 5000 mg/kg. Results indicated that added 50 and 500 mg/kg nano-ZnOs showed minimal toxicity. However, 5000 mg/kg nano-ZnOs significantly decreased body weight (from week 4 to 16) and increased the relative weights of the pancreas, brain and lung. Added 5000 mg/kg nano-ZnOs significantly increased the serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase activity and zinc content, and significantly enhanced mRNA expression of zinc metabolism-related genes, including metallothionein 1(32.66 folds), metallothionein 2 (31.42 folds), ZIP8 (2.21folds), ZIP14 (2.45 folds), ZnT1 (4.76 folds), ZnT2 (6.19 folds) and ZnT4 (1.82 folds). The biodistribution determination showed that there was a significant accumulation of zinc in the liver, pancreas, kidney, and bones (tibia and fibula) after receiving 5000 mg/kg nano-ZnO diet, while no significant effects on Cu, Fe, and Mn levels, except for liver Fe content and pancreas Mn level. Our results demonstrated that long term exposure to 50 and 500 mg/kg nano-ZnO diets showed minimal toxicity. However, high dose of nano-ZnOs (5000 mg/kg) caused toxicity on development, and altered the zinc metabolism and biodistribution in mice.

  7. Zinc transporter ZnT-3 regulates presynaptic Erk1/2 signaling and hippocampus-dependent memory.

    PubMed

    Sindreu, Carlos; Palmiter, Richard D; Storm, Daniel R

    2011-02-22

    The physiological role of vesicular zinc at central glutamatergic synapses remains poorly understood. Here we show that mice lacking the synapse-specific vesicular zinc transporter ZnT3 (ZnT3KO mice) have reduced activation of the Erk1/2 MAPK in hippocampal mossy fiber terminals, disinhibition of zinc-sensitive MAPK tyrosine phosphatase activity, and impaired MAPK signaling during hippocampus-dependent learning. Activity-dependent exocytosis is required for the effect of zinc on presynaptic MAPK and phosphatase activity. ZnT3KO mice have complete deficits in contextual discrimination and spatial working memory. Local blockade of zinc or MAPK in the mossy fiber pathway of wild-type mice impairs contextual discrimination. We conclude that ZnT3 is important for zinc homeostasis modulating presynaptic MAPK signaling and is required for hippocampus-dependent memory.

  8. Bioavailability of zinc oxide added to corn tortilla is similar to that of zinc sulfate and is not affected by simultaneous addition of iron

    PubMed Central

    Rosado, Jorge L.; Díaz, Margarita; Muñoz, Elsa; Westcott, Jamie L.; González, Karla E.; Krebs, Nancy F.; Caamaño, María C.; Hambidge, Michael

    2013-01-01

    Background Corn tortilla is the staple food of Mexico and its fortification with zinc, iron, and other micronutrients is intended to reduce micronutrient deficiencies. However, no studies have been performed to determine the relative amount of zinc absorbed from the fortified product and whether zinc absorption is affected by the simultaneous addition of iron. Objective To compare zinc absorption from corn tortilla fortified with zinc oxide versus zinc sulfate and to determine the effect of simultaneous addition of two doses of iron on zinc bioavailability. Methods A randomized, double-blind, crossover design was carried out in two phases. In the first phase, 10 adult women received corn tortillas with either 20 mg/kg of zinc oxide added, 20 mg/kg of zinc sulfate added, or no zinc added. In the second phase, 10 adult women received corn tortilla with 20 mg/kg of zinc oxide added and either with no iron added or with iron added at one of two different levels. Zinc absorption was measured by the stable isotope method. Results The mean (± SEM) fractional zinc absorption from unfortified tortilla, tortilla fortified with zinc oxide, and tortilla fortified with zinc sulfate did not differ among treatments: 0.35 ± 0.07, 0.36 ± 0.05, and 0.37 ± 0.07, respectively. The three treatment groups with 0, 30, and 60 mg/kg of added iron had similar fractional zinc absorption (0.32 ± 0.04, 0.33 ± 0.02, and 0.32 ± 0.05, respectively) and similar amounts of zinc absorbed (4.8 ± 0.7, 4.5 ± 0.3, and 4.8 ± 0.7 mg/day, respectively). Conclusions Since zinc oxide is more stable and less expensive and was absorbed equally as well as zinc sulfate, we suggest its use for corn tortilla fortification. Simultaneous addition of zinc and iron to corn tortilla does not modify zinc bioavailability at iron doses of 30 and 60 mg/kg of corn flour. PMID:23424892

  9. New perspectives on the regulation of iron absorption via cellular zinc concentrations in humans.

    PubMed

    Knez, Marija; Graham, Robin D; Welch, Ross M; Stangoulis, James C R

    2017-07-03

    Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency, affecting more than 30% of the total world's population. It is a major public health problem in many countries around the world. Over the years various methods have been used with an effort to try and control iron-deficiency anemia. However, there has only been a marginal reduction in the global prevalence of anemia. Why is this so? Iron and zinc are essential trace elements for humans. These metals influence the transport and absorption of one another across the enterocytes and hepatocytes, due to similar ionic properties. This paper describes the structure and roles of major iron and zinc transport proteins, clarifies iron-zinc interactions at these sites, and provides a model for the mechanism of these interactions both at the local and systemic level. This review provides evidence that much of the massive extent of iron deficiency anemia in the world may be due to an underlying deficiency of zinc. It explains the reasons for predominance of cellular zinc status in determination of iron/zinc interactions and for the first time thoroughly explains mechanisms by which zinc brings about these changes.

  10. A Low-Cost Neutral Zinc-Iron Flow Battery with High Energy Density for Stationary Energy Storage.

    PubMed

    Xie, Congxin; Duan, Yinqi; Xu, Wenbin; Zhang, Huamin; Li, Xianfeng

    2017-11-20

    Flow batteries (FBs) are one of the most promising stationary energy-storage devices for storing renewable energy. However, commercial progress of FBs is limited by their high cost and low energy density. A neutral zinc-iron FB with very low cost and high energy density is presented. By using highly soluble FeCl 2 /ZnBr 2 species, a charge energy density of 56.30 Wh L -1 can be achieved. DFT calculations demonstrated that glycine can combine with iron to suppress hydrolysis and crossover of Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ . The results indicated that an energy efficiency of 86.66 % can be obtained at 40 mA cm -2 and the battery can run stably for more than 100 cycles. Furthermore, a low-cost porous membrane was employed to lower the capital cost to less than $ 50 per kWh, which was the lowest value that has ever been reported. Combining the features of low cost, high energy density and high energy efficiency, the neutral zinc-iron FB is a promising candidate for stationary energy-storage applications. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Effect of Sulfur on Liquidus Temperatures in the ZnO-"FeO"-Al2O3-CaO-SiO2-S System in Equilibrium with Metallic Iron

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Baojun; Hayes, Peter C.; Jak, Evgueni

    2011-10-01

    The phase equilibria in the ZnO-"FeO"-Al2O3-CaO-SiO2-S system have been determined experimentally in equilibrium with metallic iron. A pseudoternary section of the form ZnO-"FeO"-(Al2O3+CaO+SiO2) for CaO/SiO2 = 0.71 (weight), (CaO+SiO2)/Al2O3 = 5.0 (weight), and fixed 2.0 wt pct S concentration has been constructed. It was found that the addition of 2.0 wt pct S to the liquid extends the spinel primary phase field significantly and decreases the size of the wustite primary phase field. The liquidus temperature in the wustite primary phase field is decreased by approximately 80 K and the liquidus temperature in the spinel primary phase field is decreased by approximately 10 K with addition of 2.0 wt pct S in the composition range investigated. It was also found that iron-zinc sulfides are present in some samples in the spinel primary phase field, which are matte appearing at low zinc concentrations and sphalerite (Zn,Fe)S at higher zinc concentrations. The presence of sulfur in the slag has a minor effect on the partitioning of ZnO between the wustite and liquid phases but no effect on the partitioning of ZnO between the spinel and liquid phases.

  12. Correlations in distribution and concentration of calcium, copper and iron with zinc in isolated extracellular deposits associated with age-related macular degeneration

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Flinn, Jane M; Kakalec, Peter; Tappero, Ryan; Jones, Blair F.; Lengyel, Imre

    2014-01-01

    Zinc (Zn) is abundantly enriched in sub-retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) deposits, the hallmarks of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and is thought to play a role in the formation of these deposits. However, it is not known whether Zn is the only metal relevant for sub-RPE deposit formation. Because of their involvement in the pathogenesis of AMD, we determined the concentration and distribution of calcium (Ca), iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) and compared these with Zn in isolated and sectioned macular (MSD), equatorial (PHD) and far peripheral (FPD) sub-RPE deposits from an 86 year old donor eye with post mortem diagnosis of early AMD. The sections were mounted on Zn free microscopy slides and analyzed by microprobe synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (μSXRF). Metal concentrations were determined using spiked sectioned sheep brain matrix standards, prepared the same way as the samples. The heterogeneity of metal distributions was examined using pixel by pixel comparison. The orders of metal concentrations were Ca ⋙ Zn > Fe in all three types of deposits but Cu levels were not distinguishable from background values. Zinc and Ca were consistently present in all deposits but reached highest concentration in MSD. Iron was present in some but not all deposits and was especially enriched in FPD. Correlation analysis indicated considerable variation in metal distribution within and between sub-RPE deposits. The results suggest that Zn and Ca are the most likely contributors to deposit formation especially in MSD, the characteristic risk factor for the development of AMD in the human eye.

  13. Zinc transporter ZnT-3 regulates presynaptic Erk1/2 signaling and hippocampus-dependent memory

    PubMed Central

    Sindreu, Carlos; Palmiter, Richard D.; Storm, Daniel R.

    2011-01-01

    The physiological role of vesicular zinc at central glutamatergic synapses remains poorly understood. Here we show that mice lacking the synapse-specific vesicular zinc transporter ZnT3 (ZnT3KO mice) have reduced activation of the Erk1/2 MAPK in hippocampal mossy fiber terminals, disinhibition of zinc-sensitive MAPK tyrosine phosphatase activity, and impaired MAPK signaling during hippocampus-dependent learning. Activity-dependent exocytosis is required for the effect of zinc on presynaptic MAPK and phosphatase activity. ZnT3KO mice have complete deficits in contextual discrimination and spatial working memory. Local blockade of zinc or MAPK in the mossy fiber pathway of wild-type mice impairs contextual discrimination. We conclude that ZnT3 is important for zinc homeostasis modulating presynaptic MAPK signaling and is required for hippocampus-dependent memory. PMID:21245308

  14. Green synthesis of novel zinc iron oxide (ZnFe2O4) nanocomposite via Moringa Oleifera natural extract for electrochemical applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matinise, N.; Kaviyarasu, K.; Mongwaketsi, N.; Khamlich, S.; Kotsedi, L.; Mayedwa, N.; Maaza, M.

    2018-07-01

    The main motivation of the research study involves development of reliable, accurate, inexpensive and environmental friendly method for the synthesis of zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) nanocomposites. It was thought of interest to synthesized zinc ferrite via green synthetic method using Moringa Oleifera extract. For the first time, we used green synthetic route via Moringa Oleifera extract acted as both chelating and reducing agents to synthesis spinel ZnFe2O4 nanocomposites. The physical and electrochemical properties were characterized using different techniques such as High Resolve Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM) Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) X-ray diffraction (XRD) Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The XRD pattern thus clearly illustrated that the ZnFe2O4 nanocmposites synthesized by the green method were good crystalline in nature. The time constant and exchange current of ZnFe2O4 nanocomposites from EIS analysis were calculated and found to be 5.2001 × 10-4 s/rad and 6.59432 × 10-4 A, respectively. Based on the electrochemical results, GCE/ZnFe2O4 electrode exhibited a good voltametric response, high electro-activity, and excellent electrochemical performance making it a highly suitable/promising electrode for electrochemical applications.

  15. Acidic leaching both of zinc and iron from basic oxygen furnace sludge.

    PubMed

    Trung, Zuzana Hoang; Kukurugya, Frantisek; Takacova, Zita; Orac, Dusan; Laubertova, Martina; Miskufova, Andrea; Havlik, Tomas

    2011-09-15

    During the steel production in the basic oxygen furnace (BOF), approximately 7-15 kg of dust per tonne of produced steel is generated. This dust contains approximately 1.4-3.2% Zn and 54-70% Fe. Regarding the zinc content, the BOF dust is considered to be highly problematic, and therefore new technological processes for recycling dusts and sludge from metallurgical production are still searched for. In this study the hydrometallurgical processing of BOF sludge in the sulphuric acid solutions under atmospheric pressure and temperatures up to 100 °C is investigated on laboratory scale. The influence of sulphuric acid concentration, temperature, time and liquid to solid ratio (L:S) on the leaching process was studied. The main aim of this study was to determine optimal conditions when the maximum amount of zinc passes into the solution whilst iron remains in a solid residue. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. The effect of dietary zinc - and polyphenols intake on DMBA-induced mammary tumorigenesis in rats

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with zinc and polyphenol compounds, i.e. resveratrol and genistein, on the effectiveness of chemically induced mammary cancer and the changes in the content of selected elements (Zn, Cu, Mg, Fe, Ca) in tumors as compared with normal tissue of the mammary gland. Methods Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into study groups which, apart from the standard diet and DMBA (7,12-dimethyl-1,2- benz[a]anthracene), were treated with zinc ions (Zn) or zinc ions + resveratrol (Zn + resveratrol) or zinc ions + genistein (Zn + genistein) via gavage for a period from 40 days until 20 weeks of age. The ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry) technique was used to analyze the following elements: magnesium, iron, zinc and calcium. Copper content in samples was estimated in an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results Regardless of the diet (standard; Zn; Zn + resveratrol; Zn + genistein), DMBA-induced breast carcinogenesis was not inhibited. On the contrary, in the Zn + resveratrol supplemented group, tumorigenesis developed at a considerably faster rate. On the basis of quantitative analysis of selected elements we found - irrespectively of the diet applied - great accumulation of copper and iron, which are strongly prooxidative, with a simultaneous considerable decrease of the magnesium content in DMBA-induced mammary tumors. The combination of zinc supplementation with resveratrol resulted in particularly large differences in the amount of the investigated elements in tumors as compared with their content in normal tissue. Conclusions Diet supplementation with zinc and polyphenol compounds, i.e. resveratrol and genistein had no effect on the decreased copper level in tumor tissue and inhibited mammary carcinogenesis in the rat. Irrespectively of the applied diet, the development of the neoplastic process in rats resulted in changes of the iron and magnesium

  17. Rising atmospheric CO2 lowers food zinc, iron, and protein concentrations

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Dietary deficiencies of zinc and iron are a major global public health problem. Most people who experience these deficiencies depend on agricultural crops for zinc and iron. In this context, the influence of rising concentrations of atmospheric CO2 on the availability of these nutrients from crops i...

  18. Two iron-regulated transporter (IRT) genes showed differential expression in poplar trees under iron or zinc deficiency.

    PubMed

    Huang, Danqiong; Dai, Wenhao

    2015-08-15

    Two iron-regulated transporter (IRT) genes were cloned from the iron chlorosis resistant (PtG) and susceptible (PtY) Populus tremula 'Erecta' lines. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed no significant difference between PtG and PtY. The predicted proteins contain a conserved ZIP domain with 8 transmembrane (TM) regions. A ZIP signature sequence was found in the fourth TM domain. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that PtIRT1 was clustered with tomato and tobacco IRT genes that are highly responsible to iron deficiency. The PtIRT3 gene was clustered with the AtIRT3 gene that was related to zinc and iron transport in plants. Tissue specific expression indicated that PtIRT1 only expressed in the root, while PtIRT3 constitutively expressed in all tested tissues. Under iron deficiency, the expression of PtIRT1 was dramatically increased and a significantly higher transcript level was detected in PtG than in PtY. Iron deficiency also enhanced the expression of PtIRT3 in PtG. On the other hand, zinc deficiency down-regulated the expression of PtIRT1 and PtIRT3 in both PtG and PtY. Zinc accumulated significantly under iron-deficient conditions, whereas the zinc deficiency showed no significant effect on iron accumulation. A yeast complementation test revealed that the PtIRT1 and PtIRT3 genes could restore the iron uptake ability under the iron uptake-deficiency condition. The results will help understand the mechanisms of iron deficiency response in poplar trees and other woody species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  19. Iron, zinc, and copper in retinal physiology and disease.

    PubMed

    Ugarte, Marta; Osborne, Neville N; Brown, Laurence A; Bishop, Paul N

    2013-01-01

    The essential trace metals iron, zinc, and copper play important roles both in retinal physiology and disease. They are involved in various retinal functions such as phototransduction, the visual cycle, and the process of neurotransmission, being tightly bound to proteins and other molecules to regulate their structure and/or function or as unbound free metal ions. Elevated levels of "free" or loosely bound metal ions can exert toxic effects, and in order to maintain homeostatic levels to protect retinal cells from their toxicity, appropriate mechanisms exist such as metal transporters, chaperones, and the presence of certain storage molecules that tightly bind metals to form nontoxic products. The pathways to maintain homeostatic levels of metals are closely interlinked, with various metabolic pathways directly and/or indirectly affecting their concentrations, compartmentalization, and oxidation/reduction states. Retinal deficiency or excess of these metals can result from systemic depletion and/or overload or from mutations in genes involved in maintaining retinal metal homeostasis, and this is associated with retinal dysfunction and pathology. Iron accumulation in the retina, a characteristic of aging, may be involved in the pathogenesis of retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Zinc deficiency is associated with poor dark adaptation. Zinc levels in the human retina and RPE decrease with age in AMD. Copper deficiency is associated with optic neuropathy, but retinal function is maintained. The changes in iron and zinc homeostasis in AMD have led to the speculation that iron chelation and/or zinc supplements may help in its treatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Effect of iron and zinc deficiency on short term memory in children.

    PubMed

    Umamaheswari, K; Bhaskaran, Mythily; Krishnamurthy, Gautham; Vasudevan, Hemamalini; Vasudevan, Kavita

    2011-04-01

    To evaluate the effect of iron and zinc deficiency on short term memory of children in the age group of 6-11 years and to assess the response to supplementation therapy. Interventional study. 100 children in the age group of 6-11 years (subdivided into 6-8 yr and 9-11 yr groups) from an urban corporation school. After collection of demographic data, the study children underwent hematological assessment which included serum iron, serum zinc, and hemoglobin estimation. Based on the results, they were divided into Iron deficient, Zinc deficient, and Combined deficiency groups. Verbal and nonverbal memory assessment was done in all the children. Iron (2mg/kg bodyweight in two divided doses) and zinc (5mg once-a-day) supplementation for a period of 3 months for children in the deficient group. All children with iron and zinc deficiency in both the age groups had memory deficits. Combined deficiency in 9-11 years group showed severe degree of affectation in verbal (P<0.01) and non-verbal memory (P<0.01), and improved after supplementation (P = 0.05 and P< 0.01, respectively). In 6-8 years group, only non-verbal form of memory (P =0.02) was affected, which improved after supplementation. Iron and zinc deficiency is associated with memory deficits in children. There is a marked improvement in memory after supplementation. Post supplementation IQ scores do not show significant improvement in deficient groups in 6-8 year olds.

  1. Molecular and functional characterization of two drought-induced zinc finger proteins, ZmZnF1 and ZmZnF2 from maize kernels

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    We have isolated two cDNA clones encoding Zinc Finger proteins, designated as ZmZnF1 and ZmZnF2, from water-stressed maize kernels. Sequence analyses indicates that ZmZnF1 is homologous to the A20/AN1-type zinc finger protein and contains the zinc finger motif of Cx2–Cx10–CxCx4Cx2Hx5HxC. Whereas ZmZ...

  2. [Impact of fortified milk on the iron and zinc levels in Mexican preschool children].

    PubMed

    Grijalva-Haro, María Isabel; Chavarria, Elsa Yolanda; Artalejo, Elizabeth; Nieblas, Amparo; Ponce, José Antonio; Robles-Sardin, Alma E

    2014-02-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a national program of consumption of fortified milk "Liconsa" on the nutritional status of iron and zinc in pre-school children (3-5 y). The study was conducted in 77 healthy children of both genders. 54 of them consumed Liconsa fortified milk (GCLFL) and 23 consumed no fortified milk (GR). Iron status was determined by measuring hemoglobin and ferritin and zinc status by serum zinc. The consumption of milk was on free demand and it was estimated at baseline and 6 mo after. Through 24-h recall of measured consumption of iron and zinc in the total diet. Descriptive statistics, Student's t test for independent samples and chi-square test for differences in proportions. Children who consumed fortified milk showed an increase of hemoglobin and ferritin levels [1.13 g/dL (p < 0.05) and 5.83 μg/L (p < 0.05) respectively]. Additionally, a decrease was found of the prevalence of low iron stores from 20.4 to 4.1% (p < 0.05). The serum zinc level showed an increase of 45.2 μg/dL (p < 0.05). At the end of the study no child showed a micronutrient deficiency. Children who did not consume fortified milk Liconsa showed no significant change in their serum iron and zinc values. The average consumption of milk powder Liconsa was 22.7 ± 14.5 g, providing 2.5 mg of daily iron and zinc. Supplied diet 9.2 ± 3.4 mg of iron and 6.9 ± 3 mg of zinc. The consumption of fortified milk had a beneficial effect on the serum levels of iron and zinc in children's social welfare program Liconsa. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  3. Zinc Vacancy Formation and its Effect on the Conductivity of ZnO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khan, Enamul; Weber, Marc; Langford, Steve; Dickinson, Tom

    2010-03-01

    Exposing single crystal ZnO to 193-nm ArF excimer laser radiation can produce metallic zinc nanoparticles along the surface. The particle production mechanism appears to involve interstitial-vacancy pair formation in the near-surface bulk. Conductivity measurements made with one probe inside the laser spot and the other outside show evidence for rectifying behavior. Positron annihilation spectroscopy confirms the presence of Zn vacancies. We suggest that Zn vacancies are a possible source of p-type behavior in irradiated ZnO. Quadrupole mass spectroscopy shows that both oxygen and zinc are emitted during irradiation. Electron-hole pair production has previously been invoked to account for particle desorption from ZnO during UV illumination. Our results suggest that preexisting and laser-generated defects play a critical role in particle desorption and Zn vacancy formation.

  4. Zinc bioaccumulation in a terrestrial invertebrate fed a diet treated with particulate ZnO or ZnCl2 solution.

    PubMed

    Pipan-Tkalec, Ziva; Drobne, Damjana; Jemec, Anita; Romih, Tea; Zidar, Primoz; Bele, Marjan

    2010-03-10

    A number of reports on potential toxicity of nanoparticles are available, but there is still a lack of knowledge concerning bioaccumulation. The aim of this work was to investigate how different sources of zinc, such as uncoated and unmodified ZnO nanoparticles, ZnCl(2) in solution, and macropowder ZnO influence the bioaccumulation of this metal in the terrestrial isopod Porcellio scaber. After exposure to different sources of Zn in the diet, the amount of assimilated Zn in whole body, the efficiency of zinc assimilation, and bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) were assessed. The bioaccumulation potential of Zn was found to be the same regardless of Zn source. The amount of assimilated Zn and BAF were dose-dependent, and Zn assimilation efficiency was independent of exposure concentrations. The Zn assimilation capacity was found to be up to 16% of ingested Zn. It is known that as much as approximately 20% of Zn can be accreted from ZnO particles by dissolution. We conclude that bioaccumulation of Zn in isopods exposed to particulate ZnO depends most probably on Zn dissolution from ZnO particles and not on bioaccumulation of particulate ZnO.

  5. The assessment of soil availability and wheat grain status of zinc and iron in Serbia: Implications for human nutrition.

    PubMed

    Nikolic, Miroslav; Nikolic, Nina; Kostic, Ljiljana; Pavlovic, Jelena; Bosnic, Predrag; Stevic, Nenad; Savic, Jasna; Hristov, Nikola

    2016-05-15

    The deficiency of zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) is a global issue causing not only considerable yield losses of food crops but also serious health problems. We have analysed Zn and Fe concentrations in the grains of two bread wheat cultivars along native gradient of micronutrient availability throughout Serbia. Although only 13% of the soil samples were Zn deficient and none was Fe deficient, the levels of these micronutrients in grain were rather low (median values of 21 mg kg(-1) for Zn and 36 mg kg(-1) for Fe), and even less adequate in white flour. Moreover, excessive P fertilization of calcareous soils in the major wheat growing areas strongly correlated with lower grain concentration of Zn. Our results imply that a latent Zn deficiency in wheat grain poses a high risk for grain quality relevant to human health in Serbia, where wheat bread is a staple food. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Iron and zinc bioaccessibility of fermented maize, sorghum and millets from five locations in Zimbabwe.

    PubMed

    Gabaza, Molly; Shumoy, Habtu; Muchuweti, Maud; Vandamme, Peter; Raes, Katleen

    2018-01-01

    The present study is an evaluation of iron and zinc bioaccessibility of fermented maize, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet from five different locations in Zimbabwe. Iron and zinc contents ranged between 3.22 and 49.7 and 1.25-4.39mg/100gdm, respectively. Fermentation caused a reduction of between 20 and 88% of phytic acid (PA) while a general increase in soluble phenolic compounds (PC) and a decrease of the bound (PC) was observed. Bioaccessibility of iron and zinc ranged between 2.77 and 26.1% and 0.45-12.8%, respectively. The contribution of the fermented cereals towards iron and zinc absolute requirements ranged between 25 and 411% and 0.5-23% with higher contribution of iron coming from cereals that were contaminated with extrinsic iron. Populations subsisting on cereals could be more at risk of zinc rather than iron deficiency. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Erythrocyte CuZn superoxide dismutase activity is decreased in iron-deficiency anemia.

    PubMed

    Olivares, M; Araya, M; Pizarro, F; Letelier, A

    2006-09-01

    Iron and copper are essential microminerals that are intimately related. The present study was performed to determine the effect of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) and treatment with iron on laboratory indicators of copper status. Hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume erythrocyte Zn protoporphyrin, serum ferritin, serum copper, serum ceruloplasmin, and erythrocyte CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were studied in 12 adult women with IDA before and after iron treatment for 60-90 d (100 mg/d Fe, as ferric polymaltose) and in 27 women with normal iron status. Prior to treatment with iron, serum copper and ceruloplasmin were not different between the groups and treatment with iron did not affect these measures. IDA women, before and after treatment with iron, presented a 2.9- and 2-fold decrease in erythrocyte CuZn-SOD activity compared to women with normal iron status (p < 0.001). Treatment with iron increased erythrocyte CuZn-SOD activity of the IDA group; however, this change was not statistically significant. In conclusion, CuZn-SOD activity is decreased in IDA. Measurement of this enzyme activity is not useful for evaluating copper nutrition in iron-deficient subjects.

  8. Lithiation-induced zinc clustering of Zn 3, Zn 12, and Zn 18 units in Zintl-like Ca ~30Li 3+xZn 60-x (x=0.44-1.38)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lin, Qisheng

    2014-11-14

    Zinc clusters are not common for binary intermetallics with relatively low zinc content, but this work shows that zinc clustering can be triggered by lithiation, as exemplified by Ca ~30Li 3+xZn 60-x, P6/mmm, Z = 1, which can be directly converted from CaZn 2. Two end members of the solid solution (x = 0.44 and 1.38) were established and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses: Ca 30Li 3.44(6)Zn59.56(6), a = 15.4651(9) Å, c = 9.3898(3) Å; Ca 30.45(2)Li 4.38(6)Zn 58.62(6), a = 15.524(3) Å, c = 9.413(2) Å. The structures of Ca ~30Li 3+xZn 60-x feature a condensed anionicmore » network of Zn3 triangles, lithium-centered Zn12 icosahedra, and arachno-(Zn,Li)18 tubular clusters that are surrounded respectively by Ca 14, Ca 20, and Ca 30 polyhedra. These polyhedra share faces and form a clathrate-like cationic framework. The specific occupation of lithium in the structure is consistent with theoretical “coloring” analyses. Analysis by the linear muffin-tin orbital (LMTO) method within the atomic sphere approximation reveals that Ca ~30Li 3+xZn 60-x is a metallic, Zintl-like phase with an open-shell electronic structure. The contribution of Ca–Zn polar covalent interactions is about 41%.« less

  9. Zinc and iron supplementation on motor and language milestone scores of infants and toddlers

    PubMed Central

    Surkan, Pamela J.; Siegel, Emily H.; Patel, Shivani; Katz, Joanne; Khatry, Subarna K.; Stoltzfus, Rebecca J.; LeClerq, Steven C.; Tielsch, James M.

    2013-01-01

    Objective To assess the effects of zinc and iron-folic acid supplementation on motor and language milestones in Nepali children. Methods A total of 544 children 4–17 months old residing in Ishwarpur, Nepal were randomized to receive placebo, iron-folic acid, zinc and zinc plus iron-folic acid daily. Data were collected at baseline and at three month intervals for one year. Main effects of zinc and iron folic-acid supplementation were estimated for motor and language milestones. We modeled crude and adjusted mean cumulative changes in scores between visits 1 and 5, and adjusted rates-of-change. Results Adjusted differences in motor milestone scores between visits 1 and 5 and rates-of-change were not significantly different for zinc and non-zinc groups (adj. β=−0.7, 95% CI: −1.4, 0.01; adj. β=−0.1, 95% CI:−0.5, 0.3, respectively). Motor milestones in children receiving and not receiving iron supplements were not significantly different (adj. β=0.1, 95% CI:−0.7, 0.8 from visit 1 to 5; adj. β=0.1, 95% CI:−0.3, 0.5 for rate-of-change). Children receiving zinc had a 0.8 lower mean crude change in language score between visits 1 and 5 compared to children not receiving zinc (95% CI −1.3,−0.3), but significance was lost after adjustment (adj. β=−0.2, 95% CI:−0.6, 0.2, comparing visits 1 to 5; β=−0.1, 95% CI:−0.3, 0.2 for rate-of-change). We observed no significant difference in motor or language milestone scores due to iron supplementation.. Conclusion After one year, neither zinc nor iron-folic acid supplementation in Nepali children improved attainment of motor or language milestones. PMID:23298972

  10. Comparative studies on acid leaching of zinc waste materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rudnik, Ewa; Włoch, Grzegorz; Szatan, Leszek

    2017-11-01

    Three industrial waste materials were characterized in terms of their elemental and phase compositions, leaching behaviour in 10% sulfuric acid solution as well as leaching thermal effects. Slag from melting of mixed metallic scrap contained about 50% Zn and 10% Pb. It consisted mainly of various oxides and oxy-chlorides of metals. Zinc spray metallizing dust contained about 77% Zn in form of zinc and/or zinc-iron oxides, zinc metal and Zn-Fe intermetallic. Zinc ash from hot dip galvanizing was a mixture of zinc oxide, metallic zinc and zinc hydroxide chloride and contained about 80% Zn. Dissolution efficiency of zinc from the first material was 80% (independently on the solid to liquid ratio, 50-150 kg/m3), while decrease of the efficacy from 80% to 60% with increased solid to liquid ratio for the two remaining materials was observed. Both increase in the temperature (20 °C to 35 °C) and agitation rate (300 rpm to 900 rpm) did not improve seriously the leaching results. In all cases, transfer of zinc ions to the leachate was accompanied by different levels of solution contamination, depending on the type of the waste. Leaching of the materials was exothermic with the similar reaction heats for two high oxide-type products (slag, zinc ash) and higher values for the spray metallizing dust.

  11. Relationship of /sup 65/Zn absorption kinetics to intestinal metallothionein in rats: effects of zinc depletion and fasting

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hoadley, J.E.; Leinart, A.S.; Cousins, R.J.

    1988-04-01

    Intestinal 65Zn transport and metallothionein levels were examined in rats fed zinc-adequate and zinc-deficient diets and in rats subjected to an overnight fast. 65Zn uptake by intestines perfused with 1.5 microM 65Zn was greater in both zinc-deficient and fasted groups than in the control group. Mucosal retention of 65Zn was also greater in the zinc-deficient group but not in the fasted group. The greater 65Zn uptake in the fasted group was associated with a compartment that readily released 65Zn back into the lumen. Kinetic analysis of the rate of 65Zn transfer to the vascular space (absorption) showed that 65Zn absorptionmore » involved approximately 3% of mucosal 65Zn in a 40-min perfusion period. The half-life (t1/2) of this mucosal 65Zn rapid transport pool corresponded directly to changes in intestinal metallothionein levels. Both metallothionein and t1/2 were higher in the fasted group and lower in the zinc-deficient group than in controls. While the rate of 65Zn transport from this rapid transport pool decreased with increasing metallothionein level, the predicted pool size increased when the metallothionein level was elevated by fasting. These results indicate that the rate of zinc absorption is inversely related to intestinal metallothionein levels, but the portion of mucosal 65Zn available for absorption is directly related to intestinal metallothionein.« less

  12. Three-dimensional atlas of iron, copper, and zinc in the mouse cerebrum and brainstem.

    PubMed

    Hare, Dominic J; Lee, Jason K; Beavis, Alison D; van Gramberg, Amanda; George, Jessica; Adlard, Paul A; Finkelstein, David I; Doble, Philip A

    2012-05-01

    Atlases depicting molecular and functional features of the brain are becoming an integral part of modern neuroscience. In this study we used laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) to quantitatively measure iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) levels in a serially sectioned C57BL/6 mouse brain (cerebrum and brainstem). Forty-six sections were analyzed in a single experiment of approximately 158 h in duration. We constructed a 46-plate reference atlas by aligning quantified images of metal distribution with corresponding coronal sections from the Allen Mouse Brain Reference Atlas. The 46 plates were also used to construct three-dimensional models of Fe, Cu, and Zn distribution. This atlas represents the first reconstruction of quantitative trace metal distribution through the brain by LA-ICPMS and will facilitate the study of trace metals in the brain and help to elucidate their role in neurobiology.

  13. Single-layer ZnMN2 (M = Si, Ge, Sn) zinc nitrides as promising photocatalysts.

    PubMed

    Bai, Yujie; Luo, Gaixia; Meng, Lijuan; Zhang, Qinfang; Xu, Ning; Zhang, Haiyang; Wu, Xiuqiang; Kong, Fanjie; Wang, Baolin

    2018-05-30

    Searching for two-dimensional semiconductor materials that are suitable for visible-light photocatalytic water splitting provides a sustainable solution to deal with the future energy crisis and environmental problems. Herein, based on first-principles calculations, single-layer ZnMN2 (M = Si, Ge, Sn) zinc nitrides are proposed as efficient photocatalysts for water splitting. Stability analyses show that the single-layer ZnMN2 zinc nitrides exhibit energetic and dynamical stability. The electronic properties reveal that all of the single-layer ZnMN2 zinc nitrides are semiconductors. Interestingly, single-layer ZnSnN2 is a direct band gap semiconductor with a desirable band gap (1.74 eV), and the optical adsorption spectrum confirms its optical absorption in the visible light region. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) calculations show that the catalytic activity for single-layer ZnMN2 (M = Ge, Sn) is better than that of single-layer ZnSiN2. Furthermore, the band gaps and band edge positions for the single-layer ZnMN2 zinc nitrides can be effectively tuned by biaxial strain. Especially, single-layer ZnGeN2 can be effectively tuned to match better with the redox potentials of water and enhance the light absorption in the visible light region at a tensile strain of 5%, which is confirmed by the corresponding optical absorption spectrum. Our results provide guidance for experimental synthesis efforts and future searches for single-layer materials suitable for photocatalytic water splitting.

  14. Solubilization of insoluble zinc compounds by Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus and the detrimental action of zinc ion (Zn2+) and zinc chelates on root knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita.

    PubMed

    Saravanan, V S; Kalaiarasan, P; Madhaiyan, M; Thangaraju, M

    2007-03-01

    To examine the zinc (Zn) solubilization potential and nematicidal properties of Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, Differential Pulse Polarography and Gas Chromatography Coupled Mass Spectrometry were used to estimate the total Zn and Zn(2+) ions and identify the organic acids present in the culture supernatants. The effect of culture filtrate of Zn-amended G. diazotrophicus PAl5 on Meloidogyne incognita in tomato was examined under gnotobiotic conditions. Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus PAl5 effectively solubilized the Zn compounds tested and 5-ketogluconic acid was identified as the major organic acid aiding the solubilization of zinc oxide. The presence of Zn compounds in the culture filtrates of G. diazotrophicus enhanced the mortality and reduced the root penetration of M. incognita under in vitro conditions. 5-ketogluconic acid produced by G. diazotrophicus mediated the solubilization process and the available Zn(2+) ions enhanced the nematicidal activity of G. diazotrophicus against M. incognita. Zn solubilization and enhanced nematicidal activity of Zn-amended G. diazotrophicus provides the possibility of exploiting it as a plant growth promoting bacteria.

  15. Dietary zinc and iron intake and risk of depression: A meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Li, Zongyao; Li, Bingrong; Song, Xingxing; Zhang, Dongfeng

    2017-05-01

    The associations between dietary zinc and iron intake and risk of depression remain controversial. Thus, we carried out a meta-analysis to evaluate these associations. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang databases for relevant studies up to January 2017. Pooled relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random effects model. A total of 9 studies for dietary zinc intake and 3 studies for dietary iron intake were finally included in present meta-analysis. The pooled RRs with 95% CIs of depression for the highest versus lowest dietary zinc and iron intake were 0.67 (95% CI: 0.58-0.76) and 0.57 (95% CI: 0.34-0.95), respectively. In subgroup analysis by study design, the inverse association between dietary zinc intake and risk of depression remained significant in the cohort studies and cross-sectional studies. The pooled RRs (95% CIs) for depression did not substantially change in the influence analysis and subgroup analysis by adjustment for body mass index (BMI). The present meta-analysis indicates inverse associations between dietary zinc and iron intake and risk of depression. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Single crystalline wurtzite ZnO/zinc blende ZnS coaxial heterojunctions and hollow zinc blende ZnS nanotubes: synthesis, structural characterization and optical properties.

    PubMed

    Huang, Xing; Willinger, Marc-Georg; Fan, Hua; Xie, Zai-lai; Wang, Lei; Klein-Hoffmann, Achim; Girgsdies, Frank; Lee, Chun-Sing; Meng, Xiang-Min

    2014-08-07

    Synthesis of ZnO/ZnS heterostructures under thermodynamic conditions generally results in the wurtzite (WZ) structure of the ZnS component because its WZ phase is thermodynamically more stable than its zinc blende (ZB) phase. In this report, we demonstrate for the first time the preparation of ZnO/ZnS coaxial nanocables composed of single crystalline ZB structured ZnS epitaxially grown on WZ ZnO via a two-step thermal evaporation method. The deposition temperature is believed to play a crucial role in determining the crystalline phase of ZnS. Through a systematic structural analysis, the ZnO core and the ZnS shell are found to have an orientation relationship of (0002)ZnO(WZ)//(002)ZnS(ZB) and [01-10]ZnO(WZ)//[2-20]ZnS(ZB). Observation of the coaxial nanocables in cross-section reveals the formation of voids between the ZnO core and the ZnS shell during the coating process, which is probably associated with the nanoscale Kirkendall effect known to result in porosity. Furthermore, by immersing the ZnO/ZnS nanocable heterojunctions in an acetic acid solution to etch away the inner ZnO cores, single crystalline ZnS nanotubes orientated along the [001] direction of the ZB structure were also achieved for the first time. Finally, optical properties of the hollow ZnS tubes were investigated and discussed in detail. We believe that our study could provide some insights into the controlled fabrication of one dimensional (1D) semiconductors with desired morphology, structure and composition at the nanoscale, and the synthesized WZ ZnO/ZB ZnS nanocables as well as ZB ZnS nanotubes could be ideal candidates for the study of optoelectronics based on II-VI semiconductors.

  17. Zinc toxicology following particulate inhalation

    PubMed Central

    Cooper, Ross G.

    2008-01-01

    The current mini-review describes the toxic effects of zinc inhalation principally in the workplace and associated complications with breathing and respiration. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Criteria were used to specifically select articles. Most of the commercial production of zinc involves the galvanizing of iron and the manufacture of brass. The recommended daily allowance for adults is 15 mg zinc/day. Metal fume fever associated with inhalation of fumes of ZnO is characterized by fatigue, chills, fever, myalgias, cough, dyspnea, leukocytosis, thirst, metallic taste and salivation. ZnCl2 inhalation results in edema in the alveolar surface and the protein therein the lavage fluid is elevated. Particular pathological changes associated with zinc intoxication include: pale mucous membranes; jaundice; numerous Heinz bodies; and marked anemia. Adequate ambient air monitors for permissible exposure limits, excellent ventilation and extraction systems, and approved respirators are all important in providing adequate protection. PMID:20040991

  18. III-nitrides on oxygen- and zinc-face ZnO substrates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Namkoong, Gon; Burnham, Shawn; Lee, Kyoung-Keun; Trybus, Elaissa; Doolittle, W. Alan; Losurdo, Maria; Capezzuto, Pio; Bruno, Giovanni; Nemeth, Bill; Nause, Jeff

    2005-10-01

    The characteristics of III-nitrides grown on zinc- and oxygen-face ZnO by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy were investigated. The reflection high-energy electron diffraction pattern indicates formation of a cubic phase at the interface between III-nitride and both Zn- and O-face ZnO. The polarity indicates that Zn-face ZnO leads to a single polarity, while O-face ZnO forms mixed polarity of III-nitrides. Furthermore, by using a vicinal ZnO substrate, the terrace-step growth of GaN was realized with a reduction by two orders of magnitude in the dislocation-related etch pit density to ˜108cm-2, while a dislocation density of ˜1010cm-2 was obtained on the on-axis ZnO substrates.

  19. Hexagonal ZnO porous plates prepared from microwave synthesized layered zinc hydroxide sulphate via thermal decomposition

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Machovsky, Michal, E-mail: machovsky@ft.utb.cz; Polymer Centre, Faculty of Technology, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Nam. T.G. Masaryka 275, 762 72 Zlin; Kuritka, Ivo, E-mail: ivo@kuritka.net

    2013-10-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Zinc hydroxy sulphate was synthesized in 3 min via microwave hydrothermal route. • Zinc hydroxy sulphate was converted into mesh like porous ZnO by calcining at 900°. • The process of transformation is topotactic. - Abstract: Layered zinc hydroxide sulphate (ZHS) was prepared by microwave-assisted hydrothermal precipitation of zinc sulphate monohydrate with hexamethylenetetramine. Under ambient conditions, the structure of ZHS determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) was found to be a mixture of zinc hydroxide sulphate pentahydrate Zn{sub 4}SO{sub 4}(OH){sub 6}·5H{sub 2}O and tetrahydrate Zn{sub 4}SO{sub 4}(OH){sub 6}·4H{sub 2}O. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was usedmore » for characterization of the prepared materials. Based on the interpretation of ZHS's thermal decomposition profile obtained by thermogravimetric analysis, ZnO of high purity was prepared by calcination at 900 °C for 2 h. The structure of the resulting ZnO was confirmed by the XRD. The morphology examination by scanning electron microscopy revealed a porous mesh-like ZnO structure developed from the ZHS precursor at the expense of mass removal due to the release of water and sulphate during the calcination.« less

  20. Zinc toxicity among galvanization workers in the iron and steel industry.

    PubMed

    El Safty, Amal; El Mahgoub, Khalid; Helal, Sawsan; Abdel Maksoud, Neveen

    2008-10-01

    Galvanization is the process of coating steel or cast iron pieces with zinc, allowing complete protection against corrosion. The ultimate goal of this work was to assess the effect of occupational exposure to zinc in the galvanization process on different metals in the human body and to detect the association between zinc exposure and its effect on the respiratory system. This study was conducted in 111 subjects in one of the major companies in the iron and steel industry. There were 61 subjects (workers) who were involved in the galvanization process. Fifty adult men were chosen as a matched reference group from other departments of the company. All workers were interviewed using a special questionnaire on occupational history and chest diseases. Ventilatory functions and chest X rays were assessed in all examined workers. Also, complete blood counts were performed, and serum zinc, iron, copper, calcium, and magnesium levels were tested. This study illustrated the relation between zinc exposure in the galvanization process and high zinc levels among exposed workers, which was associated with a high prevalence rate of metal fume fever (MFF) and low blood copper and calcium levels. There was no statistically significant difference between the exposed and control groups with regards to the magnesium level. No long-term effect of metals exposure was detected on ventilatory functions or chest X rays among the exposed workers.

  1. Iron and zinc fortification of corn tortilla made either at the household or at industrial scale.

    PubMed

    Tovar, Luis Raul; Larios-Saldaña, Alfredo

    2005-03-01

    Fe and Zn deficiencies among the Mexican population are widespread, and one-third of children and women of childbearing age are anemic. Since diets that are Fe-deficient are most probably also Zn-deficient, a proprietary process was developed to fortify corn tortilla with these trace elements at the first stage of treatment with lime. Phytic acid (PA), Ca, Fe, and Zn content were determined, as well as the molar ratios of phytate/Fe, phytate/Zn, and Ca x phytate to Zn in traditional and fortified tortillas; the Student's t-test was used to detect differences between the treatments (p < 0.001). Contents of Fe and Zn in the fortified tortilla relative to the traditional tortilla were 1.9 and 3.4 times greater than the latter, whereas PA contents showed the opposite result, i.e. traditional tortillas had 1.65 times more PA than the fortified tortilla. Consequently the calculated molar ratios were statistically more favorable for fortified than for traditional tortillas (p < 0.001). The process developed allows making iron- and zinc-fortified tortillas by lime-treating or nixtamalizing corn either at the household, at small-scale tortilla shops, or at industrial scale by using lime fortified with both trace elements. The cost of this fortification is negligible.

  2. Zinc interstitial threshold in Al-doped ZnO film: Effect on microstructure and optoelectronic properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Chetan C.; Panda, Emila

    2018-04-01

    In order to know the threshold quantity of the zinc interstitials that contributes to an increase in carrier concentration in the Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films and their effect on the overall microstructure and optoelectronic properties of these films, in this work, Zn-rich-AZO and ZnO thin films are fabricated by adding excess zinc (from a zinc metallic target) during their deposition in RF magnetron sputtering and are then investigated using a wide range of experimental techniques. All these films are found to grow in a ZnO hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure with strong (002) orientation of the crystallites, with no indication of Al2O3, metallic Zn, and Al. The excessively introduced zinc in these AZO and/or ZnO films is found to increase the shallow donor level defects (i.e., zinc interstitials and oxygen-related electronic defect states), which is found to significantly increase the carrier concentration in these films. Additionally, aluminum is seen to enhance the creation of these electronic defect states in these films, thereby contributing more to the overall carrier concentration of these films. However, carrier mobility is found to decrease when the carrier concentration values are higher than 4 × 1020 cm-3, because of the electron-electron scattering. Whereas the optical band gap of the ZnO films is found to increase with increasing carrier concentration because of the Burstein-Moss shift, these decrease for the AZO films due to the band gap narrowing effect caused by excess carrier concentration.

  3. A high prevalence of zinc- but not iron-deficiency among women in rural Malawi: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Siyame, Edwin W P; Hurst, Rachel; Wawer, Anna A; Young, Scott D; Broadley, Martin R; Chilimba, Allan D C; Ander, Louise E; Watts, Michael J; Chilima, Benson; Gondwe, Jellita; Kang'ombe, Dalitso; Kalimbira, Alexander; Fairweather-Tait, Susan J; Bailey, Karl B; Gibson, Rosalind S

    2013-01-01

    Zinc deficiency is often associated with nutritional iron deficiency (ID), and may be exacerbated by low selenium status. To investigate risk of iron and zinc deficiency in women with contrasting selenium status. In a cross-sectional study, 1-day diet composites and blood samples were collected from self-selected Malawian women aged 18-50 years from low- (Zombwe) (n=60) and high-plant-available soil selenium (Mikalango) (n=60) districts. Diets were analyzed for trace elements and blood for biomarkers. Zinc deficiency (>90 %) was greater than ID anemia (6 %), or ID (5 %), attributed to diets low in zinc (median 5.7 mg/day) with high phytate:zinc molar ratios (20.0), but high in iron (21.0 mg/day) from soil contaminant iron. Zombwe compared to Mikalango women had lower (p<0.05) intakes of selenium (6.5 vs. 55.3 µg/day), zinc (4.8 vs. 6.4 mg/day), iron (16.6 vs. 29.6 mg/day), lower plasma selenium (0.72 vs. 1.60 µmol/L), and higher body iron (5.3 vs. 3.8 mg/kg), although plasma zinc was similar (8.60 vs. 8.87 µmol/L). Body iron and plasma zinc were positive determinants of hemoglobin. Risk of zinc deficiency was higher than ID and was shown not to be associated with selenium status. Plasma zinc was almost as important as body iron as a hemoglobin determinant.

  4. Iron from nanocompounds containing iron and zinc is highly bioavailable in rats without tissue accumulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hilty, Florentine M.; Arnold, Myrtha; Hilbe, Monika; Teleki, Alexandra; Knijnenburg, Jesper T. N.; Ehrensperger, Felix; Hurrell, Richard F.; Pratsinis, Sotiris E.; Langhans, Wolfgang; Zimmermann, Michael B.

    2010-05-01

    Effective iron fortification of foods is difficult, because water-soluble compounds that are well absorbed, such as ferrous sulphate (FeSO4), often cause unacceptable changes in the colour or taste of foods. Poorly water-soluble compounds, on the other hand, cause fewer sensory changes, but are not well absorbed. Here, we show that poorly water-soluble nanosized Fe and Fe/Zn compounds (specific surface area ~190 m2 g-1) made by scalable flame aerosol technology have in vivo iron bioavailability in rats comparable to FeSO4 and cause less colour change in reactive food matrices than conventional iron fortificants. The addition of Zn to FePO4 and Mg to Fe/Zn oxide increases Fe absorption from the compounds, and doping with Mg also improves their colour. After feeding rats with nanostructured iron-containing compounds, no stainable Fe was detected in their gut wall, gut-associated lymphatics or other tissues, suggesting no adverse effects. Nanosizing of poorly water-soluble Fe compounds sharply increases their absorption and nutritional value.

  5. Iron from nanocompounds containing iron and zinc is highly bioavailable in rats without tissue accumulation.

    PubMed

    Hilty, Florentine M; Arnold, Myrtha; Hilbe, Monika; Teleki, Alexandra; Knijnenburg, Jesper T N; Ehrensperger, Felix; Hurrell, Richard F; Pratsinis, Sotiris E; Langhans, Wolfgang; Zimmermann, Michael B

    2010-05-01

    Effective iron fortification of foods is difficult, because water-soluble compounds that are well absorbed, such as ferrous sulphate (FeSO(4)), often cause unacceptable changes in the colour or taste of foods. Poorly water-soluble compounds, on the other hand, cause fewer sensory changes, but are not well absorbed. Here, we show that poorly water-soluble nanosized Fe and Fe/Zn compounds (specific surface area approximately 190 m(2) g(-1)) made by scalable flame aerosol technology have in vivo iron bioavailability in rats comparable to FeSO(4) and cause less colour change in reactive food matrices than conventional iron fortificants. The addition of Zn to FePO(4) and Mg to Fe/Zn oxide increases Fe absorption from the compounds, and doping with Mg also improves their colour. After feeding rats with nanostructured iron-containing compounds, no stainable Fe was detected in their gut wall, gut-associated lymphatics or other tissues, suggesting no adverse effects. Nanosizing of poorly water-soluble Fe compounds sharply increases their absorption and nutritional value.

  6. Hydrometallurgical process for recovering iron sulfate and zinc sulfate from baghouse dust

    DOEpatents

    Zaromb, Solomon; Lawson, Daniel B.

    1994-01-01

    A process for recovering zinc/rich and iron-rich fractions from the baghouse dust that is generated in various metallurgical operations, especially in steel-making and other iron-making plants, comprises the steps of leaching the dust by hot concentrated sulfuric acid so as to generate dissolved zinc sulfate and a precipitate of iron sulfate, separating the precipitate from the acid by filtration and washing with a volatile liquid, such as methanol or acetone, and collecting the filtered acid and the washings into a filtrate fraction. The volatile liquid may be recovered distillation, and the zinc may be removed from the filtrate by alternative methods, one of which involves addition of a sufficient amount of water to precipitate hydrated zinc sulfate at 10.degree. C., separation of the precipitate from sulfuric acid by filtration, and evaporation of water to regenerate concentrated sulfuric acid. The recovery of iron may also be effected in alternative ways, one of which involves roasting the ferric sulfate to yield ferric oxide and sulfur trioxide, which can be reconverted to concentrated sulfuric acid by hydration. The overall process should not generate any significant waste stream.

  7. Hydrometallurgical process for recovering iron sulfate and zinc sulfate from baghouse dust

    DOEpatents

    Zaromb, S.; Lawson, D.B.

    1994-02-15

    A process for recovering zinc-rich and iron-rich fractions from the baghouse dust that is generated in various metallurgical operations, especially in steel-making and other iron-making plants, comprises the steps of leaching the dust by hot concentrated sulfuric acid so as to generate dissolved zinc sulfate and a precipitate of iron sulfate, separating the precipitate from the acid by filtration and washing with a volatile liquid, such as methanol or acetone, and collecting the filtered acid and the washings into a filtrate fraction. The volatile liquid may be recovered by distillation, and the zinc may be removed from the filtrate by alternative methods, one of which involves addition of a sufficient amount of water to precipitate hydrated zinc sulfate at 10 C, separation of the precipitate from sulfuric acid by filtration, and evaporation of water to regenerate concentrated sulfuric acid. The recovery of iron may also be effected in alternative ways, one of which involves roasting the ferric sulfate to yield ferric oxide and sulfur trioxide, which can be reconverted to concentrated sulfuric acid by hydration. The overall process should not generate any significant waste stream. 1 figure.

  8. Effect of NaFeEDTA-fortified soy sauce on zinc absorption in children.

    PubMed

    Li, Min; Wu, Jinghuan; Ren, Tongxiang; Wang, Rui; Li, Weidong; Piao, Jianhua; Wang, Jun; Yang, Xiaoguang

    2015-03-01

    NaFeEDTA has been applied in many foods as an iron fortificant and is used to prevent iron deficiency in Fe-depleted populations. In China, soy sauce is fortified with NaFeEDTA to control iron deficiency. However, it is unclear whether Fe-fortified soy sauce affects zinc absorption. To investigate whether NaFeEDTA-fortified soy sauce affects zinc absorption in children, sixty children were enrolled in this study and randomly assigned to three groups (10 male children and 10 female children in each group). All children received daily 3 mg of (67)Zn and 1.2 mg of dysprosium orally, while the children in the three groups were supplemented with NaFeEDTA-fortified soy sauce (6 mg Fe, NaFeEDTA group), FeSO₄-fortified soy sauce (6 mg Fe, FeSO₄ group), and no iron-fortified soy sauce (control group), respectively. Fecal samples were collected during the experimental period and analyzed for the Zn content, (67)Zn isotope ratio and dysprosium content. The Fe intake from NaFeEDTA-fortified and FeSO₄-fortified groups was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.0001). The daily total Zn intake was not significantly different among the three groups. There were no significant differences in fractional Zn absorption (FZA) (P = 0.3895), dysprosium recovery (P = 0.7498) and Zn absorption (P = 0.5940) among the three groups. Therefore, NaFeEDTA-fortified soy sauce does not affect Zn bioavailability in children.

  9. First PET Imaging Studies With 63Zn-Zinc Citrate in Healthy Human Participants and Patients With Alzheimer Disease.

    PubMed

    DeGrado, Timothy R; Kemp, Bradley J; Pandey, Mukesh K; Jiang, Huailei; Gunderson, Tina M; Linscheid, Logan R; Woodwick, Allison R; McConnell, Daniel M; Fletcher, Joel G; Johnson, Geoffrey B; Petersen, Ronald C; Knopman, David S; Lowe, Val J

    2016-01-01

    Abnormalities in zinc homeostasis are indicated in many human diseases, including Alzheimer disease (AD). 63 Zn-zinc citrate was developed as a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging probe of zinc transport and used in a first-in-human study in 6 healthy elderly individuals and 6 patients with clinically confirmed AD. Dynamic PET imaging of the brain was performed for 30 minutes following intravenous administration of 63 Zn-zinc citrate (∼330 MBq). Subsequently, body PET images were acquired. Urine and venous blood were analyzed to give information on urinary excretion and pharmacokinetics. Regional cerebral 63 Zn clearances were compared with 11 C-Pittsburgh Compound B ( 11 C-PiB) and 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) imaging data. 63 Zn-zinc citrate was well tolerated in human participants with no adverse events monitored. Tissues of highest uptake were liver, pancreas, and kidney, with moderate uptake being seen in intestines, prostate (in males), thyroid, spleen, stomach, pituitary, and salivary glands. Moderate brain uptake was observed, and regional dependencies were observed in 63 Zn clearance kinetics in relationship with regions of high amyloid-β plaque burden ( 11 C-PiB) and 18 F-FDG hypometabolism. In conclusion, zinc transport was successfully imaged in human participants using the PET probe 63 Zn-zinc citrate. Primary sites of uptake in the digestive system accent the role of zinc in gastrointestinal function. Preliminary information on zinc kinetics in patients with AD evidenced regional differences in clearance rates in correspondence with regional amyloid-β pathology, warranting further imaging studies of zinc homeostasis in patients with AD. © The Author(s) 2016.

  10. First PET Imaging Studies With 63 Zn-Zinc Citrate in Healthy Human Participants and Patients With Alzheimer Disease

    DOE PAGES

    DeGrado, Timothy R.; Kemp, Bradley J.; Pandey, Mukesh K.; ...

    2016-01-01

    Abnormalities in zinc homeostasis are indicated in many human diseases, including Alzheimer disease (AD). 63Zn-zinc citrate was developed as a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging probe of zinc transport and used in a first-in-human study in 6 healthy elderly individuals and 6 patients with clinically confirmed AD. A dynamic PET imaging of the brain was performed for 30 minutes following intravenous administration of 63Zn-zinc citrate (~330 MBq). Subsequently, body PET images were acquired. Urine and venous blood were analyzed to give information on urinary excretion and pharmacokinetics. Regional cerebral 63Zn clearances were compared with 11C-Pittsburgh Compound B ( 11C-PiB) andmore » 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18F-FDG) imaging data. 63Zn-zinc citrate was well tolerated in human participants with no adverse events monitored. Tissues of highest uptake were liver, pancreas, and kidney, with moderate uptake being seen in intestines, prostate (in males), thyroid, spleen, stomach, pituitary, and salivary glands. Moderate brain uptake was observed, and regional dependencies were observed in 63Zn clearance kinetics in relationship with regions of high amyloid-β plaque burden ( 11C-PiB) and 18F-FDG hypometabolism. In conclusion, zinc transport was successfully imaged in human participants using the PET probe 63Zn-zinc citrate. Primary sites of uptake in the digestive system accent the role of zinc in gastrointestinal function. Preliminary information on zinc kinetics in patients with AD evidenced regional differences in clearance rates in correspondence with regional amyloid-β pathology, warranting further imaging studies of zinc homeostasis in patients with AD.« less

  11. Autism phenotypes in ZnT3 null mice: Involvement of zinc dyshomeostasis, MMP-9 activation and BDNF upregulation.

    PubMed

    Yoo, Min Heui; Kim, Tae-Youn; Yoon, Young Hee; Koh, Jae-Young

    2016-06-29

    To investigate the role of synaptic zinc in the ASD pathogenesis, we examined zinc transporter 3 (ZnT3) null mice. At 4-5 weeks of age, male but not female ZnT3 null mice exhibited autistic-like behaviors. Cortical volume and neurite density were significantly greater in male ZnT3 null mice than in WT mice. In male ZnT3 null mice, consistent with enhanced neurotrophic stimuli, the level of BDNF as well as activity of MMP-9 was increased. Consistent with known roles for MMPs in BDNF upregulation, 2.5-week treatment with minocycline, an MMP inhibitor, significantly attenuated BDNF levels as well as megalencephaly and autistic-like behaviors. Although the ZnT3 null state removed synaptic zinc, it rather increased free zinc in the cytosol of brain cells, which appeared to increase MMP-9 activity and BDNF levels. The present results suggest that zinc dyshomeostasis during the critical period of brain development may be a possible contributing mechanism for ASD.

  12. In vitro solubility of calcium, iron and zinc in relation to phytic acid levels in rice-based consumer products in China.

    PubMed

    Liang, Jianfen; Han, Bei-Zhong; Nout, M J Robert; Hamer, Robert J

    2010-02-01

    In vitro solubility of calcium, iron and zinc in relation to phytic acid (PA) levels in 30 commercial rice-based foods from China was studied. Solubility of minerals and molar ratios of PA to minerals varied with degrees of processing. In primary products, [PA]/[Ca] values were less than 5 and [PA]/[Fe] and [PA]/[Zn] similarly ranged between 5 and 74, with most values between 20 and 30. [PA]/[mineral] molar ratios in intensively processed products were lower. Solubility of calcium ranged from 0% to 87%, with the lowest in brown rice (12%) and the highest in infant foods (50%). Iron solubility in two-thirds of samples was lower than 30%, and that of zinc narrowly ranged from 6% to 30%. Solubility of minerals was not significantly affected by [PA]/[mineral]. At present, neither primary nor intensively processed rice-based products are good dietary sources of minerals. Improvements should be attempted by dephytinization, mineral fortification or, preferably, combination of both.

  13. Facile synthesis and photocatalytic activity of ZnO/zinc titanate core-shell nanorod arrays

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Ding-Chao; Fu, Qiu-Ming; Ma, Zhi-Bin; Zhao, Hong-Yang; Tu, Ya-Fang; Tian, Yu; Zhou, Di; Zheng, Guang; Lu, Hong-Bing

    2018-02-01

    ZnO/zinc titanate core-shell nanorod arrays (CSNRs) were successfully prepared via a simple synthesis process by combining hydrothermal synthesis and liquid phase deposition (LPD). The surface morphologies, crystalline characteristics, optical properties and surface electronic states of the ZnO/zinc titanate CSNRs were characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, x-ray diffractometer, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, PL and ultraviolet (UV)-visible absorption spectra. By controlling the reaction time of LPD, the shell thickness could vary with the reaction time. Furthermore, the impacts of the reaction time and post-annealing temperature on the crystalline structure and chemical composition of the CSNRs were also investigated. The studies of photocatalytic activity under UV light irradiation revealed that the ZnO/zinc titanate CSNRs annealed at 700 °C with 30 min deposition exhibited the best photocatalytic activity and good stability for degradation of methylene blue. It had been found that the effective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs in the CSNRs led to the enhanced photocatalytic activity. Moreover, the ZnO/zinc titanate CSNRs grown on quartz glass substrate could be easily recycled for reuse with almost unchanged photocatalytic activity.

  14. Chemical-Biological Properties of Zinc Sensors TSQ and Zinquin: Formation of Sensor-Zn-Protein Adducts versus Zn(Sensor)2 Complexes.

    PubMed

    Nowakowski, Andrew B; Meeusen, Jeffrey W; Menden, Heather; Tomasiewicz, Henry; Petering, David H

    2015-12-21

    Fluorescent zinc sensors are the most commonly used tool to study the intracellular mobile zinc status within cellular systems. Previously, we have shown that the quinoline-based sensors Zinquin and 6-methoxy-8-p-toluenesulfonamido-quinoline (TSQ) predominantly form ternary adducts with members of the Zn-proteome. Here, the chemistries of these sensors are further characterized, including how Zn(sensor)2 complexes may react in an intracellular environment. We demonstrate that these sensors are typically used in higher concentrations than needed to obtain maximum signal. Exposing cells to either Zn(Zinquin)2 or Zn(TSQ)2 resulted in efficient cellular uptake and the formation of sensor-Zn-protein adducts as evidenced by both a fluorescence spectral shift toward that of ternary adducts and the localization of the fluorescence signal within the proteome after gel filtration of cellular lysates. Likewise, reacting Zn(sensor)2 with the Zn-proteome from LLC-PK1 cells resulted in the formation of sensor-Zn-protein ternary adducts that could be inhibited by first saturating the Zn- proteome with excess sensor. Further, a native SDS-PAGE analysis of the Zn-proteome reacted with either the sensor or the Zn(sensor)2 complex revealed that both reactions result in the formation of a similar set of sensor-Zn-protein fluorescent products. The results of this experiment also demonstrated that TSQ and Zinquin react with different members of the Zn-proteome. Reactions with the model apo-Zn-protein bovine serum albumin showed that both Zn(TSQ)2 and Zn(Zinquin)2 reacted to form ternary adducts with its apo-Zn-binding site. Moreover, incubating Zn(sensor)2 complexes with non-zinc binding proteins failed to elicit a spectral shift in the fluorescence spectrum, supporting the premise that blue-shifted emission spectra are due to sensor-Zn-protein ternary adducts. It was concluded that Zn(sensors)2 species do not play a significant role in the overall reaction between these sensors and

  15. Removal of Fe3+ and Zn2+ from plasma metalloproteins by iron chelating therapeutics depicted with SEC-ICP-AES.

    PubMed

    Sooriyaarachchi, Melani; Gailer, Jürgen

    2010-08-28

    The iron chelation therapy drugs desferrioxamine B (DFO) and deferiprone (DFP) are used to treat iron overload patients, but not much is known about their adverse effects on other essential metals in vivo. After the addition of a clinically relevant dose of DFP or an equimolar dose of DFO to human plasma in vitro, the mixtures were analyzed by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled to an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES). Simultaneous detection of the emission lines of copper, iron and zinc allowed the visualization of changes that these drugs exerted at the metalloprotein level. After the addition of DFP, a <10 kDa novel Fe-peak was detected and identified as (DFP)(3)Fe, whereas DFO resulted in the elution of a much smaller amount of Fe in this elution range. In fact, DFP was approximately 8-times more efficient than DFO regarding the removal of Fe from plasma proteins. The addition of both iron chelators also resulted in the elution of a <10 kDa novel Zn-peak. DFP abstracted twice as much Zn from plasma proteins compared to DFO. The identification of one of these peaks as (DFP)(2)Zn establishes a feasible biomolecular basis for the etiology of Zn-deficiency in patients that undergo long-term treatment with these drugs. Our results demonstrate that the analysis of plasma by SEC-ICP-AES can simultaneously provide insight into the efficacy of chelation therapy drugs and their adverse health effects at the metalloprotein level. Thus, SEC-ICP-AES emerges as a useful analytical tool to visualize health-relevant bioinorganic chemistry-related reactions of medicinal drugs in blood plasma in vitro.

  16. Regulation of biokinetics of (65)Zn by curcumin and zinc in experimentally induced colon carcinogenesis in rats.

    PubMed

    Jain, Kinnri; Dhawan, Devinder K

    2014-10-01

    This study was conducted to investigate the role of curcumin and zinc on the biokinetics and biodistribution of (65)Zn during colon carcinogenesis. Male wistar rats were divided into five groups, namely normal control, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) treated, DMH + curcumin treated, DMH + zinc treated, and DMH + curcumin + zinc treated. Weekly subcutaneous injections of DMH (30 mg/kg body weight) for 16 weeks initiated colon carcinogenesis. Curcumin (100 mg/kg body weight orally) and ZnSO4 (227 mg/L in drinking water) were supplemented for 16 weeks. This study revealed a significant depression in the fast (Tb1) and slow component (Tb2) of biological half-life of (65)Zn in the whole body of DMH-treated rats, whereas liver showed a significant elevation in these components. Further, DMH treatment showed a significant increase in the uptake values of (65)Zn in colon, small intestine, and kidneys. Subcellular distribution depicted a significant increase in (65)Zn uptake values in mitochondrial, microsomal, and postmicrosomal fractions of colon. However, curcumin and zinc supplementation when given separately or in combination reversed the trends and restored the uptake values close to normal range. Our study concludes that curcumin and zinc supplementation during colon carcinogenesis shall prove to be efficacious in regulating the altered zinc metabolism.

  17. Microstructural Study Of Zinc Hot Dip Galvanized Coatings with Titanium Additions In The Zinc Melt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Konidaris, S.; Pistofidis, N.; Vourlias, G.; Pavlidou, E.; Stergiou, A.; Stergioudis, G.; Polychroniadis, E. K.

    2007-04-01

    Zinc hot-dip galvanizing is a method for protecting iron and steel against corrosion. Galvanizing with pure Zn or Zn with additions like Ni, Al, Pb and Bi has been extensively studied, but there is a lack of scientific information about other additions. The present work examines the effect of a 0.5 wt% Ti addition in the Zn melt. The samples were exposed to accelerated corrosion in a salt spray chamber (SSC). The microstructure and chemical composition of the coatings were determined by Optical Microscopy, XRD and SEM associated with an EDS Analyzer. The results indicate that the coatings have a typical morphology, while Zn-Ti phases were also detected.

  18. Different Phosphorus Supplies Altered the Accumulations and Quantitative Distributions of Phytic Acid, Zinc, and Iron in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Grains.

    PubMed

    Su, Da; Zhou, Lujian; Zhao, Qian; Pan, Gang; Cheng, Fangmin

    2018-02-21

    Development of rice cultivars with low phytic acid (lpa) is considered as a primary strategy for biofortification of zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe). Here, two rice genotypes (XS110 and its lpa mutant) were used to investigate the effect of P supplies on accumulations and distributions of PA, Zn, and Fe in rice grains by using hydroponics and detached panicle culture system. Results showed that higher P level increased grain PA concentration on dry matter basis (g/kg), but it markedly decreased PA accumulation on per grain basis (mg/grain). Meanwhile, more P supply reduced the amounts and bioavailabilities of Zn and Fe both in milled grains and in brown grains. Comparatively, lpa mutant was more susceptive to exogenous P supply than its wild type. Hence, the appropriate P fertilizer application should be highlighted in order to increase grain microelement (Zn and Fe) contents and improve nutritional quality in rice grains.

  19. Duration of exclusive breast-feeding and infant iron and zinc status in rural Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Eneroth, Hanna; El Arifeen, Shams; Persson, Lars-Ake; Kabir, Iqbal; Lönnerdal, Bo; Hossain, Mohammad Bakhtiar; Ekström, Eva-Charlotte

    2009-08-01

    There is a concern that exclusive breast-feeding (EBF) for 6 mo may lead to iron and zinc deficiency in low-birth weight (LBW) infants. We assessed the association between duration of EBF and infant iron and zinc status in the Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions in Matlab trial, Bangladesh, stratified for normal birth weigh (NBW) and LBW. Duration of EBF was classified into EBF <4 mo and EBF 4-6 mo based on monthly recalls of foods introduced to the infant. Blood samples collected at 6 mo were analyzed for plasma zinc (n = 1032), plasma ferritin (n = 1040), and hemoglobin (Hb) (n = 791). Infants EBF 4-6 mo had a higher mean plasma zinc concentration (9.9 +/- 2.3 micromol/L) than infants EBF <4mo (9.5 +/- 2.0 micromol/L) (P < 0.01). This association was apparent in only the NBW strata and was not reflected in a lower prevalence of zinc deficiency. Duration of EBF was not associated with concentration of plasma ferritin, Hb concentration, or prevalence of iron deficiency or anemia in any strata. Regardless of EBF duration, the prevalence of zinc deficiency, iron deficiency, and anemia was high in infants in this population and strategies to prevent deficiency are needed.

  20. Recovery of zinc and manganese, and other metals (Fe, Cu, Ni, Co, Cd, Cr, Na, K) from Zn-MnO2 and Zn-C waste batteries: Hydroxyl and carbonate co-precipitation from solution after reducing acidic leaching with use of oxalic acid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sobianowska-Turek, A.; Szczepaniak, W.; Maciejewski, P.; Gawlik-Kobylińska, M.

    2016-09-01

    The article discusses the current situation of the spent batteries and portable accumulators management. It reviews recycling technologies of the spent batteries and portable accumulators which are used in the manufacturing installations in the world. Also, it presents the authors' research results on the reductive acidic leaching of waste material of the zinc-carbon batteries (Zn-C) and zinc-manganese batteries (alkaline Zn-MnO2) delivered by a company dealing with mechanical treatment of this type of waste stream. The research data proved that the reductive acidic leaching (H2SO4 + C2H2O4) of the battery's black mass allows to recover 85.0% of zinc and 100% of manganese. Moreover, it was found that after the reductive acidic leaching it is possible to recover nearly 100% of manganese, iron, cadmium, and chromium, 98.0% of cobalt, 95.5% of zinc, and 85.0% of copper and nickel from the solution with carbonate method. On the basis of the results, it is possible to assume that the carbonate method can be used for the preparation of manganese-zinc ferrite.

  1. Responses of Siberian ferrets to secondary zinc phosphide poisoning

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hill, E.F.; Carpenter, J.W.

    1982-01-01

    The hazard of operational-type applications of zinc phosphide (Zn3P2) on a species closely related to the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes), was evaluated by feeding 16 Siberian ferrets (M. eversmanni) rats that had been killed by consumption of 2% zinc phosphide treated bait or by an oral dose of 40, 80, or 160 mg of Zn3P2. All ferrets accepted rats and a single emesis by each of 3 ferrets was the only evidence of acute intoxication. All ferrets learned to avoid eating gastrointestinal tracts of the rats. Subacute zinc phosphide toxicity in the ferrets was indicated by significant decreases (18-48%) in hemoglobin, increases of 35-91 % in serum iron, and elevated levels of serum globulin, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Hemoglobin/iron, urea nitrogen/creatinine, and albumin/globulin ratios also were altered by the treatments. This study demonstrated that Siberian ferrets, or other species with a sensitive emetic reflex, are afforded a degree of protection from acute zinc phosphide poisoning due to its emetic action. The importance of toxicity associated with possible respiratory, liver, and kidney damage indicated by altered blood chemistries is not known.

  2. Annealing in tellurium-nitrogen co-doped ZnO films: The roles of intrinsic zinc defects

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tang, Kun, E-mail: ktang@nju.edu.cn; Gu, Ran; Gu, Shulin, E-mail: slgu@nju.edu.cn

    2015-04-07

    In this article, the authors have conducted an extensive investigation on the roles of intrinsic zinc defects by annealing of a batch of Te-N co-doped ZnO films. The formation and annihilation of Zn interstitial (Zn{sub i}) clusters have been found in samples with different annealing temperatures. Electrical and Raman measurements have shown that the Zn{sub i} clusters are a significant compensation source to holes, and the Te co-doping has a notable effect on suppressing the Zn{sub i} clusters. Meanwhile, shallow acceptors have been identified in photoluminescence spectra. The N{sub O}-Zn-Te complex, zinc vacancy (V{sub Zn})-N{sub O} complex, and V{sub Zn}more » clusters are thought to be the candidates as the shallow acceptors. The evolution of shallow acceptors upon annealing temperature have been also studied. The clustering of V{sub Zn} at high annealing temperature is proposed to be a possible candidate as a stable acceptor in ZnO.« less

  3. Preventive effects of zinc against psychological stress-induced iron dyshomeostasis, erythropoiesis inhibition, and oxidative stress status in rats.

    PubMed

    Li, Yingjie; Zheng, Yuanyuan; Qian, Jianxin; Chen, Xinmin; Shen, Zhilei; Tao, Liping; Li, Hongxia; Qin, Haihong; Li, Min; Shen, Hui

    2012-06-01

    Psychological stress (PS) could cause decreased iron absorption and iron redistribution in body resulting in low iron concentration in the bone marrow and inhibition of erythropoiesis. In the present study, we investigated the effect of zinc supplementation on the iron metabolism, erythropoiesis, and oxidative stress status in PS-induced rats. Thirty-two rats were divided into two groups randomly: control group and zinc supplementation group. Each group was subdivided into two subgroups: control group and PS group. Rats received zinc supplementation before PS exposure established by a communication box. We investigated the serum corticosterone (CORT) level; iron apparent absorption; iron contents in liver, spleen, cortex, hippocampus, striatum, and serum; hematological parameters; malondialdehyde (MDA); reduced glutathione (GSH); and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Compared to PS-treated rats with normal diet, the PS-treated rats with zinc supplementation showed increased iron apparent absorption, serum iron, hemoglobin, red blood cell, GSH, and SOD activities; while the serum CORT; iron contents in liver, spleen, and regional brain; and MDA decreased. These results indicated that dietary zinc supplementation had preventive effects against PS-induced iron dyshomeostasis, erythropoiesis inhibition, and oxidative stress status in rats.

  4. Autism phenotypes in ZnT3 null mice: Involvement of zinc dyshomeostasis, MMP-9 activation and BDNF upregulation

    PubMed Central

    Yoo, Min Heui; Kim, Tae-Youn; Yoon, Young Hee; Koh, Jae-Young

    2016-01-01

    To investigate the role of synaptic zinc in the ASD pathogenesis, we examined zinc transporter 3 (ZnT3) null mice. At 4–5 weeks of age, male but not female ZnT3 null mice exhibited autistic-like behaviors. Cortical volume and neurite density were significantly greater in male ZnT3 null mice than in WT mice. In male ZnT3 null mice, consistent with enhanced neurotrophic stimuli, the level of BDNF as well as activity of MMP-9 was increased. Consistent with known roles for MMPs in BDNF upregulation, 2.5-week treatment with minocycline, an MMP inhibitor, significantly attenuated BDNF levels as well as megalencephaly and autistic-like behaviors. Although the ZnT3 null state removed synaptic zinc, it rather increased free zinc in the cytosol of brain cells, which appeared to increase MMP-9 activity and BDNF levels. The present results suggest that zinc dyshomeostasis during the critical period of brain development may be a possible contributing mechanism for ASD. PMID:27352957

  5. Crop acquisition of phosphorus, iron and zinc from soil in cereal/legume intercropping systems: a critical review

    PubMed Central

    Xue, Yanfang; Xia, Haiyong; Christie, Peter; Zhang, Zheng; Li, Long; Tang, Caixian

    2016-01-01

    Background Phosphorus (P), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) are essential elements for plant growth and development, but their availability in soil is often limited. Intercropping contributes to increased P, Fe and Zn uptake and thereby increases yield and improves grain nutritional quality and ultimately human health. A better understanding of how intercropping leads to increased plant P, Fe and Zn availability will help to improve P-fertilizer-use efficiency and agronomic Fe and Zn biofortification. Scope This review synthesizes the literature on how intercropping of legumes with cereals increases acquisition of P, Fe and Zn from soil and recapitulates what is known about root-to-shoot nutrient translocation, plant-internal nutrient remobilization and allocation to grains. Conclusions Direct interspecific facilitation in intercropping involves below-ground processes in which cereals increase Fe and Zn bioavailability while companion legumes benefit. This has been demonstrated and verified using isotopic nutrient tracing and molecular analysis. The same methodological approaches and field studies should be used to explore direct interspecific P facilitation. Both niche complementarity and interspecific facilitation contribute to increased P acquisition in intercropping. Niche complementarity may also contribute to increased Fe and Zn acquisition, an aspect poorly understood. Interspecific mobilization and uptake facilitation of sparingly soluble P, Fe and Zn from soil, however, are not the only determinants of the concentrations of P, Fe and Zn in grains. Grain yield and nutrient translocation from roots to shoots further influence the concentrations of these nutrients in grains. PMID:26749590

  6. Compound heterozygous mutations in SLC30A2/ZnT2 results in low milk zinc concentrations: a novel mechanism for zinc deficiency in a breast-fed infant.

    PubMed

    Itsumura, Naoya; Inamo, Yasuji; Okazaki, Fumiko; Teranishi, Fumie; Narita, Hiroshi; Kambe, Taiho; Kodama, Hiroko

    2013-01-01

    Zinc concentrations in breast milk are considerably higher than those of the maternal serum, to meet the infant's requirements for normal growth and development. Thus, effective mechanisms ensuring secretion of large amounts of zinc into the milk operate in mammary epithelial cells during lactation. ZnT2 was recently found to play an essential role in the secretion of zinc into milk. Heterozygous mutations of human ZnT2 (hZnT2), including H54R and G87R, in mothers result in low (>75% reduction) secretion of zinc into the breast milk, and infants fed on the milk develop transient neonatal zinc deficiency. We identified two novel missense mutations in the SLC30A2/ZnT2 gene in a Japanese mother with low milk zinc concentrations (>90% reduction) whose infant developed severe zinc deficiency; a T to C transition (c.454T>C) at exon 4, which substitutes a tryptophan residue with an arginine residue (W152R), and a C to T transition (c.887C>T) at exon 7, which substitutes a serine residue with a leucine residue (S296L). Biochemical characterization using zinc-sensitive DT40 cells indicated that the W152R mutation abolished the abilities to transport zinc and to form a dimer complex, indicating a loss-of-function mutation. The S296L mutation retained both abilities but was extremely destabilized. The two mutations were found on different alleles, indicating that the genotype of the mother with low milk zinc was compound heterozygous. These results show novel compound heterozygous mutations in the SLC30A2/ZnT2 gene causing zinc deficiency in a breast-fed infant.

  7. Compound Heterozygous Mutations in SLC30A2/ZnT2 Results in Low Milk Zinc Concentrations: A Novel Mechanism for Zinc Deficiency in a Breast-Fed Infant

    PubMed Central

    Itsumura, Naoya; Inamo, Yasuji; Okazaki, Fumiko; Teranishi, Fumie; Narita, Hiroshi; Kambe, Taiho; Kodama, Hiroko

    2013-01-01

    Zinc concentrations in breast milk are considerably higher than those of the maternal serum, to meet the infant's requirements for normal growth and development. Thus, effective mechanisms ensuring secretion of large amounts of zinc into the milk operate in mammary epithelial cells during lactation. ZnT2 was recently found to play an essential role in the secretion of zinc into milk. Heterozygous mutations of human ZnT2 (hZnT2), including H54R and G87R, in mothers result in low (>75% reduction) secretion of zinc into the breast milk, and infants fed on the milk develop transient neonatal zinc deficiency. We identified two novel missense mutations in the SLC30A2/ZnT2 gene in a Japanese mother with low milk zinc concentrations (>90% reduction) whose infant developed severe zinc deficiency; a T to C transition (c.454T>C) at exon 4, which substitutes a tryptophan residue with an arginine residue (W152R), and a C to T transition (c.887C>T) at exon 7, which substitutes a serine residue with a leucine residue (S296L). Biochemical characterization using zinc-sensitive DT40 cells indicated that the W152R mutation abolished the abilities to transport zinc and to form a dimer complex, indicating a loss-of-function mutation. The S296L mutation retained both abilities but was extremely destabilized. The two mutations were found on different alleles, indicating that the genotype of the mother with low milk zinc was compound heterozygous. These results show novel compound heterozygous mutations in the SLC30A2/ZnT2 gene causing zinc deficiency in a breast-fed infant. PMID:23741301

  8. Route and Regulation of Zinc, Cadmium, and Iron Transport in Rice Plants (Oryza sativa L.) during Vegetative Growth and Grain Filling: Metal Transporters, Metal Speciation, Grain Cd Reduction and Zn and Fe Biofortification

    PubMed Central

    Yoneyama, Tadakatsu; Ishikawa, Satoru; Fujimaki, Shu

    2015-01-01

    Zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) are essential but are sometimes deficient in humans, while cadmium (Cd) is toxic if it accumulates in the liver and kidneys at high levels. All three are contained in the grains of rice, a staple cereal. Zn and Fe concentrations in rice grains harvested under different levels of soil/hydroponic metals are known to change only within a small range, while Cd concentrations show greater changes. To clarify the mechanisms underlying such different metal contents, we synthesized information on the routes of metal transport and accumulation in rice plants by examining metal speciation, metal transporters, and the xylem-to-phloem transport system. At grain-filling, Zn and Cd ascending in xylem sap are transferred to the phloem by the xylem-to-phloem transport system operating at stem nodes. Grain Fe is largely derived from the leaves by remobilization. Zn and Fe concentrations in phloem-sap and grains are regulated within a small range, while Cd concentrations vary depending on xylem supply. Transgenic techniques to increase concentrations of the metal chelators (nicotianamine, 2′-deoxymugineic acid) are useful in increasing grain Zn and Fe concentrations. The elimination of OsNRAMP5 Cd-uptake transporter and the enhancement of root cell vacuolar Cd sequestration reduce uptake and root-to-shoot transport, respectively, resulting in a reduction of grain Cd accumulation. PMID:26287170

  9. Route and Regulation of Zinc, Cadmium, and Iron Transport in Rice Plants (Oryza sativa L.) during Vegetative Growth and Grain Filling: Metal Transporters, Metal Speciation, Grain Cd Reduction and Zn and Fe Biofortification.

    PubMed

    Yoneyama, Tadakatsu; Ishikawa, Satoru; Fujimaki, Shu

    2015-08-13

    Zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) are essential but are sometimes deficient in humans, while cadmium (Cd) is toxic if it accumulates in the liver and kidneys at high levels. All three are contained in the grains of rice, a staple cereal. Zn and Fe concentrations in rice grains harvested under different levels of soil/hydroponic metals are known to change only within a small range, while Cd concentrations show greater changes. To clarify the mechanisms underlying such different metal contents, we synthesized information on the routes of metal transport and accumulation in rice plants by examining metal speciation, metal transporters, and the xylem-to-phloem transport system. At grain-filling, Zn and Cd ascending in xylem sap are transferred to the phloem by the xylem-to-phloem transport system operating at stem nodes. Grain Fe is largely derived from the leaves by remobilization. Zn and Fe concentrations in phloem-sap and grains are regulated within a small range, while Cd concentrations vary depending on xylem supply. Transgenic techniques to increase concentrations of the metal chelators (nicotianamine, 2'-deoxymugineic acid) are useful in increasing grain Zn and Fe concentrations. The elimination of OsNRAMP5 Cd-uptake transporter and the enhancement of root cell vacuolar Cd sequestration reduce uptake and root-to-shoot transport, respectively, resulting in a reduction of grain Cd accumulation.

  10. Pathogenic implications of distinct patterns of iron and zinc in chronic MS lesions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Popescu, Bogdan F.; Frischer, Josa M.; Webb, Samuel M.

    Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in which oligodendrocytes, the CNS cells that stain most robustly for iron and myelin are the targets of injury. Metals are essential for normal CNS functioning, and metal imbalances have been linked to demyelination and neurodegeneration. Using a multidisciplinary approach involving synchrotron techniques, iron histochemistry and immunohistochemistry, we compared the distribution and quantification of iron and zinc in MS lesions to the surrounding normal appearing and periplaque white matter, and assessed the involvement of these metals in MS lesion pathogenesis. We found that the distributionmore » of iron and zinc is heterogeneous in MS plaques, and with few remarkable exceptions they do not accumulate in chronic MS lesions. We show that brain iron tends to decrease with increasing age and disease duration of MS patients; reactive astrocytes organized in large astrogliotic areas in a subset of smoldering and inactive plaques accumulate iron and safely store it in ferritin; a subset of smoldering lesions do not contain a rim of iron-loaded macrophages/microglia; and the iron content of shadow plaques varies with the stage of remyelination. Zinc in MS lesions was generally decreased, paralleling myelin loss. Iron accumulates concentrically in a subset of chronic inactive lesions suggesting that not all iron rims around MS lesions equate with smoldering plaques. Furthermore, upon degeneration of iron-loaded microglia/macrophages, astrocytes may form an additional protective barrier that may prevent iron-induced oxidative damage.« less

  11. Pathogenic implications of distinct patterns of iron and zinc in chronic MS lesions

    DOE PAGES

    Popescu, Bogdan F.; Frischer, Josa M.; Webb, Samuel M.; ...

    2017-03-22

    Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in which oligodendrocytes, the CNS cells that stain most robustly for iron and myelin are the targets of injury. Metals are essential for normal CNS functioning, and metal imbalances have been linked to demyelination and neurodegeneration. Using a multidisciplinary approach involving synchrotron techniques, iron histochemistry and immunohistochemistry, we compared the distribution and quantification of iron and zinc in MS lesions to the surrounding normal appearing and periplaque white matter, and assessed the involvement of these metals in MS lesion pathogenesis. We found that the distributionmore » of iron and zinc is heterogeneous in MS plaques, and with few remarkable exceptions they do not accumulate in chronic MS lesions. We show that brain iron tends to decrease with increasing age and disease duration of MS patients; reactive astrocytes organized in large astrogliotic areas in a subset of smoldering and inactive plaques accumulate iron and safely store it in ferritin; a subset of smoldering lesions do not contain a rim of iron-loaded macrophages/microglia; and the iron content of shadow plaques varies with the stage of remyelination. Zinc in MS lesions was generally decreased, paralleling myelin loss. Iron accumulates concentrically in a subset of chronic inactive lesions suggesting that not all iron rims around MS lesions equate with smoldering plaques. Furthermore, upon degeneration of iron-loaded microglia/macrophages, astrocytes may form an additional protective barrier that may prevent iron-induced oxidative damage.« less

  12. Interaction between zinc and freshwater and marine diatom species: Surface complexation and Zn isotope fractionation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gélabert, A.; Pokrovsky, O. S.; Viers, J.; Schott, J.; Boudou, A.; Feurtet-Mazel, A.

    2006-02-01

    This work is devoted to characterization of zinc interaction in aqueous solution with two marine planktonic ( Thalassiosira weissflogii = TW, Skeletonema costatum = SC) and two freshwater periphytic species ( Achnanthidium minutissimum = AMIN, Navicula minima = NMIN) by combining adsorption and electrophoretic measurements with surface complexation modeling and by assessing Zn isotopes fractionation during both long term uptake and short term adsorption on diatom cells and their frustules. Reversible adsorption experiments were performed at 25 and 5 °C as a function of exposure time (5 min to 140 h), pH (2 to 10), zinc concentration in solution (10 nM to 1 mM), ionic strength ( I = 0.001 to 1.0 M) and the presence of light. While the shape of pH-dependent adsorption edge is almost the same for all four species, the constant-pH adsorption isotherm and maximal Zn binding capacities differ by an order of magnitude. The extent of adsorption increases with temperature from 5 to 25 °C and does not depend on light intensity. Zinc adsorption decreases with increase of ionic strength suggesting competition with sodium for surface sites. Cell number-normalized concentrations of sorbed zinc on whole cells and their silica frustules demonstrated only weak contribution of the latter (10-20%) to overall zinc binding by diatom cell wall. Measurements of electrophoretic mobilities ( μ) revealed negative diatoms surface potential in the full range of zinc concentrations investigated (0.15-760 μmol/L), however, the absolute value of μ decreases at [Zn] > 15 μmol/L suggesting a change in surface speciation. These observations allowed us to construct a surface complexation model for Zn binding by diatom surfaces that postulates the constant capacitance of the electric double layer and considers Zn complexation with carboxylate and silanol groups. Thermodynamic and structural parameters of this model are based on previous acid-base titration and spectroscopic results and allow

  13. The Fate of ZnO Nanoparticles Administered to Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells

    PubMed Central

    Gilbert, Benjamin; Fakra, Sirine C.; Xia, Tian; Pokhrel, Suman; Mädler, Lutz; Nel, André E.

    2014-01-01

    A particular challenge for nanotoxicology is the evaluation of the biological fate and toxicity of nanomaterials that dissolve in aqueous fluids. Zinc oxide nanomaterials are of particular concern because dissolution leads to release of the toxic divalent zinc ion. Although dissolved zinc ions have been implicated in ZnO cytotoxicity, direct identification of the chemical form of zinc taken up by cells exposed to ZnO nanoparticles, and its intracellular fate, has not yet been achieved. We combined high resolution X-ray spectromicroscopy and high elemental sensitivity X-ray microprobe analyses to determine the fate of ZnO and less soluble iron-doped ZnO nanoparticles following exposure to cultures of human bronchial epithelial cells, BEAS-2B. We complemented two-dimensional X-ray imaging methods with atomic force microscopy of cell surfaces to distinguish between nanoparticles that were transported inside the cells from those that adhered to the cell exterior. The data suggest cellular uptake of ZnO nanoparticles is a mechanism of zinc accumulation in cells. Following uptake, ZnO nanoparticles dissolved completely generating intracellular Zn2+ complexed by molecular ligands. These results corroborate a model for ZnO nanoparticle toxicity that is based on nanoparticle uptake followed by intracellular dissolution. PMID:22646753

  14. Is iron and zinc nutrition a concern for vegetarian infants and young children in industrialized countries?

    PubMed

    Gibson, Rosalind S; Heath, Anne-Louise M; Szymlek-Gay, Ewa A

    2014-07-01

    Well-planned vegetarian diets are considered adequate for all stages of the life cycle, despite limited data on the zinc status of vegetarians during early childhood. The bioavailability of iron and zinc in vegetarian diets is poor because of their higher content of absorption inhibitors such as phytate and polyphenols and the absence of flesh foods. Consequently, children as well as adult vegetarians often have lower serum ferritin concentrations than omnivores, which is indicative of reduced iron stores, despite comparable intakes of total iron; hemoglobin differences are small and rarely associated with anemia. However, data on serum zinc concentrations, the recommended biomarker for identifying population groups at elevated risk of zinc deficiency, are sparse and difficult to interpret because recommended collection and analytic procedures have not always been followed. Existing data indicate no differences in serum zinc or growth between young vegetarian and omnivorous children, although there is some evidence of low serum zinc concentrations in vegetarian adolescents. Some vegetarian immigrants from underprivileged households may be predisposed to iron and zinc deficiency because of nondietary factors such as chronic inflammation, parasitic infections, overweight, and genetic hemoglobin disorders. To reduce the risk of deficiency, the content and bioavailability of iron and zinc should be enhanced in vegetarian diets by consumption of fortified cereals and milk, by consumption of leavened whole grains, by soaking dried legumes before cooking and discarding the soaking water, and by replacing tea and coffee at meals with vitamin C-rich drinks, fruit, or vegetables. Additional recommended practices include using fermented soy foods and sprouting at least some of the legumes consumed. Fortified foods can reduce iron deficiency, but whether they can also reduce zinc deficiency is less certain. Supplements may be necessary for vegetarian children following very

  15. Biofortified indica rice attains iron and zinc nutrition dietary targets in the field

    PubMed Central

    Trijatmiko, Kurniawan R.; Dueñas, Conrado; Tsakirpaloglou, Nikolaos; Torrizo, Lina; Arines, Felichi Mae; Adeva, Cheryl; Balindong, Jeanette; Oliva, Norman; Sapasap, Maria V.; Borrero, Jaime; Rey, Jessica; Francisco, Perigio; Nelson, Andy; Nakanishi, Hiromi; Lombi, Enzo; Tako, Elad; Glahn, Raymond P.; Stangoulis, James; Chadha-Mohanty, Prabhjit; Johnson, Alexander A. T.; Tohme, Joe; Barry, Gerard; Slamet-Loedin, Inez H.

    2016-01-01

    More than two billion people are micronutrient deficient. Polished grains of popular rice varieties have concentration of approximately 2 μg g−1 iron (Fe) and 16 μg g−1 zinc (Zn). The HarvestPlus breeding programs for biofortified rice target 13 μg g−1 Fe and 28 μg g−1 Zn to reach approximately 30% of the estimated average requirement (EAR). Reports on engineering Fe content in rice have shown an increase up to 18 μg g−1 in glasshouse settings; in contrast, under field conditions, 4 μg g−1 was the highest reported concentration. Here, we report on selected transgenic events, field evaluated in two countries, showing 15 μg g−1 Fe and 45.7 μg g−1 Zn in polished grain. Rigorous selection was applied to 1,689 IR64 transgenic events for insert cleanliness and, trait and agronomic performances. Event NASFer-274 containing rice nicotianamine synthase (OsNAS2) and soybean ferritin (SferH-1) genes showed a single locus insertion without a yield penalty or altered grain quality. Endosperm Fe and Zn enrichment was visualized by X-ray fluorescence imaging. The Caco-2 cell assay indicated that Fe is bioavailable. No harmful heavy metals were detected in the grain. The trait remained stable in different genotype backgrounds. PMID:26806528

  16. Dendrite-Free Nanocrystalline Zinc Electrodeposition from an Ionic Liquid Containing Nickel Triflate for Rechargeable Zn-Based Batteries.

    PubMed

    Liu, Zhen; Cui, Tong; Pulletikurthi, Giridhar; Lahiri, Abhishek; Carstens, Timo; Olschewski, Mark; Endres, Frank

    2016-02-18

    Metallic zinc is a promising anode material for rechargeable Zn-based batteries. However, the dendritic growth of zinc has prevented practical applications. Herein it is demonstrated that dendrite-free zinc deposits with a nanocrystalline structure can be obtained by using nickel triflate as an additive in a zinc triflate containing ionic liquid. The formation of a thin layer of Zn-Ni alloy (η- and γ-phases) on the surface and in the initial stages of deposition along with the formation of an interfacial layer on the electrode strongly affect the nucleation and growth of zinc. A well-defined and uniform nanocrystalline zinc deposit with particle sizes of about 25 nm was obtained in the presence of Ni(II) . Further, it is shown that the nanocrystalline Zn exhibits a high cycling stability even after 50 deposition/stripping cycles. This strategy of introducing an inorganic metal salt in ionic liquid electrolytes can be considered as an efficient way to obtain dendrite-free zinc. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Effect of short term zinc supplementation on iron status of children with acute diarrhea.

    PubMed

    Zaka-ur-Rab, Zeeba; Ahmad, Syed Moiz; Naim, Mohammed; Alam, Seema; Adnan, Mohammad

    2015-05-01

    To study the effect of short term (2 wk) zinc supplementation on hemoglobin and iron status of children with acute diarrhea. This study was a prospective, open label, single arm interventional trial conducted from June 2008 through October 2009 in a teaching hospital of North India. Three to sixty months old children presenting with acute diarrhea participated in the study. Subjects were supplemented with recommended doses of oral zinc gluconate for 2 wk. Changes in levels of hemoglobin, serum iron, total iron binding capacity, and serum ferritin were the main outcome measures. Sixty-two patients completed the study successfully. The prevalence of anemia before and after 2 wk of zinc supplementation remained unchanged. However, a small decline (p > 0.05) was observed in mean hemoglobin (from 8.95 ± 1.4 to 8.73 ± 1.43 g/dL), serum iron (79.56 ± 45.81 to 78.61 ± 44.41 μg/dL) and ferritin (84.77 ± 45.35 to 83.55 ± 44.10 ng/mL) levels. Total iron binding capacity increased from 331.60 ± 109.72 to 341.30 ± 119.90 μg/dL post supplementation (p > 0.05). Even though statistically insignificant, the small change observed in the levels of hemoglobin, and indicators of iron status following short term zinc supplementation might assume significance in some settings in developing countries where children receive short courses of zinc repeatedly for frequent diarrheal episodes.

  18. Metal-metal interaction mediates the iron induction of Drosophila MtnB

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Qiang, Wenjia; Huang, Yunpeng; Wan, Zhihui

    Metallothionein (MT) protein families are a class of small and universal proteins rich in cysteine residues. They are synthesized in response to heavy metal stresses to sequester the toxic ions by metal-thiolate bridges. Five MT family members, namely MtnA, MtnB, MtnC, MtnD and MtnE, have been discovered and identified in Drosophila. These five isoforms of MTs are regulated by metal responsive transcription factor dMTF-1 and play differentiated but overlapping roles in detoxification of metal ions. Previous researches have shown that Drosophila MtnB responds to copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn). Interestingly in this study we found that Drosophila MtnBmore » expression also responds to elevated iron levels in the diet. Further investigations revealed that MtnB plays limited roles in iron detoxification, and the direct binding of MtnB to ferrous iron in vitro is also weak. The induction of MtnB by iron turns out to be mediated by iron interference of other metals, because EDTA at even a partial concentration of that of iron can suppress this induction. Indeed, in the presence of iron, zinc homeostasis is altered, as reflected by expression changes of zinc transporters dZIP1 and dZnT1. Thus, iron-mediated MtnB induction appears resulting from interrupted homeostasis of other metals such as zinc, which in turns induced MtnB expression. Metal-metal interaction may more widely exist than we expected. - Highlights: • Metallothionein B expression is regulated by iron in Drosophila melanogaster. • MtnB has limited physiological roles in iron detoxification. • Binding affinity of MtnB to iron is weak in vitro. • Induction of Drosophila MtnB by iron is mediated indirectly through metal-metal interaction.« less

  19. Calcium, zinc, and iron bioavailabilities from a commercial human milk fortifier: a comparison study.

    PubMed

    Etcheverry, P; Wallingford, J C; Miller, D D; Glahn, R P

    2004-11-01

    Adding human milk fortifiers (HMF) to human milk (HM) is one way of overcoming the nutrient deficits found in the latter. In this study, the bioavailabilities of calcium, zinc, and iron in S-26/SMA HMF added to HM were compared with those in HM fortified with various bovine milk proteins: alpha-lactalbumin, colostrum, caseinate, casein phosphopeptides, and whey protein concentrate. The bioavailability of each mineral was assessed using an in vitro digestion/Caco-2 cell culture model. Calcium and zinc uptake by the cells was traced with radioisotopes; iron uptake was assessed via cell ferritin levels. Samples were prepared on an equal protein content basis and with added calcium, but no zinc or iron was added. Results revealed that calcium uptake from HM + S-26/SMA was not different from any of the HM fortified with the bovine milk proteins, except for unfortified HM and HM + colostrum in which calcium uptake was significantly lower (-89 and -38%, respectively). Uptake of zinc and iron were significantly higher for HM + S-26/SMA than for the other HM + fortifiers.

  20. Study on the pre-treatment of oxidized zinc ore prior to flotation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Dong-sheng; Chen, Yun; Xiang, Ping; Yu, Zheng-jun; Potgieter, J. H.

    2018-02-01

    The pre-treatment of zinc oxide bearing ores with high slime content is important to ensure that resources are utilized optimally. This paper reports an improved process using hydrocyclone de-sliming, dispersion reagents, and magnetic removal of iron minerals for the pre-treatment of zinc oxide ore with a high slime and iron content, and the benefits compared to traditional technologies are shown. In addition, this paper investigates the damage related to fine slime and iron during zinc oxide flotation, the necessity of using hydrocyclone de-sliming together with dispersion reagents to alleviate the influence of slime, and interactions among hydrocyclone de-sliming, reagent dispersion, and magnetic iron removal. Results show that under optimized operating conditions the entire beneficiation technology results in a flotation concentrate with a Zn grade of 34.66% and a recovery of 73.41%.

  1. Distribution of copper, iron, and zinc in biological samples (scalp hair, serum, blood, and urine) of Pakistani viral hepatitis (A-E) patients and controls.

    PubMed

    Kolachi, Nida Fatima; Kazi, Tasneem Gul; Afridi, Hassan Imran; Kazi, Naveed; Kandhro, Ghulam Abbas; Shah, Abdul Qadir; Baig, Jameel Ahmed; Wadhwa, Sham Kumar; Khan, Sumaira; Shah, Faheem; Jamali, Mohammad Khan; Arain, Mohammad Balal

    2011-10-01

    The aim of the present study was to compare the level of copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in biological samples (serum, blood, urine, and scalp hair) of patients suffering from different viral hepatitis (A, B, C, D, and E; n = 521) of both gender age ranged 31-45 years. For comparative study, 255 age-matched control subjects, of both genders residing in the same city were selected as referents. The elements in the biological samples were analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry, prior to microwave-assisted acid digestion. The validity and accuracy of the methodology was checked by using certified reference materials (CRMs) and with those values obtained by conventional wet acid digestion method on same CRMs. The results of this study showed that the mean values of Cu and Fe were higher in blood, sera, and scalp hair samples of hepatitis patients, while Zn level was found to be lower than age-matched control subjects. The urinary levels of these elements were found to be higher in the hepatitis patients than in the age-matched healthy controls (p < 0.05). These results are consistent with literature-reported data, confirming that the deficiency of zinc and hepatic iron and copper overload can directly cause lipid peroxidation and eventually hepatic damage.

  2. In vitro evaluation of cellular responses induced by ZnO nanoparticles, zinc ions and bulk ZnO in fish cells.

    PubMed

    Fernández, Dolores; García-Gómez, Concepción; Babín, Mar

    2013-05-01

    Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are inevitably released into the environment and are potentially dangerous for aquatic life. However, the potential mechanisms of cytotoxicity of zinc nanoparticles remain unclear. Studying the toxicity of ZnO-NPs with In vitro systems will help to determine their interactions with cellular biomolecules. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic potentials of ZnO-NPs in established fish cell lines (RTG-2, RTH-149 and RTL-W1) and compare them with those of bulk ZnO and Zn(2+) ions. Membrane function (CFDA-AM assay), mitochondrial function (MTT assay), cell growth (KBP assay), cellular stress (β-galactosidase assay), reductase enzyme activity (AB assay), reactive oxygen species (ROS), total glutathione cellular content (tGSH assay) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities were assessed for all cell lines. ZnO-NPs cytotoxicity was greater than those of bulk ZnO and Zn(2+). ZnO-NPs induced oxidative stress is dependent on their dose. Low cost tests, such as CFDA-AM, ROS, GST activity and tGSH cell content test that use fish cell lines, may be used to detect oxidative stress and redox status changes. Particle dissolution of the ZnO-NPs did not appear to play an important role in the observed toxicity in this study. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Children consuming cassava as a staple food are at risk for inadequate zinc, iron, and vitamin A intake.

    PubMed

    Gegios, Alison; Amthor, Rachel; Maziya-Dixon, Busie; Egesi, Chedozie; Mallowa, Sally; Nungo, Rhoda; Gichuki, Simon; Mbanaso, Ada; Manary, Mark J

    2010-03-01

    Cassava contains little zinc, iron, and beta-carotene, yet it is the primary staple crop of over 250 million Africans. This study used a 24-hour dietary recall to test the hypothesis that among healthy children aged 2-5 years in Nigeria and Kenya, cassava's contribution to the childrens' daily diets is inversely related to intakes of zinc, iron, and vitamin A. Dietary and demographic data and anthropometric measurements were collected from 449 Kenyan and 793 Nigerian children. Among Kenyan children 89% derived at least 25% of their dietary energy from cassava, while among the Nigerian children 31% derived at least 25% of energy from cassava. Spearman's correlation coefficient between the fraction of dietary energy obtained from cassava and vitamin A intake was r = -0.15, P < 0.0001, zinc intake was r = -0.11, P < 0.0001 and iron intake was r = -0.36, P < 0.0001. In Kenya, 59% of children consumed adequate vitamin A, 22% iron, and 31% zinc. In Nigeria, 17% of children had adequate intake of vitamin A, 57% iron, and 41% zinc. Consumption of cassava is a risk factor for inadequate vitamin A, zinc and/or iron intake.

  4. Binding of the Zn2+ ion to ferric uptake regulation protein from E. coli and the competition with Fe2+ binding: a molecular modeling study of the effect on DNA binding and conformational changes of Fur

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jabour, Salih; Hamed, Mazen Y.

    2009-04-01

    The three dimensional structure of Ferric uptake regulation protein dimer from E. coli, determined by molecular modeling, was docked on a DNA fragment (iron box) and Zn2+ ions were added in two steps. The first step involved the binding of one Zn2+ ion to what is known as the zinc site which consists of the residues Cys 92, Cys 95, Asp 137, Asp141, Arg139, Glu 140, His 145 and His 143 with an average metal-Nitrogen distance of 2.5 Å and metal-oxygen distance of 3.1-3.2 Å. The second Zn2+ ion is bound to the iron activating site formed from the residues Ile 50, His 71, Asn 72, Gly 97, Asp 105 and Ala 109. The binding of the second Zn2+ ion strengthened the binding of the first ion as indicated by the shortening of the zinc-residue distances. Fe2+, when added to the complex consisting of 2Zn2+/Fur dimer/DNA, replaced the Zn2+ ion in the zinc site and when a second Fe2+ was added, it replaced the second zinc ion in the iron activating site. The binding of both zinc and iron ions induced a similar change in Fur conformations, but shifted residues closer to DNA in a different manner. This is discussed along with a possible role for the Zn2+ ion in the Fur dimer binding of DNA in its repressor activity.

  5. Genetic parameters and breeding strategies for high levels of iron and zinc in Phaseolus vulgaris L.

    PubMed

    Martins, S M; Melo, P G S; Faria, L C; Souza, T L P O; Melo, L C; Pereira, H S

    2016-06-10

    One of the current focus of common bean breeding programs in Brazil is to increase iron (FeC) and zinc content (ZnC) in grains. The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters for FeC and ZnC in common bean, verify the need for conducting multi-site evaluation tests, identify elite lines that combine high FeC and ZnC with good adaptability, stability, and agronomic potential, and examine the genetic association between FeC and ZnC. Elite lines (140) were evaluated for important agronomic traits in multiple environments. In one trial, FeC and ZnC were evaluated and genetic parameters were estimated. Based on the high heritability estimates and significant selection gains obtained, the conditions for a successful selection was favorable. Of the 140 evaluated lines, 17 had higher FeC and ZnC, and were included in the validation test (2013, five environments), specifically for the evaluation of FeC and ZnC. The line by environment interaction for FeC and ZnC was detected, but it was predominantly simple. The environmental effect strongly influenced FeC and ZnC . The environment Brasília/rainy season was selected as the best evaluation site for preliminary tests for FeC and ZnC, because it resulted in similar conclusions as the mean of the five environments. The lines CNFP 15701 and CNFC 15865 had higher FeC and ZnC and were highly adaptable and stable, and are recommended for utilization in breeding programs. The lines CNFC 15833, CNFC 15703, and CNFP 15676 showed excellent combined agronomic and nutritional traits, and were selected for the development of biofortified cultivars. Additionally, the genetic association between FeC and ZnC was detected.

  6. Medicago truncatula Zinc-Iron Permease6 provides zinc to rhizobia-infected nodule cells.

    PubMed

    Abreu, Isidro; Saéz, Ángela; Castro-Rodríguez, Rosario; Escudero, Viviana; Rodríguez-Haas, Benjamín; Senovilla, Marta; Larue, Camille; Grolimund, Daniel; Tejada-Jiménez, Manuel; Imperial, Juan; González-Guerrero, Manuel

    2017-11-01

    Zinc is a micronutrient required for symbiotic nitrogen fixation. It has been proposed that in model legume Medicago truncatula, zinc is delivered by the root vasculature into the nodule and released in the infection/differentiation zone. There, transporters must introduce this element into rhizobia-infected cells to metallate the apoproteins that use zinc as a cofactor. MtZIP6 (Medtr4g083570) is an M. truncatula Zinc-Iron Permease (ZIP) that is expressed only in roots and nodules, with the highest expression levels in the infection/differentiation zone. Immunolocalization studies indicate that it is located in the plasma membrane of nodule rhizobia-infected cells. Down-regulating MtZIP6 expression levels with RNAi does not result in any strong phenotype when plants are fed mineral nitrogen. However, these plants displayed severe growth defects when they depended on nitrogen fixed by their nodules, losing of 80% of their nitrogenase activity. The reduction of this activity was likely an indirect effect of zinc being retained in the infection/differentiation zone and not reaching the cytosol of rhizobia-infected cells. These data are consistent with a model in which MtZIP6 would be responsible for zinc uptake by rhizobia-infected nodule cells in the infection/differentiation zone. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Status of nickel/zinc and nickel/iron battery technology for electric vehicle applications

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yao, N.P.; Christianson, C.C.; Elliott, R.C.

    1980-01-01

    Significant progress in nickel/zinc and nickel/iron technology has been made towards achieving the battery technical performance goals necessary for widespread use of these battery systems in electric vehicle applications. This progress is reviewed. Nickel/zinc module test data have shown a specific energy of nearly 70 Whr/kg and a specific power of 130 W/kg. However, cycle life improvements are still needed (presently demonstrated capability of 120 cycles) and are expected to be demonstrated during 1980. Nickel/iron modules have demonstrated a specific energy of nearly 50 Wh/kg and a specific power of 100 W/kg. Indications are that improved performance in these areasmore » can be shown during 1980. Nickel/iron modules cycle lives of 300 have been achieved during early 1980 and testing continues. Energy efficiency has been improved from less than 50% to over 65%. Cost reduction (both initial and operating) continues to receive major emphasis at developers of both nickel/zinc and nickel/iron batteries in order to achieve the lowest possible life cycle cost to the battery user.« less

  8. Use of ferrous iron by metallo-β-lactamases.

    PubMed

    Cahill, Samuel T; Tarhonskaya, Hanna; Rydzik, Anna M; Flashman, Emily; McDonough, Michael A; Schofield, Christopher J; Brem, Jürgen

    2016-10-01

    Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) catalyse the hydrolysis of almost all β-lactam antibacterials including the latest generation carbapenems and are a growing worldwide clinical problem. It is proposed that MBLs employ one or two zinc ion cofactors in vivo. Isolated MBLs are reported to use transition metal ions other than zinc, including copper, cadmium and manganese, with iron ions being a notable exception. We report kinetic and biophysical studies with the di-iron(II)-substituted metallo-β-lactamase II from Bacillus cereus (di-Fe(II) BcII) and the clinically relevant B1 subclass Verona integron-encoded metallo-β-lactamase 2 (di-Fe(II) VIM-2). The results reveal that MBLs can employ ferrous iron in catalysis, but with altered kinetic and inhibition profiles compared to the zinc enzymes. A crystal structure of di-Fe(II) BcII reveals only small overall changes in the active site compared to the di-Zn(II) enzyme including retention of the di-metal bridging water; however, the positions of the metal ions are altered in the di-Fe(II) compared to the di-Zn(II) structure. Stopped-flow analyses reveal that the mechanism of nitrocefin hydrolysis by both di-Fe(II) BcII and di-Fe(II) VIM-2 is altered compared to the di-Zn(II) enzymes. Notably, given that the MBLs are the subject of current medicinal chemistry efforts, the results raise the possibility the Fe(II)-substituted MBLs may be of clinical relevance under conditions of low zinc availability, and reveal potential variation in inhibitor activity against the differently metallated MBLs. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Simple and novel electrochemical sensor for the determination of tetracycline based on iron/zinc cations-exchanged montmorillonite catalyst.

    PubMed

    Gan, Tian; Shi, Zhaoxia; Sun, Junyong; Liu, Yanming

    2014-04-01

    A simple and novel electrochemical sensor for the determination of tetracycline (TC), a kind of antibiotic that may induce residue in the food chain, was developed by the modification of iron/zinc cation-exchanged montmorillonite (Fe/Zn-MMT) catalyst on glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The morphology and the structure of the Fe/Zn-MMT nanomaterial were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. The results of electrochemical experiments demonstrated that the sensor exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity to the oxidation of TC in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The sensor displayed a wide linear range from 0.30 to 52.0 μM and a low detection limit of 0.10 μM by using the derivative differential pulse voltammetry. Moreover, the electrochemical sensor was applied to the detection of TC in feedstuff and meat samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Agronomic Approach of Zinc Biofortification Can Increase Zinc Bioavailability in Wheat Flour and thereby Reduce Zinc Deficiency in Humans

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Dunyi; Liu, Yumin; Zhang, Wei; Chen, Xinping; Zou, Chunqin

    2017-01-01

    Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a common disorder of humans in developing countries. The effect of Zn biofortification (via application of six rates of Zn fertilizer to soil) on Zn bioavailability in wheat grain and flour and its impacts on human health was evaluated. Zn bioavailability was estimated with a trivariate model that included Zn homeostasis in the human intestine. As the rate of Zn fertilization increased, the Zn concentration increased in all flour fractions, but the percentages of Zn in standard flour (25%) and bran (75%) relative to total grain Zn were constant. Phytic acid (PA) concentrations in grain and flours were unaffected by Zn biofortification. Zn bioavailability and the health impact, as indicated by disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) saved, increased with the Zn application rate and were greater in standard and refined flour than in whole grain and coarse flour. The biofortified standard and refined flour obtained with application of 50 kg/ha ZnSO4·7H2O met the health requirement (3 mg of Zn obtained from 300 g of wheat flour) and reduced DALYs by >20%. Although Zn biofortification increased Zn bioavailability in standard and refined flour, it did not reduce the bioavailability of iron, manganese, or copper in wheat flour. PMID:28481273

  11. Agronomic Approach of Zinc Biofortification Can Increase Zinc Bioavailability in Wheat Flour and thereby Reduce Zinc Deficiency in Humans.

    PubMed

    Liu, Dunyi; Liu, Yumin; Zhang, Wei; Chen, Xinping; Zou, Chunqin

    2017-05-06

    Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a common disorder of humans in developing countries. The effect of Zn biofortification (via application of six rates of Zn fertilizer to soil) on Zn bioavailability in wheat grain and flour and its impacts on human health was evaluated. Zn bioavailability was estimated with a trivariate model that included Zn homeostasis in the human intestine. As the rate of Zn fertilization increased, the Zn concentration increased in all flour fractions, but the percentages of Zn in standard flour (25%) and bran (75%) relative to total grain Zn were constant. Phytic acid (PA) concentrations in grain and flours were unaffected by Zn biofortification. Zn bioavailability and the health impact, as indicated by disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) saved, increased with the Zn application rate and were greater in standard and refined flour than in whole grain and coarse flour. The biofortified standard and refined flour obtained with application of 50 kg/ha ZnSO₄·7H₂O met the health requirement (3 mg of Zn obtained from 300 g of wheat flour) and reduced DALYs by >20%. Although Zn biofortification increased Zn bioavailability in standard and refined flour, it did not reduce the bioavailability of iron, manganese, or copper in wheat flour.

  12. Effect of soil and foliar application of zinc on grain zinc and cadmium concentration of wheat genotypes differing in Zn-efficiency

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A two-year field experiment was carried out to investigate the effectiveness of soil and foliar applications of zinc sulfate and soil application of waste rubber ash to increase Zn and decrease cadmium (Cd) concentration in grain of 10 wheat genotypes with different Zn-efficiency. Foliar spray of zi...

  13. Low-temperature hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO nanorods: Effects of zinc salt concentration, various solvents and alkaline mineralizers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Edalati, Khatereh, E-mail: kh_ed834@stu.um.ac.ir; Shakiba, Atefeh; Vahdati-Khaki, Jalil

    2016-02-15

    Highlights: • We synthesized ZnO nanorods by a simple hydrothermal process at 60 °C. • Effects of zinc salt concentration, solvent and alkaline mineralizer was studied. • Increasing concentration of zinc salt changed ZnO nucleation system. • NaOH yielded better results in the production of nanorods in both solvents. • Methanol performed better in the formation of nanorods using the two mineralizers. - Abstract: ZnO has been produced using various methods in the solid, gaseous, and liquid states, and the hydrothermal synthesis at low temperatures has been shown to be an environmentally-friendly one. The current work utilizes a low reactionmore » temperature (60 °C) for the simple hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO nanorod morphologies. Furthermore, the effects of zinc salt concentration, solvent type and alkaline mineralizer type on ZnO nanorods synthesis at a low reaction temperature by hydrothermal processing was studied. Obtained samples were analyzed using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Increasing the concentration of the starting zinc salt from 0.02 to 0.2 M changed ZnO nucleation system from the homogeneous to the heterogeneous state. The XRD results confirmed the production hexagonal ZnO nanostructures of with a crystallite size of 40.4 nm. Varying the experimental parameters (mineralizer and solvent) yielded ZnO nanorods with diameters ranging from 90–250 nm and lengths of 1–2 μm.« less

  14. Formation of zinc sulfide species during roasting of ZnO with pyrite and its contribution on flotation.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Yong-Xing; Lv, Jin-Fang; Wang, Hua; Wen, Shu-Ming; Pang, Jie

    2018-05-18

    In this paper, formation of zinc sulfide species during roasting of ZnO with FeS 2 was investigated and its contribution on flotation was illustrated. The evolution process, phase and crystal growth were investigated by thermogravimetry (TG), X-Ray diffraction (XRD) along with thermodynamic calculation and scanning electron microscopy-Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), respectively, to interpret the formation mechanism of ZnS species. It was found that ZnS was initially generated at about 450 °C and then the reaction prevailed at about 600 °C. The generated Fe x S would dissolve into ZnS and then form (Zn, Fe)S compound in form of Fe 2 Zn 3 S 5 when temperature increased to about 750 °C. This obviously accelerated ZnS phase formation and growth. In addition, it was known that increasing of ZnO dosage had few effects on the decomposition behavior of FeS 2 . Then, flotation tests of different zinc oxide materials before and after treatment were performed to further confirm that the flotation performances of the treated materials could be obviously improved. Finally, a scheme diagram was proposed to regular its application to mineral processing. It was systematically illustrated that different types of ZnS species needed to be synthetized when sulfidization roasting-flotation process was carried out to treat zinc oxide materials.

  15. Preparation of magnetic and bioactive calcium zinc iron silicon oxide composite for hyperthermia treatment of bone cancer and repair of bone defects.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Yumin; Ou, Jun; Zhang, Zhanhe; Qin, Qing-Hua

    2011-03-01

    In this paper, a calcium zinc iron silicon oxide composite (CZIS) was prepared using the sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was then employed to test the CZIS composite. The results from the test showed that the CZIS had three prominent crystalline phases: Ca(2)Fe(1.7)Zn(0.15)Si(0.15)O(5), Ca(2)SiO(4), and ZnFe(2)O(4). Calorimetric measurements were then performed using a magnetic induction furnace. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis were conducted to confirm the growth of a precipitated hydroxyapatite phase after immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF). Cell culture experiments were also carried out, showing that the CZIS composite more visibly promoted osteoblast proliferation than ZnFe(2)O(4) glass ceramic and HA, and osteoblasts adhered and spread well on the surfaces of composite samples.

  16. Deriving Freshwater Quality Criteria for Iron, Lead, Nickel, and Zinc for Protection of Aquatic Life in Malaysia

    PubMed Central

    Shuhaimi-Othman, M.; Nadzifah, Y.; Nur-Amalina, R.; Umirah, N. S.

    2012-01-01

    Freshwater quality criteria for iron (Fe), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn) were developed with particular reference to aquatic biota in Malaysia, and based on USEPA's guidelines. Acute toxicity tests were performed on eight different freshwater domestic species in Malaysia which were Macrobrachium lanchesteri (prawn), two fish: Poecilia reticulata and Rasbora sumatrana, Melanoides tuberculata (snail), Stenocypris major (ostracod), Chironomus javanus (midge larvae), Nais elinguis (annelid), and Duttaphrynus melanostictus (tadpole) to determine 96 h LC50 values for Fe, Pb, Ni, and Zn. The final acute value (FAV) for Fe, Pb, Ni, and Zn were 74.5, 17.0, 165, and 304.9 μg L−1, respectively. Using an estimated acute-to-chronic ratio (ACR) of 8.3, the value for final chronic value (FCV) was derived. Based on FAV and FCV, a criterion maximum concentration (CMC) and a criterion continuous concentration (CCC) for Fe, Pb, Ni, and Zn that are 37.2, 8.5, 82.5, and 152.4 μg L−1 and 9.0, 2.0, 19.9, and 36.7 μg L−1, respectively, were derived. The results of this study provide useful data for deriving national or local water quality criteria for Fe, Pb, Ni, and Zn based on aquatic biota in Malaysia. Based on LC50 values, this study indicated that N. elinguis, M. lanchesteri, N. elinguis, and R. sumatrana were the most sensitive to Fe, Pb, Ni, and Zn, respectively. PMID:22919358

  17. Chitosan/zinc oxide-polyvinylpyrrolidone (CS/ZnO-PVP) nanocomposite for better thermal and antibacterial activity.

    PubMed

    Karpuraranjith, M; Thambidurai, S

    2017-11-01

    A new biopolymer based ZnO-PVP nanocomposite was successfully synthesized by single step in situ precipitation method using chitosan as biosurfactant, zinc chloride as a source material, PVP as stabilizing agent and sodium hydroxide as precipitating agent. The chemical bonding and crystalline behaviors of chitosan, zinc oxide and PVP were confirmed by FT-IR and XRD analysis. The biopolymer connected ZnO particles intercalated PVP matrix was layer and rod like structure appeared in nanometer range confirmed by HR-SEM and TEM analysis. The surface topography image of CS/ZnO-PVP nanocomposite was obtained in the average thickness of 12nm was confirmed by AFM analysis. Thermal stability of cationic biopolymer based ZnO intercalated PVP has higher stability than CS-PVP and chitosan. Consequently, antimicrobial activity of chitosan/ZnO-PVP matrix acts as a better microbial inhibition activity than PVP-ZnO nanocomposite. The obtained above results demonstrate that CS and ZnO intercalated PVP matrix has better reinforced effect than other components. Therefore, Chitosan/ZnO-PVP nanocomposite may be a promising material for the biomedical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Effect of inhibitors on Zn-dendrite formation for zinc-polyaniline secondary battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kan, Jinqing; Xue, Huaiguo; Mu, Shaolin

    The effects of Pb 2+, sodium lauryl sulfate and Triton X-100 on inhibition of Zn-dendrite growth in Zn-polyaniline batteries were studied by scanning electron micrograph and cyclic voltammetry. The results show that Triton X-100 in the region of 0.02-500 ppm in the electrolyte containing 2.5 M ZnCl 2 and 2.0 M NH 4Cl with pH 4.40 can effectively inhibit zinc-dendrite growth during charge-discharge cycles of the battery and yield longer cycles.

  19. Development of phosphate rock integrated with iron amendment for simultaneous immobilization of Zn and Cr(VI) in an electroplating contaminated soil.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Ling; Ding, Zhenliang; Sima, Jingke; Xu, Xiaoyun; Cao, Xinde

    2017-09-01

    This study aims to develop an amendment for simultaneous immobilization of Zn and Cr(VI) in an abandoned electroplating contaminated soil. Nature phosphate rock was first activated with oxalic acid (O-PR) and then combined with FeSO 4 or zero-valent iron (ZVI) for immobilization of Zn and Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions. Finally, the optimized approach showing the highest immobilization ability in solution was applied in an electroplating contaminated soil. The O-PR combined with FeSO 4 was more effective in simultaneously removing Zn and Cr(VI) than the O-PR integrated with ZVI within the tested solution pH range of 5.5-8.5. Both O-PR with FeSO 4 and with ZVI removed over 95% of Zn from the solution; however, only 42-46% of Cr(VI) was immobilized by O-PR with ZVI, while O-PR with FeSO 4 almost precipitated all Cr(VI). Moreover, there were 75-95% Zn and 95-100% Cr(VI) remaining in the exhausted O-PR with FeSO 4 solid after toxicity characteristic leaching test (TCLP) while the exhausted O-PR with ZVI solid only retained 44-83% Zn and 32-72% Cr(VI). Zinc was immobilized mainly via formation of insoluble Fe-Zn phosphate co-precipitates, while iron-induced reduction of Cr(VI) into stable Cr(OH) 3 or Cr x Fe (1-x) (OH) 3 was responsible for Cr(VI) immobilization. Application of the O-PR integrated with FeSO 4 in the electroplating contaminated soil rapidly reduced the TCLP extractable Zn and Cr(VI) to below the standard limits, with decrease by 50% and 94%, respectively. This study revealed that combination of oxalic acid activated phosphate rock with FeSO 4 could be an effective amendment for remediation of Zn and Cr(VI) contaminated soil. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Nano/microstructure and optical properties of ZnO particles precipitated from zinc acetylacetonate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Petrović, Željka; Ristić, Mira; Musić, Svetozar; Fabián, Martin

    2015-06-01

    The influence of experimental conditions on the nano/microstructure and optical properties of ZnO particles produced by rapid hydrolysis of zinc acetylacetonate, followed by aging of the precipitation system at 160 °C, was investigated. Samples were characterized by XRD, FE scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), FT-IR, UV/Vis/NIR and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies. XRD patterns of all samples were assigned to the hexagonal ZnO phase (wurtzite-type), as well as the corresponding FT-IR spectra. FE-SEM inspection showed a high dependence of the ZnO nano/microstructure on the chemical composition of the reaction mixture and autoclaving time after the rapid hydrolysis of zinc acetylacetonate. Microstructural differences were noticed between C2H5OH/H2O and H2O media, as well as under the influence of NH4OH addition. Measurements of nanocrystallite sizes showed no significant preferential orientation in the (1 0 0) and (0 0 2) directions relative to the (1 0 1) and (1 1 0) directions. Somewhat smaller crystallite sizes were noticed for ZnO samples synthesized by adding the NH4OH solution. Dissolution/recrystallization of ZnO particles played an important role in the formation of different ZnO nano/microstructures. The band gap values for prepared ZnO samples were calculated on the basis of recorded UV/Vis spectra. PL spectra were recorded for ZnO samples in powder form and their suspensions in pure ethanol. Noticed differences are discussed.

  1. Chloride effect on TNT degradation by zerovalent iron or zinc during water treatment.

    PubMed

    Hernandez, Rafael; Zappi, Mark; Kuo, Chiang-Hai

    2004-10-01

    Addition of corrosion promoters, such as sodium and potassium chloride, accelerated TNT degradation during water treatment using zerovalent zinc and iron. It was theorized that corrosion promoters could be used to accelerate electron generation from metallic species, create new reactive sites on the surface of metals during contaminated water treatment, and minimize passivating effects. The surface area normalized pseudo-first-order rate constant for the reaction of zerovalent zinc with TNT in the absence of KCl was 1.364 L x m(-2) x h(-1). In the presence of 0.3 mM and 3 mM KCI, the rate constant increased to 10.5 L x m(-2) x h(-1) and 51.0 L x m(-2) x h(-1), respectively. For the reaction with zerovalent iron and TNT, the rate constant increased from 6.5 (L/m2 x h) in the absence of KCl to 37 L x m(-2) x h(-1) using 3 mM KCl. The results demonstrate that chloride based corrosion promoters enhance the rate of TNT degradation. The in-situ breakage of the oxide layer using corrosion promoters was applied as a treatment to maintain the long-term activity of the metallic species. Zinc maintained a high reactivity toward TNT, and the reactivity of iron increased after 5 treatment cycles using 3 mM KCI. Zinc and iron scanning electron micrographs indicate that TNT degradation rate enhancement is caused by the pitting corrosion mechanism.

  2. Main and interaction effects of iron, zinc, lead, and parenting on children's cognitive outcomes.

    PubMed

    Hubbs-Tait, Laura; Mulugeta, Afework; Bogale, Alemtsehay; Kennedy, Tay S; Baker, Eric R; Stoecker, Barbara J

    2009-01-01

    This study examined relations of blood lead < 10 microg/dL, iron, zinc, and parenting to Head Start children's (N = 112) scores on Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III (PPVT-III) and McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA). Venous whole blood and plasma samples were analyzed for lead and zinc by ICP-MS and iron status was assessed by serum transferrin receptors. Hierarchical regressions revealed significant effects of lead on MSCA perceptual scores and iron on PPVT-III and MSCA verbal scores. Children with lead > 2.5 microg/dL had significantly lower MSCA perceptual scores than children < 2.5 microg/dL. Permissive parenting significantly exacerbated negative effects of higher lead or lower iron on children's perceptual or verbal scores, respectively.

  3. Genomics of mineral nutrient biofortification: calcium, iron and zinc

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Dietary deficiencies affect nearly half of the people on the planet, who simply do not receive sufficient nutrition from the food they buy or grow. Inadequate calcium, iron, and zinc consumption create short and long term health problems, which in turn can magnify and stagnate national development. ...

  4. Seed priming with iron and zinc in bread wheat: effects in germination, mitosis and grain yield.

    PubMed

    Reis, Sara; Pavia, Ivo; Carvalho, Ana; Moutinho-Pereira, José; Correia, Carlos; Lima-Brito, José

    2018-07-01

    Currently, the biofortification of crops like wheat with micronutrients such as iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) is extremely important due to the deficiencies of these micronutrients in the human diet and in soils. Agronomic biofortification with Fe and Zn can be done through different exogenous strategies such as soil application, foliar spraying, and seed priming. However, the excess of these micronutrients can be detrimental to the plants. Therefore, in the last decade, a high number of studies focused on the evaluation of their phytotoxic effects to define the best strategies for biofortification of bread wheat. In this study, we investigated the effects of seed priming with different dosages (1 mg L -1 to 8 mg L -1 ) of Fe and/or Zn in germination, mitosis and yield of bread wheat cv. 'Jordão' when compared with control. Overall, our results showed that: micronutrient dosages higher than 4 mg L -1 negatively affect the germination; Fe and/or Zn concentrations higher than 2 mg L -1 significantly decrease the mitotic index and increase the percentage of dividing cells with anomalies; treatments performed with 8 mg L -1 of Fe and/or 8 mg L -1 Zn caused negative effects in germination, mitosis and grain yield. Moreover, seed priming with 2 mg L -1 Fe + 2 mg L -1 Zn has been shown to be non-cytotoxic, ensuring a high rate of germination (80%) and normal dividing cells (90%) as well as improving tillering and grain yield. This work revealed that seed priming with Fe and Zn micronutrients constitutes a useful and alternative approach for the agronomic biofortification of bread wheat.

  5. Interdependence of free zinc changes and protein complex assembly - insights into zinc signal regulation.

    PubMed

    Kocyła, Anna; Adamczyk, Justyna; Krężel, Artur

    2018-01-24

    Cellular zinc (Zn(ii)) is bound with proteins that are part of the proteomes of all domains of life. It is mostly utilized as a catalytic or structural protein cofactor, which results in a vast number of binding architectures. The Zn(ii) ion is also important for the formation of transient protein complexes with a Zn(ii)-dependent quaternary structure that is formed upon cellular zinc signals. The mechanisms by which proteins associate with and dissociate from Zn(ii) and the connection with cellular Zn(ii) changes remain incompletely understood. In this study, we aimed to examine how zinc protein domains with various Zn(ii)-binding architectures are formed under free Zn(ii) concentration changes and how formation of the Zn(ii)-dependent assemblies is related to the protein concentration and reactivity. To accomplish these goals we chose four zinc domains with different Zn(ii)-to-protein binding stoichiometries: classical zinc finger (ZnP), LIM domain (Zn 2 P), zinc hook (ZnP 2 ) and zinc clasp (ZnP 1 P 2 ) folds. Our research demonstrated a lack of changes in the saturation level of intraprotein zinc binding sites, despite various peptide concentrations, while homo- and heterodimers indicated a concentration-dependent tendency. In other words, at a certain free Zn(ii) concentration, the fraction of a formed dimeric complex increases or decreases with subunit concentration changes. Secondly, even small or local changes in free Zn(ii) may significantly affect protein saturation depending on its architecture, function and subcellular concentration. In our paper, we indicate the importance of interdependence of free Zn(ii) availability and protein subunit concentrations for cellular zinc signal regulation.

  6. Geochemistry of the furnace magnetite bed, Franklin, New Jersey, and the relationship between stratiform iron oxide ores and stratiform zinc oxide-silicate ores in the New Jersey highlands

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Johnson, C.A.; Skinner, B.J.

    2003-01-01

    The New Jersey Highlands terrace, which is an exposure of the Middle Proterozoic Grenville orogenic belt located in northeastern United States, contains stratiform zinc oxide-silicate deposits at Franklin and Sterling Hill and numerous massive magnetite deposits. The origins of the zinc and magnetite deposits have rarely been considered together, but a genetic link is suggested by the occurrence of the Furnace magnetite bed and small magnetite lenses immediately beneath the Franklin zinc deposit. The Furnace bed was metamorphosed and deformed along with its enclosing rocks during the Grenvillian orogeny, obscuring the original mineralogy and obliterating the original rock fabrics. The present mineralogy is manganiferous magnetite plus calcite. Trace hydrous silicates, some coexisting with fluorite, have fluorine contents that are among the highest ever observed in natural assemblages. Furnace bed calcite has ??13C values of -5 ?? 1 per mil relative to Peedee belemnite (PDB) and ??18O values of 11 to 20 per mil relative to Vienna-standard mean ocean water (VSMOW). The isotopic compositions do not vary as expected for an original siderite layer that decarbonated during metamorphism, but they are consistent with nearly isochemical metamorphism of an iron oxide + calcite protolith that is chemically and minerlogically similar to iron-rich sediments found near the Red Sea brine pools and isotopically similar to Superior-type banded iron formations. Other magniferous magnite + calcite bodies occur at approximately the same stratigraphic position as far 50 km from the zinc deposits. A model is presented in which the iron and zinc deposits formed along the western edge of a Middle Proterozoic marine basin. Zinc was transported by sulfate-stable brines and was precipitated under sulfate-stable conditions as zincian carbonates and Fe-Mn-Zn oxides and silicates. Whether the zincian assemblages settled from the water column or formed by replacement reactions in shallowly

  7. Iron-[S,S']-EDDS (FeEDDS) Chelate as an Iron Source for Horticultural Crop Production: Marigold Growth and Nutrition, Spectral Properties, and Photodegradation

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Aminopolycarboxylic acid (APCA) complexones, commonly referred to as ligands or chelating agents, like ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) are commonly used in soluble fertilizers to supply copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and/or zinc (Zn) to p...

  8. Understanding the role of iron in the magnetism of Fe doped ZnO nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Beltrán, J J; Barrero, C A; Punnoose, A

    2015-06-21

    The actual role of transition metals like iron in the room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) of Fe doped ZnO nanoparticles is still an unsolved problem. While some studies concluded that the Fe ions participate in the magnetic interaction, others in contrast do not believe Fe to play a direct role in the magnetic exchange interaction. To contribute to the understanding of this issue, we have carefully investigated the structural, optical, vibrational and magnetic properties of sol-gel synthesized Zn1-xFexO (0 < x < 0.10) nanoparticles. No Fe(2+) was detected in any sample. We found that high spin Fe(3+) ions are substitutionally incorporated at the Zn(2+) in the tetrahedral-core sites and in pseudo-octahedral surface sites in ZnO. Superficial OH(-) was observed in all samples. For x ≤ 0.03, an increment in Fe doping concentration decreased a and c lattice parameters, average Zn-O bond length, average crystallite size and band gap; while it increased the degree of distortion and quadrupole splitting. Undoped ZnO nanoparticles exhibited very weak RTFM with a saturation magnetization (Ms) of ∼0.47 memu g(-1) and this value increased to ∼2.1 memu g(-1) for Zn0.99Fe0.01O. Very interestingly, the Ms for Zn0.99Fe0.01O and Zn0.97Fe0.03O increased by a factor of about ∼2.3 by increasing annealing for 1 h to 3 h. For x ≥ 0.05, ferrimagnetic disordered spinel ZnFe2O4 was formed and this phase was found to become more ordered with increasing annealing time. Fe does not contribute directly to the RTFM, but its presence promoted the formation of additional single charged oxygen vacancies, zinc vacancies, and more oxygen-ended polar terminations at the nanoparticle surface. These defects, which are mainly superficial, altered the electronic structure and are considered as the main sources of the observed ferromagnetism.

  9. Effects of separate delivery of zinc or zinc and vitamin A on hemoglobin response, growth, and diarrhea in young Peruvian children receiving iron therapy for anemia.

    PubMed

    Alarcon, Karl; Kolsteren, Patrick W; Prada, Ana M; Chian, Ana M; Velarde, Ruth E; Pecho, Iris L; Hoeree, Tom F

    2004-11-01

    Anemia is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in the world. Attempts to improve iron indexes are affected by deficiency of and interaction between other micronutrients. Our goal was to assess whether zinc added to iron treatment alone or with vitamin A improves iron indexes and affects diarrheal episodes. This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial conducted in Peru. Anemic children aged 6-35 mo were assigned to 3 treatment groups: ferrous sulfate (FS; n = 104), ferrous sulfate and zinc sulfate (FSZn; n = 109), and ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, and vitamin A (FSZnA; n = 110). Vitamin A or its placebo was supplied only once; iron and zinc were provided under supervision >/=1 h apart 6 d/wk for 18 wk. The prevalence of anemia was 42.97%. The increase in hemoglobin in the FS group (19.5 g/L) was significantly less than that in the other 2 groups (24.0 and 23.8 g/L in the FSZn and FSZnA groups, respectively). The increase in serum ferritin in the FS group (24.5 mug/L) was significantly less than that in the other 2 groups (33.0 and 30.8 mug/L in the FSZn and FSZnA groups, respectively). The median duration of diarrhea and the mean number of stools per day was significantly higher in the FS group than in other 2 groups (P < 0.005). Adding zinc to iron treatment increases hemoglobin response, improves iron indexes, and has positive effects on diarrhea. No additional effect of vitamin A was found.

  10. Structure refinement of the δ1p phase in the Fe-Zn system by single-crystal X-ray diffraction combined with scanning transmission electron microscopy.

    PubMed

    Okamoto, Norihiko L; Tanaka, Katsushi; Yasuhara, Akira; Inui, Haruyuki

    2014-04-01

    The structure of the δ1p phase in the iron-zinc system has been refined by single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction combined with scanning transmission electron microscopy. The large hexagonal unit cell of the δ1p phase with the space group of P63/mmc comprises more or less regular (normal) Zn12 icosahedra, disordered Zn12 icosahedra, Zn16 icosioctahedra and dangling Zn atoms that do not constitute any polyhedra. The unit cell contains 52 Fe and 504 Zn atoms so that the compound is expressed with the chemical formula of Fe13Zn126. All Fe atoms exclusively occupy the centre of normal and disordered icosahedra. Iron-centred normal icosahedra are linked to one another by face- and vertex-sharing forming two types of basal slabs, which are bridged with each other by face-sharing with icosioctahedra, whereas disordered icosahedra with positional disorder at their vertex sites are isolated from other polyhedra. The bonding features in the δ1p phase are discussed in comparison with those in the Γ and ζ phases in the iron-zinc system.

  11. Transformation of zinc hydroxide chloride monohydrate to crystalline zinc oxide.

    PubMed

    Moezzi, Amir; Cortie, Michael; McDonagh, Andrew

    2016-04-25

    Thermal decomposition of layered zinc hydroxide double salts provides an interesting alternative synthesis for particles of zinc oxide. Here, we examine the sequence of changes occurring as zinc hydroxide chloride monohydrate (Zn5(OH)8Cl2·H2O) is converted to crystalline ZnO by thermal decomposition. The specific surface area of the resultant ZnO measured by BET was 1.3 m(2) g(-1). A complicating and important factor in this process is that the thermal decomposition of zinc hydroxide chloride is also accompanied by the formation of volatile zinc-containing species under certain conditions. We show that this volatile compound is anhydrous ZnCl2 and its formation is moisture dependent. Therefore, control of atmospheric moisture is an important consideration that affects the overall efficiency of ZnO production by this process.

  12. Association of Maternal Diet With Zinc, Copper, and Iron Concentrations in Transitional Human Milk Produced by Korean Mothers

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Ji-Myung; Lee, Ji-Eun; Cho, Mi Sook; Kang, Bong Soo; Choi, Hyeon

    2016-01-01

    The aims of this study were to evaluate zinc, copper, and iron concentrations in the transitory milk of Korean lactating mothers and to investigate the relationship between these concentrations and maternal diet. Human milk samples were collected between 5 and 15 days postpartum from 96 healthy, lactating mothers in postpartum care centers in Seoul, Korea. Dietary intake during lactation was determined based on a 3-day dietary record. The mean zinc, copper, and iron concentrations in the human milk samples collected were 3.88 ± 1.74 mg/L, 0.69 ± 0.25 mg/L, and 5.85 ± 8.53 mg/L, respectively. The mothers who consumed alcoholic beverages during pregnancy had tended to have lower concentrations of zinc and copper, as well as significantly lower concentrations of iron, in their milk (p < 0.047). In contrast, the mothers who took daily supplements had much higher iron concentrations in their milk (p = 0.002). Dietary intakes of zinc, copper, and iron during lactation did not affect the concentrations of zinc, copper, and iron in the milk samples analyzed. Intakes of vitamin C, selenium, and iodine were associated with the concentration of copper in the milk samples analyzed, and consumption of food categorized as 'meat and meat products' was positively associated with the concentration of zinc. Consumption of rice was the top contributor to the concentrations of all three minerals. In conclusion, associations between maternal diet and nutrient concentrations in transitory human milk can provide useful information, particularly in regard to infant growth. PMID:26839873

  13. A Zn isotope perspective on the rise of continents.

    PubMed

    Pons, M-L; Fujii, T; Rosing, M; Quitté, G; Télouk, P; Albarède, F

    2013-05-01

    Zinc isotope abundances are fairly constant in igneous rocks and shales and are left unfractionated by hydrothermal processes at pH < 5.5. For that reason, Zn isotopes in sediments can be used to trace the changing chemistry of the hydrosphere. Here, we report Zn isotope compositions in Fe oxides from banded iron formations (BIFs) and iron formations of different ages. Zinc from early Archean samples is isotopically indistinguishable from the igneous average (δ(66) Zn ~0.3‰). At 2.9-2.7 Ga, δ(66) Zn becomes isotopically light (δ(66) Zn < 0‰) and then bounces back to values >1‰ during the ~2.35 Ga Great Oxygenation Event. By 1.8 Ga, BIF δ(66) Zn has settled to the modern value of FeMn nodules and encrustations (~0.9‰). The Zn cycle is largely controlled by two different mechanisms: Zn makes strong complexes with phosphates, and phosphates in turn are strongly adsorbed by Fe hydroxides. We therefore review the evidence that the surface geochemical cycles of Zn and P are closely related. The Zn isotope record echoes Sr isotope evidence, suggesting that erosion starts with the very large continental masses appearing at ~2.7 Ga. The lack of Zn fractionation in pre-2.9 Ga BIFs is argued to reflect the paucity of permanent subaerial continental exposure and consequently the insignificant phosphate input to the oceans and the small output of biochemical sediments. We link the early decline of δ(66) Zn between 3.0 and 2.7 Ga with the low solubility of phosphate in alkaline groundwater. The development of photosynthetic activity at the surface of the newly exposed continents increased the oxygen level in the atmosphere, which in turn triggered acid drainage and stepped up P dissolution and liberation of heavy Zn into the runoff. Zinc isotopes provide a new perspective on the rise of continents, the volume of carbonates on continents, changing weathering conditions, and compositions of the ocean through time. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  14. Carbon Dioxide Electroreduction using a Silver-Zinc Alloy [CO 2 Electroreduction on a Ag-Zn Alloy

    DOE PAGES

    Hatsukade, Toru; Kuhl, Kendra P.; Cave, Etosha R.; ...

    2017-02-20

    We report on CO 2 electroreduction activity and selectivity of a polycrystalline AgZn foil in aqueous bicarbonate electrolyte. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements show that the alloy foil was slightly enriched in zinc both at the surface and in the bulk, with a surface alloy composition of 61.3±5.4 at % zinc and with Ag 5Zn 8 as the most prominent bulk phase. AgZn is active for CO 2 reduction; CO is the main product, likely due to the weak CO binding energy of the surface, with methane and methanol emerging as minor products. Compared to puremore » silver and pure zinc foils, enhancements in activity and selectivity for methane and methanol are observed. A five-fold increase is observed in the combined partial current densities for methane and methanol at –1.43 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), representing a four- to six-fold increase in faradaic efficiency. Here, such enhancements indicate the existence of a synergistic effect between silver and zinc at the surface of the alloy that contributes to the enhanced formation of further reduced products.« less

  15. Characterization of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) piezoelectric properties for Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) device

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rosydi Zakaria, Mohd; Johari, Shazlina; Hafiz Ismail, Mohd; Hashim, Uda

    2017-11-01

    In fabricating Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) biosensors device, the substrate is one of important factors that affected to performance device. there are many types of piezoelectric substrate in the markets and the cheapest is zinc Oxide substrate. Zinc Oxide (ZnO) with its unique properties can be used as piezoelectric substrate along with SAW devices for detection of DNA in this research. In this project, ZnO thin film is deposited onto silicon oxide substrate using electron beam evaporation (E-beam) and Sol-Gel technique. Different material structure is used to compare the roughness and best piezoelectric substrate of ZnO thin film. Two different structures of ZnO target which are pellet and granular are used for e-beam deposition and one sol-gel liquid were synthesize and compared. Parameter for thickness of ZnO e-beam deposition is fixed to a 0.1kÅ for both materials structure and sol-gel was coat using spin coat technique. After the process is done, samples are annealed at temperature of 500°C for 2 hours. The structural properties of effect of post annealing using different material structure of ZnO are studied using Atomic Force Microscopic (AFM) for surface morphology and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) for phase structure.

  16. Zinc bioleaching from an iron concentrate using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain from Hercules Mine of Coahuila, Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Núñez-Ramírez, Diola Marina; Solís-Soto, Aquiles; López-Miranda, Javier; Pereyra-Alférez, Benito; Rutiaga-Quiñónes, Miriam; Medina-Torres, Luis; Medrano-Roldán, Hiram

    2011-10-01

    The iron concentrate from Hercules Mine of Coahuila, Mexico, which mainly contained pyrite and pyrrhotite, was treated by the bioleaching process using native strain Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ( A. ferrooxidans) to determine the ability of these bacteria on the leaching of zinc. The native bacteria were isolated from the iron concentrate of the mine. The bioleaching experiments were carried out in shake flasks to analyze the effects of pH values, pulp density, and the ferrous sulfate concentration on the bioleaching process. The results obtained by microbial kinetic analyses for the evaluation of some aspects of zinc leaching show that the native bacteria A. ferrooxidans, which is enriched with a 9K Silverman medium under the optimum conditions of pH 2.0, 20 g/L pulp density, and 40 g/L FeSO4, increases the zinc extraction considerably observed by monitoring during15 d, i.e., the zinc concentration has a decrease of about 95% in the iron concentrate.

  17. Bioavailability of Iron, Zinc, Phytate and Phytase Activity during Soaking and Germination of White Sorghum Varieties

    PubMed Central

    Afify, Abd El-Moneim M. R.; El-Beltagi, Hossam S.; Abd El-Salam, Samiha M.; Omran, Azza A.

    2011-01-01

    The changes in phytate, phytase activity and in vitro bioavailability of iron and zinc during soaking and germination of three white sorghum varieties (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench), named Dorado, Shandweel-6, and Giza-15 were investigated. Sorghum varieties were soaked for 20 h and germinated for 72 h after soaking for 20 h to reduce phytate content and increase iron and zinc in vitro bioavailability. The results revealed that iron and zinc content was significantly reduced from 28.16 to 32.16% and 13.78 to 26.69% for soaking treatment and 38.43 to 39.18% and 21.80 to 31.27% for germination treatments, respectively. Phytate content was significantly reduced from 23.59 to 32.40% for soaking treatment and 24.92 to 35.27% for germination treatments, respectively. Phytase enzymes will be activated during drying in equal form in all varieties. The results proved that the main distinct point is the change of phytase activity as well as specific activity during different treatment which showed no significant differences between the varieties used. The in vitro bioavailability of iron and zinc were significantly improved as a result of soaking and germination treatments. PMID:22003395

  18. Phytate intake and molar ratios of phytate to zinc, iron and calcium in the diets of people in China.

    PubMed

    Ma, G; Li, Y; Jin, Y; Zhai, F; Kok, F J; Yang, X

    2007-03-01

    To assess the phytate intake and molar ratios of phytate to calcium, iron and zinc in the diets of people in China. 2002 China Nationwide Nutrition and Health Survey is a cross-sectional nationwide representative survey on nutrition and health. The information on dietary intakes was collected using consecutive 3 days 24 h recall by trained interviewers. The data of 68 962 residents aged 2-101 years old from 132 counties were analyzed. The median daily dietary intake of phytate, calcium, iron and zinc were 1186, 338.1, 21.2 and 10.6 mg, respectively. Urban residents consumed less phytate (781 vs 1342 mg/day), more calcium (374.5 vs 324.1 mg/day) and comparable amounts of iron (21.1 vs 21.2 mg/day) and zinc (10.6 vs 10.6 mg/day) than their rural counterparts. A wide variation in phytate intake among residents from six areas was found, ranging from 648 to 1433 mg/day. The median molar ratios of phytate to calcium, iron, zinc and phytate x calcium/zinc were 0.22, 4.88, 11.1 and 89.0, respectively, with a large variation between urban and rural areas. The phytate:zinc molar ratios ranged from 6.2 to 14.2, whereas the phytate x calcium/zinc molar ratios were from 63.7 to 107.2. The proportion of subjects with ratios above the critical values of phytate to iron, phytate to calcium, phytate to zinc and phytate x calcium/zinc were 95.4, 43.7, 23.1 and 8.7%, respectively. All the phytate/mineral ratios of rural residents were higher than that of their urban counterparts. The dietary phytate intake of people in China was higher than those in Western developed countries and lower than those in developing countries. Phytate may impair the bioavailability of iron, calcium and zinc in the diets of people in China.

  19. Influence of heat processing on the bioaccessibility of zinc and iron from cereals and pulses consumed in India.

    PubMed

    Hemalatha, Sreeramaiah; Platel, Kalpana; Srinivasan, Krishnapura

    2007-01-01

    Influence of heat processing on the bioaccessibility of zinc and iron from food grains consumed in India was evaluated. Cereals - rice (Oryza sativa), finger millet (Eleusine coracana), sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), wheat (Triticum aestivum), and maize (Zea mays), and pulses - chickpea (Cicer arietinum) - whole and decorticated, green gram (Phaseolus aureus) - whole and decorticated, decorticated black gram (Phaseolus mungo), decorticated red gram (Cajanus cajan), cowpea (Vigna catjang), and French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) were examined for zinc and iron bioaccessibility by employing an in vitro dialysability procedure. Both pressure-cooking and microwave heating were tested for their influence on mineral bioaccessibility. Zinc bioaccessibility from food grains was considerably reduced upon pressure-cooking, especially in pulses. Among cereals, pressure-cooking decreased zinc bioaccessibility by 63% and 57% in finger millet and rice, respectively. All the pressure-cooked cereals showed similar percent zinc bioaccessibility with the exception of finger millet. Bioaccessibility of zinc from pulses was generally lower as a result of pressure-cooking or microwave heating. The decrease in bioaccessibility of zinc caused by microwave heating ranged from 11.4% in chickpea (whole) to 63% in cowpea. Decrease in zinc bioaccessibility was 48% in pressure-cooked whole chickpea, 45% and 55% in pressure-cooked or microwave-heated whole green gram, 32% and 22% in pressure-cooked or microwave-heated decorticated green gram, and 45% in microwave-heated black gram. Iron bioaccessibility, on the other hand, was significantly enhanced generally from all the food grains studied upon heat treatment. Thus, heat treatment of grains produced contrasting effect on zinc and iron bioaccessibility.

  20. Zinc, iron, and lead: relations to head start children's cognitive scores and teachers' ratings of behavior.

    PubMed

    Hubbs-Tait, Laura; Kennedy, Tay Seacord; Droke, Elizabeth A; Belanger, David M; Parker, Jill R

    2007-01-01

    The objective of this study was to conduct a preliminary investigation of lead, zinc, and iron levels in relation to child cognition and behavior in a small sample of Head Start children. The design was cross-sectional and correlational. Participants were 42 3- to 5-year-old children attending rural Head Start centers. Nonfasting blood samples of whole blood lead, plasma zinc, and ferritin were collected. Teachers rated children's behavior on the California Preschool Social Competency Scale, Howes' Sociability subscale, and the Preschool Behavior Questionnaire. Children were tested individually with the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that zinc and ferritin jointly explained 25% of the variance in McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities verbal scores. Lead levels explained 25% of the variance in teacher ratings of girls' sociability and 20% of the variance in teacher ratings of girls' classroom competence. Zinc levels explained 39% of the variance in teacher ratings of boys' anxiety. Univariate analysis of variance revealed that the four children low in zinc and iron had significantly higher blood lead (median=0.23 micromol/L [4.73 microg/dL]) than the 31 children sufficient in zinc or iron (median=0.07 micromol/L [1.54 microg/dL]) or the 7 children sufficient in both (median=0.12 micromol/L [2.52 microg/dL]), suggesting an interaction among the three minerals. Within this small low-income sample, the results imply both separate and interacting effects of iron, zinc, and lead. They underscore the importance of studying these three minerals in larger samples of low-income preschool children to make more definitive conclusions.

  1. Effect of different home-cooking methods on the bioaccessibility of zinc and iron in conventionally bred cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) consumed in Brazil.

    PubMed

    Pereira, Elenilda J; Carvalho, Lucia M J; Dellamora-Ortiz, Gisela M; Cardoso, Flávio S N; Carvalho, José L V

    2016-01-01

    The cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Wap.) is an excellent source of iron and zinc. However, iron from plant sources is poorly absorbed compared with iron from animal sources. The objective of this study was to evaluate iron and zinc bioaccessibility in cowpea cultivars after processing. Zinc and iron bioaccessibilities in cowpea samples were determined based on an in vitro method involving simulated gastrointestinal digestion with suitable modifications. When water-soaked beans were cooked in a regular pan, the highest percentage of bioaccessible iron obtained was 8.92%, whereas when they were cooked in a pressure cooker without previous soaking, the highest percentage was 44.33%. Also, the percentage of bioaccessible zinc was 52.78% when they were cooked in a regular pan without prior soaking. Higher percentages of bioaccessible iron were found when cooking was done in a pressure cooker compared with regular pan cooking. In all cultivars, cooking of cowpea beans in both pressure cooker and in a regular pan yielded higher percentages of bioaccessible zinc compared with availability of bioaccessible iron. Iron bioaccessibility values suggest that cooking in a regular pan did not have a good effect on iron availability, since the percentage of bioaccessible iron was lower than that of zinc. The determination of iron and zinc bioaccessibility makes it possible to find out the actual percentage of absorption of such minerals and allows the development of efficient strategies for low-income groups to access foods with high levels of these micronutrients.

  2. Hyperaccumulation of zinc by zinc-depleted Candida utilis grown in chemostat culture.

    PubMed

    Lawford, H G; Pik, J R; Lawford, G R; Williams, T; Kligerman, A

    1980-01-01

    The steady-state levels of zinc in Candida utilis yeast grown in continuous culture under conditions of zinc limitations are <1nmol Zn2+/mg dry weight of cells. Unlike carbon-limited cells, zinc-depleted cells from a zinc-limited chemostat possess the capacity to accumulate and store zinc at levels far in excess of the steady-state level of 4 nmol/mg dry biomass observed in carbon-limited chemostat cultures. Zinc uptake is energy-dependent and apparently undirectional since accumulated 65Zn neither exists from preloaded cells nor exchanges with cold Zn2+. The transport system exhibits a high affinity for Zn2+ (Km =.36micrM) with a Vmaxof 2.2 nmol per minute per milligram dry weight of cells. Growth during the period of the uptake assay is responsible for the apparent plateau level of 35 nmol Zn2+/mg dry weight of cells achieved after 20-30 min in the presence of 65Zn at pH 4.5 and 30 degrees C. Inhibition of growth during the uptake assay by cycloheximide results in a biphasic linear pattern of zinc accumulation where the cellular zinc is about 60 nmol/mg dry weight after 1 h. The enhanced level of accumulated zinc is not inhibtory to growth. Zinc-depleted C. utilis contains elevated amounts of polyphosphate and this anionic evidence does not allow discrimination between possible regulation of zinc homestasis either by inhibitions of zinc efflux through control of the membrane carrier or by control of the synthesis of a cytoplasmic zinc-sequestering macromolecule.

  3. Effects of dietary supplementation with tribasic zinc sulfate or zinc sulfate on growth performance, zinc content and expression of zinc transporters in young pigs.

    PubMed

    Deng, Bo; Zhou, Xihong; Wu, Jie; Long, Ciming; Yao, Yajun; Peng, Hongxing; Wan, Dan; Wu, Xin

    2017-10-01

    An experiment was conducted to compare the effects of zinc sulfate (ZS) and tribasic zinc sulfate (TBZ) as sources of supplemental zinc on growth performance, serum zinc (Zn) content and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of Zn transporters (ZnT1/ZnT2/ZnT5/ZIP4/DMT1) of young growing pigs. A total of 96 Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire pigs were randomly allotted to two treatments and were fed a basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg Zn from either ZS or TBZ for 28 days. Feed : gain ratio in pigs fed TBZ were lower (P < 0.05) than pigs fed ZS, and average daily weight gain tended to increase (0.05 ≤ P ≤ 0.10) in pigs fed TBZ. Compared with pigs fed ZS, pigs fed TBZ had a higher CuZn-superoxide dismutase and Zn content in serum (P < 0.05) while they had a lower Zn content in feces (P < 0.05). In addition, ZIP4 mRNA expression of zinc transporter in either duodenum or jejunum of pigs fed TBZ were higher (P < 0.05) than pigs fed ZS. These results indicate that TBZ is more effective in serum Zn accumulation and intestinal Zn absorption, and might be a potential substitute for ZS in young growing pigs. © 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

  4. Synthesis and photocatalytic property of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) fine particle using flame spray pyrolysis method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Widiyandari, Hendri; Ayu Ketut Umiati, Ngurah; Dwi Herdianti, Rizki

    2018-05-01

    Advance oxidation process (AOP) using photocatalysis constitute a promising technology for the treatment of wastewaters containing non-easily removable organic compound. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is one of efficient photocatalyst materials. This research reported synthesis of ZnO fine particle from zinc nitrate hexahydrate using Flame Spray Pyrolysis (FSP) method. In this method, oxygen (O2) gas were used as oxidizer and LPG (liquid petroleum gas) were used as fuel. The effect of O2 gas flow rate during ZnO particle fabrication to the microstructure, optical and photocatalytic properties were systematically discussed. The photocatalytic activity of ZnO was tested for the degradation of amaranth dye with initial concentration of 10 ppm under irradiation of solar simulator. The rate of decrease in amaranth concentration was measured using UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The ZnO synthesized using FSP has a hexagonal crystalline structure. Scanning electron microscope images showed that ZnO has a spherical formed which was the mixture of solid and hollow particles. The optimum condition for amaranth degradation was shown by ZnO produced at a flow rate of 1.5 L/min which able to degrade amaranth dye up to 95,3 % at 75 minutes irradiation.

  5. The zinc stable isotope signature of waste rock drainage in Arctic Canada

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matthies, Romy; Blowes, David

    2014-05-01

    Leachate emerging from a pilot-scale waste rock pile of the Diavik diamond mine, Northwest Territories, was monitored. The well-characterized waste rock consists of granite, pegmatitic granite and biotite schist with an average total sulfur and carbonate carbon concentration of 0.053 and 0.027 wt. %, respectively. During the field seasons of 2011 and 2012, the Zn stable isotope footprint was characterized alongside standard monitoring parameters. pH ranged between 4.3 and 6.8 and carbonate alkalinity was low or undetectable. Al and Fe concentrations averaged 6.78 mg L-1 and 175 µg L-1, respectively. The pH and metal mobility were governed by sulfide oxidation and sorption and co-precipitation onto iron and aluminium hydroxides. The main processes controlling zinc mobility in the range of 0.4 and 4.7 mg L-1 was the oxidative dissolution of sphalerite (ZnS) in the biotite schist and the attenuation of zinc onto secondary iron and aluminium hydroxides and desorption upon the pH declining below the pHpzc. The isotope ratios between -0.16 and +0.19 ‰ (δ66Zn, avg = +0.05 ‰, n = 43) are consistent with values reported from other sphalerite containing deposits. Zn isotope ratios and concentrations were largely uncorrelated suggesting that the processes affecting Zn mobility had little or no impact on the Zn isotope signature. Data indicate, that the Zn isotope ratios of the waste rock leachate may be used as a fingerprint to track anthropogenic, mine-derived Zn sources under varying environmental conditions.

  6. Nanocarrier-mediated foliar zinc fertilization influences expression of metal homeostasis related genes in flag leaves and enhances gluten content in durum wheat.

    PubMed

    Deshpande, Paresh; Dapkekar, Ashwin; Oak, Manoj; Paknikar, Kishore; Rajwade, Jyutika

    2018-01-01

    Wheat is the staple food for most of the world's population; however, it is a poor source of zinc. Foliar fertilization of zinc via zinc loaded chitosan nanocarriers (Zn-CNP) post-anthesis has proved to be a promising approach for grain zinc enhancement in durum wheat as evidenced in our earlier study. However, the molecular mechanism of uptake of zinc via Zn-CNP remains unclear. Foliar application of Zn-CNP was performed at post anthesis stages in two durum wheat cultivars (MACS 3125 and UC1114, containing the Gpc-B1 gene), and expression levels of several metal-related genes were analyzed during early senescence. Zn-CNP application indeed caused changes in gene expression as revealed by qPCR data on representative genes involved in metal homeostasis, phloem transporters, and leaf senescence. Furthermore, zinc-regulated transporters and iron (Fe)-regulated transporter-like protein (ZIP) family [ZIP1, ZIP7, ZIP15], CA (carbonic anhydrase), and DMAS (2'-deoxymugineic acid synthase) in flag leaves exhibited significant correlation with zinc content in the seeds. The analysis of grain endosperm proteins showed enhancement of gamma gliadins while other gluten subunits decreased. Gene expression within ZIP family members varied with the type of cultivar mostly attributed to the Gpc-B1, concentration of external zinc ions as well as the type of tissue analyzed. Correlation analysis revealed the involvement of the selected genes in zinc enhancement. At the molecular level, uptake of zinc via Zn-CNP nanocarrier was comparable to the uptake of zinc via common zinc fertilizers i.e. ZnSO4.

  7. Yacon effects in immune response and nutritional status of iron and zinc in preschool children.

    PubMed

    Vaz-Tostes, Maria das Graças; Viana, Mirelle Lomar; Grancieri, Mariana; Luz, Tereza Cecília dos Santos; Paula, Heberth de; Pedrosa, Rogério Graça; Costa, Neuza Maria Brunoro

    2014-06-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of yacon flour on iron and zinc nutritional status and immune response biomarkers in preschool children. Preschool children ages 2 to 5 y were selected from two nurseries and were placed into a control group (n = 58) or a yacon group (n = 59). The yacon group received yacon flour in preparations for 18 wk at a quantity to provide 0.14 g of fructooligosaccharides/kg of body weight daily. Anthropometric parameters were measured before and after the intervention and dietary intake was measured during the intervention. To assess iron and zinc status, erythrograms, serum iron, ferritin, and plasma, and erythrocyte zinc were evaluated. Systemic immune response was assessed by the biomarkers interleukin IL-4, IL-10, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF-α). Intestinal immune response was analyzed by secretory IgA (sIgA) levels before and after the intervention. Statistical significance was evaluated using the paired t test (α = 5%). Before and after the study, the children presented a high prevalence of overweight and an inadequate dietary intake of zinc and fiber. The yacon group presented with lower hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration at the end of the study (P < 0.05). Erythrocyte zinc was reduced in both groups at the end of the study (P < 0.05). Yacon intake increased the serum levels of IL-4 and fecal sIgA (P < 0.05). The control group had lower serum TNF-α after the study period (P < 0.05). Yacon improved intestinal immune response but demonstrated no effect on the nutritional status of iron and zinc in preschool children. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Combined copper/zinc attachment to prion protein

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hodak, Miroslav; Bernholc, Jerry

    2013-03-01

    Misfolding of prion protein (PrP) is responsible for diseases such as ``mad-cow disease'' in cattle and Creutzfeldt-Jacob in humans. Extensive experimental investigation has established that this protein strongly interacts with copper ions, and this ability has been linked to its still unknown function. Attachment of other metal ions (zinc, iron, manganese) have been demonstrated as well, but none of them could outcompete copper. Recent finding, however, indicates that at intermediate concentrations both copper and zinc ions can attach to the PrP at the octarepeat region, which contains high affinity metal binding sites. Based on this evidence, we have performed density functional theory simulations to investigate the combined Cu/Zn attachment. We consider all previously reported binding modes of copper at the octarepeat region and examine a possibility simultaneous Cu/Zn attachment. We find that this can indeed occur for only one of the known binding sites, when copper changes its coordination mode to allow for attachment of zinc ion. The implications of the simultaneous attachment on neural function remain to be explored.

  9. Spatial evolution of Zn-Fe-Pb isotopes of sphalerite within a single ore body: A case study from the Dongshengmiao ore deposit, Inner Mongolia, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Zhaofu; Zhu, Xiangkun; Sun, Jian; Luo, Zhaohua; Bao, Chuang; Tang, Chao; Ma, Jianxiong

    2018-01-01

    Analyses of sphalerite minerals from the characteristic brecciated Zn-Pb ores of the main ore body in the giant Dongshengmiao deposit have revealed variations in δ66Zn from 0.17 to 0.40‰ and in δ56Fe from -1.78 to -0.35‰. Further, the investigated pyrrhotite samples have iron that is isotopically similar to that of associated sphalerite minerals. The most distinctive pattern revealed by the zinc and iron isotope data is the lateral trend of increasing δ66Zn and δ56Fe values from southwest to northeast within the main ore body. The lead isotopic homogeneity of ore sulfides from the main ore body suggests that there is only one significant source for metal, thus precluding the mixing of multiple metal sources as the key factor controlling spatial variations of zinc and iron isotopes. The most likely control on spatial variations is Rayleigh fractionation during hydrothermal fluid flow, with lighter Zn and Fe isotopes preferentially incorporated into the earliest sulfides to precipitate from fluids. Precipitations of sphalerite and pyrrhotite have played vital roles in the Zn and Fe isotopic variations, respectively, of the ore-forming system. Accordingly, the larger isotopic variability for Fe than Zn within the same hydrothermal system perhaps resulted from a larger proportion of precipitation for pyrrhotite than for sphalerite. The lateral trend pattern revealed by the zinc and iron isotope data is consistent with the occurrence of a cystic-shaped breccia zone, which is characterized by marked elevation in Cu. The results further confirm that Zn and Fe isotopes can be used as a vectoring tool for mineral prospecting.

  10. Digital selective growth of a ZnO nanowire array by large scale laser decomposition of zinc acetate.

    PubMed

    Hong, Sukjoon; Yeo, Junyeob; Manorotkul, Wanit; Kang, Hyun Wook; Lee, Jinhwan; Han, Seungyong; Rho, Yoonsoo; Suh, Young Duk; Sung, Hyung Jin; Ko, Seung Hwan

    2013-05-07

    We develop a digital direct writing method for ZnO NW micro-patterned growth on a large scale by selective laser decomposition of zinc acetate. For ZnO NW growth, by replacing the bulk heating with the scanning focused laser as a fully digital local heat source, zinc acetate crystallites can be selectively activated as a ZnO seed pattern to grow ZnO nanowires locally on a larger area. Together with the selective laser sintering process of metal nanoparticles, more than 10,000 UV sensors have been demonstrated on a 4 cm × 4 cm glass substrate to develop all-solution processible, all-laser mask-less digital fabrication of electronic devices including active layer and metal electrodes without any conventional vacuum deposition, photolithographic process, premade mask, high temperature and vacuum environment.

  11. Sonochemically synthesized iron-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles: Influence of precursor composition on characteristics

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Roy, Anirban; Maitra, Saikat; Ghosh, Sobhan

    Highlights: • Sonochemical synthesis of iron-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles. • Green synthesis without alkali at room temperature. • Characterization by UV–vis spectroscopy, FESEM, XRD and EDX. • Influence of precursor composition on characteristics. • Composition and characteristics are correlated. - Abstract: Iron-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized sonochemically from aqueous acetyl acetonate precursors of different proportions. Synthesized nanoparticles were characterized with UV–vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and microscopy. Influences of precursor mixture on the characteristics have been examined and modeled. Linear correlations have been proposed between dopant dosing, extent of doping and band gap energy. Experimental data corroborated with themore » proposed models.« less

  12. Sustainable synthesis of metals-doped ZnO nanoparticles from zinc-bearing dust for photodegradation of phenol.

    PubMed

    Wu, Zhao-Jin; Huang, Wei; Cui, Ke-Ke; Gao, Zhi-Fang; Wang, Ping

    2014-08-15

    A novel strategy of waste-cleaning-waste is proposed in the present work. A metals-doped ZnO (M-ZnO, M = Fe, Mg, Ca and Al) nanomaterial has been prepared from a metallurgical zinc-containing solid waste "fabric filter dust" by combining sulfolysis and co-precipitation processes, and is found to be a favorable photocatalyst for photodegradation of organic substances in wastewater under visible light irradiation. All the zinc and dopants (Fe, Mg, Ca and Al) for preparing M-ZnO are recovered from the fabric filter dust, without any addition of chemical as elemental source. The dust-derived M-ZnO samples deliver single phase indexed as the hexagonal ZnO crystal, with controllable dopants species. The photocatalytic activity of the dust-derived M-ZnO samples is characterized by photodegradation of phenol aqueous solution under visible light irradiation, giving more prominent photocatalytic behaviors than undoped ZnO. Such enhancements may be attributed to incorporation of the dust-derived metal elements (Fe, Mg, Ca and Al) into ZnO structure, which lead to the modification of band gap and refinement of grain size. The results show a feasibility to utilize the industrial waste as a resource of photodegradating organic substances in wastewater treatments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Effects of cooking methods on the iron and zinc contents in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) to combat nutritional deficiencies in Brazil

    PubMed Central

    Pereira, Elenilda J.; Carvalho, Lucia M. J.; Dellamora-Ortiz, Gisela M.; Cardoso, Flávio S. N.; Carvalho, José L. V.; Viana, Daniela S.; Freitas, Sidinea C.; Rocha, Maurisrael M.

    2014-01-01

    Background Because iron deficiency anemia is prevalent in developing countries, determining the levels of iron and zinc in beans, the second most consumed staple food in Brazil, is essential, especially for the low-income people who experience a deficiency of these minerals in their diet. Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the effect of cooking methods by measuring the iron and zinc contents in cowpea cultivars before and after soaking to determine the retention of these minerals. Methods The samples were cooked in both regular pans and pressure cookers with and without previous soaking. Mineral analyses were carried out by Spectrometry of Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP). Results The results showed high contents of iron and zinc in raw samples as well as in cooked ones, with the use of regular pan resulting in greater percentage of iron retention and the use of pressure cooker ensuring higher retention of zinc. Conclusions The best retention of iron was found in the BRS Aracê cultivar prepared in a regular pan with previous soaking. This cultivar may be indicated for cultivation and human consumption. The best retention of zinc was found for the BRS Tumucumaque cultivar prepared in a pressure cooker without previous soaking. PMID:24624050

  14. Biochemical and structural characterization of a novel family of cystathionine beta-synthase domain proteins fused to a Zn ribbon-like domain.

    PubMed

    Proudfoot, Michael; Sanders, Stephen A; Singer, Alex; Zhang, Rongguang; Brown, Greg; Binkowski, Andrew; Xu, Linda; Lukin, Jonathan A; Murzin, Alexey G; Joachimiak, Andrzej; Arrowsmith, Cheryl H; Edwards, Aled M; Savchenko, Alexei V; Yakunin, Alexander F

    2008-01-04

    We have identified a novel family of proteins, in which the N-terminal cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) domain is fused to the C-terminal Zn ribbon domain. Four proteins were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified: TA0289 from Thermoplasma acidophilum, TV1335 from Thermoplasma volcanium, PF1953 from Pyrococcus furiosus, and PH0267 from Pyrococcus horikoshii. The purified proteins had a red/purple color in solution and an absorption spectrum typical of rubredoxins (Rds). Metal analysis of purified proteins revealed the presence of several metals, with iron and zinc being the most abundant metals (2-67% of iron and 12-74% of zinc). Crystal structures of both mercury- and iron-bound TA0289 (1.5-2.0 A resolution) revealed a dimeric protein whose intersubunit contacts are formed exclusively by the alpha-helices of two cystathionine beta-synthase subdomains, whereas the C-terminal domain has a classical Zn ribbon planar architecture. All proteins were reversibly reduced by chemical reductants (ascorbate or dithionite) or by the general Rd reductase NorW from E. coli in the presence of NADH. Reduced TA0289 was found to be capable of transferring electrons to cytochrome C from horse heart. Likewise, the purified Zn ribbon protein KTI11 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae had a purple color in solution and an Rd-like absorption spectrum, contained both iron and zinc, and was reduced by the Rd reductase NorW from E. coli. Thus, recombinant Zn ribbon domains from archaea and yeast demonstrate an Rd-like electron carrier activity in vitro. We suggest that, in vivo, some Zn ribbon domains might also bind iron and therefore possess an electron carrier activity, adding another physiological role to this large family of important proteins.

  15. Non-invasive detection of iron deficiency by fluorescence measurement of erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin in the lip

    PubMed Central

    Hennig, Georg; Homann, Christian; Teksan, Ilknur; Hasbargen, Uwe; Hasmüller, Stephan; Holdt, Lesca M.; Khaled, Nadia; Sroka, Ronald; Stauch, Thomas; Stepp, Herbert; Vogeser, Michael; Brittenham, Gary M.

    2016-01-01

    Worldwide, more individuals have iron deficiency than any other health problem. Most of those affected are unaware of their lack of iron, in part because detection of iron deficiency has required a blood sample. Here we report a non-invasive method to optically measure an established indicator of iron status, red blood cell zinc protoporphyrin, in the microcirculation of the lower lip. An optical fibre probe is used to illuminate the lip and acquire fluorescence emission spectra in ∼1 min. Dual-wavelength excitation with spectral fitting is used to distinguish the faint zinc protoporphyrin fluorescence from the much greater tissue background fluorescence, providing immediate results. In 56 women, 35 of whom were iron-deficient, the sensitivity and specificity of optical non-invasive detection of iron deficiency were 97% and 90%, respectively. This fluorescence method potentially provides a rapid, easy to use means for point-of-care screening for iron deficiency in resource-limited settings lacking laboratory infrastructure. PMID:26883939

  16. Polymorphic one-dimensional (N2H4)2ZnTe: soluble precursors for the formation of hexagonal or cubic zinc telluride.

    PubMed

    Mitzi, David B

    2005-10-03

    Two hydrazine zinc(II) telluride polymorphs, (N2H4)2ZnTe, have been isolated, using ambient-temperature solution-based techniques, and the crystal structures determined: alpha-(N2H4)2ZnTe (1) [P21, a = 7.2157(4) Angstroms, b = 11.5439(6) Angstroms, c = 7.3909(4) Angstroms, beta = 101.296(1) degrees, Z = 4] and beta-(N2H4)2ZnTe (2) [Pn, a = 8.1301(5) Angstroms, b = 6.9580(5) Angstroms, c = 10.7380(7) Angstroms, beta = 91.703(1) degrees, Z = 4]. The zinc atoms in 1 and 2 are tetrahedrally bonded to two terminal hydrazine molecules and two bridging tellurium atoms, leading to the formation of extended one-dimensional (1-D) zinc telluride chains, with different chain conformations and packings distinguishing the two polymorphs. Thermal decomposition of (N2H4)2ZnTe first yields crystalline wurtzite (hexagonal) ZnTe at temperatures as low as 200 degrees C, followed by the more stable zinc blende (cubic) form at temperatures above 350 degrees C. The 1-D polymorphs are soluble in hydrazine and can be used as convenient precursors for the low-temperature solution processing of p-type ZnTe semiconducting films.

  17. Roles of Zinc and Iron on Bone Health in a Rat Model of Osteoporosis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Danhua

    Bone is one of the most vital organs in animals, serving as both structural and protective functions. Remodeling of bone is an important indicator of bone health, and disorders in bone remodeling may lead to bone diseases such as osteoporosis. Osteoporosis increases risk of bone fracture and even death, and much more preferable to be happened in postmenopausal women due to great changes in hormones. Micronutrients, such as Zinc (Zn) and Iron (Fe), would as well influence bone health in different manners. That Zn would promote bone health is widely accepted, for the reasons Zn increases osteoblast cell proliferation and differentiation, inhibits osteoclast cell activities, and forms alkaline phosphatase that does help to maintain bone metabolism. Diseases caused by Fe overload is usually related to osteoporosis. Ferric ion could facilitate osteoclast differentiation, inhibit osteoblast and alkaline phosphatase activities, and interfere with hydroxyapatite crystal growth and depositions. However, changes of concentrations and distributions for Zn and Fe in osteoporotic bones are seldom studied. In this thesis, ovariectomized rat femur bones are used as a model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Rats from different ages and health conditions are categorized as 6 AM (6-month age matched control), 6 OVX (6-month ovariectomized control), 12 AM (12-month age matched control), 12 OVX (12-month ovariectomized control). The trace elements Zn and Fe is studied through Synchrotron Radiation X-Ray Fluorescence (SRXRF). Elemental maps are used to observe changes in distribution, and further quantitative analysis is used to discover changes in concentration among different animal groups. Both the decrease of Zn and the increase of Fe are significant from healthy to osteoporotic bones (p<0.05). In the meanwhile, accumulation of Zn (p<0.05) and Fe (p>0.1) is also observed over age in healthy groups. Both elements show changes in distribution, that healthy animals present a more even

  18. Bioavailability of Zinc in Wistar Rats Fed with Rice Fortified with Zinc Oxide

    PubMed Central

    Della Lucia, Ceres Mattos; Santos, Laura Luiza Menezes; Rodrigues, Kellen Cristina da Cruz; Rodrigues, Vivian Cristina da Cruz; Martino, Hércia Stampini Duarte; Pinheiro Sant’Ana, Helena Maria

    2014-01-01

    The study of zinc bioavailability in foods is important because this mineral intake does not meet the recommended doses for some population groups. Also, the presence of dietary factors that reduce zinc absorption contributes to its deficiency. Rice fortified with micronutrients (Ultra Rice®) is a viable alternative for fortification since this cereal is already inserted into the population habit. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bioavailability of zinc (Zn) in rice fortified with zinc oxide. During 42 days, rats were divided into four groups and fed with diets containing two different sources of Zn (test diet: UR® fortified with zinc oxide, or control diet: zinc carbonate (ZnCO3)), supplying 50% or 100%, respectively, of the recommendations of this mineral for animals. Weight gain, food intake, feed efficiency ratio, weight, thickness and length of femur; retention of zinc, calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) in the femur and the concentrations of Zn in femur, plasma and erythrocytes were evaluated. Control diet showed higher weight gain, feed efficiency ratio, retention of Zn and Zn concentration in the femur (p < 0.05). However, no differences were observed (p > 0.05) for dietary intake, length and thickness of the femur, erythrocyte and plasmatic Zn between groups. Although rice fortified with zinc oxide showed a lower bioavailability compared to ZnCO3, this food can be a viable alternative to be used as a vehicle for fortification. PMID:24932657

  19. Simultaneous adsorption and degradation of Zn(2+) and Cu (2+) from wastewaters using nanoscale zero-valent iron impregnated with clays.

    PubMed

    Shi, Li-Na; Zhou, Yan; Chen, Zuliang; Megharaj, Mallavarapu; Naidu, Ravi

    2013-06-01

    Clays such as kaolin, bentonite and zeolite were evaluated as support material for nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) to simultaneously remove Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) from aqueous solution. Of the three supported nZVIs, bentonite-supported nZVI (B-nZVI) was most effective in the simultaneous removal of Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) from a aqueous solution containing a 100 mg/l of Cu(2+) and Zn(2+), where 92.9 % Cu(2+) and 58.3 % Zn(2+) were removed. Scanning electronic microscope (SEM) revealed that the aggregation of nZVI decreased as the proportion of bentonite increased due to the good dispersion of nZVI, while energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) demonstrated the deposition of copper and zinc on B-nZVI after B-nZVI reacted with Cu(2+) and Zn(2+). A kinetics study indicated that removing Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) with B-nZVI accorded with the pseudo first-order model. These suggest that simultaneous adsorption of Cu(2+)and Zn(2+) on bentonite and the degradation of Cu(2+)and Zn(2+) by nZVI on the bentonite. However, Cu(2+) removal by B-nZVI was reduced rather than adsorption, while Zn(2+) removal was main adsorption. Finally, Cu(2+), Zn(2+), Ni(2+), Pb(2+) and total Cr from various wastewaters were removed by B-nZVI, and reusability of B-nZVI with different treatment was tested, which demonstrates that B-nZVI is a potential material for the removal of heavy metals from wastewaters.

  20. [A neonate with anaemia of prematurity: zinc protoporphyrin identifies iron deficiency anaemia without iron deficiency].

    PubMed

    van der Feen, Diederik E; van Hillegersberg, Jacqueline L A M; Schippers, Johannes A

    2015-01-01

    Anaemia is a common problem in premature infants and is generally easy to treat with iron supplementation. If the anaemia persists despite appropriate correction of deficiencies, more extensive evaluation is required. We describe a case of a premature male infant with a production-deficient anaemia without metabolic deficiencies, eventually identified as anaemia of prematurity. This type of anaemia is commonly diagnosed but its highly variable and complex aetiology and phenotype are often poorly understood. A probable explanation for the anaemia of prematurity in this case was a transient iron incorporation defect, identifiable by high levels of zinc protoporphyrin.

  1. Magnetic properties and loss separation in iron-silicone-MnZn ferrite soft magnetic composites

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wu, Shen; Sun, Aizhi; Xu, Wenhuan

    This paper investigates the magnetic and structural properties of iron-based soft magnetic composites coated with silicone-MnZn ferrite hybrid. The organic silicone resin was added to improve the flexibility of the insulated iron powder and causes better adhesion between particles to increase the mechanical properties. Scanning electron microscopy and distribution maps show that the iron particle surface is covered with a thin layer of silicone-MnZn ferrite. Silicone-MnZn ferrite coated samples have higher permeability when compared with the non-magnetic silicone resin coated compacts. The real part of permeability increases by 34.18% when compared with the silicone resin coated samples at 20 kHz.more » In this work, a formula for calculating the total loss component by loss separation method is presented and finally the different parts of total losses are calculated. The results show that the eddy current loss coefficient is close to each other for the silicone-MnZn ferrite, silicone resin and MnZn ferrite coated samples (0.0078« less

  2. Biopharmaceutical characterisation of ciprofloxacin-metallic ion interactions: comparative study into the effect of aluminium, calcium, zinc and iron on drug solubility and dissolution.

    PubMed

    Stojković, Aleksandra; Tajber, Lidia; Paluch, Krzysztof J; Djurić, Zorica; Parojčić, Jelena; Corrigan, Owen I

    2014-03-01

    Ciprofloxacin bioavailability may be reduced when ciprofloxacin is co-administered with metallic ion containing preparations. In our previous study, physicochemical interaction between ciprofloxacin and ferrous sulphate was successfully simulated in vitro. In the present work, comparative in vitro ciprofloxacin solubility and dissolution studies were performed in the reactive media containing aluminium hydroxide, calcium carbonate or zinc sulphate. Solid phases collected from the dissolution vessel with aluminium hydroxide, calcium carbonate and zinc sulphate were investigated for their properties. The results obtained indicate that different types of adducts may form and retard ciprofloxacin solubility and dissolution. In the case of aluminium, no phase changes were observed. The solid phase generated in the presence of calcium carbonate was identified as hydrated ciprofloxacin base. Similarly to iron, a new complex consistent with Zn(SO4)2(Cl)2(ciprofloxacin)2 × nH2O stoichiometry was generated in the presence of relatively high concentrations of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride and zinc sulphate, indicating that small volume dissolution experiments can be useful for biorelevant dissolution tests.

  3. Acceptability and solubility of iron and zinc contents of modified Moringa oleifera sauces consumed in the Far-north region of Cameroon.

    PubMed

    Mawouma, Saliou; Ponka, Roger; Mbofung, Carl Moses

    2017-03-01

    Consumption of Moringa oleifera leaves is a local and inexpensive solution to iron and zinc deficiencies in the Far-north region of Cameroon. However, traditional household's cooking techniques result in sauces with high pH levels and low leaves incorporation rates that compromise the bioavailability of iron and zinc. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of modifying a standard Moringa sauce on consumer acceptability and the solubility of iron and zinc, which is an indicator of their bioavailability. Lime juice or tamarind pulp was added to a standard recipe in order to reduce the pH by about one unit, and Moringa leaf powder was incorporated in each acidulated sauce at three levels (1, 2, and 4 g/100 g of sauce). All the formulations were evaluated for their acceptability by 30 housewives using a five-point hedonic scale. The pH was measured by a digital electronic pH-meter. Moisture and ash were determined by AOAC methods. Total iron and zinc contents were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and soluble iron and zinc by HCl-extractability. The lime juice-acidulated sauce and the tamarind pulp-acidulated sauce enriched with 1 g of Moringa leaf powder were the most acceptable formulations with scores of 3.4 and 3.6, respectively. Their chemical analysis showed a reduced pH (6.4 and 6.1, respectively), compared to the Control (7.2). Lime juice-acidulated sauce improved iron and zinc solubility from 42.19 to 66.38% and 54.03 to 82.03%, respectively. Tamarind pulp-acidulated sauce enriched with 1 g of Moringa leaf powder showed a decrease in iron solubility from 42.19 to 38.26% and an increase in zinc solubility from 54.03 to 72.86%. These results confirm the beneficial effect of lime juice in improving iron and zinc bioavailability.

  4. Iron sand - ZnO based materials of natural origin for dye decolorization under sunlight irradiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salprima Yudha, S.; Angasa, Eka; Fitriani, Dyah; Falahudin, Aswin

    2017-03-01

    A mixed iron sand - ZnO materials was prepared by heating a mixture of natural iron sand and ZnO at 900 °C for 5 hours. XRD study of the sample revealed that, in the mixed iron sand - ZnO present some minor peaks that similar with XRD pattern of γ-Fe2O3 and/or Fe3O4. Observation of the sample using SEM, showed a compact morpholgy and almost homogenenous in particles size. In purpose to evaluate the ability of this materials for textile dying wastewater treatment, a study on rhodamine B decolorization was carried out as a reperesentative.

  5. Acute and subacute response of iron, zinc, copper and selenium in pigs experimentally infected with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

    PubMed

    Humann-Ziehank, Esther; Menzel, Anne; Roehrig, Petra; Schwert, Barbara; Ganter, Martin; Hennig-Pauka, Isabel

    2014-10-01

    This study was performed to characterise the response of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and selenium (Se) in bacterial-induced porcine acute phase reaction (APR). Twenty piglets were challenged by aerosolic infection with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A.pp.) serotype 2, ten piglets serving as controls. Blood sampling was done initially and at day 4 and 21 after infection, collection of liver tissue was done at day 21 (autopsy). A.pp.-infection caused fever and respiratory symptoms. APR at day 4 after infection was marked by an increase in total white blood cells, granulocytes and monocytes in whole blood samples and an increase in globulin/albumin ratio (G/A), α2-globulins, C-reactive protein, haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin (Cp), Cu and Se in serum. Concurrently, there was a decrease in haemoglobin (Hb) and packed cell volume (PCV) in whole blood as well as a decrease in albumin, transferrin, total iron binding capacity and Fe in serum and Zn in plasma. The subacute stage at day 21 was characterised by progressively increased concentrations of G/A, β-globulins and γ-globulins reflecting the specific immune reaction. Hb and PCV showed further decreases, all other parameters returned to the initial concentrations. Glutathione peroxidase activity in plasma and liver tissue remained unaffected by A.pp.-infection. The liver concentration (day 21) of Zn was found to be higher, that of Se was lower in the A.pp.-group, whereas hepatic concentrations of Cu and Fe were not affected by A.pp.-infection. In summary, the acute and subacute stages of A.pp.-infection were accurately characterised by the APR-related parameters. Se was only marginally affected by the A.pp.-infection. The elevated plasma Cu concentration may be a side effect of the transient hepatic induction of Cp synthesis. Zn responded, being distinctly reduced in plasma and probably having been sequestered in the liver tissue. Reduction in serum Fe can be regarded as an unspecific defence mechanism in A

  6. Effect of iron doping on structural and microstructural properties of nanocrystalline ZnSnO3 thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pathan, Idris G.; Suryawanshi, Dinesh N.; Bari, Anil R.; Patil, Lalchand A.

    2018-05-01

    This work presents the effect of iron doping having different volume ratios (1 ml, 2.5 ml and 5 ml) on the structural, microstructural and electrical properties of zinc stannate thin films, prepared by spray pyrolysis method. These properties were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). In our study, XRD pattern indicates that ZnSnO3 has a perovskite phase with face exposed hexahedron structure. The electron diffraction fringes observed are in consistent with the peak observed in XRD patterns. Moreover the sensor reported in our study is cost-effective, user friendly and easy to fabricate.

  7. Role of a gas phase in the kinetics of zinc and iron reduction with carbon from slag melts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chumarev, V. M.; Selivanov, E. N.

    2013-03-01

    The influence of the mass transfer conditions in the gas phase having formed at the carbon-slag melt interface on CO regeneration is approximately estimated in the framework of a two-stage scheme of metal reduction from slag melts by carbon. The effect of zinc vapors on the combined reduction of iron and zinc from slags is considered. The influence of the slag composition and temperature on the critical concentration of zinc oxide above which no iron forms as an individual phase is explained.

  8. Zinc

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Zinc was recognized as an essential trace metal for humans during the studies of Iranian adolescent dwarfs in the early 1960s. Zinc metal existing as Zn2+ is a strong electron acceptor in biological systems without risks of oxidant damage to cells. Zn2+ functions in the structure of proteins and is ...

  9. Iron and zinc content of selected foods in the diet of schoolchildren in Kumi district, east of Uganda: a cross-sectional study

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Iron and zinc are essential micronutrients for humans and deficiency of the two elements is widespread in the world with the highest prevalence in less developed countries. There are few data on dietary intake of iron and zinc in Uganda, and no food composition table is available. There is hardly any widely published literature that clearly documents the quality of Ugandan children's diet. Thus information of both food intake and the concentration of these trace elements in local food ingredients are needed in order to assess daily intake. Methods The present study focused on the iron and zinc content in selected foods and intake of the micronutrients iron and zinc among schoolchildren in Kumi District, Uganda. Over a period of 4 weeks single 24-hour dietary recall interviews were carried out on a convenience sample of 178 schoolchildren (9-15 years old). Data from the dietary recalls was used when selecting foods for chemical analysis. Results Results from this study showed that the iron concentrations varied, and were high in some cereals and vegetables. The zinc concentrations in foods generally corresponded with results from other African countries (Mali and Kenya). Data from the 24-hour dietary recall showed that the daily Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) was met for iron but not for zinc. Conclusions The schoolchildren of Kumi district had a predominantly vegetable based diet. Foods of animal origin were consumed occasionally. The iron content in the selected foods was high and variable, and higher than in similar ingredients from Kenya and Mali, while the zinc concentrations were generally in accordance with reported values. The total daily zinc (mg) intake does not meet the daily RNI. The iron intake is adequate according to RNI, but due to iron contamination and reduced bioavailability, RNI may not be met in a vegetable based diet. More studies are needed to investigate possible sources of contamination. PMID:21827701

  10. Application of Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles for the Removal of Aqueous Zinc Ions under Various Experimental Conditions

    PubMed Central

    Liang, Wen; Dai, Chaomeng; Zhou, Xuefei; Zhang, Yalei

    2014-01-01

    Application of zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) for Zn2+ removal and its mechanism were discussed. It demonstrated that the uptake of Zn2+ by nZVI was efficient. With the solids concentration of 1 g/L nZVI, more than 85% of Zn2+ could be removed within 2 h. The pH value and dissolved oxygen (DO) were the important factors of Zn2+ removal by nZVI. The DO enhanced the removal efficiency of Zn2+. Under the oxygen-contained condition, oxygen corrosion gave the nZVI surface a shell of iron (oxy)hydroxide, which could show high adsorption affinity. The removal efficiency of Zn2+ increased with the increasing of the pH. Acidic condition reduced the removal efficiency of Zn2+ by nZVI because the existing H+ inhibited the formation of iron (oxy)hydroxide. Adsorption and co-precipitation were the most likely mechanism of Zn2+ removal by nZVI. The FeOOH-shell could enhance the adsorption efficiency of nZVI. The removal efficiency and selectivity of nZVI particles for Zn2+ were higher than Cd2+. Furthermore, a continuous flow reactor for engineering application of nZVI was designed and exhibited high removal efficiency for Zn2+. PMID:24416439

  11. Structure and Corrosion Behavior of Arc-Sprayed Zn-Al Coatings on Ductile Iron Substrate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bonabi, Salar Fatoureh; Ashrafizadeh, Fakhreddin; Sanati, Alireza; Nahvi, Saied Mehran

    2018-02-01

    In this research, four coatings including pure zinc, pure aluminum, a double-layered coating of zinc and aluminum, and a coating produced by simultaneous deposition of zinc and aluminum were deposited on a cast iron substrate using electric arc-spraying technique. The coatings were characterized by XRD, SEM and EDS map and spot analyses. Adhesion strength of the coatings was evaluated by three-point bending tests, where double-layered coating indicated the lowest bending angle among the specimens, with detection of cracks at the coating-substrate interface. Coatings produced by simultaneous deposition of zinc and aluminum possessed a relatively uniform distribution of both metals. In order to evaluate the corrosion behavior of the coatings, cyclic polarization and salt spray tests were conducted. Accordingly, pure aluminum coating showed susceptibility to pitting corrosion and other coatings underwent uniform corrosion. For double-layered coating, SEM micrographs revealed zinc corrosion products as flaky particles in the pores formed by pitting on the surface, an indication of penetration of corrosion products from the lower layer (zinc) to the top layer (aluminum). All coatings experienced higher negative corrosion potentials than the iron substrate, indicative of their sacrificial behavior.

  12. The effect of zinc (Zn) content to cell potential value and efficiency aluminium sacrificial anode in 0.2 M sulphuric acid environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akranata, Ahmad Ridho; Sulistijono, Awali, Jatmoko

    2018-04-01

    Sacrificial anode is sacirifial component that used to protect steel from corrosion. Generally, the component are made of aluminium and zinc in water environment. Sacrificial anode change the protected metal structure become cathodic with giving current. The advantages of aluminium is corrosion resistance, non toxicity and easy forming. Zinc generally used for coating in steel to prevent steel from corrosion. This research was conducted to analyze the effect of zinc content to the value of cell potential and efficiency aluminium sacrificial anode with sand casting method in 0.2 M sulphuric acid environment. The sacrificial anode fabrication made with alloying aluminium and zinc metals with variation composition of alloy with pure Al, Al-3Zn, Al-6Zn, and Al-9Zn with open die sand casting process. The component installed with ASTM A36 steel. After the research has been done the result showed that addition of zinc content increase the cell potential, protection efficiency, and anode efficiency from steel plate. Cell potential value measurement and weight loss measurement showed that addition of zinc content increase the cell potential value into more positive that can protected the ASTM A36 steel more efficiently that showed in weight loss measurement where the protection efficiency and anodic efficiency of Al-9Zn sacrificial anode is better than protection efficiency and anodic efficiency of pure Al. The highest protection efficiency gotten by Al-9Zn alloy

  13. The relationship between maternal serum iron and zinc levels and their nutritional intakes in early pregnancy with gestational diabetes.

    PubMed

    Behboudi-Gandevani, Samira; Safary, Kolsum; Moghaddam-Banaem, Lida; Lamyian, Minoor; Goshtasebi, Azita; Goshtasbi, Azita; Alian-Moghaddam, Narges

    2013-07-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the association between maternal iron/zinc serum levels and their nutritional intake in early pregnancy with gestational diabetes. The maternal serum zinc/iron levels were measured in 1,033 healthy singleton pregnant women aged 20-35 between 14 and 20 weeks of gestation, within two groups: namely, normal and gestational diabetes, and participants were followed up to 24-28 weeks of gestation. Food frequency questionnaire was used to assess nutritional intakes of iron/zinc. The main outcome was gestational diabetes screened with the 50-g glucose challenge test and diagnosed with oral glucose tolerance test at 24-28 weeks of gestation. Gestational diabetes occurred in 72 (6.96 %) of 1,033 women in study. There was a statistical relationship between early pregnancy maternal serum iron and gestational diabetes, mean (SD), 143.8 (48.7) vs. 112.5 (83.5) μg/dl, P value of <0.0001. There was no statistical significant difference in zinc levels and iron/zinc nutritional intake between groups. The results remained unchanged after using regression model for adjustment of potential risk factors with an adjusted OR of 1.006 (95 % CI 1.002 to 1.009; P = 0.001) for early pregnancy maternal serum iron to cause gestational diabetes. The receiver-operator characteristic curve identified that a maternal serum iron above 100 μg/dl in early pregnancy is the optimum cutoff value for predicting gestational diabetes, which showed a sensitivity and specificity of 80.6 and 50.7 %, respectively. In conclusion, high maternal serum iron in early pregnancy could increase the risk of gestational diabetes. Also, it could be used as a sensitive and specific predictor for gestational diabetes.

  14. Zn or O? An Atomic Level Comparison on Antibacterial Activities of Zinc Oxides.

    PubMed

    Yu, Fen; Fang, Xuan; Jia, Huimin; Liu, Miaoxing; Shi, Xiaotong; Xue, Chaowen; Chen, Tingtao; Wei, Zhipeng; Fang, Fang; Zhu, Hui; Xin, Hongbo; Feng, Jing; Wang, Xiaolei

    2016-06-06

    For the first time, the influence of different types of atoms (Zn and O) on the antibacterial activities of nanosized ZnO was quantitatively evaluated with the aid of a 3D-printing-manufactured evaluation system. Two different outermost atomic layers were manufactured separately by using an ALD (atomic layer deposition) method. Interestingly, we found that each outermost atomic layer exhibited certain differences against gram-positive or gram-negative bacterial species. Zinc atoms as outermost layer (ZnO-Zn) showed a more pronounced antibacterial effect towards gram-negative E. coli (Escherichia coli), whereas oxygen atoms (ZnO-O) showed a stronger antibacterial activity against gram-positive S. aureus (Staphylococcus aureus). A possible antibacterial mechanism has been comprehensively discussed from different perspectives, including Zn(2+) concentrations, oxygen vacancies, photocatalytic activities and the DNA structural characteristics of different bacterial species. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Association mapping unveils favorable alleles for grain iron and zinc concentrations in lentil (Lens culinaris subsp. culinaris)

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Akanksha; Sharma, Vinay; Dikshit, Harsh Kumar; Aski, Muraleedhar; Kumar, Harish; Thirunavukkarasu, Nepolean; Patil, Basavanagouda S.; Kumar, Shiv; Sarker, Ashutosh

    2017-01-01

    Lentil is a major cool-season grain legume grown in South Asia, West Asia, and North Africa. Populations in developing countries of these regions have micronutrient deficiencies; therefore, breeding programs should focus more on improving the micronutrient content of food. In the present study, a set of 96 diverse germplasm lines were evaluated at three different locations in India to examine the variation in iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) concentration and identify simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers that associate with the genetic variation. The genetic variation among genotypes of the association mapping (AM) panel was characterized using a genetic distance-based and a general model-based clustering method. The model-based analysis identified six subpopulations, which satisfactorily explained the genetic structure of the AM panel. AM analysis identified three SSRs (PBALC 13, PBALC 206, and GLLC 563) associated with grain Fe concentration explaining 9% to 11% of phenotypic variation and four SSRs (PBALC 353, SSR 317–1, PLC 62, and PBALC 217) were associated with grain Zn concentration explaining 14%, to 21% of phenotypic variation. These identified SSRs exhibited consistent performance across locations. These candidate SSRs can be used in marker-assisted genetic improvement for developing Fe and Zn fortified lentil varieties. Favorable alleles and promising genotypes identified in this study can be utilized for lentil biofortification. PMID:29161321

  16. Intracellular uptake and behavior of two types zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP) micelles, SMA-ZnPP and PEG-ZnPP as anticancer agents; unique intracellular disintegration of SMA micelles.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Hideaki; Fang, Jun; Gahininath, Bharate; Tsukigawa, Kenji; Maeda, Hiroshi

    2011-11-07

    SMA-ZnPP and PEG-ZnPP are micellar drugs, encapsulating zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP) with styrene maleic acid copolymer (SMA) and covalent conjugate of ZnPP with polyethylene glycol (PEG) respectively. Their intracellular uptake rate and subcellular localization were investigated. We found SMA-ZnPP showed higher and more efficient (about 2.5 times) intracellular uptake rate than PEG-ZnPP, although both SMA-ZnPP and PEG-ZnPP micelles were localized at endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and inhibited the target enzyme heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) similarly. Both micellar ZnPP were taken up into the tumor cells by endocytosis. Furthermore SMA-ZnPP and PEG-ZnPP were examined for their drug releasing mechanisms. Liberation of ZnPP from the SMA micelle appears to depend on cellular amphiphilic components such as lecithin, while that for PEG-ZnPP depends on hydrolytic cleavage. These results indicate that these micelle formulations make water insoluble ZnPP to water soluble practical anticancer agents. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. A NAC Gene regulating senescence improves grain protein, zinc, and iron content in wheat.

    PubMed

    Uauy, Cristobal; Distelfeld, Assaf; Fahima, Tzion; Blechl, Ann; Dubcovsky, Jorge

    2006-11-24

    Enhancing the nutritional value of food crops is a means of improving human nutrition and health. We report here the positional cloning of Gpc-B1, a wheat quantitative trait locus associated with increased grain protein, zinc, and iron content. The ancestral wild wheat allele encodes a NAC transcription factor (NAM-B1) that accelerates senescence and increases nutrient remobilization from leaves to developing grains, whereas modern wheat varieties carry a nonfunctional NAM-B1 allele. Reduction in RNA levels of the multiple NAM homologs by RNA interference delayed senescence by more than 3 weeks and reduced wheat grain protein, zinc, and iron content by more than 30%.

  18. Serum Concentration of Zinc, Copper, Selenium, Manganese, and Cu/Zn Ratio in Children and Adolescents with Myopia.

    PubMed

    Fedor, Monika; Socha, Katarzyna; Urban, Beata; Soroczyńska, Jolanta; Matyskiela, Monika; Borawska, Maria H; Bakunowicz-Łazarczyk, Alina

    2017-03-01

    The purpose of the present study was the assessment of the serum concentration of antioxidant microelements-zinc, copper, selenium, manganese, and Cu/Zn ratio in children and adolescents with myopia. Eighty-three children were examined (mean age 14.36 ± 2.49 years) with myopia. The control group was 38 persons (mean age 12.89 ± 3.84 years). Each patient had complete eye examination. The serum concentration of zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Cu/Zn ratio, which is the indicator of the oxidative stress, was also calculated. The average serum concentration of zinc in myopic patients was significantly lower (0.865 ± 0.221 mg L -1 ) in comparison to the control group (1.054 ± 0.174 mg L -1 ). There was significantly higher Cu/Zn ratio in myopic patients (1.196 ± 0.452) in comparison to that in the control group (0.992 ± 0.203). The average serum concentration of selenium in the study group was significantly lower (40.23 ± 12.07 μg L -1 ) compared with that in the control group (46.00 ± 12.25 μg L -1 ). There were no essential differences between serum concentration of copper and manganese in the study group and the control group. Low serum concentration of zinc and selenium in myopic children may imply an association between insufficiency of these antioxidant microelements and the development of the myopia and could be the indication for zinc and selenium supplementation in the prevention of myopia. Significantly, higher Cu/Zn ratio in the study group can suggest the relationship between myopia and oxidative stress.

  19. Suppressive Effect of Zinc on the Formation of Colonic Preneoplastic Lesions in the Mouse Fed High Levels of Dietary Iron

    PubMed Central

    Park, Hyunji; Kang, Bong Su; Kim, Dang Young; Yoon, Ja Seon; Jeong, Jae-Hwang; Nam, Sang Yoon; Yun, Young Won

    2012-01-01

    We investigated the effect of zinc on the formation of colonic aberrant crypt foci induced by azoxymethane (AOM) followed by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in mice with high iron diet (HFe; 450 ppm iron). Sixweek old ICR mice were fed on high iron diets with combination of three different levels of zinc in diets, low-zinc (LZn; 0.01 ppm), medium-zinc (MZn; 0.1 ppm), and high-zinc (HZn; 1 ppm) for 12 weeks. Animals were received weekly intraperitoneal injections of AOM (10 mg/kg B.W. in saline) for 3 weeks followed by 2% DSS (molecular weight 36,000~50,000) in the drinking water for a week. To confirm the iron storage in the body, the hepatic iron concentration has been determine chemically and compared with histological assessment visualized by Prussian blue reaction. Aberrant crypt (AC) and aberrant crypt foci (ACF) were analyzed in the colonic mucosa of mouse fed high dietary iron. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) level were also investigated. Apoptosis in the preneoplastic lesion was determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nickend labeling (TUNEL). In addition, immunohistochemistry of β-catenin was also performed on the mucous membrane of colon. The number of large ACF (≥ 4 AC/ACF), which possess greater tumorigenic potential, was significantly lower in MZn and HZn groups compared with LZn group. Cytosolic SOD activity in the liver was significantly higher in HZn group compared with LZn group. Hepatic MDA level was decreased significantly in HZn group compared with MZn and LZn groups. Apoptotic index was significantly higher in HZn group. Taken together, these findings indicate that dietary zinc might exert a protective effect against colonic preneoplastic lesion induced by AOM/DSS in ICR mice with high iron status, and suggest that dietary supplement of zinc might play a role in suppressing colon carcinogenesis in mice. PMID:24278588

  20. Identification of Ftr1 and Zrt1 as iron and zinc micronutrient transceptors for activation of the PKA pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    PubMed Central

    Schothorst, Joep; Zeebroeck, Griet V.; Thevelein, Johan M.

    2017-01-01

    Multiple types of nutrient transceptors, membrane proteins that combine a transporter and receptor function, have now been established in a variety of organisms. However, so far all established transceptors utilize one of the macronutrients, glucose, amino acids, ammonium, nitrate, phosphate or sulfate, as substrate. This is also true for the Saccharomyces cerevisiae transceptors mediating activation of the PKA pathway upon re-addition of a macronutrient to glucose-repressed cells starved for that nutrient, re-establishing a fermentable growth medium. We now show that the yeast high-affinity iron transporter Ftr1 and high-affinity zinc transporter Zrt1 function as transceptors for the micronutrients iron and zinc. We show that replenishment of iron to iron-starved cells or zinc to zinc-starved cells triggers within 1-2 minutes a rapid surge in trehalase activity, a well-established PKA target. The activation with iron is dependent on Ftr1 and with zinc on Zrt1, and we show that it is independent of intracellular iron and zinc levels. Similar to the transceptors for macronutrients, Ftr1 and Zrt1 are strongly induced upon iron and zinc starvation, respectively, and they are rapidly downregulated by substrate-induced endocytosis. Our results suggest that transceptor-mediated signaling to the PKA pathway may occur in all cases where glucose-repressed yeast cells have been starved first for an essential nutrient, causing arrest of growth and low activity of the PKA pathway, and subsequently replenished with the lacking nutrient to re-establish a fermentable growth medium. The broadness of the phenomenon also makes it likely that nutrient transceptors use a common mechanism for signaling to the PKA pathway. PMID:28357393

  1. Longitudinal changes in zinc transport kinetics, metallothionein, and zinc transporter expression in a blood-brain barrier model in response to a moderately excessive zinc environment$

    PubMed Central

    Gauthier, Nicole A.; Karki, Shakun; Olley, Bryony J.; Thomas, W. Kelly

    2008-01-01

    A blood-brain barrier (BBB) model composed of porcine brain capillary endothelial cells (BCEC) was exposed to a moderately excessive zinc environment (50 µmol Zn/L) in cell culture and longitudinal measurements were made of zinc transport kinetics, ZnT-1 (SLC30A1) expression, and changes in the protein concentration of metallothionein (MT), ZnT-1, ZnT-2 (SLC30A2), and Zip1 (SLC39A1). Zinc release by cells of the BBB model was significantly increased after 12–24 h of exposure, but decreased back to control levels after 48–96 h, as indicated by transport across the BBB from both the ablumenal (brain) and lumenal (blood) directions. Expression of ZnT-1, the zinc export protein, increased 169% within 12 h, but was no longer different from controls after 24 h. Likewise, ZnT-1 protein content increased transiently after 12 h of exposure but returned to control levels by 24 h. Capacity for zinc uptake and retention increased from both the lumenal and ablumenal directions within 12–24 h of exposure and remained elevated. MT and ZnT-2 were elevated within 12 h and remained elevated throughout the study. Zip1 was unchanged by the treatment. The BBB’s response to a moderately high zinc environment was dynamic and involved multiple mechanisms. The initial response was to increase the cell’s capacity to sequester zinc with additional MT and increase zinc export with the ZnT-1 protein. But, the longer term strategy involved increasing ZnT-2 transporters, presumably to sequester zinc into intracellular vesicles as a mechanism to protect the brain and maintain brain zinc homeostasis. PMID:18061429

  2. QTL for seed iron and zinc concentration and content in a Mesoamerican common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) population.

    PubMed

    Blair, Matthew W; Medina, Juliana I; Astudillo, Carolina; Rengifo, Judith; Beebe, Steve E; Machado, Gloria; Graham, Robin

    2010-10-01

    Iron and zinc deficiencies are human health problems found throughout the world and biofortification is a plant breeding-based strategy to improve the staple crops that could address these dietary constraints. Common bean is an important legume crop with two major genepools that has been the focus of genetic improvement for seed micronutrient levels. The objective of this study was to evaluate the inheritance of seed iron and zinc concentrations and contents in an intra-genepool Mesoamerican × Mesoamerican recombinant inbred line population grown over three sites in Colombia and to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for each mineral. The population had 110 lines and was derived from a high-seed iron and zinc climbing bean genotype (G14519) crossed with a low-mineral Carioca-type, prostrate bush bean genotype (G4825). The genetic map for QTL analysis was created from SSR and RAPD markers covering all 11 chromosomes of the common bean genome. A set of across-site, overlapping iron and zinc QTL was discovered on linkage group b06 suggesting a possibly pleiotropic locus and common physiology for mineral uptake or loading. Other QTL for mineral concentration or content were found on linkage groups b02, b03, b04, b07, b08 and b11 and together with the b06 cluster were mostly novel compared to loci found in previous studies of the Andean genepool or inter-genepool crosses. The discovery of an important new locus for seed iron and zinc concentrations may facilitate crop improvement and biofortification using the high-mineral genotype especially within the Mesoamerican genepool.

  3. A theoretical and experimental study of calcium, iron, zinc, cadmium, and sodium ions absorption by aspartame.

    PubMed

    Mahnam, Karim; Raisi, Fatame

    2017-03-01

    Aspartame (L-Aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester) is a sweet dipeptide used in some foods and beverages. Experimental studies show that aspartame causes osteoporosis and some illnesses, which are similar to those of copper and calcium deficiency. This raises the issue that aspartame in food may interact with cations and excrete them from the body. This study aimed to study aspartame interaction with calcium, zinc, iron, sodium, and cadmium ions via molecular dynamics simulation (MD) and spectroscopy. Following a 480-ns molecular dynamics simulation, it became clear that the aspartame is able to sequester Fe 2+ , Ca 2+ , Cd 2+ , and Zn 2+ ions for a long time. Complexation led to increasing UV-Vis absorption spectra and emission spectra of the complexes. This study suggests a potential risk of cationic absorption of aspartame. This study suggests that purification of cadmium-polluted water by aspartame needs a more general risk assessment.

  4. Enhancement of magnetic circular dichroism in bi-layered ZnO-Bi:YIG thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mito, Shinichiro; Shiotsu, Yusaku; Sasano, Junji; Takagi, Hiroyuki; Inoue, Mitsuteru

    2017-05-01

    Bi-layered zinc oxide (ZnO) and bismuth substituted yttrium iron garnet (Bi:YIG) was fabricated and magneto-optically investigated. Enhancement of Faraday rotation and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) was observed. The wavelength of MCD enhancement was in good agreement with exciton wavelength of ZnO. This enhancement was only observed in the bi-layer, and implies that the exciton generated in ZnO interacted with Bi:YIG. Because the exciton wavelength of ZnO can be controlled by electro-optic effect, this result has the potential for realizing voltage control of magneto-optic effect.

  5. Sulfur and Zinc Availability from Co-granulated Zn-Enriched Elemental Sulfur Fertilizers.

    PubMed

    Mattiello, Edson M; da Silva, Rodrigo C; Degryse, Fien; Baird, Roslyn; Gupta, Vadakattu V S R; McLaughlin, Michael J

    2017-02-15

    Acidification by oxidation of elemental sulfur (ES) can solubilize ZnO, providing slow release of both sulfur (S) and zinc (Zn) in soil. For this study, a new granular fertilizer with ES and ZnO was produced and evaluated. The effect of incorporating microorganisms or a carbon source in the granule was also evaluated. Four granulated ES-Zn fertilizers with and without S-oxidizing microorganisms, a commercial ES pastille, ZnSO 4 , and ZnO were applied to the center of Petri dishes containing two contrasting pH soils. Soil pH, CaCl 2 -extractable S and Zn, and remaining ES were evaluated at 30 and 60 days in two soil sections (0-5 and 5-9 mm from the fertilizer application site). A visualization test was performed to evaluate Zn diffusion over time. A significant pH decrease was observed in the acidic soil for all ES-Zn fertilizer treatments and in the alkaline soil for the Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans-inoculated treatment only. In agreement with Zn visualization tests, extractable-Zn concentrations were higher from the point of application in the acidic (62.9 mg dm -3 ) compared to the alkaline soil (5.5 mg dm -3 ). Elemental S oxidation was greater in the acidic soil (20.9%) than slightly alkaline soil (12%). The ES-Zn granular fertilizers increased S and Zn concentrations in soil and can provide a strategically slow release of nutrients to the soil.

  6. Iron, zinc and iodide status in Mexican children under 12 years and women 12-49 years of age. A probabilistic national survey.

    PubMed

    Villalpando, Salvador; García-Guerra, Armando; Ramírez-Silva, Claudia Ivonne; Mejía-Rodríguez, Fabiola; Matute, Guadalupe; Shamah-Levy, Teresa; Rivera, Juan A

    2003-01-01

    To describe the epidemiology of iron, zinc and iodide deficiencies in a probabilistic sample of Mexican women and children and explore its association with some dietary and socio-demographic variables. We carried out in 1999 an epidemiological description of iron (percent transferrin saturation, PTS, < 16%), serum zinc (< 65 ug/dl) and iodide (< 50 ug/l urine) deficiencies in a probabilistic sample of 1,363 Mexican children under 12 years and of 731 women of child-bearing age. Serum iron, Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) and zinc were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry, and urinary iodide by a colorimetric method. Logistic regression models explored determinants for such micromineral deficiencies. Iron deficiency was higher (67%) in infants < 2 years of age. Prevalence declined (34-39%) at school age. The prevalence for iron deficiency in women was 40%. Zinc deficiency was higher in infants < 2 years of age (34%) than in school-age children (19-24%). Prevalence in women was 30%, with no rural/urban difference. In women the likelihood of iron deficiency decreased as SEL improved (p = 0.04) and increased with the intake of cereals (p = 0.01). The likelihood of low serum zinc levels was greater in women and children of low socioeconomic level (SEL) (p < 0.02 and p = 0.001) iodide deficiency was negligible in both children and women. The data shows high prevalence of iron deficiency-specially in infants 12 to 24 months of age. It is suggested that in older children and women 12 to 49 years of age that iron bioavailability is low. The prevalence of zinc deficiency was also very high. The English version of this paper is available too at: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.

  7. Iron-based soft magnetic composites with Mn-Zn ferrite nanoparticles coating obtained by sol-gel method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Shen; Sun, Aizhi; Xu, Wenhuan; Zhang, Qian; Zhai, Fuqiang; Logan, Philip; Volinsky, Alex A.

    2012-11-01

    This paper focuses on iron-based soft magnetic composites which were synthesized by utilizing Mn-Zn ferrite nanoparticles to coat iron powder. The nanocrystalline iron powders, with an average particle diameter of 20 nm, were obtained via the sol-gel method. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and distribution maps show that the iron particle surface is covered with a thin layer of Mn-Zn ferrites. Mn-Zn ferrite uniformly coated the surface of the powder particles, resulting in a reduced imaginary permeability, increased electrical resistivity and a higher operating frequency of the synthesized magnets. Mn-Zn ferrite coated samples have higher permeability and lower magnetic loss when compared with the non-magnetic epoxy resin coated compacts. The real part of permeability increases by 33.5% when compared with the epoxy resin coated samples at 10 kHz. The effects of heat treatment temperature on crystalline phase formation and on the magnetic properties of the Mn-Zn ferrite were investigated via X-ray diffraction and a vibrating sample magnetometer. Ferrites decomposed to FeO and MnO after annealing above 400 °C in nitrogen; thus it is the optimum annealing temperature to attain the desired permeability.

  8. Effects of phytase, cellulase, and dehulling treatments on iron and zinc in vitro solubility in faba bean (Vicia faba L.) Flour and Legume Fractions.

    PubMed

    Luo, Yu-Wei; Xie, Wei-Hua; Cui, Qun-Xiang

    2010-02-24

    Simulations of gastrointestinal digestion were used to try to identify the nature of the complexes between antinutritional factors and iron and zinc in faba bean and legume fractions. In digestible residue of raw faba bean flour, simultaneous action of cellulase and phytases made it possible to release about 28% units more iron than that released with the treatment without enzymes. About 49.8% of iron in raw faba bean flour was solubilized after in vitro digestion and simultaneous action of cellulase and phytase. In the hull fraction, the action of phytases and the simultaneous action of cellulase and phytase allowed about 7 and 35% units of additional zinc to be solubilized, respectively. Single enzymatic degradation of phytates from dehulled faba bean allowed solubilization from 65 to 93% of zinc, depending upon the treatment. In dehulled faba bean, iron was chelated by phytates and by fibers, whereas zinc was almost exclusively chelated by phytates. In the hull of faba bean, a high proportion of iron was chelated by iron-tannins, while the rest of iron as well as the majority of zinc were chelated in complexes between phytates and fibers.

  9. Enhanced iron and zinc accumulation in genetically engineered pineapple plants using soybean ferritin gene.

    PubMed

    Mhatre, Minal; Srinivas, Lingam; Ganapathi, Thumballi R

    2011-12-01

    Pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr., cv. "Queen") leaf bases were transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA 105 harboring the pSF and pEFESF plasmids with soybean ferritin cDNA. Four to eight percent of the co-cultivated leaf bases produced multiple shoots 6 weeks after transfer to Murashige and Skoog's medium supplemented with α-naphthalene acetic acid 1.8 mg/l, indole-3-butyric acid 2.0 mg/l, kinetin 2.0 mg/l, cefotaxime 400 mg/l, and kanamycin 50 mg/l. Putatively transformed shoots (1-2 cm) were selected and multiplied on medium of the same composition and elongated shoots (5 cm) were rooted on liquid rooting medium supplemented with cefotaxime 400 mg/l and kanamycin 100 mg/l. The rooted plants were analyzed through PCR, genomic Southern analysis, and reverse transcription PCR. The results clearly confirmed the integration and expression of soybean ferritin gene in the transformed plants. Atomic absorption spectroscopic analysis carried out with six independently transformed lines of pSF and pEFE-SF revealed a maximum of 5.03-fold increase in iron and 2.44-fold increase in zinc accumulation in the leaves of pSF-transformed plants. In pEFE-SF-transformed plants, a 3.65-fold increase in iron and 2.05-fold increase in zinc levels was observed. Few of the transgenic plants were hardened in the greenhouse and are being grown to maturity to determine the enhanced iron and zinc accumulation in the fruits. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on the transformation of pineapple with soybean ferritin for enhanced accumulation of iron and zinc content in the transgenic plants.

  10. The recovery of Zn and Pb and the manufacture of lightweight bricks from zinc smelting slag and clay.

    PubMed

    Hu, Huiping; Deng, Qiufeng; Li, Chao; Xie, Yue; Dong, Zeqin; Zhang, Wei

    2014-04-30

    Novel lightweight bricks have been produced by sintering mixes of zinc smelting slag and clay. A two-stage sintered process has been proposed to recovery of Zn and Pb and reutilization of the zinc smelting slag. In the first stage of the process, called reduction and volatilization procedure, zinc and lead were reduced by the carbon contained in the zinc smelting slag and volatilized into the dust, and the dust can be used as a secondary zinc resource. In the second stage of the process, called oxidation sintering procedure, a lightweight brick was produced. Samples containing up to 60 wt.% zinc smelting slag and 40 wt.% kaolin clay were reduced at 1050°C for 6h, and then sintered at 1050°C for 4h. The recoveries of Zn and Pb from the brick are 94.5 ± 0.6% and 97.6 ± 0.2%, respectively. Low bulk density (1.42 g cm(-3)) and relatively high compressive strength (2 2MPa) sintered bricks were produced, and the leaching toxicity of the sintered bricks was below the regulatory thresholds of Chinese National Standards. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Particulate nanocomposite from oyster (Crassostrea rivularis) hydrolysates via zinc chelation improves zinc solubility and peptide activity.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ziran; Zhou, Feibai; Liu, Xiaoling; Zhao, Mouming

    2018-08-30

    An oyster protein hydrolysates-zinc complex (OPH-Zn) was prepared and investigated to improve zinc bioaccessibility. Zinc ions chelating with oyster protein hydrolysates (OPH) cause intramolecular and intermolecular folding and aggregation, homogeneously forming the OPH-Zn complex as nanoclusters with a Z-average at 89.28 nm (PDI: 0.16 ± 0.02). The primary sites of zinc-binding in OPH were carboxyl groups, carbonyl groups, and amino groups, and they were related to the high number of charged amino acid residues. Furthermore, formation of the OPH-Zn complex could significantly enhance zinc solubility both under specific pH conditions as well as during simulated gastrointestinal digestion, compared to the commonly used ZnSO 4 . Additionally, after digestion, either preserved or enhanced antioxidant activity of OPH was found when chelated with zinc. These results indicated that the OPH-Zn complex could be a potential functional ingredient with improved antioxidant bioactivity and zinc bioaccessibility. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  12. Inclusion of guava enhances non-heme iron bioavailability but not fractional zinc absorption from a rice-based meal in adolescents

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Assessing the bioavailability of non-heme iron and zinc is essential for recommending diets that meet the increased growth-related demand for these nutrients. We studied the bioavailability of iron and zinc from a rice-based meal in 16 adolescent boys and girls, 13–15 y of age, from 2 government-run...

  13. Cs promoted oxidation of Zn and CuZn surfaces: a combined experimental and theoretical study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chaturvedi, Sanjay; Rodriguez, JoséA.; Hrbek, Jan

    1997-07-01

    The interaction of O 2 with Zn, {Cs}/{Zn} and {Cs}/{CuZn} surfaces was investigated using photoemission and ab initio self-consistent-field (SCF) calculations. On zinc films, the sticking probability of O 2 is extremely low (10 -3-10 -2), and O 2 exposures in the range of 10 3 to 10 4 langmuirs are necessary to produce a significant adsorption of oxygen and the transformation of metallic zinc into zinc oxide. The presence of sub monolayer coverages of cesium enhances the oxidation rate of zinc by 2-3 orders of magnitude. In the {Cs}/{Zn} system, the alkali atom donates electrons to zinc. This charge transfer facilitates the formation of Zn→O 2 dative bonds and breaking of the OO bond. For the coadsorption of Cs and O 2 on Zn(001), the larger the electron transfer from Zn into the O 2 (1 πg) orbitals, the bigger the adsorption energy of the molecule and the elongation of the OO bond. In general, cesium does not promote the oxidation of copper. In the {Cs}/{CuZn} system, copper withdraws electrons from zinc. The presence of copper in the {Cs}/{CuZn} system inhibits the oxidation of the Zn component compared with the {Cs}/{Zn} system by lowering the electron density on the Zn atoms. After exposing the {Cs}/{CuZn} system to O 2, zinc is oxidized at a rate that is larger than that found for clean CuZn surfaces and smaller than seen in {Cs}/{Zn} surfaces. Molecular hydrogen is found to have no effect on oxidized Cu, Zn and CuZn films. However, atomic hydrogen reduces ZnO to metallic zinc and CuO to Cu 2O. In the oxidized CuZn alloy, CuO is reduced first followed by the reduction of ZnO. A comparison of the behavior of O 2/Cs/Zn and H 2O/Cs/Zn systems shows that while O 2 causes severe oxidation of Cs promoted Zn surfaces, H 2O has little or no effect.

  14. Copper, zinc, gallium and germanium distributions in taenite lamellae of iron meteorites and their importance for cooling rate estimations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Braun-Dullaeus, Karl-Ulrich; Traxel, Kurt

    1995-02-01

    One method forestimating cooling rates of meteorite parent bodies is to model measured nickel distributions in taenite lamellae of iron meteorites. Goldstein and Ogilvie ( Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta29, 893, 1965) and Rasmussen ( Icarus45, 564, 1981) developed techniques based on this idea to examine the cooling history in the temperature range between ˜700 and ˜400°C. As a result of Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) Rasmussen et al. ( Meteoritics23, 105, 1988) postulated that some trace elements would also be good cooling rate indicators. They argued that elements with distinct diffusion behavior are sensitive to different temperature ranges. The new Heidelberg proton microprobe uses the method of Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) for elemental analysis. This microprobe is an appropriate instrument to measure distributions of trace elements with a spatial resolution of 2 μm. We demonstrated on the iron meteorites Cape York (Agpalilik), Toluca and Odessa that the elements copper, zinc, gallium and germanium imitate the profiles of nickel in taenite lamella. The interpretation of the Zn, Ga and Ge profiles leads to the conclusion that these elements undergo diffusion mechanisms comparable to those of Ni. The numerical simulation of Cu distributions with a simplified model points out that little new information can be obtained about the cooling history of the meteorites by modelling Cu profiles. To simulate Zn, Ga or Ge distributions, the use of ternary phase diagrams is necessary.

  15. Differential changes in photosynthetic capacity, 77 K chlorophyll fluorescence and chloroplast ultrastructure between Zn-efficient and Zn-inefficient rice genotypes (Oryza sativa) under low zinc stress.

    PubMed

    Chen, Wenrong; Yang, Xiaoe; He, Zhenli; Feng, Ying; Hu, Fenghong

    2008-01-01

    The relationship of zinc (Zn) efficiency in rice to differential tolerance of photosynthetic capacity and chloroplast function to low Zn stress was studied using Zn-efficient (IR8192) and Zn-inefficient (Erjiufeng) rice genotypes (Oryza sativa L.). Zinc deficiency caused extensive declines in leaf chlorophyll (Chl) content, ratios of chl a:b, Pn, Fv/Fm and Fv/Fo, indicating that the intrinsic quantum efficiency of the photosystem II (PSII) units was damaged. A greater decline was observed in the inefficient genotype (Erjiufeng) than the efficient genotype (IR8192). The 77 K chl fluorescence emission spectrum revealed that Zn deficiency blocked energy spillover from PSII to PSI and more excitation energy was distributed to PSII in IR8192 than Erjiufeng. The spectrum of Zn-deficient Erjiufeng was completely disordered, implying that the photosynthetic centers were seriously damaged. Electron microscopy showed that Zn deficiency caused a severe damage to the fine structure of chloroplasts, but IR8192 had a better preserved chloroplast ultrastructure as compared with Erjiufeng. These differences may result from the higher levels of the antioxidant enzyme activities and lower oxidant stress level in IR8192. These results indicate that Zn deficiency decreases leaf photosynthetic capacity primarily by reducing the number of PSII units per unit leaf area, and also reducing the photochemical capacity of the remaining PSII units. Therefore, the maintenance of more efficient photochemical capacity under low Zn stress is a key factor for the high Zn efficiency in rice, which may result from less antioxidant damage caused by low Zn to the chloroplast ultrastructure.

  16. Silicon (Si) alleviates cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) from zinc (Zn) toxicity stress by limiting Zn uptake and oxidative damage.

    PubMed

    Anwaar, Shad Ali; Ali, Shafaqat; Ali, Skhawat; Ishaque, Wajid; Farid, Mujahid; Farooq, Muhammad Ahsan; Najeeb, Ullah; Abbas, Farhat; Sharif, Muhammad

    2015-03-01

    Silicon (Si) is as an important fertilizer element, which has been found effective in enhancing plant tolerance to variety of biotic and a-biotic stresses. This study investigates the Si potential to alleviate zinc (Zn) toxicity stress in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Cotton plants were grown in hydroponics and exposed to different Zn concentration, 0, 25, and 50 μM, alone and/or in combination with 1 mM Si. Incremental Zn concentration in growth media instigated the cellular oxidative damage that was evident from elevated levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), electrolyte leakage, and malondialdehyde (MDA) and consequently inhibited cotton growth, biomass, chlorophyll pigments, and photosynthetic process. Application of Si significantly suppressed Zn accumulation in various plant parts, i.e., roots, stems, and leaves and thus promoted biomass, photosynthetic, growth parameters, and antioxidant enzymes activity of Zn-stressed as well unstressed plants. In addition, Si reduced the MDA and H2O2 production and electrolyte leakage suggesting its role in protecting cotton plants from Zn toxicity-induced oxidative damage. Thus, the study indicated that exogenous Si application could improve growth and development of cotton crop experiencing Zn toxicity stress by limiting Zn bioavailability and oxidative damage.

  17. Effects of iron deficiency on anisotropy and ferromagnetic resonance linewidth in Bi-doped LiZn ferrite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Xiaona; Wang, Wei; Yu, Zhong; Sun, Ke; Lan, Zhongwen; Zhang, Xinran; Harris, Vincent G.

    2017-05-01

    Bi-doped LiZn ferrites with different iron deficiencies were fabricated by a conventional ceramic method. Anisotropy constant (K1) was calculated and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) linewidth (ΔH) was investigated. Crystalline anisotropy broadening linewidth (ΔHa) and porosity broadening linewidth (ΔHp) were derived by an approximate calculation based on dipolar narrowing theory, which play a significant role in contributions to FMR linewidth and occupy more than 90 % of ΔH. Physical and static magnetic properties of LiZn ferrite with iron deficiency are presented, which supports a decline in linewidths with increasing iron deficiency. Iron deficiency makes K1, ΔHa and ΔHp reduce. The results also show that ΔHp is the majority of contributions to ΔH in Bi-doped LiZn ferrite and densification is an effective method to decrease ΔH.

  18. Chemical and thermal stability of the characteristics of filtered vacuum arc deposited ZnO, SnO2 and zinc stannate thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Çetinörgü, E.; Goldsmith, S.

    2007-09-01

    ZnO, SnO2 and zinc stannate thin films were deposited on commercial microscope glass and UV fused silica substrates using filtered vacuum arc deposition system. During the deposition, the substrate temperature was at room temperature (RT) or at 400 °C. The film structure and composition were determined using x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. The transmission of the films in the VIS was 85% to 90%. The thermal stability of the film electrical resistance was determined in air as a function of the temperature in the range 28 °C (RT) to 200 °C. The resistance of ZnO increased from ~ 5000 to 105 Ω when heated to 200 °C, that of SnO2 films increased from 500 to 3900 Ω, whereas that of zinc stannate thin films increased only from 370 to 470 Ω. During sample cooling to RT, the resistance of ZnO and SnO2 thin films continued to rise considerably; however, the increase in the zinc stannate thin film resistance was significantly lower. After cooling to RT, ZnO and SnO2 thin films became practically insulators, while the resistance of zinc stannate was 680 Ω. The chemical stability of the films was determined by immersing in acidic and basic solutions up to 27 h. The SnO2 thin films were more stable in the HCl solution than the ZnO and the zinc stannate thin films; however, SnO2 and zinc stannate thin films that were immersed in the NaOH solution did not dissolve after 27 h.

  19. The Effect of Low Dose Iron and Zinc Intake on Child Micronutrient Status and Development during the First 1000 Days of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    PubMed

    Petry, Nicolai; Olofin, Ibironke; Boy, Erick; Donahue Angel, Moira; Rohner, Fabian

    2016-11-30

    Adequate supply of micronutrients during the first 1000 days is essential for normal development and healthy life. We aimed to investigate if interventions administering dietary doses up to the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) of iron and zinc within the window from conception to age 2 years have the potential to influence nutritional status and development of children. To address this objective, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and quasi-randomized fortification, biofortification, and supplementation trials in women (pregnant and lactating) and children (6-23 months) delivering iron or zinc in doses up to the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) levels was conducted. Supplying iron or zinc during pregnancy had no effects on birth outcomes. There were limited or no data on the effects of iron/zinc during pregnancy and lactation on child iron/zinc status, growth, morbidity, and psychomotor and mental development. Delivering up to 15 mg iron/day during infancy increased mean hemoglobin by 4 g/L ( p < 0.001) and mean serum ferritin concentration by 17.6 µg/L ( p < 0.001) and reduced the risk for anemia by 41% ( p < 0.001), iron deficiency by 78% (ID; p < 0.001) and iron deficiency anemia by 80% (IDA; p < 0.001), but had no effect on growth or psychomotor development. Providing up to 10 mg of additional zinc during infancy increased plasma zinc concentration by 2.03 µmol/L ( p < 0.001) and reduced the risk of zinc deficiency by 47% ( p < 0.001). Further, we observed positive effects on child weight for age z -score (WAZ) ( p < 0.05), weight for height z -score (WHZ) ( p < 0.05), but not on height for age z -score (HAZ) or the risk for stunting, wasting, and underweight. There are no studies covering the full 1000 days window and the effects of iron and zinc delivered during pregnancy and lactation on child outcomes are ambiguous, but low dose daily iron and zinc use during 6-23 months of age has a positive effect on child iron and zinc status.

  20. Transgenic expression of phytase in wheat endosperm increases bioavailability of iron and zinc in grains.

    PubMed

    Abid, Nabeela; Khatoon, Asia; Maqbool, Asma; Irfan, Muhammad; Bashir, Aftab; Asif, Irsa; Shahid, Muhammad; Saeed, Asma; Brinch-Pedersen, Henrik; Malik, Kauser A

    2017-02-01

    Phytate is a major constituent of wheat seeds and chelates metal ions, thus reducing their bioavailability and so the nutritional value of grains. Transgenic plants expressing heterologous phytase are expected to enhance degradation of phytic acid stored in seeds and are proposed to increase the in vitro bioavailability of mineral nutrients. Wheat transgenic plants expressing Aspergillus japonicus phytase gene (phyA) in wheat endosperm were developed till T 3 generation. The transgenic lines exhibited 18-99 % increase in phytase activity and 12-76 % reduction of phytic acid content in seeds. The minimum phytic acid content was observed in chapatti (Asian bread) as compared to flour and dough. The transcript profiling of phyA mRNA indicated twofold to ninefold higher expression as compared to non transgenic controls. There was no significant difference in grain nutrient composition of transgenic and non-transgenic seeds. In vitro bioavailability assay for iron and zinc in dough and chapatti of transgenic lines revealed a significant increase in iron and zinc contents. The development of nutritionally enhanced cereals is a step forward to combat nutrition deficiency for iron and zinc in malnourished human population, especially women and children.

  1. Micronutrient supplementation adherence and influence on the prevalences of anemia and iron, zinc and vitamin A deficiencies in preemies with a corrected age of six months

    PubMed Central

    de Freitas, Brunnella Alcantara Chagas; Lima, Luciana Moreira; Moreira, Maria Elisabeth Lopes; Priore, Silvia Eloiza; Henriques, Bruno David; Carlos, Carla Fernanda Lisboa Valente; Sabino, Jusceli Souza Nogueira; do Carmo Castro Franceschini, Sylvia

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To analyze adherence to the recommended iron, zinc and multivitamin supplementation guidelines for preemies, the factors associated with this adherence, and the influence of adherence on the occurrence of anemia and iron, zinc and vitamin A deficiencies. METHODS: This prospective cohort study followed 58 preemies born in 2014 until they reached six months corrected age. The preemies were followed at a referral secondary health service and represented 63.7% of the preterm infants born that year. Outcomes of interest included high or low adherence to iron, zinc and multivitamin supplementation guidelines; prevalence of anemia; and prevalences of iron, zinc, and vitamin A deficiencies. The prevalence ratios were calculated by Poisson regression. RESULTS: Thirty-eight (65.5%) preemies presented high adherence to micronutrient supplementation guidelines. At six months of corrected age, no preemie had vitamin A deficiency. The prevalences of anemia, iron deficiency and zinc deficiency were higher in the low-adherence group but also concerning in the high-adherence group. Preemies with low adherence to micronutrient supplementation guidelines were 2.5 times more likely to develop anemia and 3.1 times more likely to develop zinc deficiency. Low maternal education level increased the likelihood of nonadherence to all three supplements by 2.2 times. CONCLUSIONS: Low maternal education level was independently associated with low adherence to iron, zinc and vitamin A supplementation guidelines in preemies, which impacted the prevalences of anemia and iron and zinc deficiencies at six months of corrected age. PMID:27626474

  2. The ColRS signal transduction system responds to the excess of external zinc, iron, manganese, and cadmium

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background The ColRS two-component system has been shown to contribute to the membrane functionality and stress tolerance of Pseudomonas putida as well as to the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and plant pathogenic Xanthomonas species. However, the conditions activating the ColRS pathway and the signal(s) sensed by ColS have remained unknown. Here we aimed to analyze the role of the ColRS system in metal tolerance of P. putida and to test whether ColS can respond to metal excess. Results We show that the ColRS system is necessary for P. putida to tolerate the excess of iron and zinc, and that it also contributes to manganese and cadmium tolerance. Excess of iron, zinc, manganese or cadmium activates ColRS signaling and as a result modifies the expression of ColR-regulated genes. Our data suggest that the genes in the ColR regulon are functionally redundant, as several loci have to be deleted to observe a significant decrease in metal tolerance. Site-directed mutagenesis of ColS revealed that excess of iron and, surprisingly, also zinc are sensed by a conserved ExxE motif in ColS’s periplasmic domain. While ColS is able to sense different metals, it still discriminates between the two oxidation states of iron, specifically responding to ferric and not ferrous iron. We propose a signal perception model involving a dimeric ColS, where each monomer donates one ExxE motif for metal binding. Conclusions Several transition metals are essential for living organisms in certain amounts, but toxic in excess. We show that ColRS is a sensor system which detects and responds to the excess of physiologically important metals such as zinc, iron and manganese. Thus, the ColRS system is an important factor for metal homeostasis and tolerance in P. putida. PMID:24946800

  3. Induction of Nickel Accumulation in Response to Zinc Deficiency in Arabidopsis thaliana

    PubMed Central

    Nishida, Sho; Kato, Aki; Tsuzuki, Chisato; Yoshida, Junko; Mizuno, Takafumi

    2015-01-01

    Excessive accumulation of nickel (Ni) can be toxic to plants. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the Fe2+ transporter, iron (Fe)-regulated transporter1 (IRT1), mediates Fe uptake and also implicates in Ni2+ uptake at roots; however, the underlying mechanism of Ni2+ uptake and accumulation remains unelucidated. In the present study, we found that zinc (Zn) deficient conditions resulted in increased accumulation of Ni in plants, particularly in roots, in A. thaliana. In order to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of Ni uptake correlating zinc condition, we traced 63Ni isotope in response to Zn and found that (i) Zn deficiency induces short-term Ni2+ absorption and (ii) Zn2+ inhibits Ni2+ uptake, suggesting competitive uptake between Ni and Zn. Furthermore, the Zrt/Irt-like protein 3 (ZIP3)-defective mutant with an elevated Zn-deficient response exhibited higher Ni accumulation than the wild type, further supporting that the response to Zn deficiency induces Ni accumulation. Previously, expression profile study demonstrated that IRT1 expression is not inducible by Zn deficiency. In the present study, we found increased Ni accumulation in IRT1-null mutant under Zn deficiency in agar culture. These suggest that Zn deficiency induces Ni accumulation in an IRT1-independen manner. The present study revealed that Ni accumulation is inducible in response to Zn deficiency, which may be attributable to a Zn uptake transporter induced by Zn deficiency. PMID:25923075

  4. Low-temperature solution-processed zinc oxide field effect transistor by blending zinc hydroxide and zinc oxide nanoparticle in aqueous solutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shin, Hyeonwoo; Kang, Chan-mo; Baek, Kyu-Ha; Kim, Jun Young; Do, Lee-Mi; Lee, Changhee

    2018-05-01

    We present a novel methods of fabricating low-temperature (180 °C), solution-processed zinc oxide (ZnO) transistors using a ZnO precursor that is blended with zinc hydroxide [Zn(OH)2] and zinc oxide hydrate (ZnO • H2O) in an ammonium solution. By using the proposed method, we successfully improved the electrical performance of the transistor in terms of the mobility (μ), on/off current ratio (I on/I off), sub-threshold swing (SS), and operational stability. Our new approach to forming a ZnO film was systematically compared with previously proposed methods. An atomic forced microscopic (AFM) image and an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed that our method increases the ZnO crystallite size with less OH‑ impurities. Thus, we attribute the improved electrical performance to the better ZnO film formation using the blending methods.

  5. Iron Sulfide Attenuates the Methanogenic Toxicity of Elemental Copper and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and their Soluble Metal Ion Analogs

    PubMed Central

    Gonzalez-Estrella, Jorge; Gallagher, Sara; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes; Field, Jim A.

    2016-01-01

    Elemental copper (Cu0) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle (NP) toxicity to methanogens has been attributed to the release of soluble metal ions. Iron sulfide (FeS) partially controls the soluble concentration of heavy metals and their toxicity in aquatic environments. Heavy metals displace the Fe from FeS forming poorly soluble metal sulfides in the FeS matrix. Therefore, FeS may be expected to attenuate the NP toxicity. This work assessed FeS as an attenuator of the methanogenic toxicity of Cu0 and ZnO NPs and their soluble salt analogs. The toxicity attenuation capacity of fine (25–75 µm) and coarse (500 to 1200 µm) preparations of FeS (FeS-f and FeS-c respectively) was tested in the presence of highly inhibitory concentrations of CuCl2, ZnCl2 Cu0 and ZnO NPs. FeS-f attenuated methanogenic toxicity better than FeS-c. The results revealed that 2.5× less FeS-f than FeS-c was required to recover the methanogenic activity to 50% (activity normalized to uninhibited controls). The results also indicated that a molar FeS-f/Cu0 NP, FeS-f/ZnO NP, FeS-f/ZnCl2, and FeS-f/CuCl2 ratio of 2.14, 2.14, 4.28, and 8.56 respectively, was necessary to recover the methanogenic activity to >75%. Displacement experiments demonstrated that CuCl2 and ZnCl2 partially displaced Fe from FeS. As a whole, the results indicate that not all the sulfide in FeS was readily available to react with the soluble Cu and Zn ions which may explain the need for a large stoichiometric excesses of FeS to highly attenuate Cu and Zn toxicity. Overall, this study provides evidence that FeS attenuates the toxicity caused by Cu0 and ZnO NPs and their soluble ion analogs to methanogens. PMID:26803736

  6. Synthesis of uniformly distributed single- and double-sided zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocombs

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Altintas Yildirim, Ozlem; Liu, Yuzi; Petford-Long, Amanda K.

    Uniformly distributed single- and double-sided zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocomb structures have been prepared by a vapor-liquid-solid technique from a mixture of ZnO nanoparticles and graphene nanoplatelets. The ZnO seed nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple precipitation method. The structure of the ZnO nanocombs could easily be controlled by tuning the carrier-gas flow rate during growth. Higher flow rate resulted in the formation of uniformly-distributed single-sided comb structures with nanonail-shaped teeth, as a result of the self-catalysis effect of the catalytically active Zn-terminated polar (0001) surface. Lower gas flow rate was favorable for production of double-sided comb structures with the twomore » sets of teeth at an angle of similar to 110 degrees to each other along the comb ribbon, which was attributed to the formation of a bicrystal nanocomb ribbon. Lastly, the formation of such a double-sided structure with nanonail-shaped teeth has not previously been reported.« less

  7. Synthesis of uniformly distributed single- and double-sided zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocombs

    DOE PAGES

    Altintas Yildirim, Ozlem; Liu, Yuzi; Petford-Long, Amanda K.

    2015-08-21

    Uniformly distributed single- and double-sided zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocomb structures have been prepared by a vapor-liquid-solid technique from a mixture of ZnO nanoparticles and graphene nanoplatelets. The ZnO seed nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple precipitation method. The structure of the ZnO nanocombs could easily be controlled by tuning the carrier-gas flow rate during growth. Higher flow rate resulted in the formation of uniformly-distributed single-sided comb structures with nanonail-shaped teeth, as a result of the self-catalysis effect of the catalytically active Zn-terminated polar (0001) surface. Lower gas flow rate was favorable for production of double-sided comb structures with the twomore » sets of teeth at an angle of similar to 110 degrees to each other along the comb ribbon, which was attributed to the formation of a bicrystal nanocomb ribbon. Lastly, the formation of such a double-sided structure with nanonail-shaped teeth has not previously been reported.« less

  8. Coprecipitation of nickel zinc malonate: A facile and reproducible synthesis route for Ni{sub 1−x}Zn{sub x}O nanoparticles and Ni{sub 1−x}Zn{sub x}O/ZnO nanocomposites via pyrolysis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lontio Fomekong, Roussin, E-mail: lonforou@yahoo.fr; Institut de la Matière Condensée et des Nanosciences, Université Catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 1, 1348 Louvain-La-Neuve; Kenfack Tsobnang, Patrice

    2015-10-15

    Nanoparticles of Ni{sub 1−x}Zn{sub x}O and Ni{sub 1−x}Zn{sub x}O/ZnO, which can be good candidates for selective gas sensors, were successfully obtained via a two-step synthetic route, in which the nickel zinc malonate precursor was first synthesized by co-precipitation from an aqueous solution, followed by pyrolysis in air at a relatively low temperature (~500 °C). The precursor was characterized by ICP-AES, FTIR and TG and the results indicate the molecular structure of the precursor to be compatible with Ni{sub 1−x}Zn{sub x}(OOCCH{sub 2}COO)·2H{sub 2}O. The decomposition product, characterized using various techniques (FTIR, XRD, ToF-SIMS, SEM, TEM and XPS), was established to bemore » a doped nickel oxide (Ni{sub 1−x}Zn{sub x}O for 0.01≤x≤0.1) and a composite material (Ni{sub 1−x}Zn{sub x}O/ZnO for 0.2≤x≤0.5). To elucidate the form in which the Zn is present in the NiO structure, three analytical techniques were employed: ToF-SIMS, XRD and XPS. While ToF SIMS provided a direct evidence of the presence of Zn in the NiO crystal structure, XRD showed that Zn actually substitutes Ni in the structure and XPS is a bit more specific by indicating that the Zn is present in the form of Zn{sup 2+} ions. - Highlights: • Coprecipitation synthesis of nickel zinc malonate single bath precursor was achieved. • The as synthesized precursors are an homogeneous mixture of nickel and zinc malonate. • XRD, ToF-SIMS, XPS, SEM and TEM was used to characterized decomposition products. • Ni{sub 1−x}Zn{sub x}O nanoparticles (0.01≤x≤0.1) formed after pyrolysis (~500 °C) of precursor. • Ni{sub 1−x}Zn{sub x}O/ZnO nanocomposite (0.2≤x≤0.5) formed after pyrolysis at 500 °C of precursor.« less

  9. Coherent diffractive imaging of solid state reactions in zinc oxide crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leake, Steven J.; Harder, Ross; Robinson, Ian K.

    2011-11-01

    We investigated the doping of zinc oxide (ZnO) microcrystals with iron and nickel via in situ coherent x-ray diffractive imaging (CXDI) in vacuum. Evaporated thin metal films were deposited onto the ZnO microcrystals. A single crystal was selected and tracked through annealing cycles. A solid state reaction was observed in both iron and nickel experiments using CXDI. A combination of the shrink wrap and guided hybrid-input-output phasing methods were applied to retrieve the electron density. The resolution was 33 nm (half order) determined via the phase retrieval transfer function. The resulting images are nevertheless sensitive to sub-angstrom displacements. The exterior of the microcrystal was found to degrade dramatically. The annealing of ZnO microcrystals coated with metal thin films proved an unsuitable doping method. In addition the observed defect structure of one crystal was attributed to the presence of an array of defects and was found to change upon annealing.

  10. Diel cycling of zinc in a stream impacted by acid rock drainage: Initial results from a new in situ Zn analyzer

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chapin, T.P.; Nimick, D.A.; Gammons, C.H.; Wanty, R.B.

    2007-01-01

    Recent work has demonstrated that many trace metals undergo dramatic diel (24-h) cycles in near neutral pH streams with metal concentrations reproducibly changing up to 500% during the diel period (Nimick et al., 2003). To examine diel zinc cycles in streams affected by acid rock drainage, we have developed a novel instrument, the Zn-DigiScan, to continuously monitor in situ zinc concentrations in near real-time. Initial results from a 3-day deployment at Fisher Creek, Montana have demonstrated the ability of the Zn-DigiScan to record diel Zn cycling at levels below 100 ??g/l. Longer deployments of this instrument could be used to examine the effects of episodic events such as rainstorms and snowmelt pulses on zinc loading in streams affected by acid rock drainage. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2006.

  11. Calibrating NIST SRM 683 as A New International Reference Standard for Zn Isotopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Y.; Zhang, X.; Yu, H.; Huang, F.

    2017-12-01

    Zinc isotopes have been widely applied in the cosmochemical, geochemical, and environmental studies (Moynier et al. 2017). Obtaining precise Zn isotopic data for inter-laboratory comparison is a prerequisite to these applications. Currently, the JMC3-0749L is the primary reference standard for Zn isotopes (Albarède 2004), but it is not commercially available now. Thus, it is necessary to calibrate a new international primary reference standard for Zn isotopic analysis. Chen et al. (2016) showed that NIST SRM 683 (a pure Zn metal nugget of 140 grams) has a δ66ZnJMC of 0.12‰, which is falling within the range of natural Zn isotopic compositions, and it may a good candidate for the next generation of international reference standard (Chen et al. 2016). In order to further examine whether NIST SRM 683 has a homogeneous Zn isotopic composition, we measured more NIST SRM 683 by double-spike methods using MC-ICPMS (Conway et al. 2013). The metal nuggets of NIST SRM 683 were intensively sampled by micro-drilling. Zinc isotope analyses for two nuggets show that they have δ66Zn of 0.14 ± 0.02‰ (2SD, N = 32) and 0.13 ± 0.02‰ (2SD, N = 33), respectively. These values are similar to those of two Zn metal nuggets (0.11 ± 0.02‰ vs. 0.12 ± 0.02‰) reported previously by Chen et al. (2016). We fully dissolved one nugget, producing pure Zn solution with identical Zn isotopic composition with the drilling samples. All results strongly support that NIST SRM 683 is homogeneous in Zn isotopic compositions which could be an ideal candidate for the next reference for Zn isotopes. Tests on more metal nuggets will be performed in a few months for further confirming the Zn isotope compositions and homogeneity. Reference: Albarède et al., 2004. 'The stable isotope geochemistry of copper and zinc', Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, 55: 409-27. Chen et al., 2016. 'Zinc Isotopic Compositions of NIST SRM 683 and Whole-Rock Reference Materials', Geostandards and

  12. Effects of Dietary Zinc Manipulation on Growth Performance, Zinc Status and Immune Response during Giardia lamblia Infection: A Study in CD-1 Mice

    PubMed Central

    Iñigo-Figueroa, Gemma; Méndez-Estrada, Rosa O.; Quihui-Cota, Luis; Velásquez-Contreras, Carlos A.; Garibay-Escobar, Adriana; Canett-Romero, Rafael; Astiazarán-García, Humberto

    2013-01-01

    Associations between Giardia lamblia infection and low serum concentrations of zinc have been reported in young children. Interestingly, relatively few studies have examined the effects of different dietary zinc levels on the parasite-infected host. The aims of this study were to compare the growth performance and zinc status in response to varying levels of dietary zinc and to measure the antibody-mediated response of mice during G. lamblia infection. Male CD-1 mice were fed using 1 of 4 experimental diets: adequate-zinc (ZnA), low-zinc (ZnL), high-zinc (ZnH) and supplemented-zinc (ZnS) diet containing 30, 10, 223 and 1383 mg Zn/kg respectively. After a 10 days feeding period, mice were inoculated orally with 5 × 106 G. lamblia trophozoites and were maintained on the assigned diet during the course of infection (30 days). Giardia-free mice fed ZnL diets were able to attain normal growth and antibody-mediated response. Giardia-infected mice fed ZnL and ZnA diets presented a significant growth retardation compared to non-infected controls. Zinc supplementation avoided this weight loss during G. lamblia infection and up-regulated the host’s humoral immune response by improving the production of specific antibodies. Clinical outcomes of zinc supplementation during giardiasis included significant weight gain, higher anti-G. lamblia IgG antibodies and improved serum zinc levels despite the ongoing infection. A maximum growth rate and antibody-mediated response were attained in mice fed ZnH diet. No further increases in body weight, zinc status and humoral immune capacity were noted by feeding higher zinc levels (ZnS) than the ZnH diet. These findings probably reflect biological effect of zinc that could be of public health importance in endemic areas of infection. PMID:24002196

  13. TNFα Post-Translationally Targets ZnT2 to Accumulate Zinc in Lysosomes.

    PubMed

    Hennigar, Stephen R; Kelleher, Shannon L

    2015-10-01

    Mammary epithelial cells undergo widespread lysosomal-mediated cell death (LCD) during early mammary gland involution. Recently, we demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), a cytokine released during early involution, redistributes the zinc (Zn) transporter ZnT2 to accumulate Zn in lysosomes and activate LCD and involution. The objective of this study is to determine how TNFα retargets ZnT2 to lysosomes. We tested the hypothesis that TNFα signaling dephosphorylates ZnT2 to uncover a highly conserved dileucine motif (L294L) in the C-terminus of ZnT2, allowing adaptor protein complex-3 (AP-3) to bind and traffic ZnT2 to lysosomes. Confocal micrographs showed that TNFα redistributed wild-type (WT) ZnT2 from late endosomes (Pearson's coefficient = 0.202 ± 0.05 and 0.097 ± 0.03; P<0.05) to lysosomes (0.292 ± 0.03 and 0.649 ± 0.03; P<0.0001), which increased lysosomal Zn (P<0.0001) and activated LCD (P<0.0001) compared to untreated cells. Mutation of the dileucine motif (L294V) eliminated the ability of TNFα to redistribute ZnT2 from late endosomes to lysosomes, increase lysosomal Zn, or activate LCD. Moreover, TNFα increased (P<0.05) AP-3 binding to wt ZnT2 but not to L294V immunoprecipitates. Finally, using phospho- and dephospho-mimetics of predicted phosphorylation sites (T281, T288, and S296), we found that dephosphorylated S296 was required to target ZnT2 to accumulate Zn in lysosomes and activate LCD. Our findings suggest that women with variation in the C-terminus of ZnT2 may be at risk for inadequate involution and breast disease due the inability to traffic ZnT2 to lysosomes. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Retaining the 3D framework of zinc sponge anodes upon deep discharge in Zn-air cells.

    PubMed

    Parker, Joseph F; Nelson, Eric S; Wattendorf, Matthew D; Chervin, Christopher N; Long, Jeffrey W; Rolison, Debra R

    2014-11-26

    We fabricate three-dimensional zinc electrodes from emulsion-cast sponges of Zn powder that are thermally treated to produce rugged monoliths. This highly conductive, 3D-wired aperiodic scaffold achieves 740 mA h gZn(-1) when discharged in primary Zn-air cells (>90% of theoretical Zn capacity). We use scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction to monitor the microstructural evolution of a series of Zn sponges when oxidized in Zn-air cells to specific depths-of-discharge (20, 40, 60, 80% DOD) at a technologically relevant rate (C/40; 4-6 mA cm(-2)). The Zn sponges maintain their 3D-monolithic form factor at all DOD. The cell resistance remains low under all test conditions, indicating that an inner core of metallic Zn persists that 3D-electrically wires the electrode, even to deep DOD.

  15. The Zinc Transporter Zip5 (Slc39a5) Regulates Intestinal Zinc Excretion and Protects the Pancreas against Zinc Toxicity

    PubMed Central

    Geiser, Jim; De Lisle, Robert C.; Andrews, Glen K.

    2013-01-01

    Background ZIP5 localizes to the baso-lateral membranes of intestinal enterocytes and pancreatic acinar cells and is internalized and degraded coordinately in these cell-types during periods of dietary zinc deficiency. These cell-types are thought to control zinc excretion from the body. The baso-lateral localization and zinc-regulation of ZIP5 in these cells are unique among the 14 members of the Slc39a family and suggest that ZIP5 plays a role in zinc excretion. Methods/Principal Findings We created mice with floxed Zip5 genes and deleted this gene in the entire mouse or specifically in enterocytes or acinar cells and then examined the effects on zinc homeostasis. We found that ZIP5 is not essential for growth and viability but total knockout of ZIP5 led to increased zinc in the liver in mice fed a zinc-adequate (ZnA) diet but impaired accumulation of pancreatic zinc in mice fed a zinc-excess (ZnE) diet. Loss-of-function of enterocyte ZIP5, in contrast, led to increased pancreatic zinc in mice fed a ZnA diet and increased abundance of intestinal Zip4 mRNA. Finally, loss-of-function of acinar cell ZIP5 modestly reduced pancreatic zinc in mice fed a ZnA diet but did not impair zinc uptake as measured by the rapid accumulation of 67zinc. Retention of pancreatic 67zinc was impaired in these mice but the absence of pancreatic ZIP5 sensitized them to zinc-induced pancreatitis and exacerbated the formation of large cytoplasmic vacuoles containing secretory protein in acinar cells. Conclusions These studies demonstrate that ZIP5 participates in the control of zinc excretion in mice. Specifically, they reveal a paramount function of intestinal ZIP5 in zinc excretion but suggest a role for pancreatic ZIP5 in zinc accumulation/retention in acinar cells. ZIP5 functions in acinar cells to protect against zinc-induced acute pancreatitis and attenuate the process of zymophagy. This suggests that it may play a role in autophagy. PMID:24303081

  16. Trace Element Status (Zinc, Copper, Selenium, Iron, Manganese) in Patients with Long-Term Home Parenteral Nutrition.

    PubMed

    Dastych, Milan; Šenkyřík, Michal; Dastych, Milan; Novák, František; Wohl, Petr; Maňák, Jan; Kohout, Pavel

    2016-01-01

    The objective of the present study was to determine concentrations of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), selenium (Se) in blood plasma and manganese (Mn) in the whole blood in patients with long-term home parenteral nutrition (HPN) in comparison to the control group. We examined 68 patients (16 men and 52 women) aged from 28 to 68 years on a long-term HPN lasting from 4 to 96 months. The short bowel syndrome was an indication for HPN. The daily doses of Zn, Cu, Fe, Se and Mn in the last 3 months were determined. No significant differences in blood plasma were found for Zn, Cu and Fe in patients with HPN and in the control group (p > 0.05). The concentration of Mn in whole blood was significantly increased in HPN patients (p < 0.0001), while Se concentration in these patients was significantly decreased (p < 0.005). The concentration of Mn in the whole blood of 16 patients with cholestasis was significantly increased compared to the patients without cholestasis (p < 0.001). The Cu concentration was increased with no statistical significance. In long-term HPN, the status of trace elements in the patients has to be continually monitored and the daily substitution doses of these elements have to be flexibly adjusted. Dosing schedule needs to be adjusted especially in cases of cholestatic hepatopathy. A discussion about the optimal daily dose of Mn in patients on HPN is appropriate. For clinical practice, the availability of a substitution mixture of trace elements lacking Mn would be advantageous. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  17. The Effect of Low Dose Iron and Zinc Intake on Child Micronutrient Status and Development during the First 1000 Days of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Petry, Nicolai; Olofin, Ibironke; Boy, Erick; Donahue Angel, Moira; Rohner, Fabian

    2016-01-01

    Adequate supply of micronutrients during the first 1000 days is essential for normal development and healthy life. We aimed to investigate if interventions administering dietary doses up to the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) of iron and zinc within the window from conception to age 2 years have the potential to influence nutritional status and development of children. To address this objective, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and quasi-randomized fortification, biofortification, and supplementation trials in women (pregnant and lactating) and children (6–23 months) delivering iron or zinc in doses up to the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) levels was conducted. Supplying iron or zinc during pregnancy had no effects on birth outcomes. There were limited or no data on the effects of iron/zinc during pregnancy and lactation on child iron/zinc status, growth, morbidity, and psychomotor and mental development. Delivering up to 15 mg iron/day during infancy increased mean hemoglobin by 4 g/L (p < 0.001) and mean serum ferritin concentration by 17.6 µg/L (p < 0.001) and reduced the risk for anemia by 41% (p < 0.001), iron deficiency by 78% (ID; p < 0.001) and iron deficiency anemia by 80% (IDA; p < 0.001), but had no effect on growth or psychomotor development. Providing up to 10 mg of additional zinc during infancy increased plasma zinc concentration by 2.03 µmol/L (p < 0.001) and reduced the risk of zinc deficiency by 47% (p < 0.001). Further, we observed positive effects on child weight for age z-score (WAZ) (p < 0.05), weight for height z-score (WHZ) (p < 0.05), but not on height for age z-score (HAZ) or the risk for stunting, wasting, and underweight. There are no studies covering the full 1000 days window and the effects of iron and zinc delivered during pregnancy and lactation on child outcomes are ambiguous, but low dose daily iron and zinc use during 6–23 months of age has a positive effect on child iron and zinc status. PMID

  18. Pituitary gland levels of mercury, selenium, iron, and zinc in an Alzheimer`s disease study

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cornett, C.R.; Markesbery, W.R.; Wekstein, D.R.

    1996-12-31

    Mercury, iron, selenium, and zinc imbalances have been observed in comparisons between Alzheimer`s disease (AD) and control subject brains. Analyses of the pituitary gland have demonstrated that this organ retains relatively high concentrations of trace elements, including mercury, iron, and zinc. Our previous work has shown that the pituitary glands of AD and control subjects are typically higher in these trace elements than brain samples from the same subject. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used to compare the pituitary trace element levels of AD and control subjects. This study also describes the intrasubject relationships of brain trace element levelsmore » to those in the pituitary gland of AD and control subjects.« less

  19. Relative contribution of phytates, fibers, and tannins to low iron and zinc in vitro solubility in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) flour and grain fractions.

    PubMed

    Lestienne, Isabelle; Caporiccio, Bertrand; Besançon, Pierre; Rochette, Isabelle; Trèche, Serge

    2005-10-19

    In vitro digestions were performed on pearl millet flours with decreased phytate contents and on two dephytinized or nondephytinized pearl millet grain fractions, a decorticated fraction, and a bran fraction with low and high fiber and tannin contents, respectively. Insoluble residues of these digestions were then incubated with buffer or enzymatic solutions (xylanases and/or phytases), and the quantities of indigestible iron and zinc released by these different treatments were determined. In decorticated pearl millet grain, iron was chelated by phytates and by insoluble fibers, whereas zinc was almost exclusively chelated by phytates. In the bran of pearl millet grain, a high proportion of iron was chelated by iron-binding phenolic compounds, while the rest of iron as well as the majority of zinc were chelated in complexes between phytates and fibers. The low effect of phytase action on iron and zinc solubility of bran of pearl millet grain shows that, in the case of high fiber and tannin contents, the chelating effect of these compounds was higher than that of phytates.

  20. Fenton-like oxidation of 4-chlorophenol using H2O2 in situ generated by Zn-Fe-CNTs composite.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yong; Fan, Qing; Liu, Yanlan; Wang, Jianlong

    2018-05-15

    In this paper, a zinc-iron-carbon nanotubes (Zn-Fe-CNTs) composite was prepared, characterized and used to develop a Fenton-like system of Zn-Fe-CNTs/O 2 for the degradation of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP), in which H 2 O 2 was generated in situ from zinc-carbon galvanic cells and oxygen in aqueous solution was activated by iron attached on the surface of CNTs to produce ·OH radicals for the oxidation of 4-CP. The experimental results showed that the particles of Zn and Fe in Zn-Fe-CNTs composite were adhered to the surface of CNTs, which accelerated the electron transfer process. The BET area of Zn-Fe-CNTs composite was 32.9 m 2 /g. The contents of Zn and Fe (% w) in the composite were 44.7% and 4.2%, respectively. The removal efficiency of 4-CP and TOC in Zn-Fe-CNTs/O 2 system was 90.8% and 52.9%, respectively, with the initial pH of 2.0, O 2 flow rate of 800 mL/min, Zn-Fe-CNTs dosage of 1.0 g/L, 4-CP concentration of 50 mg/L and reaction time of 20 min. Based on the analysis of the degradation intermediate products with LC-MS and IC, a possible degradation pathway of 4-CP in Zn-Fe-CNTs/O 2 system was proposed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. A New Test of Copper and Zinc Abundances in Late-Type Stars Using Cu II and Zn II lines in the Near-Ultraviolet

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roederer, Ian

    2017-08-01

    The copper (Cu, Z = 29) and zinc (Zn, Z = 30) abundances found in late-type stars provide critical constraints on models that predict the yields of massive star supernovae, hypernovae, Type Ia supernovae, and AGB stars, which are essential ingredients in Galactic chemical evolution models. Furthermore, Zn is commonly used to compare the abundance of iron-group elements in the gas phase in high-redshift DLA systems with metallicities in Local Group stars. It is thus important that the observational Cu and Zn abundances in stars are correct. My proposed archive study will address this issue by using archive STIS spectra of 14 stars to provide the first systematic observational tests of non-LTE calculations of Cu and Zn line formation in late-type stars. The non-LTE calculations predict that all LTE [Cu/Fe] abundance ratios presently found in the literature are systematically lower than the true ratios found in stars. The non-LTE calculations for Zn predict that the LTE values in the literature may be systematically overestimated in low-metallicity stars. The LTE abundances of Cu and Zn are derived from Cu I and Zn I lines. The key advance enabled by the use of NUV spectra is the detection of several lines of Cu II and Zn II, which cannot be detected in the optical or infrared. Cu II and Zn II are largely immune to non-LTE effects in the atmospheres of late-type stars. The metallicities of the 14 stars with NUV spectra span -2.6 < [Fe/H] < -0.1, which covers the range of most Cu and Zn abundances reported in the literature. The proposed study will allow me to test the non-LTE calculations and calibrate the stellar abundances.

  2. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) alleviate heavy metal-induced toxicity in Leucaena leucocephala seedlings: A physiochemical analysis.

    PubMed

    Venkatachalam, P; Jayaraj, M; Manikandan, R; Geetha, N; Rene, Eldon R; Sharma, N C; Sahi, S V

    2017-01-01

    The present study describes the role of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) in reversing oxidative stress symptoms induced by heavy metal (Cd and Pb) exposure in Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. Seedling growth was significantly enhanced with the augmentation of ZnONPs following Cd and Pb exposure. Heavy metal accumulations were recorded as 1253.1 mg Cd per kg DW and 1026.8 mg Pb per kg DW for the respective treatments. Results demonstrated that ZnONPs augmentation caused an increase in photosynthetic pigment and total soluble protein contents while a significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA-lipid peroxidation) content in leaves. Antioxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) were, in turn, elevated in heavy metal-exposed leaves amended with ZnONPs. The ameliorating effect of ZnO nanoparticles on oxidative stress induced toxicity was also confirmed by the reduced MDA content and the elevated level of antioxidative enzyme activities in leaf tissues of L. leucocephala seedlings. Further, addition of ZnONPs in combination with Cd and Pb metals induced distinct genomic alterations such as presence of new DNA bands and/or absence of normal bands in the RAPD pattern of the exposed plants. This study uniquely suggests a potential role of zinc oxide nanoparticles in the remediation of heavy metal contaminated media. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  3. Green Synthesized Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Nanoparticles Induce Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage in Lathyrus sativus L. Root Bioassay System.

    PubMed

    Panda, Kamal K; Golari, Dambaru; Venugopal, A; Achary, V Mohan M; Phaomei, Ganngam; Parinandi, Narasimham L; Sahu, Hrushi K; Panda, Brahma B

    2017-05-18

    Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONP-GS) were synthesised from the precursor zinc acetate (Zn(CH₃COO)₂) through the green route using the milky latex from milk weed ( Calotropis gigantea L. R. Br) by alkaline precipitation. Formation of the ZnONP-GS was monitored by UV-visible spectroscopy followed by characterization and confirmation by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Both the ZnONP-GS and the commercially available ZnONP-S (Sigma-Aldrich) and cationic Zn 2+ from Zn(CH₃COO)₂ were tested in a dose range of 0-100 mg·L -1 for their potency (i) to induce oxidative stress as measured by the generation reactive oxygen species (ROS: O₂ •- , H₂O₂ and • OH), cell death, and lipid peroxidation; (ii) to modulate the activities of antioxidant enzymes: catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX); and (iii) to cause DNA damage as determined by Comet assay in Lathyrus sativus L. root bioassay system. Antioxidants such as Tiron and dimethylthiourea significantly attenuated the ZnONP-induced oxidative and DNA damage, suggesting the involvement of ROS therein. Our study demonstrated that both ZnONP-GS and ZnONP-S induced oxidative stress and DNA damage to a similar extent but were significantly less potent than Zn 2+ alone.

  4. Zinc allocation and re-allocation in rice.

    PubMed

    Stomph, Tjeerd Jan; Jiang, Wen; Van Der Putten, Peter E L; Struik, Paul C

    2014-01-01

    Agronomy and breeding actively search for options to enhance cereal grain Zn density. Quantifying internal (re-)allocation of Zn as affected by soil and crop management or genotype is crucial. We present experiments supporting the development of a conceptual model of whole plant Zn allocation and re-allocation in rice. Two solution culture experiments using (70)Zn applications at different times during crop development and an experiment on within-grain distribution of Zn are reported. In addition, results from two earlier published experiments are re-analyzed and re-interpreted. A budget analysis showed that plant zinc accumulation during grain filling was larger than zinc allocation to the grains. Isotope data showed that zinc taken up during grain filling was only partly transported directly to the grains and partly allocated to the leaves. Zinc taken up during grain filling and allocated to the leaves replaced zinc re-allocated from leaves to grains. Within the grains, no major transport barrier was observed between vascular tissue and endosperm. At low tissue Zn concentrations, rice plants maintained concentrations of about 20 mg Zn kg(-1) dry matter in leaf blades and reproductive tissues, but let Zn concentrations in stems, sheath, and roots drop below this level. When plant zinc concentrations increased, Zn levels in leaf blades and reproductive tissues only showed a moderate increase while Zn levels in stems, roots, and sheaths increased much more and in that order. In rice, the major barrier to enhanced zinc allocation towards grains is between stem and reproductive tissues. Enhancing root to shoot transfer will not contribute proportionally to grain zinc enhancement.

  5. Zinc allocation and re-allocation in rice

    PubMed Central

    Stomph, Tjeerd Jan; Jiang, Wen; Van Der Putten, Peter E. L.; Struik, Paul C.

    2014-01-01

    Aims: Agronomy and breeding actively search for options to enhance cereal grain Zn density. Quantifying internal (re-)allocation of Zn as affected by soil and crop management or genotype is crucial. We present experiments supporting the development of a conceptual model of whole plant Zn allocation and re-allocation in rice. Methods: Two solution culture experiments using 70Zn applications at different times during crop development and an experiment on within-grain distribution of Zn are reported. In addition, results from two earlier published experiments are re-analyzed and re-interpreted. Results: A budget analysis showed that plant zinc accumulation during grain filling was larger than zinc allocation to the grains. Isotope data showed that zinc taken up during grain filling was only partly transported directly to the grains and partly allocated to the leaves. Zinc taken up during grain filling and allocated to the leaves replaced zinc re-allocated from leaves to grains. Within the grains, no major transport barrier was observed between vascular tissue and endosperm. At low tissue Zn concentrations, rice plants maintained concentrations of about 20 mg Zn kg−1 dry matter in leaf blades and reproductive tissues, but let Zn concentrations in stems, sheath, and roots drop below this level. When plant zinc concentrations increased, Zn levels in leaf blades and reproductive tissues only showed a moderate increase while Zn levels in stems, roots, and sheaths increased much more and in that order. Conclusions: In rice, the major barrier to enhanced zinc allocation towards grains is between stem and reproductive tissues. Enhancing root to shoot transfer will not contribute proportionally to grain zinc enhancement. PMID:24478788

  6. Synthesis and interface structures of zinc sulfide sheathed zinc-cadmium nanowire heterojunctions.

    PubMed

    Shen, Guozhen; Bando, Yoshio; Gao, Yihua; Golberg, Dmitri

    2006-07-27

    Zinc sulfide (ZnS) sheathed zinc (Zn)-cadmium (Cd) nanowire heterojunctions have been prepared by thermal evaporating of ZnS and CdS powders in a vertical induction furnace at 1200 degrees C. Studies found that both the Zn and Cd subnanowires, within a single nanoheterojunction, are single-crystallines with the growth directions perpendicular to the [210] plane, whereas the sheathed ZnS is polycrystalline with a thickness of ca. 5 nm. The Zn/Cd interface structure in the ZnS sheathed Zn-Cd nanowire heterojunctions was thoroughly experimentally studied by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and theoretically studied using a near-coincidence site lattice (NCSL) concept. The results show that the Cd and Zn have a crystalline orientation relationship as [0001]Zn//[0001]Cd, (10(-)10)Zn//(10(-)10)Cd, (01(-)10)Zn//(01(-)10)Cd, and ((-)1100)Zn//((-)1100)Cd.

  7. [The relevance of the trace elements zinc and iron in the milk fever disease of cattle].

    PubMed

    Heilig, M; Bäuml, D; Fürll, M

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study was to analyse the concentrations of Zn and Fe as well as their relationships to metabolic parameters in milk fever cows. A total of 195 Simmental cows, downer cows and clinically healthy control animals were divided into five groups: a) control group (CG, n = 21), b) all cows with milk fever (MF) (n = 174), c) MF cows without additional diseases (n = 145), d) cows with MF and mastitis (n = 10) and e) cows with retained placenta or endometritis (n = 19). Selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), inorganic phosphorus (Pi), tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), haptoglobin (Hp), antioxidants (Trolox Equivalent Antioxidative Capacity: TEAC), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), bilirubin, urea, creatinine, glucose, cholesterol, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) were analysed in the blood serum. The concentrations of Zn, Fe, Ca, Pi and TEAC were lower in groups b) to e) whereas Hp was higher than in the CG (p ≤ 0.05). In group c), lower Ca and Pi concentrations were found when compared to groups d) and e) (p ≤ 0.05). In group e), Zn concentrations were significantly lower than in group c) (p ≤ 0.05). Zn was negatively correlated with K (CG) and positively correlated with TEAC, Cu, Mn and Fe (groups b and c) and with Mn (group e) (p ≤ 0.05). Fe was positively correlated with Ca (group c), Pi (group c), K (groups b and c) and Mg (groups b-d) as well as with Zn, Cu and Se (groups b and c) (p ≤ 0.05). In groups b) and c), TNFα was increased and negatively correlated with Fe (p ≤ 0.05). AP activity in groups b) and e) was lower than in the CG (p ≤ 0.05). These results and literature data support the hypothesis that Zn and Fe could be engaged in bone metabolism and be involved in the pathogenesis of MF. The concentrations of Hp and TEAC support this interpretation. Control of the Zn and Fe status of cows and Zn supplementation should be included in the

  8. Acute changes in cellular zinc alters zinc uptake rates prior to zinc transporter gene expression in Jurkat cells.

    PubMed

    Holland, Tai C; Killilea, David W; Shenvi, Swapna V; King, Janet C

    2015-12-01

    A coordinated network of zinc transporters and binding proteins tightly regulate cellular zinc levels. Canonical responses to zinc availability are thought to be mediated by changes in gene expression of key zinc transporters. We investigated the temporal relationships of actual zinc uptake with patterns of gene expression in membrane-bound zinc transporters in the human immortalized T lymphocyte Jurkat cell line. Cellular zinc levels were elevated or reduced with exogenous zinc sulfate or N,N,N',N-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine (TPEN), respectively. Excess zinc resulted in a rapid 44 % decrease in the rate of zinc uptake within 10 min. After 120 min, the expression of metallothionein (positive control) increased, as well as the zinc exporter, ZnT1; however, the expression of zinc importers did not change during this time period. Zinc chelation with TPEN resulted in a rapid twofold increase in the rate of zinc uptake within 10 min. After 120 min, the expression of ZnT1 decreased, while again the expression of zinc importers did not change. Overall, zinc transporter gene expression kinetics did not match actual changes in cellular zinc uptake with exogenous zinc or TPEN treatments. This suggests zinc transporter regulation may be the initial response to changes in zinc within Jurkat cells.

  9. Short-Term Subclinical Zinc Deficiency in Weaned Piglets Affects Cardiac Redox Metabolism and Zinc Concentration.

    PubMed

    Brugger, Daniel; Windisch, Wilhelm M

    2017-04-01

    Background: Subclinical zinc deficiency (SZD) represents the common zinc malnutrition phenotype. However, its association with oxidative stress is not well understood. The heart muscle may be a promising target for studying early changes in redox metabolism. Objective: We investigated the effects of short-term SZD on cardiac redox metabolism in weaned piglets. Methods: Forty-eight weaned German Large White × Landrace × Piétrain piglets (50% castrated males and 50% females; body weight of 8.5 kg) were fed diets with different zinc concentrations for 8 d. Measurements included cardiac parameters of antioxidative capacity, stress-associated gene expression, and tissue zinc status. Analyses comprised (linear, broken-line) regression models and Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: Glutathione and α-tocopherol concentrations as well as catalase, glutathione reductase, B-cell lymphoma 2-associated X protein, and caspase 9 gene expression plateaued in response to reduction in dietary zinc from 88.0 to 57.6, 36.0, 36.5, 41.3, 55.3, and 33.8 mg/kg, respectively ( P < 0.0001). Further reduction in dietary zinc promoted a linear decrease of glutathione and α-tocopherol (30 and 0.6 nmol/mg dietary Zn, respectively; P < 0.05) and a linear increase of gene expression [0.02, 0.01, 0.003, and 0.02 Log 10 (2 -ΔΔCt )/mg dietary Zn, respectively; P < 0.05)]. Tissue zinc declined linearly with reduction in dietary zinc (0.21 mg tissue Zn/mg dietary Zn; P = 0.004) from 88.0 to 42.7 mg/kg ( P < 0.0001), below which it linearly increased inversely to further reduction in dietary zinc (0.57 mg tissue Zn/mg dietary Zn; P = 0.006). H 2 O 2 -detoxification activity and metallothionein 1A gene expression decreased linearly with reduction in dietary zinc from 88.0 to 28.1 mg/kg [0.02 mU and 0.008 Log 10 (2 -ΔΔCt )/mg dietary Zn, respectively; P < 0.05]. Fas cell-surface death receptor, etoposide-induced 2.4 and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A gene expression correlated

  10. MicroXRF tomographic visualization of zinc and iron in the zebrafish embryo at the onset of the hatching period

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bourassa, Daisy; Gleber, Sophie-Charlotte; Vogt, Stefan

    2016-01-01

    Transition metals such as zinc, copper, and iron play key roles in cellular proliferation, cell differentiation, growth, and development. Over the past decade, advances in synchrotron X-ray fluorescence instrumentation presented new opportunities for the three-dimensional mapping of trace metal distributions within intact specimens. Taking advantage of microXRF tomography, we visualized the 3D distribution of zinc and iron in a zebrafish embryo at the onset of the hatching period. The reconstructed volumetric data revealed distinct differences in the elemental distributions, with zinc predominantly localized to the yolk and yolk extension, and iron to various regions of the brain as well asmore » the myotome extending along the dorsal side of the embryo. The data set complements an earlier tomographic study of an embryo at the pharyngula stage (24 hpf), thus offering new insights into the trace metal distribution at key stages of embryonic development.« less

  11. Ground and excited states of zinc phthalocyanine, zinc tetrabenzoporphyrin, and azaporphyrin analogs using DFT and TDDFT with Franck-Condon analysis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Theisen, Rebekah F., E-mail: rtheisen@asu.edu; Huang, Liang; Fleetham, Tyler

    2015-03-07

    The electronic structure of eight zinc-centered porphyrin macrocyclic molecules are investigated using density functional theory for ground-state properties, time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) for excited states, and Franck-Condon (FC) analysis for further characterization of the UV-vis spectrum. Symmetry breaking was utilized to find the lowest energy of the excited states for many states in the spectra. To confirm the theoretical modeling, the spectroscopic result from zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) is used to compare to the TDDFT and FC result. After confirmation of the modeling, five more planar molecules are investigated: zinc tetrabenzoporphyrin (ZnTBP), zinc tetrabenzomonoazaporphyrin (ZnTBMAP), zinc tetrabenzocisdiazaporphyrin (ZnTBcisDAP), zinc tetrabenzotransdiazaporphyrinmore » (ZnTBtransDAP), and zinc tetrabenzotriazaporphyrin (ZnTBTrAP). The two latter molecules are then compared to their phenylated sister molecules: zinc monophenyltetrabenzotriazaporphyrin (ZnMPTBTrAP) and zinc diphenyltetrabenzotransdiazaporphyrin (ZnDPTBtransDAP). The spectroscopic results from the synthesis of ZnMPTBTrAP and ZnDPTBtransDAP are then compared to their theoretical models and non-phenylated pairs. While the Franck-Condon results were not as illuminating for every B-band, the Q-band results were successful in all eight molecules, with a considerable amount of spectral analysis in the range of interest between 300 and 750 nm. The π-π{sup ∗} transitions are evident in the results for all of the Q bands, while satellite vibrations are also visible in the spectra. In particular, this investigation finds that, while ZnPc has a D{sub 4h} symmetry at ground state, a C{sub 4v} symmetry is predicted in the excited-state Q band region. The theoretical results for ZnPc found an excitation energy at the Q-band 0-0 transition of 1.88 eV in vacuum, which is in remarkable agreement with published gas-phase spectroscopy, as well as our own results of ZnPc in solution

  12. Photo-Patternable ZnO Thin Films Based on Cross-Linked Zinc Acrylate for Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Complementary Inverters.

    PubMed

    Jeong, Yong Jin; An, Tae Kyu; Yun, Dong-Jin; Kim, Lae Ho; Park, Seonuk; Kim, Yebyeol; Nam, Sooji; Lee, Keun Hyung; Kim, Se Hyun; Jang, Jaeyoung; Park, Chan Eon

    2016-03-02

    Complementary inverters consisting of p-type organic and n-type metal oxide semiconductors have received considerable attention as key elements for realizing low-cost and large-area future electronics. Solution-processed ZnO thin-film transistors (TFTs) have great potential for use in hybrid complementary inverters as n-type load transistors because of the low cost of their fabrication process and natural abundance of active materials. The integration of a single ZnO TFT into an inverter requires the development of a simple patterning method as an alternative to conventional time-consuming and complicated photolithography techniques. In this study, we used a photocurable polymer precursor, zinc acrylate (or zinc diacrylate, ZDA), to conveniently fabricate photopatternable ZnO thin films for use as the active layers of n-type ZnO TFTs. UV-irradiated ZDA thin films became insoluble in developing solvent as the acrylate moiety photo-cross-linked; therefore, we were able to successfully photopattern solution-processed ZDA thin films using UV light. We studied the effects of addition of a tiny amount of indium dopant on the transistor characteristics of the photopatterned ZnO thin films and demonstrated low-voltage operation of the ZnO TFTs within ±3 V by utilizing Al2O3/TiO2 laminate thin films or ion-gels as gate dielectrics. By combining the ZnO TFTs with p-type pentacene TFTs, we successfully fabricated organic/inorganic hybrid complementary inverters using solution-processed and photopatterned ZnO TFTs.

  13. Different copolymer films on ZnFeCo particles: Synthesis and anticorrosion properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ozyilmaz, A. Tuncay; Avsar, Busra; Ozyilmaz, Gul; Karahan, İ. Hakkı; Camurcu, Taskin; Colak, Fatma

    2014-11-01

    Zinc-iron-cobalt (ZnFeCo) particles were electrochemically deposited on carbon steel (CS) electrode applying current of 3 mA with chronopotentiometry technique. ZnFeCo particles had homogenous, smooth with prismatic structure. It was shown that the ZnFeCo particles exhibited important barrier effect on CS substrate. Poly(aniline-co-o-anisidine), poly(aniline-co-pyrrole), poly(aniline-co-N-methylpyrrole) and poly(o-anisidine-co-pyrrole) copolymer films were obtained on CS/ZnFeCo electrode. Evaluation of anticorrosion performance of copolymer coatings in 3.5% NaCl solution was investigated by using AC impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique, anodic polarization and the Eocp-time curves. Copolymer films exhibited significant physical barrier behavior on ZnFeCo plated carbon steel, in longer exposure time.

  14. A comprehensive toxicity study of zinc oxide nanoparticles versus their bulk in Wistar rats: Toxicity study of zinc oxide nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Srivastav, Anurag Kumar; Kumar, Mahadeo; Ansari, Nasreen Ghazi; Jain, Abhishek Kumar; Shankar, Jai; Arjaria, Nidhi; Jagdale, Pankaj; Singh, Dhirendra

    2016-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to characterize the zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and their bulk counterpart in suspensions and to access the impact of their acute oral toxicity at doses of 300 and 2000 mg/kg in healthy female Wistar rats. The hematological, biochemical, and urine parameters were accessed at 24 and 48 h and 14 days posttreatment. The histopathological evaluations of tissues were also performed. The distribution of zinc content in liver, kidney, spleen, plasma, and excretory materials (feces and urine) at 24 and 48 h and 14 days posttreatment were accessed after a single exposure at dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight. The elevated level of alanine amino transferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatinine were observed in ZnO-NPs at a dose of 2000 mg/kg at all time points. There was a decrease in iron levels in all the treated groups at 24 h posttreatment as compared to control groups but returned to their normal level at 14 days posttreatment. The hematological parameters red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelets, and haptoglobin were reduced at 48 h posttreatment at a dose of 2000 mg/kg ZnO-NPs and showed hemolytic condition. All the treated groups were comparable to control group at the end of 14 days posttreatment. The zinc concentration in the kidney, liver, plasma, feces, and urine showed a significant increase in both groups as compared to control. This study explained that ZnO-NPs produced more toxicological effect as compared to their bulk particles as evidenced through alteration in some hemato-biochemical parameters and with few histopathological lesions in liver and kidney tissues. © The Author(s) 2016.

  15. Organic electrolyte-based rechargeable zinc-ion batteries using potassium nickel hexacyanoferrate as a cathode material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chae, Munseok S.; Heo, Jongwook W.; Kwak, Hunho H.; Lee, Hochun; Hong, Seung-Tae

    2017-01-01

    This study demonstrates an organic electrolyte-based rechargeable zinc-ion battery (ZIB) using Prussian blue (PB) analogue potassium nickel hexacyanoferrate K0.86Ni[Fe(CN)6]0.954(H2O)0.766 (KNF-086) as the cathode material. KNF-086 is prepared via electrochemical extraction of potassium ions from K1.51Ni[Fe(CN)6]0.954(H2O)0.766 (KNF-151). The cell is composed of a KNF-086 cathode, a zinc metal anode, and a 0.5 M Zn(ClO4)2 acetonitrile electrolyte. This cell shows a reversible discharge capacity of 55.6 mAh g-1 at 0.2 C rate with the discharge voltage at 1.19 V (vs. Zn2+/Zn). As evidenced by Fourier electron density analysis with powder XRD data, the zinc-inserted phase is confirmed as Zn0.32K0.86Ni[Fe(CN)6]0.954(H2O)0.766 (ZKNF-086), and the position of the zinc ion in ZKNF-086 is revealed as the center of the large interstitial cavities of the cubic PB. Compared to KNF-086, ZKNF-086 exhibits a decreased unit cell parameter (0.9%) and volume (2.8%) while the interatomic distance of d(Fe-C) increased (from 1.84 to 1.98 Å), and the oxidation state of iron decreases from 3 to 2.23. The organic electrolyte system provides higher zinc cycling efficiency (>99.9%) than the aqueous system (ca. 80%). This result demonstrates an organic electrolyte-based ZIB, and offers a crucial basis for understanding the electrochemical intercalation chemistry of zinc ions in organic electrolytes.

  16. Zebrafish in the sea of mineral (iron, zinc, and copper) metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Lu; Xia, Zhidan; Wang, Fudi

    2014-01-01

    Iron, copper, zinc, and eight other minerals are classified as essential trace elements because they present in minute in vivo quantities and are essential for life. Because either excess or insufficient levels of trace elements can be detrimental to life (causing human diseases such as iron-deficiency anemia, hemochromatosis, Menkes syndrome and Wilson's disease), the endogenous levels of trace minerals must be tightly regulated. Many studies have demonstrated the existence of systems that maintain trace element homeostasis, and these systems are highly conserved in multiple species ranging from yeast to mice. As a model for studying trace mineral metabolism, the zebrafish is indispensable to researchers. Several large-scale mutagenesis screens have been performed in zebrafish, and these screens led to the identification of a series of metal transporters and the generation of several mutagenesis lines, providing an in-depth functional analysis at the system level. Moreover, because of their developmental advantages, zebrafish have also been used in mineral metabolism-related chemical screens and toxicology studies. Here, we systematically review the major findings of trace element homeostasis studies using the zebrafish model, with a focus on iron, zinc, copper, selenium, manganese, and iodine. We also provide a homology analysis of trace mineral transporters in fish, mice and humans. Finally, we discuss the evidence that zebrafish is an ideal experimental tool for uncovering novel mechanisms of trace mineral metabolism and for improving approaches to treat mineral imbalance-related diseases. PMID:24639652

  17. Preferential depletion of zinc within Costa Rica upwelling dome creates conditions for zinc co-limitation of primary production

    PubMed Central

    Dreux Chappell, P.; Vedmati, Jagruti; Selph, Karen E.; Cyr, Heather A.; Jenkins, Bethany D.; Landry, Michael R.; Moffett, James W.

    2016-01-01

    The Costa Rica Dome (CRD) is a wind-driven feature characterized by high primary production and an unusual cyanobacterial bloom in surface waters. It is not clear whether this bloom arises from top-down or bottom-up processes. Several studies have argued that trace metal geochemistry within the CRD contributes to the composition of the phytoplankton assemblages, since cyanobacteria and eukaryotic phytoplankton have different transition metal requirements. Here, we report that total dissolved zinc (Zn) is significantly depleted relative to phosphate (P) and silicate (Si) within the upper water column of the CRD compared with other oceanic systems, and this may create conditions favorable for cyanobacteria, which have lower Zn requirements than their eukaryotic competitors. Shipboard grow-out experiments revealed that while Si was a limiting factor under our experimental conditions, additions of Si and either iron (Fe) or Zn led to higher biomass than Si additions alone. The addition of Fe and Zn alone did not lead to significant enhancements. Our results suggest that the depletion of Zn relative to P in upwelled waters may create conditions in the near-surface waters that favor phytoplankton with low Zn requirements, including cyanobacteria. PMID:27275028

  18. Improvement of the in vitro digestible iron and zinc content of okra (Hibiscus esculentus L.) sauce widely consumed in Sahelian Africa.

    PubMed

    Avallone, Sylvie; Bohuon, Philippe; Hemery, Youna; Treche, Serge

    2007-03-01

    The effects of the formulation (okra, fish, soumbala, extract of wood ash) and cooking time of okra sauce on total iron and zinc content and on their in vitro digestibility were evaluated following a Doehlert uniform shell design with 5 factors and 33 trials. Cooking time had no significant effect on in vitro digestible iron and zinc content, whereas formulation did. Each ingredient had a specific effect. Extract of wood ash, which is a source of soluble and digestible iron and zinc, is a good way of increasing the digestible mineral content of the dish. Okra, the main ingredient in this sauce, has a negative effect and should be added in moderate quantities (< 37.7% of the DM of the sauce). An optimization using the desirability function allows us to identify the optimal recipe that enabled the quantity of digestible iron to be doubled and the quantity of digestible zinc to be increased by one third. This recipe calls for a mixture of 37.7% okra, 26.3% dried fish, 18.5% soumbala, and 3.7% extract of wood ash cooked for 25 min.

  19. Unravelling the origin of the giant Zn deficiency in wurtzite type ZnO nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Renaud, Adèle; Cario, Laurent; Rocquelfelte, Xavier; Deniard, Philippe; Gautron, Eric; Faulques, Eric; Das, Tilak; Cheviré, François; Tessier, Franck; Jobic, Stéphane

    2015-01-01

    Owing to its high technological importance for optoelectronics, zinc oxide received much attention. In particular, the role of defects on its physical properties has been extensively studied as well as their thermodynamical stability. In particular, a large concentration of Zn vacancies in ZnO bulk materials is so far considered highly unstable. Here we report that the thermal decomposition of zinc peroxide produces wurtzite-type ZnO nanoparticles with an extraordinary large amount of zinc vacancies (>15%). These Zn vacancies segregate at the surface of the nanoparticles, as confirmed by ab initio calculations, to form a pseudo core-shell structure made of a dense ZnO sphere coated by a Zn free oxo-hydroxide mono layer. In others terms, oxygen terminated surfaces are privileged over zinc-terminated surfaces for passivation reasons what accounts for the Zn off-stoichiometry observed in ultra-fine powdered samples. Such Zn-deficient Zn1-xO nanoparticles exhibit an unprecedented photoluminescence signature suggesting that the core-shell-like edifice drastically influences the electronic structure of ZnO. This nanostructuration could be at the origin of the recent stabilisation of p-type charge carriers in nitrogen-doped ZnO nanoparticles. PMID:26333510

  20. Physiological roles of zinc transporters: molecular and genetic importance in zinc homeostasis.

    PubMed

    Hara, Takafumi; Takeda, Taka-Aki; Takagishi, Teruhisa; Fukue, Kazuhisa; Kambe, Taiho; Fukada, Toshiyuki

    2017-03-01

    Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace mineral that regulates the expression and activation of biological molecules such as transcription factors, enzymes, adapters, channels, and growth factors, along with their receptors. Zn deficiency or excessive Zn absorption disrupts Zn homeostasis and affects growth, morphogenesis, and immune response, as well as neurosensory and endocrine functions. Zn levels must be adjusted properly to maintain the cellular processes and biological responses necessary for life. Zn transporters regulate Zn levels by controlling Zn influx and efflux between extracellular and intracellular compartments, thus, modulating the Zn concentration and distribution. Although the physiological functions of the Zn transporters remain to be clarified, there is growing evidence that Zn transporters are related to human diseases, and that Zn transporter-mediated Zn ion acts as a signaling factor, called "Zinc signal". Here we describe critical roles of Zn transporters in the body and their contribution at the molecular, biochemical, and genetic levels, and review recently reported disease-related mutations in the Zn transporter genes.

  1. Green Synthesized Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Nanoparticles Induce Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage in Lathyrus sativus L. Root Bioassay System

    PubMed Central

    Panda, Kamal K.; Golari, Dambaru; Venugopal, A.; Achary, V. Mohan M.; Phaomei, Ganngam; Parinandi, Narasimham L.; Sahu, Hrushi K.; Panda, Brahma B.

    2017-01-01

    Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONP-GS) were synthesised from the precursor zinc acetate (Zn(CH3COO)2) through the green route using the milky latex from milk weed (Calotropis gigantea L. R. Br) by alkaline precipitation. Formation of the ZnONP-GS was monitored by UV-visible spectroscopy followed by characterization and confirmation by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Both the ZnONP-GS and the commercially available ZnONP-S (Sigma-Aldrich) and cationic Zn2+ from Zn(CH3COO)2 were tested in a dose range of 0–100 mg·L−1 for their potency (i) to induce oxidative stress as measured by the generation reactive oxygen species (ROS: O2•−, H2O2 and •OH), cell death, and lipid peroxidation; (ii) to modulate the activities of antioxidant enzymes: catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX); and (iii) to cause DNA damage as determined by Comet assay in Lathyrus sativus L. root bioassay system. Antioxidants such as Tiron and dimethylthiourea significantly attenuated the ZnONP-induced oxidative and DNA damage, suggesting the involvement of ROS therein. Our study demonstrated that both ZnONP-GS and ZnONP-S induced oxidative stress and DNA damage to a similar extent but were significantly less potent than Zn2+ alone. PMID:28524089

  2. The prevalence of low serum zinc and copper levels and dietary habits associated with serum zinc and copper in 12- to 36-month-old children from low-income families at risk for iron deficiency.

    PubMed

    Schneider, Julie M; Fujii, Mary L; Lamp, Catherine L; Lönnerdal, Bo; Zidenberg-Cherr, Sheri

    2007-11-01

    Iron and zinc share common food sources, and children at risk of iron deficiency may also develop zinc deficiency. We determined the prevalence of zinc and copper deficiency and examined factors associated with serum zinc and copper in young children from low-income families at risk of iron deficiency. A cross-sectional study design was used to assess serum zinc and copper, along with an interview-assisted survey to assess factors associated with serum zinc and copper in a convenience sample. Participants were 435 children aged 12 to 36 months recruited from select clinics of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children in Contra Costa and Tulare Counties, California. Frequencies were used to report prevalence. Multiple linear regressions were conducted to examine factors associated with serum zinc and copper, controlling for age, sex, and ethnicity. The prevalence of low serum zinc level (<70 microg/dL [<10.7 micromol/L]) was 42.8%, and low serum copper level (<90 microg/dL [<14.2 micromol/L]) was <1%. Mean+/-standard deviation of serum copper was 150+/-22 microg/dL (23.6+/-3.5 micromol/L) and 140+/-24 microg/dL (22.1+/-3.8 micromol/L) for anemic and non-anemic children, respectively (t test, P=0.026). In multiple linear regression consumption of sweetened beverages was negatively associated with serum zinc level, and consumption of >15 g/day meat was positively associated with serum zinc level, whereas current consumption of breast milk and >15 g/day beans were positively associated with serum copper level. The prevalence of low serum zinc concentration in the sample was high, and warrants further investigation amongst vulnerable populations.

  3. Uptake and Distribution of Soil Applied Zinc by Citrus Trees—Addressing Fertilizer Use Efficiency with 68Zn Labeling

    PubMed Central

    Hippler, Franz Walter Rieger; Boaretto, Rodrigo Marcelli; Quaggio, José Antônio; Boaretto, Antonio Enedi; Abreu-Junior, Cassio Hamilton; Mattos, Dirceu

    2015-01-01

    The zinc (Zn) supply increases the fruit yield of Citrus trees that are grown, especially in the highly weathered soils of the tropics due to the inherently low nutrient availability in the soil solution. Leaf sprays containing micronutrients are commonly applied to orchards, even though the nutrient supply via soil could be of practical value. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Zn fertilizers that are applied to the soil surface on absorption and partitioning of the nutrient by citrus trees. A greenhouse experiment was conducted with one-year-old sweet orange trees. The plants were grown in soils with different textures (18.1 or 64.4% clay) that received 1.8 g Zn per plant, in the form of either ZnO or ZnSO4 enriched with the stable isotope 68Zn. Zinc fertilization increased the availability of the nutrient in the soil and the content in the orange trees. Greater responses were obtained when ZnSO4 was applied to the sandy loam soil due to its lower specific metal adsorption compared to that of the clay soil. The trunk and branches accumulated the most fertilizer-derived Zn (Zndff) and thus represent the major reserve organ for this nutrient in the plant. The trees recovered up to 4% of the applied Zndff. Despite this relative low recovery, the Zn requirement of the trees was met with the selected treatment based on the total leaf nutrient content and increased Cu/Zn-SOD activity in the leaves. We conclude that the efficiency of Zn fertilizers depends on the fertilizer source and the soil texture, which must be taken into account by guidelines for fruit crop fertilization via soil, in substitution or complementation of traditional foliar sprays. PMID:25751056

  4. Uptake and distribution of soil applied zinc by citrus trees-addressing fertilizer use efficiency with 68Zn labeling.

    PubMed

    Hippler, Franz Walter Rieger; Boaretto, Rodrigo Marcelli; Quaggio, José Antônio; Boaretto, Antonio Enedi; Abreu-Junior, Cassio Hamilton; Mattos, Dirceu

    2015-01-01

    The zinc (Zn) supply increases the fruit yield of Citrus trees that are grown, especially in the highly weathered soils of the tropics due to the inherently low nutrient availability in the soil solution. Leaf sprays containing micronutrients are commonly applied to orchards, even though the nutrient supply via soil could be of practical value. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Zn fertilizers that are applied to the soil surface on absorption and partitioning of the nutrient by citrus trees. A greenhouse experiment was conducted with one-year-old sweet orange trees. The plants were grown in soils with different textures (18.1 or 64.4% clay) that received 1.8 g Zn per plant, in the form of either ZnO or ZnSO4 enriched with the stable isotope 68Zn. Zinc fertilization increased the availability of the nutrient in the soil and the content in the orange trees. Greater responses were obtained when ZnSO4 was applied to the sandy loam soil due to its lower specific metal adsorption compared to that of the clay soil. The trunk and branches accumulated the most fertilizer-derived Zn (Zndff) and thus represent the major reserve organ for this nutrient in the plant. The trees recovered up to 4% of the applied Zndff. Despite this relative low recovery, the Zn requirement of the trees was met with the selected treatment based on the total leaf nutrient content and increased Cu/Zn-SOD activity in the leaves. We conclude that the efficiency of Zn fertilizers depends on the fertilizer source and the soil texture, which must be taken into account by guidelines for fruit crop fertilization via soil, in substitution or complementation of traditional foliar sprays.

  5. Dietary Zinc Deficiency Affects Blood Linoleic Acid: Dihomo-γ-linolenic Acid (LA:DGLA) Ratio; a Sensitive Physiological Marker of Zinc Status in Vivo (Gallus gallus)

    PubMed Central

    Reed, Spenser; Qin, Xia; Ran-Ressler, Rinat; Brenna, James Thomas; Glahn, Raymond P.; Tako, Elad

    2014-01-01

    Zinc is a vital micronutrient used for over 300 enzymatic reactions and multiple biochemical and structural processes in the body. To date, sensitive and specific biological markers of zinc status are still needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate Gallus gallus as an in vivo model in the context of assessing the sensitivity of a previously unexplored potential zinc biomarker, the erythrocyte linoleic acid: dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (LA:DGLA) ratio. Diets identical in composition were formulated and two groups of birds (n = 12) were randomly separated upon hatching into two diets, Zn(+) (zinc adequate control, 42.3 μg/g zinc), and Zn(−) (zinc deficient, 2.5 μg/g zinc). Dietary zinc intake, body weight, serum zinc, and the erythrocyte fatty acid profile were measured weekly. At the conclusion of the study, tissues were collected for gene expression analysis. Body weight, feed consumption, zinc intake, and serum zinc were higher in the Zn(+) control versus Zn(−) group (p < 0.05). Hepatic TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 gene expression were higher in the Zn(+) control group (p < 0.05), and hepatic Δ6 desaturase was significantly higher in the Zn(+) group (p < 0.001). The LA:DGLA ratio was significantly elevated in the Zn(−) group compared to the Zn(+) group (22.6 ± 0.5 and 18.5 ± 0.5, % w/w, respectively, p < 0.001). This study suggests erythrocyte LA:DGLA is able to differentiate zinc status between zinc adequate and zinc deficient birds, and may be a sensitive biomarker to assess dietary zinc manipulation. PMID:24658588

  6. Extraction and isolation of the salidroside-type metabolite from zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii Hance*

    PubMed Central

    Xing, Yan; Peng, Hong-yun; Li, Xia; Zhang, Meng-xi; Gao, Ling-ling; Yang, Xiao-e

    2012-01-01

    The active metabolite in the post-harvested biomass of zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii Hance from phytoextraction is of great interest in China. The current study demonstrates that a salidroside-type metabolite can be yielded from the Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator S. alfredii biomass by means of sonication/ethanol extraction and macroporous resin column (AB-8 type) isolation. The concentrations of Zn and Cd in the salidroside-type metabolite were below the limitation of the national standards. PMID:23024051

  7. Zinc in Cellular Regulation: The Nature and Significance of "Zinc Signals".

    PubMed

    Maret, Wolfgang

    2017-10-31

    In the last decade, we witnessed discoveries that established Zn 2+ as a second major signalling metal ion in the transmission of information within cells and in communication between cells. Together with Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ , Zn 2+ covers biological regulation with redox-inert metal ions over many orders of magnitude in concentrations. The regulatory functions of zinc ions, together with their functions as a cofactor in about three thousand zinc metalloproteins, impact virtually all aspects of cell biology. This article attempts to define the regulatory functions of zinc ions, and focuses on the nature of zinc signals and zinc signalling in pathways where zinc ions are either extracellular stimuli or intracellular messengers. These pathways interact with Ca 2+ , redox, and phosphorylation signalling. The regulatory functions of zinc require a complex system of precise homeostatic control for transients, subcellular distribution and traffic, organellar homeostasis, and vesicular storage and exocytosis of zinc ions.

  8. Structure and optical properties of ZnO produced from microwave hydrothermal hydrolysis of tris(ethylenediamine)zinc nitrate complex

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mostafa, Nasser Y.; Heiba, Zein K.; Ibrahim, Mohamed M.

    2015-01-01

    ZnO powders were synthesized using a solution microwave hydrothermal hydrolysis process and tris(ethylenediamine)zinc nitrate {[Zn(en)3](NO3)2} (en = ethylenediamine) as a precursor. Hydrolysis of the precursor complex at different pH produced zinc oxide with a diversity of well-defined morphologies. The effect of hydrolysis pH values on the structural and optical properties has been explored using XRD, SEM, and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). At pH = 7.0, randomly dispersed rods were formed. Whereas flower-like morphologies were obtained by treating the complex precursor in water at pH = 10.0 and 12.0. The ZnO4 tetrahedrons are greatly affected by the pH value. The band gap decreased sharply with increasing the pH value from 7.0 to 10.0, then slightly decreased with further increasing the pH to 12.0. The relationship between band gap and both structure and surface defects of the samples is also discussed.

  9. Core/shell structured Zn/ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by gaseous laser ablation with enhanced photocatalysis efficiency

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Lu; Wang, Yafei; Ma, Jing; Zhang, Qinghua; Shen, Zhijian

    2018-06-01

    Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a competitive candidate in semiconductor photocatalysts, only if the efficiency could be fully optimized especially by tailored nanostructures. Here we report a kind of core/shell structured Zn/ZnO nanoparticles with enhanced photocatalysis efficiency, which were synthesized by a highly-productive gaseous laser ablation method. The nanodroplets generated by laser ablation would be reduced to zinc in the protective atmosphere, and further be oxidized at surface to form a specific core/shell structured Zn/ZnO nanoparticles within seconds. Thanks to the formation of this Zn-ZnO Schottky junction, the photocatalysis degradation efficiency of such core/shell Zn/ZnO nanostructure is significantly improved owing to the enhanced visible light absorption and inhibited carrier recombination by introducing the metallic zinc.

  10. Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Ni-Doped Zinc-Blende ZnO: A First-Principles Study.

    PubMed

    Xue, Suqin; Zhang, Fuchun; Zhang, Shuili; Wang, Xiaoyang; Shao, Tingting

    2018-04-26

    The electronic structure, band structure, density of state, and magnetic properties of Ni-doped zinc-blende (ZB) ZnO are studied by using the first-principles method based on the spin-polarized density-functional theory. The calculated results show that Ni atoms can induce a stable ferromagnetic (FM) ground state in Ni-doped ZB ZnO. The magnetic moments mainly originate from the unpaired Ni 3 d orbitals, and the O 2 p orbitals contribute a little to the magnetic moments. The magnetic moment of a supercell including a single Ni atom is 0.79 μ B . The electronic structure shows that Ni-doped ZB ZnO is a half-metallic FM material. The strong spin-orbit coupling appears near the Fermi level and shows obvious asymmetry for spin-up and spin-down density of state, which indicates a significant hybrid effects from the Ni 3 d and O 2 p states. However, the coupling of the anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) state show metallic characteristic, the spin-up and spin-down energy levels pass through the Fermi surface. The magnetic moment of a single Ni atom is 0.74 μ B . Moreover, the results show that the Ni 3 d and O 2 p states have a strong p - d hybridization effect near the Fermi level and obtain a high stability. The above theoretical results demonstrate that Ni-doped zinc blende ZnO can be considered as a potential half-metal FM material and dilute magnetic semiconductors.

  11. Evidence for a zinc/proton antiporter in rat brain.

    PubMed

    Colvin, R A; Davis, N; Nipper, R W; Carter, P A

    2000-05-01

    The data presented in this paper are consistent with the existence of a plasma membrane zinc/proton antiport activity in rat brain. Experiments were performed using purified plasma membrane vesicles isolated from whole rat brain. Incubating vesicles in the presence of various concentrations of 65Zn2+ resulted in a rapid accumulation of 65Zn2+. Hill plot analysis demonstrated a lack of cooperativity in zinc activation of 65Zn2+ uptake. Zinc uptake was inhibited in the presence of 1 mM Ni2+, Cd2+, or CO2+. Calcium (1 mM) was less effective at inhibiting 65Zn2+ uptake and Mg2+ and Mn2+ had no effect. The initial rate of vesicular 65Zn2+ uptake was inhibited by increasing extravesicular H+ concentration. Vesicles preloaded with 65Zn2+ could be induced to release 65Zn2+ by increasing extravesicular H+ or addition of 1 mM nonradioactive Zn2+. Hill plot analysis showed a lack of cooperativity in H+ activation of 65Zn2+ release. Based on the Hill analyses, the stoichiometry of transport may include Zn2+/Zn2+ exchange and Zn2+/H+ antiport, the latter being potentially electrogenic. Zinc/proton antiport may be an important mode of zinc uptake into neurons and contribute to the reuptake of zinc to replenish presynaptic vesicle stores after stimulation.

  12. Using fluorescence measurement of zinc ions liberated from ZnS nanoparticle labels in bioassay for Escherichia coli O157:H7

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cowles, Chad L.; Zhu, Xiaoshan; Pai, Chi-Yun

    2011-10-01

    In this study, an alternative approach using ZnS nanoparticle biolabels as fluorescence signal transducers is reported for the immunoassay of E. coli O157:H7 in tap water samples. Instead of measuring the fluorescence of ZnS nanoparticles in the assay, the fluorescence signal is generated through the binding of zinc ions released from nanoparticle labels with zinc-ion sensitive fluorescence indicator Fluozin-3. In the assay, ZnS nanoparticles around 50 nm in diameter were synthesized, bioconjugated, and applied for the detection of E. coli O157:H7. The assay shows a detection range over two orders of magnitude and a detection limit around 1000 colony-forming units (cfu) of E. coli O157:H7.

  13. Transcriptional up-regulation of genes involved in photosynthesis of the Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii in response to zinc and cadmium.

    PubMed

    Tang, Lu; Yao, Aijun; Ming Yuan; Tang, Yetao; Liu, Jian; Liu, Xi; Qiu, Rongliang

    2016-12-01

    Zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) are two closely related chemical elements with very different biological roles in photosynthesis. Zinc plays unique biochemical functions in photosynthesis. Previous studies suggested that in some Zn/Cd hyperaccumulators, many steps in photosynthesis may be Cd tolerant or even Cd stimulated. Using RNA-seq data, we found not only that Cd and Zn both up-regulated the CA1 gene, which encodes a β class carbonic anhydrase (CA) in chloroplasts, but that a large number of other Zn up-regulated genes in the photosynthetic pathway were also significantly up-regulated by Cd in leaves of the Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii. These genes also include chloroplast genes involved in transcription and translation (rps18 and rps14), electron transport and ATP synthesis (atpF and ccsA), Photosystem II (PSBI, PSBM, PSBK, PSBZ/YCF9, PSBO-1, PSBQ, LHCB1.1, LHCB1.4, LHCB2.1, LHCB4.3 and LHCB6) and Photosystem I (PSAE-1, PSAF, PSAH2, LHCA1 and LHCA4). Cadmium and Zn also up-regulated the VAR1 gene, which encodes the ATP-dependent zinc metalloprotease FTSH 5 (a member of the FtsH family), and the DAG gene, which influences chloroplast differentiation and plastid development, and the CP29 gene, which supports RNA processing in chloroplasts and has a potential role in signal-dependent co-regulation of chloroplast genes. Further morphological parameters (dry biomass, cross-sectional thickness, chloroplast size, chlorophyll content) and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters confirmed that leaf photosynthesis of S. alfredii responded to Cd much as it did to Zn, which will contribute to our understanding of the positive effects of Zn and Cd on growth of this plant. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. ZnCl 2- and NH 4Cl-hydroponics gel electrolytes for zinc-carbon batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khalid, N. H.; Ismail, Y. M. Baba; Mohamad, A. A.

    Absorbency testing is used to determine the percentage of ZnCl 2 or NH 4Cl solution absorbed by a hydroponics gel (HPG). It is found that the absorbency of ZnCl 2 or NH 4Cl solution decreases with increasing solution concentration. The conductivity of ZnCl 2- and NH 4Cl-HPG electrolytes is dependent on the solution concentration. A mixture of salt solution with HPG yields excellent gel polymer electrolytes with conductivities of 0.026 and 0.104 S cm -1 at 3 M ZnCl 2 and 7 M NH 4Cl, respectively. These gel electrolytes are then used to produce zinc-carbon cells. The fabricated cells give capacities of 8.8 and 10.0 mAh, have an internal resistance of 25.4 and 19.8 Ω, a maximum power density of 12.7 and 12.2 mW cm -2, and a short-circuit current density of 29.1 and 33.9 mA cm -2 for ZnCl 2- and NH 4Cl-HPG electrolytes, respectively.

  15. Zinc oxide nanoparticles as a substitute for zinc oxide or colistin sulfate: Effects on growth, serum enzymes, zinc deposition, intestinal morphology and epithelial barrier in weaned piglets

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Ligen; Su, Weipeng; Ying, Zhixiong; He, Jintian; Zhang, Lili; Zhong, Xiang; Wang, Tian

    2017-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (nano-ZnOs) as a substitute for colistin sulfate (CS) and/or zinc oxide (ZnO) on growth performance, serum enzymes, zinc deposition, intestinal morphology and epithelial barrier in weaned piglets. A total of 216 crossbred Duroc×(Landrace×Yorkshire) piglets weaned at 23 days were randomly assigned into 3 groups, which were fed with basal diets supplemented with 20 mg/kg CS (CS group), 20mg/kg CS+3000 mg/kg ZnO (CS+ZnO group), and 1200 mg/kg nano-ZnOs (nano-ZnO group) for 14 days. Results indicated that compared to CS group, supplementation of 1200 mg/kg nano-ZnOs (about 30 nm) significantly increased final body weight and average daily gain, and 3000 mg/kg ZnO plus colistin sulfate significantly increased average daily gain and decreased diarrhea rate in weaned piglets. There was no significant difference in growth performance and diarrhea rate between nano-ZnO and CS+ZnO groups. Supplementation of nano-ZnOs did not affect serum enzymes (glutamic oxalacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, and lactate dehydrogenase), but significantly increased plasma and tissue zinc concentrations (liver, tibia), improved intestinal morphology (increased duodenal and ileal villus length, crypt depth, and villus surface), enhanced mRNA expression of ZO-1 in ileal mucosa, and significantly decreased diamine oxidase activity in plasma, total aerobic bacterial population in MLN as compared to CS group. Effects of nano-ZnOs on serum enzymes, intestinal morphology, and mRNA expressions of tight junction were similar to those of high dietary ZnO plus colistin sulfate, while nano-ZnOs significantly reduced zinc concentrations of liver, tibia, and feces, and decreased total aerobic bacterial population in MLN as compared to CS+ZnO group. These results suggested that nano-ZnOs (1200 mg/kg) might be used as a substitute for colistin sulfate and high dietary ZnO in weaned piglets. PMID:28704517

  16. Zinc oxide nanoparticles as a substitute for zinc oxide or colistin sulfate: Effects on growth, serum enzymes, zinc deposition, intestinal morphology and epithelial barrier in weaned piglets.

    PubMed

    Wang, Chao; Zhang, Ligen; Su, Weipeng; Ying, Zhixiong; He, Jintian; Zhang, Lili; Zhong, Xiang; Wang, Tian

    2017-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (nano-ZnOs) as a substitute for colistin sulfate (CS) and/or zinc oxide (ZnO) on growth performance, serum enzymes, zinc deposition, intestinal morphology and epithelial barrier in weaned piglets. A total of 216 crossbred Duroc×(Landrace×Yorkshire) piglets weaned at 23 days were randomly assigned into 3 groups, which were fed with basal diets supplemented with 20 mg/kg CS (CS group), 20mg/kg CS+3000 mg/kg ZnO (CS+ZnO group), and 1200 mg/kg nano-ZnOs (nano-ZnO group) for 14 days. Results indicated that compared to CS group, supplementation of 1200 mg/kg nano-ZnOs (about 30 nm) significantly increased final body weight and average daily gain, and 3000 mg/kg ZnO plus colistin sulfate significantly increased average daily gain and decreased diarrhea rate in weaned piglets. There was no significant difference in growth performance and diarrhea rate between nano-ZnO and CS+ZnO groups. Supplementation of nano-ZnOs did not affect serum enzymes (glutamic oxalacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, and lactate dehydrogenase), but significantly increased plasma and tissue zinc concentrations (liver, tibia), improved intestinal morphology (increased duodenal and ileal villus length, crypt depth, and villus surface), enhanced mRNA expression of ZO-1 in ileal mucosa, and significantly decreased diamine oxidase activity in plasma, total aerobic bacterial population in MLN as compared to CS group. Effects of nano-ZnOs on serum enzymes, intestinal morphology, and mRNA expressions of tight junction were similar to those of high dietary ZnO plus colistin sulfate, while nano-ZnOs significantly reduced zinc concentrations of liver, tibia, and feces, and decreased total aerobic bacterial population in MLN as compared to CS+ZnO group. These results suggested that nano-ZnOs (1200 mg/kg) might be used as a substitute for colistin sulfate and high dietary ZnO in weaned piglets.

  17. Zinc Absorption by Young Adults from Supplemental Zinc Citrate Is Comparable with That from Zinc Gluconate and Higher than from Zinc Oxide123

    PubMed Central

    Wegmüller, Rita; Tay, Fabian; Zeder, Christophe; Brnić, Marica; Hurrell, Richard F.

    2014-01-01

    The water-soluble zinc salts gluconate, sulfate, and acetate are commonly used as supplements in tablet or syrup form to prevent zinc deficiency and to treat diarrhea in children in combination with oral rehydration. Zinc citrate is an alternative compound with high zinc content, slightly soluble in water, which has better sensory properties in syrups but no absorption data in humans. We used the double-isotope tracer method with 67Zn and 70Zn to measure zinc absorption from zinc citrate given as supplements containing 10 mg of zinc to 15 healthy adults without food and compared absorption with that from zinc gluconate and zinc oxide (insoluble in water) using a randomized, double-masked, 3-way crossover design. Median (IQR) fractional absorption of zinc from zinc citrate was 61.3% (56.6–71.0) and was not different from that from zinc gluconate with 60.9% (50.6–71.7). Absorption from zinc oxide at 49.9% (40.9–57.7) was significantly lower than from both other supplements (P < 0.01). Three participants had little or no absorption from zinc oxide. We conclude that zinc citrate, given as a supplement without food, is as well absorbed by healthy adults as zinc gluconate and may thus be a useful alternative for preventing zinc deficiency and treating diarrhea. The more insoluble zinc oxide is less well absorbed when given as a supplement without food and may be minimally absorbed by some individuals. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01576627. PMID:24259556

  18. Extracellular pH Regulates Zinc Signaling via an Asp Residue of the Zinc-sensing Receptor (ZnR/GPR39)*

    PubMed Central

    Cohen, Limor; Asraf, Hila; Sekler, Israel; Hershfinkel, Michal

    2012-01-01

    Zinc activates a specific Zn2+-sensing receptor, ZnR/GPR39, and thereby triggers cellular signaling leading to epithelial cell proliferation and survival. Epithelial cells that express ZnR, particularly colonocytes, face frequent changes in extracellular pH that are of physiological and pathological implication. Here we show that the ZnR/GPR39-dependent Ca2+ responses in HT29 colonocytes were maximal at pH 7.4 but were reduced by about 50% at pH 7.7 and by about 62% at pH 7.1 and were completely abolished at pH 6.5. Intracellular acidification did not attenuate ZnR/GPR39 activity, indicating that the pH sensor of this protein is located on an extracellular domain. ZnR/GPR39-dependent activation of extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 or AKT pathways was abolished at acidic extracellular pH of 6.5. A similar inhibitory effect was monitored for the ZnR/GPR39-dependent up-regulation of Na+/H+ exchange activity at pH 6.5. Focusing on residues putatively facing the extracellular domain, we sought to identify the pH sensor of ZnR/GPR39. Replacing the histidine residues forming the Zn2+ binding site, His17 or His19, or other extracellular-facing histidines to alanine residues did not abolish the pH dependence of ZnR/GPR39. In contrast, replacing Asp313 with alanine resulted in similar Ca2+ responses triggered by ZnR/GPR39 at pH 7.4 or 6.5. This mutant also showed similar activation of ERK1/2 and AKT pathways, and ZnR-dependent up-regulation of Na+/H+ exchange at pH 7.4 and pH 6.5. Substitution of Asp313 to His or Glu residues restored pH sensitivity of the receptor. This indicates that Asp313, which was shown to modulate Zn2+ binding, is an essential residue of the pH sensor of GPR39. In conclusion, ZnR/GPR39 is tuned to sense physiologically relevant changes in extracellular pH that thus regulate ZnR-dependent signaling and ion transport activity. PMID:22879599

  19. Extracellular pH regulates zinc signaling via an Asp residue of the zinc-sensing receptor (ZnR/GPR39).

    PubMed

    Cohen, Limor; Asraf, Hila; Sekler, Israel; Hershfinkel, Michal

    2012-09-28

    Zinc activates a specific Zn(2+)-sensing receptor, ZnR/GPR39, and thereby triggers cellular signaling leading to epithelial cell proliferation and survival. Epithelial cells that express ZnR, particularly colonocytes, face frequent changes in extracellular pH that are of physiological and pathological implication. Here we show that the ZnR/GPR39-dependent Ca(2+) responses in HT29 colonocytes were maximal at pH 7.4 but were reduced by about 50% at pH 7.7 and by about 62% at pH 7.1 and were completely abolished at pH 6.5. Intracellular acidification did not attenuate ZnR/GPR39 activity, indicating that the pH sensor of this protein is located on an extracellular domain. ZnR/GPR39-dependent activation of extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 or AKT pathways was abolished at acidic extracellular pH of 6.5. A similar inhibitory effect was monitored for the ZnR/GPR39-dependent up-regulation of Na(+)/H(+) exchange activity at pH 6.5. Focusing on residues putatively facing the extracellular domain, we sought to identify the pH sensor of ZnR/GPR39. Replacing the histidine residues forming the Zn(2+) binding site, His(17) or His(19), or other extracellular-facing histidines to alanine residues did not abolish the pH dependence of ZnR/GPR39. In contrast, replacing Asp(313) with alanine resulted in similar Ca(2+) responses triggered by ZnR/GPR39 at pH 7.4 or 6.5. This mutant also showed similar activation of ERK1/2 and AKT pathways, and ZnR-dependent up-regulation of Na(+)/H(+) exchange at pH 7.4 and pH 6.5. Substitution of Asp(313) to His or Glu residues restored pH sensitivity of the receptor. This indicates that Asp(313), which was shown to modulate Zn(2+) binding, is an essential residue of the pH sensor of GPR39. In conclusion, ZnR/GPR39 is tuned to sense physiologically relevant changes in extracellular pH that thus regulate ZnR-dependent signaling and ion transport activity.

  20. Electrochemical behavior of zinc particles with silica based coatings as anode material for zinc air batteries with improved discharge capacity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmid, M.; Willert-Porada, M.

    2017-05-01

    Silica coatings on zinc particles as anode material for alkaline zinc air batteries are expected to reduce early formation of irreversible ZnO passivation layers during discharge by controlling zinc dissolution and precipitation of supersaturated zincates, Zn(OH)42-. Zinc particles were coated with SiO2 (thickness: 15 nm) by chemical solution deposition and with Zn2SiO4 (thickness: 20 nm) by chemical vapor deposition. These coatings formed a Si(OH)4 gel in aqueous KOH and retarded hydrogen evolution by 40%. By treatment in aqueous KOH and drying afterwards, the silica coatings were changed into ZnO-K2O·SiO2 layers. In this work, the electrochemical performance of such coated zinc particles is investigated by different electrochemical methods in order to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of the coatings, which reduce zinc passivation. In particular, zinc utilization and changes in internal resistance are investigated. Moreover, methods for determination of diffusion coefficients, charge carrier numbers and activation energies for electrochemical oxidation are determined. SiO2-coated zinc particles show improved discharge capacity (CVD-coated zinc: 69% zinc utilization, CSD-coated zinc: 62% zinc utilization) as compared to as-received zinc (57% zinc utilization) at C/20 rate, by reducing supersaturation of zincates. Additionally, KOH-modified SiO2-coated zinc particles enhance rechargeability after 100% depth-of-discharge.

  1. Molecular Mechanisms of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle-Induced Genotoxicity Short Running Title: Genotoxicity of ZnO NPs

    PubMed Central

    Scherzad, Agmal; Meyer, Till; Kleinsasser, Norbert

    2017-01-01

    Background: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are among the most frequently applied nanomaterials in consumer products. Evidence exists regarding the cytotoxic effects of ZnO NPs in mammalian cells; however, knowledge about the potential genotoxicity of ZnO NPs is rare, and results presented in the current literature are inconsistent. Objectives: The aim of this review is to summarize the existing data regarding the DNA damage that ZnO NPs induce, and focus on the possible molecular mechanisms underlying genotoxic events. Methods: Electronic literature databases were systematically searched for studies that report on the genotoxicity of ZnO NPs. Results: Several methods and different endpoints demonstrate the genotoxic potential of ZnO NPs. Most publications describe in vitro assessments of the oxidative DNA damage triggered by dissoluted Zn2+ ions. Most genotoxicological investigations of ZnO NPs address acute exposure situations. Conclusion: Existing evidence indicates that ZnO NPs possibly have the potential to damage DNA. However, there is a lack of long-term exposure experiments that clarify the intracellular bioaccumulation of ZnO NPs and the possible mechanisms of DNA repair and cell survival. PMID:29240707

  2. Controllable synthesis, magnetic properties, and enhanced photocatalytic activity of spindlelike mesoporous α-Fe(2)O(3)/ZnO core-shell heterostructures.

    PubMed

    Wu, Wei; Zhang, Shaofeng; Xiao, Xiangheng; Zhou, Juan; Ren, Feng; Sun, Lingling; Jiang, Changzhong

    2012-07-25

    Mesoporous spindlelike iron oxide/ZnO core-shell heterostructures are successfully fabricated by a low-cost, surfactant-free, and environmentally friendly seed-mediate strategy with the help of postannealing treatment. The material composition and stoichiometry, as well as these magnetic and optical properties, have been examined and verified by means of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, the thickness of ZnO layer can be simply tailored by the concentration of zinc precursor. Considering that both α-Fe2O3 and ZnO are good photocatalytic materials, we have investigated the photodegradation performances of the core-shell heterostructures using organic dyes Rhodamin B (RhB). It is interesting to find that the as-obtained iron oxides/ZnO core-shell heterostructures exhibited enhanced visible light or UV photocatalytic abilities, remarkably superior to the as-used α-Fe2O3 seeds and commercial TiO2 products (P25), mainly owing to the synergistic effect between the narrow and wide bandgap semiconductors and effective electron-hole separation at the interfaces of iron oxides/ZnO.

  3. Zn(2+) release behavior and surface characteristics of Zn/LDPE nanocomposites and ZnO/LDPE nanocomposites in simulated uterine solution.

    PubMed

    Yang, Zhihong; Xie, Changsheng; Xia, Xianping; Cai, Shuizhou

    2008-11-01

    To decrease the side effects of the existing copper-bearing intrauterine devices, the zinc/low-density polyethylene (Zn/LDPE) nanocomposite and zinc-oxide/low-density polyethylene (ZnO/LDPE) nanocomposite have been developed in our research for intrauterine devices (IUDs). In this study, the influences of preparation methods of nanocomposites and particle sizes of zinc and zinc oxide on Zn(2+) release from composites incubated in simulated uterine solution were investigated. All release profiles are biphasic: an initial rapid release phase is followed by a near zero-order release period. Zn(2+) release rates of nanocomposites prepared by compressing moulding are higher than those of the nanocomposites prepared by hot-melt extrusing. Compared with Zn(2+) release from the microcomposites, the release profiles of the nanocomposites exhibit a sharp decrease in Zn(2+) release rate in the first 18 days, an early onset of the zero-order release period and a high release rate of Zn(2+) at the later stage. The microstructure of the Zn/LDPE sample and the ZnO/LDPE sample after being incubated for 200 days was characterized by SEM, XRD and EDX techniques. The results show that the dissolution depth of ZnO/LDPE nanocomposite is about 60 mum. Lots of pores were formed on the surface of the Zn/LDPE sample and ZnO/LDPE sample, indicating that these pores can provide channels for the dissolution of nanoparticles in the matrix. The undesirable deposits that are composed of ZnO are only detected on the surface of Zn/LDPE nanocomposite, which may increase the risk of side effects associated with IUDs. It can be expected that ZnO/LDPE nanocomposite is more suitable for IUDs than Zn/LDPE nanocomposite.

  4. Zn(II) stimulation of Fe(II)-activated repression in the iron-dependent repressor from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Stapleton, Brian; Walker, Lawrence R; Logan, Timothy M

    2013-03-19

    Thermodynamic measurements of Fe(II) binding and activation of repressor function in the iron-dependent repressor from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (IdeR) are reported. IdeR, a member of the diphtheria toxin repressor family of proteins, regulates iron homeostasis and contributes to the virulence response in M. tuberculosis. Although iron is the physiological ligand, this is the first detailed analysis of iron binding and activation in this protein. The results showed that IdeR binds 2 equiv of Fe(II) with dissociation constants that differ by a factor of 25. The high- and low-affinity iron binding sites were assigned to physical binding sites I and II, respectively, using metal binding site mutants. IdeR was also found to contain a high-affinity Zn(II) binding site that was assigned to physical metal binding site II through the use of binding site mutants and metal competition assays. Fe(II) binding was modestly weaker in the presence of Zn(II), but the coupled metal binding-DNA binding affinity was significantly stronger, requiring 30-fold less Fe(II) to activate DNA binding compared to Fe(II) alone. Together, these results suggest that IdeR is a mixed-metal repressor, where Zn(II) acts as a structural metal and Fe(II) acts to trigger the physiologically relevant promoter binding. This new model for IdeR activation provides a better understanding of IdeR and the biology of iron homeostasis in M. tuberculosis.

  5. Long Life, High Energy Silver-Zinc Batteries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kainthla, Ramesh; Coffey, Brendan

    2003-01-01

    This viewgraph presentation includes: 1) an introduction to RBC Technologies; 2) Rechargeable Zinc Alkaline (RZA(tm)) Systems which include MnO2/Zn, Ni/Zn, Ag/Zn, and Zn/Air; and 3) RZA Silver/Zinc Battery Developments. Conclusions include the following: 1)Issues with long term wet life and cycle life of the silver/zinc battery system are being overcome through the use of new anode formulations and separator designs; 2) Performance may exceed 200 cycles to 80% of initial capacity and ultimate wet-life of > 36 months; and 3) Rechargeable silver/zinc batteries available in prismatic and cylindrical formats may provide a high energy, high power alternative to lithium-ion in military/aerospace applications.

  6. Effect of biomimetic zinc-containing tricalcium phosphate (Zn-TCP) on the growth and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.

    PubMed

    Chou, Joshua; Hao, Jia; Hatoyama, Hirokazu; Ben-Nissan, Besim; Milthorpe, Bruce; Otsuka, Makoto

    2015-07-01

    Several studies have shown the effectiveness of zinc-tricalcium phosphate (Zn-TCP) for bone tissue engineering. In this study, marine calcareous foraminifera possessing uniform pore size distribution were hydrothermally converted to Zn-TCP. The ability of a scaffold to combine effectively with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a key tissue-engineering aim. In order to demonstrate the osteogenic ability of MSCs with Zn-TCP, the scaffolds were cultured in an osteogenic induction medium to elicit an osteoblastic response. The physicochemical properties of Zn-TCP were characterized by XRD, FT-IR and ICP-MS. MSCs were aspirated from rat femurs and cultured for 3 days before indirectly placing four samples into each respective well. After culture for 7, 10 and 14 days, osteoblastic differentiation was evaluated using alizarin red S stain, measurement of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, cell numbers and cell viability. XRD and FT-IR patterns both showed the replacement of CO(3)(2-) with PO(4)(3-). Chemical analysis showed zinc incorporation of 5 mol%. Significant increases in cell numbers were observed at 10 and 14 days in the Zn-TCP group, while maintaining high levels of cell viability (> 90%). ALP activity in the Zn-TCP group was statistically higher at 10 days. Alizarin red S staining also showed significantly higher levels of calcium mineralization in Zn-TCP compared with the control groups. This study showed that MSCs in the presence of biomimetically derived Zn-TCP can accelerate their differentiation to osteoblasts and could potentially be useful as a scaffold for bone tissue engineering. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. Bipolar charge storage characteristics in copper and cobalt co-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Amit; Herng, Tun Seng; Zeng, Kaiyang; Ding, Jun

    2012-10-24

    The bipolar charge phenomenon in Cu and Co co-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) film samples has been studied using scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques. Those ZnO samples are made using a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. It is found that the addition of Cu and Co dopants suppresses the electron density in ZnO and causes a significant change in the work function (Fermi level) value of the ZnO film; this results in the ohmic nature of the contact between the electrode (probe tip) and codoped sample, whereas this contact exhibits a Schottky nature in the undoped and single-element-doped samples. These results are verified by Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) measurements. It is also found that the co-doping (Cu and Co) can stabilize the bipolar charge, whereas Cu doping only stabilizes the positive charge in ZnO thin films.

  8. The Impact of Iron Adsorption on the Electronic and Photocatalytic Properties of the Zinc Oxide (0001) Surface: A First-Principles Study.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Jingsi; Wang, Ping; Hua, Chao; Yang, Yintang; Zhang, Zhiyong

    2018-03-12

    The structural stability, electronic structure, and optical properties of an iron-adsorbed ZnO (0001) surface with three high-symmetry adsorption sites are investigated with first-principle calculations on the basis of density functional theory and the Hubbard-U method. It is found that the iron adatom in the H₃ adsorption site of ZnO (0001) surface has the lowest adsorption energy of -5.665 eV compared with T₄ and Top sites. For the Top site, compared with the pristine ZnO (0001) surface, the absorption peak located at 1.17 eV has a red shift, and the elevation of the absorption coefficient is more pronounced in the visible-light region, because the Fe-related levels are introduced in the forbidden band and near the Fermi level. The electrostatic potential computation reveals that the work function of the ZnO (0001) surface is significantly decreased from 2.340 to 1.768 eV when iron is adsorbed on the Top site. Furthermore, the degradation mechanism based on the band structure is analyzed. It can be concluded that the adsorption of iron will promote the separation of photoinduced carriers, thus improving the photocatalytic activity of ZnO (0001) surface. Our study benefits research on the photocatalytic activity of ZnO and the utilization rate of solar energy.

  9. Synthesis and characterization of sulfate and dodecylbenzenesulfonate intercalated zinc iron layered double hydroxides by one-step coprecipitation route

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Hui; Wen, Xing; Wang, Yingxia

    2007-05-01

    Inorganic sulfate- and organic dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBS)-intercalated zinc-iron layered double hydroxides (LDHs) materials were prepared by one-step coprecipitation method from a mixed salt solutions containing Zn(II), Fe(II) and Fe(III) salts. The as-prepared samples have been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICP), and Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS). The XRD analyses demonstrate the typical LDH-like layered structural characteristics of both products. The room temperature MS results reveal the characteristics of both the Fe(II) and Fe(III) species for SO 42--containing product, while only the Fe(III) characteristic for DBS-containing one. The combination characterization results and Rietveld analysis illustrate that the SO 42--containing product possesses the Green Rust two (GR2)-like crystal structure with an approximate chemical composition of [Zn 0.435·Fe II0.094·Fe III0.470·(OH) 2]·(SO 42-) 0.235·1.0H 2O, while the DBS-containing one exhibits the common LDH compound-like structure. The contact angle measurement indicates the evident hydrophobic properties of DBS-containing nanocomposite, compared with SO 42--containing product, due to the modification of the internal and external surface of LDHs by the organic hydrophobic chain of DBS.

  10. Zinc use efficiency is enhanced in wheat through nanofertilization.

    PubMed

    Dapkekar, Ashwin; Deshpande, Paresh; Oak, Manoj D; Paknikar, Kishore M; Rajwade, Jyutika M

    2018-05-01

    Ferti-fortification of wheat with zinc, an essential micronutrient is one of the strategies for combating 'hidden hunger' in a large proportion of people all over the world. During fertilization, application of large quantities of micronutrients often results in nutrient wastage and subsequent environmental pollution. Here, we report zinc complexed chitosan nanoparticles (Zn-CNP) for ferti-fortification of durum wheat in field-scale experiments. The efficacy of Zn-CNP was assessed vis-à-vis conventionally applied ZnSO 4 (0.2%; 400 mgL -1 zinc) in two durum wheat genotypes (MACS 3125, an indigenous high yielding genotype and UC 1114, a genotype containing the Gpc-B1gene). The observed grain zinc enrichment using Zn-CNP nanocarrier (~36%) and conventional ZnSO 4 (~50%) were comparable, despite 10 folds less zinc (40 mgL -1 ) used in the former. Nanofertilizer application increased grain zinc content without affecting grain yield, protein content, spikelets per spike, thousand kernel weight, etc. Grain zinc enrichment observed in the four-year field trials on plots with varying soil zinc content was consistent, proving the utility of Zn-CNP as a novel nanofertilizer which enhanced fertilizer use efficiency. Our work describes a new paradigm in micronutrient fortification, viz. 'use nanofertilizers at the right place, right time and in right doses'.

  11. Cadmium, copper, iron, and zinc concentrations in kidneys of grey wolves, Canis lupus, from Alaska, Idaho, Montana (USA) and the Northwest Territories (Canada).

    PubMed

    Hoffmann, S R; Blunck, S A; Petersen, K N; Jones, E M; Koval, J C; Misek, R; Frick, J A; Cluff, H D; Sime, C A; McNay, M; Beckman, K B; Atkinson, M W; Drew, M; Collinge, M D; Bangs, E E; Harper, R G

    2010-11-01

    Cadmium, copper, iron, and zinc levels were measured in the kidneys of 115 grey wolves (Canis lupus) from Idaho, Montana and Alaska (United States), and from the Northwest Territories (Canada). No significant differences in the levels of iron or copper were observed between locations, but wolf kidneys from more northern locations had significantly higher cadmium levels (Alaska > Northwest Territories > Montana ≈ Idaho), and wolves from Alaska showed significantly higher zinc than other locations. Additionally, female wolves in Alaska had higher iron levels than males, and adult wolves in Montana had higher copper levels than subadults.

  12. Dye-sensitized solar cell characteristics of nanocomposite zinc ferrite working electrode: effect of composite precursors and titania as a blocking layer on photovoltaic performance.

    PubMed

    Habibi, Mohammad Hossein; Habibi, Amir Hossein; Zendehdel, Mahmoud; Habibi, Mehdi

    2013-06-01

    This research investigates the performance of a zinc ferrite (ZF) as working electrodes in a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). This ZF working electrode was prepared by sol-gel and thermal decomposition of four different precursors including: zinc acetate dihydrate (Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O), ferric nitrate nonahydrate (Fe(NO3)3·9H2O), iron(III) acetate; Fe(C2H3O2)3, and zinc nitrate hexahydrate, Zn(NO3)2·6H2O. The effects of annealing temperature and precursors on the structural, morphological, and optical properties were investigated. The field emission scanning electron microscope images (FESEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) show that ZFe films are polycrystalline in nature and homogeneous with densely packed grains. Nanoporous zinc ferrite coatings were prepared by doctor blade technique on the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) and used as working electrodes in DSSC. In all DSSCs, platinized FTO and [Co(bpy)3](2+/3+) in 3-methoxy proponitrile were used as counter electrode and redox mediator system respectively. Comparing the fill factors of four different zinc ferrite nanocomposites, the highest fill factor was for ZnFe2O4-TBL sample. Cell fabricated with ZnFeA working electrode shows relatively higher Jsc. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Mapping Quantitative Trait Loci Controlling High Iron and Zinc Content in Self and Open Pollinated Grains of Pearl Millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.

    PubMed Central

    Kumar, Sushil; Hash, Charles T.; Thirunavukkarasu, Nepolean; Singh, Govind; Rajaram, Vengaldas; Rathore, Abhishek; Senapathy, Senthilvel; Mahendrakar, Mahesh D.; Yadav, Rattan S.; Srivastava, Rakesh K.

    2016-01-01

    Pearl millet is a multipurpose grain/fodder crop of the semi-arid tropics, feeding many of the world’s poorest and most undernourished people. Genetic variation among adapted pearl millet inbreds and hybrids suggests it will be possible to improve grain micronutrient concentrations by selective breeding. Using 305 loci, a linkage map was constructed to map QTLs for grain iron [Fe] and zinc [Zn] using replicated samples of 106 pearl millet RILs (F6) derived from ICMB 841-P3 × 863B-P2. The grains of the RIL population were evaluated for Fe and Zn content using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Grain mineral concentrations ranged from 28.4 to 124.0 ppm for Fe and 28.7 to 119.8 ppm for Zn. Similarly, grain Fe and Zn in open pollinated seeds ranged between 22.4–77.4 and 21.9–73.7 ppm, respectively. Mapping with 305 (96 SSRs; 208 DArT) markers detected seven linkage groups covering 1749 cM (Haldane) with an average intermarker distance of 5.73 cM. On the basis of two environment phenotypic data, two co-localized QTLs for Fe and Zn content on linkage group (LG) 3 were identified by composite interval mapping (CIM). Fe QTL explained 19% phenotypic variation, whereas the Zn QTL explained 36% phenotypic variation. Likewise for open pollinated seeds, the QTL analysis led to the identification of two QTLs for grain Fe content on LG3 and 5, and two QTLs for grain Zn content on LG3 and 7. The total phenotypic variance for Fe and Zn QTLs in open pollinated seeds was 16 and 42%, respectively. Analysis of QTL × QTL and QTL × QTL × environment interactions indicated no major epistasis. PMID:27933068

  14. Oxidation and Condensation of Zinc Fume From Zn-CO 2-CO-H 2O Streams Relevant to Steelmaking Off-Gas Systems

    DOE PAGES

    Bronson, Tyler Mark; Ma, Naiyang; Zhu, Liang Zhu; ...

    2017-01-23

    Here the objective of this research was to study the condensation of zinc vapor to metallic zinc and zinc oxide solid under varying environments to investigate the feasibility of in-process separation of zinc from steelmaking off-gas dusts. Water vapor content, temperature, degree of cooling, gas composition, and initial zinc partial pressure were varied to simulate the possible conditions that can occur within steelmaking off-gas systems, limited to Zn-CO 2-CO-H 2O gas compositions. The temperature of deposition and the effect of rapidly quenching the gas were specifically studied. A homogeneous nucleation model for applicable experiments was applied to the analysis of the experimental data. It was determined that under the experimental conditions, oxidation of zinc vapor by H 2O or CO 2 does not occur above 1108 K (835 °C) even for highly oxidizing streams (CO 2/CO = 40/7). Rate expressions that correlate CO 2 and H 2O oxidation rates to gas composition, partial pressure of water vapor, temperature, and zinc partial pressure were determined to be as follows: Ratemore » $$ \\left(\\frac{mol}{m^2s}\\right) $$ = 406 exp $$ \\left(\\frac{-50.2 kJ/mol}{RT}\\right) $$ (pZnpCO 2 $-$ PCO/K eqCO 2) $$\\frac{mol}{m^2 x s}$$ Rate $$ \\left(\\frac{mol}{m^2s}\\right) $$ = 32.9 exp $$ \\left(\\frac{-13.7 kJ/mol}{RT}\\right) $$ (pZnPH 2O $-$ PH 2/K eqH 2O) $$\\frac{mol}{m^2 x s}$$. It was proven that a rapid cooling rate (500 K/s) significantly increases the ratio of metallic zinc to zinc oxide as opposed to a slow cooling rate (250 K/s). SEM analysis found evidence of heterogeneous growth of ZnO as well as of homogeneous formation of metallic zinc. The homogeneous nucleation model fit well with experiments where only metallic zinc deposited. An expanded model with rates of oxidation by CO 2 and H 2O as shown was combined with the homogenous nucleation model and then compared with experimental data. The calculated results based on the model gave a reasonable fit to the

  15. Oxidation and Condensation of Zinc Fume From Zn-CO 2-CO-H 2O Streams Relevant to Steelmaking Off-Gas Systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bronson, Tyler Mark; Ma, Naiyang; Zhu, Liang Zhu

    Here the objective of this research was to study the condensation of zinc vapor to metallic zinc and zinc oxide solid under varying environments to investigate the feasibility of in-process separation of zinc from steelmaking off-gas dusts. Water vapor content, temperature, degree of cooling, gas composition, and initial zinc partial pressure were varied to simulate the possible conditions that can occur within steelmaking off-gas systems, limited to Zn-CO 2-CO-H 2O gas compositions. The temperature of deposition and the effect of rapidly quenching the gas were specifically studied. A homogeneous nucleation model for applicable experiments was applied to the analysis of the experimental data. It was determined that under the experimental conditions, oxidation of zinc vapor by H 2O or CO 2 does not occur above 1108 K (835 °C) even for highly oxidizing streams (CO 2/CO = 40/7). Rate expressions that correlate CO 2 and H 2O oxidation rates to gas composition, partial pressure of water vapor, temperature, and zinc partial pressure were determined to be as follows: Ratemore » $$ \\left(\\frac{mol}{m^2s}\\right) $$ = 406 exp $$ \\left(\\frac{-50.2 kJ/mol}{RT}\\right) $$ (pZnpCO 2 $-$ PCO/K eqCO 2) $$\\frac{mol}{m^2 x s}$$ Rate $$ \\left(\\frac{mol}{m^2s}\\right) $$ = 32.9 exp $$ \\left(\\frac{-13.7 kJ/mol}{RT}\\right) $$ (pZnPH 2O $-$ PH 2/K eqH 2O) $$\\frac{mol}{m^2 x s}$$. It was proven that a rapid cooling rate (500 K/s) significantly increases the ratio of metallic zinc to zinc oxide as opposed to a slow cooling rate (250 K/s). SEM analysis found evidence of heterogeneous growth of ZnO as well as of homogeneous formation of metallic zinc. The homogeneous nucleation model fit well with experiments where only metallic zinc deposited. An expanded model with rates of oxidation by CO 2 and H 2O as shown was combined with the homogenous nucleation model and then compared with experimental data. The calculated results based on the model gave a reasonable fit to the

  16. Effects of Dietary Zinc Pectin Oligosaccharides Chelate Supplementation on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility and Tissue Zinc Concentrations of Broilers.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhongcheng; Yu, Huimin; Wu, Xuezhuang; Zhang, Tietao; Cui, Hu; Wan, Chunmeng; Gao, Xiuhua

    2016-10-01

    The experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of zinc pectin oligosaccharides (Zn-POS) chelate on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and tissue zinc concentrations of Arbor Acre broilers aged from 1 to 42 days. A total of 576 1-day-old broilers were randomly assigned into 4 groups with 9 replicates per group and 16 chicks per replicate. Chicks were fed either a basal diet (control) or basal diet supplemented with Zn-POS at 300 (Zn-POS-300), 600 (Zn-POS-600), or 900 mg/kg (Zn-POS-900), respectively, for 42 days. A 3-day metabolism trial was conducted during the last week of the experiment feeding. The average daily gain and the average daily feed intake of Zn-POS-600 were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those of either the control, Zn-POS-300, or Zn-POS-900. Zn-POS-600 had the highest apparent digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, and metabolic energy among all groups. The control group had the lowest apparent digestibility of dry matter (P < 0.05), whereas the apparent digestibility of dry matter in Zn-POS-600 was higher (P < 0.05) than that of Zn-POS-300. The apparent digestibility of crude protein in Zn-POS-600 or Zn-POS-900 was higher (P < 0.05) compared to Zn-POS-300 or the control. The apparent digestibility of metabolic energy in Zn-POS-600 or Zn-POS-900 was higher (P < 0.05) than that of Zn-POS-300. Zn-POS-600 had the highest liver zinc concentrations (P < 0.05), while Zn-POS-900 had the highest pancreatic zinc concentrations (P < 0.05). Our data suggest that the supplementation of 600 mg/kg Zn-POS is optimal in improving the average daily gain and the average daily feed intake, utilization of dietary dry matter and crude protein, and increasing tissue zinc concentrations in liver and pancreas of broilers.

  17. Zn/gelled 6 M KOH/O 2 zinc-air battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohamad, A. A.

    The gel electrolyte for the zinc-air cell was prepared by mixing hydroponics gel with a 6 M potassium hydroxide aqueous solution. The self-discharge of cells was characterized by measuring the open-circuit voltage. The effect of a discharge rate of 50 mA constant current on cell voltage and plateau hour, as well as the voltage-current and current density-power density were measured and analysed. The electrode degradation after discharge cycling was characterized by structural and surface methods. The oxidation of the electrode surface further blocked the utilization of the Zn anode and was identified as a cause for the failure of the cell.

  18. Thermodynamic modelling of the formation of zinc-manganese ferrite spinel in electric arc furnace dust.

    PubMed

    Pickles, C A

    2010-07-15

    Electric arc furnace dust is generated when automobile scrap, containing galvanized steel, is remelted in an electric arc furnace. This dust is considered as a hazardous waste in most countries. Zinc is a major component of the dust and can be of significant commercial value. Typically, the majority of the zinc exists as zinc oxide (ZnO) and as a zinc-manganese ferrite spinel ((Zn(x)Mn(y)Fe(1-x-y))Fe(2)O(4)). The recovery of the zinc from the dust in metal recycling and recovery processes, particularly in the hydrometallurgical extraction processes, is often hindered by the presence of the mixed ferrite spinel. However, there is a paucity of information available in the literature on the formation of this spinel. Therefore, in the present research, the equilibrium module of HSC Chemistry 6.1 was utilized to investigate the thermodynamics of the formation of the spinel and the effect of variables on the amount and the composition of the mixed ferrite spinel. It is proposed that the mixed ferrite spinel forms due to the reaction of iron-manganese particulates with both gaseous oxygen and zinc, at the high temperatures in the freeboard of the furnace above the steel melt. Based on the thermodynamic predictions, methods are proposed for minimizing the formation of the mixed ferrite spinel. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Mechanistic study on antibacterial action of zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized using green route.

    PubMed

    Happy Agarwal; Soumya Menon; Venkat Kumar, S; Rajeshkumar, S

    2018-04-25

    A large array of diseases caused by bacterial pathogens and origination of multidrug resistance in their gene provokes the need of developing new vectors or novel drug molecules for effective drug delivery and thus, better treatment of disease. The nanoparticle has emerged as a novel drug molecule in last decade and has been used in various industrial fields like cosmetics, healthcare, agricultural, pharmaceuticals due to their high optical, electronic, medicinal properties. Use of nanoparticles as an antibacterial agent remain in current studies with metal nanoparticles like silver, gold, copper, iron and metal oxide nanoparticles like zinc oxide, copper oxide, titanium oxide and iron oxide nanoparticles. The high anti-bacterial activity of nanoparticles is due to their large surface area to volume ratio which allows binding of a large number of ligands on nanoparticle surface and hence, its complexation with receptors present on the bacterial surface. Green synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle (ZnO NP) and its anti-bacterial application has been particularly discussed in the review literature. The present study highlights differential nanoparticle attachment to gram + and gram - bacterial surface and different mechanism adopted by nanoparticle for bacterial control. Pharmacokinetics and applications of ZnO NP are also discussed briefly. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. SIMS depth profiling of rubber-tyre cord bonding layers prepared using 64Zn depleted ZnO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fulton, W. S.; Sykes, D. E.; Smith, G. C.

    2006-07-01

    Zinc oxide and copper/zinc sulphide layers are formed during vulcanisation and moulding of rubber to brass-coated steel tyre reinforcing cords. Previous studies have described how zinc diffuses through the rubber-brass interface to form zinc sulphide, and combines with oxygen to create zinc oxide during dezincification. The zinc is usually assumed to originate in the brass of the tyre cord, however, zinc oxide is also present in the rubber formulation. We reveal how zinc from these sources is distributed within the interfacial bonding layers, before and after heat and humidity ageing. Zinc oxide produced using 64Zn-isotope depleted zinc was mixed in the rubber formulation in place of the natural ZnO and the zinc isotope ratios within the interfacial layers were followed by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) depth profiling. Variations in the relative ratios of the zinc isotopes during depth profiling were measured for unaged, heat-aged and humidity-aged wire samples and in each case a relatively large proportion of the zinc incorporated into the interfacial layer as zinc sulphide was shown to have originated from ZnO in the rubber compound.

  1. Characterization of 68Zn uptake, translocation, and accumulation into developing grains and young leaves of high Zn-density rice genotype*

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Chun-yong; Feng, Ying; Shohag, Md. Jahidul Islam; Lu, Ling-li; Wei, Yan-yan; Gao, Chong; Yang, Xiao-e

    2011-01-01

    Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for humans, but Zn deficiency has become serious as equally as iron (Fe) and vitamin A deficiencies nowadays. Selection and breeding of high Zn-density crops is a suitable, cost-effective, and sustainable way to improve human health. However, the mechanism of high Zn density in rice grain is not fully understood, especially how Zn transports from soil to grains. Hydroponics experiments were carried out to compare Zn uptake and distribution in two different Zn-density rice genotypes using stable isotope technique. At seedling stage, IR68144 showed higher 68Zn uptake and transport rate to the shoot for the short-term, but no significant difference was observed in both genotypes for the long-term. Zn in xylem sap of IR68144 was consistently higher, and IR68144 exhibited higher Zn absorption ratio than IR64 at sufficient (2.0 µmol/L) or surplus (8.0 µmol/L) Zn supply level. IR64 and IR68144 showed similar patterns of 68Zn accumulation in new leaves at seedling stage and in developing grains at ripening stage, whereas 68Zn in new leaves and grains of IR68144 was consistently higher. These results suggested that a rapid root-to-shoot translocation and enhanced xylem loading capacity may be the crucial processes for high Zn density in rice grains. PMID:21528496

  2. Assimilation of zinc, cadmium, lead, copper, and iron by the spider Dysdera crocata, a predator of woodlice

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hopkin, S.P.; Martin, M.H.

    1985-02-01

    In this paper, an experiment is described on the assimilation of zinc, cadmium, lead, copper and iron by Dysdera crocata collected from a site in central Bristol. The spiders were fed on woodlice from their own site, and on woodlice from a site contaminated by a smelting works which contained much higher levels of zinc, cadmium and lead than the spiders would have been used to in their normal diet.

  3. Effect of different processes and Ti/Zn molar ratios on the structure, morphology, and enhanced photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic performance of Ti3+ self-doped titanium-zinc hybrid oxides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fu, Rongrong; Wang, Qingyao; Gao, Shanmin; Wang, Zeyan; Huang, Baibiao; Dai, Ying; Lu, Jun

    2015-07-01

    Ti3+ self-doped titanium-zinc hybrid oxides with different phase compositions and morphologies were successfully synthesized using Zn powder as the reductant and Zn source by a chemical-reduction precipitation method with subsequent thermal treatment. The fabricated Ti3+ self-doped TiO2(A)/TiO2(R), TiO2(A)/TiO2(R)/ZnTiO3, and TiO2(A)/ZnO heterojunctions were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The effects of various Ti/Zn molar ratios and preparation processes on the structural, morphological, optical, photocurrent and photocatalytic properties of the resultant samples were investigated systematically. Results reveal that Ti3+ self-doping enhances the photoabsorption capability of titanium-zinc hybrid oxides in the visible-light region. Moreover, different processes and Ti/Zn molar ratios play great influences on the structure, morphology, optical, photocurrent and photocatalytic properties of the final products. Ti3+ self-doped titanium-zinc hybrid oxides exhibit excellent photocurrent and photocatalytic activity than pure TiO2 and ZnTiO3 under visible-light irradiation (λ ≥ 400 nm). The most active Ti3+ self-doped titanium-zinc hybrid oxides photoanode presents significantly improved water splitting performance. The synergistic effect between the Ti3+ self-doped and heterojunctions is responsible for the enhanced performance of these materials.

  4. Effect of different processes and Ti/Zn molar ratios on the structure, morphology, and enhanced photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic performance of Ti3+ self-doped titanium–zinc hybrid oxides

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fu, Rongrong; Wang, Qingyao; Gao, shanmin

    2015-07-01

    Ti3+ self-doped titanium–zinc hybrid oxides with different phase compositions and morphologies were successfully synthesized using Zn powder as the reductant and Zn source by a chemical-reduction precipitation method with subsequent thermal treatment. The fabricated Ti3+ self-doped TiO2(A)/TiO2(R), TiO2(A)/TiO2(R)/ZnTiO3, and TiO2(A)/ZnO heterojunctions were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The effects of various Ti/Zn molar ratios and preparation processes on the structural, morphological, optical, photocurrent and photocatalytic properties of the resultant samples were investigated systematically. Results reveal that Ti3+ self-doping enhances the photoabsorption capability of titanium–zinc hybrid oxidesmore » in the visible-light region. Moreover, different processes and Ti/Zn molar ratios play great influences on the structure, morphology, optical, photocurrent and photocatalytic properties of the final products. Ti3+ self-doped titanium–zinc hybrid oxides exhibit excellent photocurrent and photocatalytic activity than pure TiO2 and ZnTiO3 under visible-light irradiation (λ ≥ 400 nm). The most active Ti3+ self-doped titanium–zinc hybrid oxides photoanode presents significantly improved water splitting performance. The synergistic effect between the Ti3+ self-doped and heterojunctions is responsible for the enhanced performance of these materials.« less

  5. Preferential uptake of ammonium ions by zinc ferrocyanide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Braterman, P. S.; Arrhenius, G.; Hui, S.; Paplawsky, W.; Miller, S. L. (Principal Investigator)

    1995-01-01

    The concentration of ammonia from dilute aqueous solution could have facilitated many prebiotic reactions. This may be especially true if this concentration involves incorporation into an organized medium. We have shown that (unlike iron(III) ferrocyanide) zinc ferrocyanide,Zn2Fe(CN)6 xH2O, preferentially takes up ammonium ions from 0.01 M NH4Cl to give the known material Zn3(NH4)2[Fe(CN)6]2 xH2O, even in the presence of 0.01 M KCl. KCl alone gave Zn3K2[Fe(CN)6]2 xH2O. Products were characterized by elemental (CHN) analysis and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). We attribute the remarkable specificity for the ammonium ion to the open framework of the product, which offers enough space for hydrogen-bonded ammonium ions, and infer that other inorganic materials with internal spaces rich in water may show a similar preference.

  6. Effect of Tamarindus indica leaf powder on plasma concentrations of copper, zinc, and iron in fluorotic cows.

    PubMed

    Samal, Pinaki; Patra, R C; Gupta, A R; Mishra, S K; Jena, D; Satapathy, D

    2016-10-01

    The main objective of the study was to determine the deleterious effect of fluoride on plasma trace minerals of fluorotic cattle and to evaluate the effect of Tamarindus indica leaf powder toward correction of the same. A total of 30 cattle exhibiting chronic sign of fluorosis and 10 healthy cattle from nonfluorotic area were incorporated in this study. Fluorotic cattle were divided into three equal groups consisting of 10 cattle each. Group I from fluoride free area served as healthy control. The Group II received no treatment and served as disease control. Groups III and IV were supplemented with tamarind leaf powder at 15 g and 30 g/day with feed for 60 days. Plasma mineral status was evaluated after 60 days of treatment with double beam atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Statistical analysis of data revealed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in mean plasma copper (Cu) (0.344±0.007 ppm), zinc (Zn) (0.692±0.06 ppm), and iron (Fe) concentration (1.100±0.01 ppm) in fluorotic cattle in comparison to healthy cattle (0.58±0.010, 2.342±0.04, 1.406±0.04 ppm, respectively). Significant (p<0.05) increase in Cu, Zn, and Fe was recorded after supplementation of tamarind leaf powder to the fluorotic cattle. It was concluded that fluorotic cattle might be supplemented with T. indica leaf powder with feed for the correction of the decreased level of certain plasma minerals.

  7. Preparation of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Thin Film as Transparent Conductive Oxide (TCO) from Zinc Complex Compound on Thin Film Solar Cells: A Study of O2 Effect on Annealing Process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Muslih, E. Y.; Kim, K. H.

    2017-07-01

    Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film as a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) for thin film solar cell application was successfully prepared through two step preparations which consisted of deposition by spin coating at 2000 rpm for 10 second and followed by annealing at 500 °C for 2 hours under O2 and ambient atmosphere. Zinc acetate dehydrate was used as a precursor which dissolved in ethanol and acetone (1:1 mol) mixture in order to make a zinc complex compound. In this work, we reported the O2 effect, reaction mechanism, structure, morphology, optical and electrical properties. ZnO thin film in this work shows a single phase of wurtzite, with n-type semiconductor and has band gap, carrier concentration, mobility, and resistivity as 3.18 eV, 1.21 × 10-19cm3, 11 cm2/Vs, 2.35 × 10-3 Ωcm respectively which is suitable for TCO at thin film solar cell.

  8. Zinc and its transporters, pancreatic beta cells, and insulin metabolism

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Zinc is an essential trace metal for life. Two families of zinc transporters, SLC30A (ZnT) and SLC39A (ZIP) are required for maintaining cellular zinc homeostasis. ZnTs function to decrease cytoplasmic zinc concentrations whereas ZIPs do the opposite. Expression of zinc transporters can be tissue/ce...

  9. Crystal structures of ZnCl2·2.5H2O, ZnCl2·3H2O and ZnCl2·4.5H2O

    PubMed Central

    Hennings, Erik; Schmidt, Horst; Voigt, Wolfgang

    2014-01-01

    The formation of different complexes in aqueous solutions is an important step in understanding the behavior of zinc chloride in water. The structure of concentrated ZnCl2 solutions is governed by coordination competition of Cl− and H2O around Zn2+. According to the solid–liquid phase diagram, the title compounds were crystallized below room temperature. The structure of ZnCl2·2.5H2O contains Zn2+ both in a tetra­hedral coordination with Cl− and in an octa­hedral environment defined by five water mol­ecules and one Cl− shared with the [ZnCl4]2− unit. Thus, these two different types of Zn2+ cations form isolated units with composition [Zn2Cl4(H2O)5] (penta­aqua-μ-chlorido-tri­chlorido­di­zinc). The trihydrate {hexa­aqua­zinc tetra­chlorido­zinc, [Zn(H2O)6][ZnCl4]}, consists of three different Zn2+ cations, one of which is tetra­hedrally coordinated by four Cl− anions. The two other Zn2+ cations are each located on an inversion centre and are octa­hedrally surrounded by water mol­ecules. The [ZnCl4] tetra­hedra and [Zn(H2O)6] octa­hedra are arranged in alternating rows parallel to [001]. The structure of the 4.5-hydrate {hexa­aqua­zinc tetra­chlorido­zinc trihydrate, [Zn(H2O)6][ZnCl4]·3H2O}, consists of isolated octa­hedral [Zn(H2O)6] and tetra­hedral [ZnCl4] units, as well as additional lattice water mol­ecules. O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the water mol­ecules as donor and ZnCl4 tetra­hedra and water mol­ecules as acceptor groups leads to the formation of a three-dimensional network in each of the three structures. PMID:25552980

  10. Enrichment of Zinc in Galactic Chemodynamical Evolution Models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hirai, Yutaka; Saitoh, Takayuki R.; Ishimaru, Yuhri; Wanajo, Shinya

    2018-03-01

    The heaviest iron-peak element Zinc (Zn) has been used as an important tracer of cosmic chemical evolution. Spectroscopic observations of the metal-poor stars in Local Group galaxies show an increasing trend of [Zn/Fe] ratios toward lower metallicity. However, the enrichment of Zn in galaxies is not well understood due to poor knowledge of astrophysical sites of Zn, as well as metal mixing in galaxies. Here we show possible explanations for the observed trend by taking into account electron-capture supernovae (ECSNe) as one of the sources of Zn in our chemodynamical simulations of dwarf galaxies. We find that the ejecta from ECSNe contribute to stars with [Zn/Fe] ≳ 0.5. We also find that scatters of [Zn/Fe] in higher metallicities originate from the ejecta of type Ia supernovae. On the other hand, it appears difficult to explain the observed trends if we do not consider ECSNe as a source of Zn. These results come from an inhomogeneous spatial metallicity distribution due to the inefficiency of the metal mixing. We find that the optimal value of the scaling factor for the metal diffusion coefficient is ∼0.01 in the shear-based metal mixing model in smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations. These results suggest that ECSNe could be one of the contributors of the enrichment of Zn in galaxies.

  11. Determination of zinc availability in foods by the extrinsic label technique.

    PubMed

    Evans, G W; Johnson, P E

    1977-06-01

    The absorption of intrinsic 65Zn and extrinsic 65Zn from corn and liver was measured in rats. No significant difference between the absorption of intrinsic- and extrinsic-label was observed. These results indicate that endogenous zinc and exogenous 65Zn enter a common pool prior to being absorbed from the intestine. Since extrinsic 65Zn enters a common pool with intrinsic zinc, whole-body absorption of extrinsic 65Zn can be used to obtain an accurate estimate of the availability of zinc in food. The availability of zinc in human breast milk, in cow's milk, in infant formulas, and in reconstituted dry milk was analyzed by use of the extrinsic label. The zinc in human breast milk was most available (59%) while the zinc in the infant formulas was the least available (26 to 37%). Zinc from both raw and cooked corn was more available than zinc from either cooked or uncooked rat liver.

  12. Development of a combined pyro- and hydro-metallurgical route to treat spent zinc-carbon batteries.

    PubMed

    Baba, A A; Adekola, A F; Bale, R B

    2009-11-15

    The potential of solvent extraction using Cynanex272 for the recovery of zinc from spent zinc carbon batteries after a prior leaching in hydrochloric acid has been investigated. The elemental analysis of the spent material was carried out by ICP-MS. The major metallic elements are: ZnO (41.30%), Fe(2)O(3) (4.38%), MnO(2) (2.69%), Al(2)O(3) (1.01%), CaO (0.36%) and PbO (0.11%). The quantitative leaching by hydrochloric acid showed that the dissolution rates are significantly influenced by temperature and concentration of the acid solutions. The experimental data for the dissolution rates have been analyzed and were found to follow the shrinking core model for mixed control reaction with surface chemical reaction as the rate-determining step. About 90.3% dissolution was achieved with 4M HCl solution at 80 degrees C with 0.050-0.063 mm particle size within 120 min at 360 rpm. Activation energy value of 22.78 kJ/mol and a reaction order of 0.74 with respect to H(+) ion concentration were obtained for the dissolution process. An extraction yield of 94.23% zinc by 0.032M Cyanex272 in kerosene was obtained from initial 10 g/L spent battery leach liquor at 25+/-2 degrees C and at optimal stirring time of 25 min. Iron has been effectively separated by precipitation prior to extraction using ammoniacal solution at pH 3.5, while lead and other trace elements were firstly separated from Zn and Fe by cementation prior to iron removal and zinc extraction. Finally, the stripping study showed that 0.1M HCl led to the stripping of about 95% of zinc from the organic phase.

  13. Effects of Zinc Glycinate on Productive and Reproductive Performance, Zinc Concentration and Antioxidant Status in Broiler Breeders.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ling; Wang, Yong-Xia; Xiao, Xue; Wang, Jiang-Shui; Wang, Qian; Li, Kai-Xuan; Guo, Tian-Yu; Zhan, Xiu-An

    2017-08-01

    An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of zinc glycinate (Zn-Gly) supplementation as an alternative for zinc sulphate (ZnSO 4 ) on productive and reproductive performance, zinc (Zn) concentration and antioxidant status in broiler breeders. Six hundred 39-week-old Lingnan Yellow broiler breeders were randomly assigned to 6 groups consisting of 4 replicates with 25 birds each. Breeders were fed a basal diet (control group, 24 mg Zn/kg diet), basal diet supplemented with 80 mg Zn/kg diet from ZnSO 4 or basal diet supplemented with 20, 40, 60 and 80 mg Zn/kg diet from Zn-Gly. The experiment lasted for 8 weeks after a 4-week pre-test with the basal diet, respectively. Results showed that Zn supplementation, regardless of sources, improved (P < 0.05) the feed conversion ratio (kilogram of feed/kilogram of egg) and decreased broken egg rate, and elevated (P < 0.05) the qualified chick rate. Compared with the ZnSO 4 group, the 80 mg Zn/kg Zn-Gly group significantly increased (P < 0.05) average egg weight, fertility, hatchability and qualified chick rate, whereas it decreased (P < 0.05) broken egg rate. The Zn concentrations in liver and muscle were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in 80 mg Zn/kg Zn-Gly group than that in ZnSO 4 group. Compared with ZnSO 4 group, 80 mg Zn/kg Zn-Gly group significantly elevated (P < 0.05) the mRNA abundances of metallothionein (MT) and copper-zinc superoxide (Cu-Zn SOD), as well as the Cu-Zn SOD activity and MT concentration in liver. Moreover, the 80 mg Zn/kg Zn-Gly group had higher (P < 0.05) serum T-SOD and Cu-Zn SOD activities than that in the ZnSO 4 group. This study indicated that supplementation of Zn in basal diet improved productive and reproductive performance, Zn concentration and antioxidant status in broiler breeders, and the 80 mg Zn/kg from Zn-Gly was the optimum choice for broiler breeders compared with other levels of Zn from Zn-Gly and 80 mg/kg Zn from ZnSO 4 .

  14. Changes in zinc status and zinc transporters expression in whole blood of patients with Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS).

    PubMed

    Florea, Daniela; Molina-López, Jorge; Hogstrand, Christer; Lengyel, Imre; de la Cruz, Antonio Pérez; Rodríguez-Elvira, Manuel; Planells, Elena

    2018-09-01

    Critically ill patients develop severe stress, inflammation and a clinical state that may raise the utilization and metabolic replacement of many nutrients and especially zinc, depleting their body reserves. This study was designed to assess the zinc status in critical care patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), comparing them with a group of healthy people, and studying the association with expression of zinc transporters. This investigation was a prospective, multicentre, comparative, observational and analytic study. Twelve critically ill patients from different hospitals and 12 healthy subjects from Granada, Spain, all with informed consent were recruited. Data on daily nutritional assessment, ICU severity scores, inflammation, clinical and nutritional parameters, plasma and blood cell zinc concentrations, and levels of transcripts for zinc transporters in whole blood were taken at admission and at the seventh day of the ICU stay. Zinc levels on critical ill patient are diminish comparing with the healthy control (HS: 0.94 ± 0.19; CIPF: 0.67 ± 0.16 mg/dL). The 58% of critical ill patients showed zinc plasma deficiency at beginning of study while 50.0% of critical ill after 7 days of ICU stay. ZnT7, ZIP4 and ZIP9 were the zinc transporters with highest expression in whole blood. In general, all zinc transporters were significantly down-regulated (P < 0.05) in the critical ill population at admission in comparison with healthy subjects. Severity scores and inflammation were significantly associated (P < 0.05) with zinc plasma levels, and zinc transporters ZIP3, ZIP4, ZIP8, ZnT6, ZnT7. Expression of 11 out of 24 zinc transporters was analysed, and ZnT1, ZnT4, ZnT5 and ZIP4, which were downregulated by more than 3-fold in whole blood of patients. In summary, in our study an alteration of zinc status was related with the severity-of-illness scores and inflammation in critical ill patients since admission in ICU stay. SIRS

  15. Zinc transporter-1 concentrates at the postsynaptic density of hippocampal synapses.

    PubMed

    Sindreu, Carlos; Bayés, Álex; Altafaj, Xavier; Pérez-Clausell, Jeús

    2014-03-07

    Zinc concentrates at excitatory synapses, both at the postsynaptic density and in a subset of glutamatergic boutons. Zinc can modulate synaptic plasticity, memory formation and nociception by regulating transmitter receptors and signal transduction pathways. Also, intracellular zinc accumulation is a hallmark of degenerating neurons in several neurological disorders. To date, no single zinc extrusion mechanism has been directly localized to synapses. Based on the presence of a canonical PDZ I motif in the Zinc Transporter-1 protein (ZnT1), we hypothesized that ZnT1 may be targeted to synaptic compartments for local control of cytosolic zinc. Using our previously developed protocol for the co-localization of reactive zinc and synaptic proteins, we further asked if ZnT1 expression correlates with presynaptic zinc content in individual synapses. Here we demonstrate that ZnT1 is a plasma membrane protein that is enriched in dendritic spines and in biochemically isolated synaptic membranes. Hippocampal CA1 synapses labelled by postembedding immunogold showed over a 5-fold increase in ZnT1 concentration at synaptic junctions compared with extrasynaptic membranes. Subsynaptic analysis revealed a peak ZnT1 density on the postsynaptic side of the synapse, < 10 nm away from the postsynaptic membrane. ZnT1 was found in the vast majority of excitatory synapses regardless of the presence of vesicular zinc in presynaptic boutons. Our study has identified ZnT1 as a novel postsynaptic density protein, and it may help elucidate the role of zinc homeostasis in synaptic function and disease.

  16. Zinc transporter-1 concentrates at the postsynaptic density of hippocampal synapses

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Zinc concentrates at excitatory synapses, both at the postsynaptic density and in a subset of glutamatergic boutons. Zinc can modulate synaptic plasticity, memory formation and nociception by regulating transmitter receptors and signal transduction pathways. Also, intracellular zinc accumulation is a hallmark of degenerating neurons in several neurological disorders. To date, no single zinc extrusion mechanism has been directly localized to synapses. Based on the presence of a canonical PDZ I motif in the Zinc Transporter-1 protein (ZnT1), we hypothesized that ZnT1 may be targeted to synaptic compartments for local control of cytosolic zinc. Using our previously developed protocol for the co-localization of reactive zinc and synaptic proteins, we further asked if ZnT1 expression correlates with presynaptic zinc content in individual synapses. Findings Here we demonstrate that ZnT1 is a plasma membrane protein that is enriched in dendritic spines and in biochemically isolated synaptic membranes. Hippocampal CA1 synapses labelled by postembedding immunogold showed over a 5-fold increase in ZnT1 concentration at synaptic junctions compared with extrasynaptic membranes. Subsynaptic analysis revealed a peak ZnT1 density on the postsynaptic side of the synapse, < 10 nm away from the postsynaptic membrane. ZnT1 was found in the vast majority of excitatory synapses regardless of the presence of vesicular zinc in presynaptic boutons. Conclusions Our study has identified ZnT1 as a novel postsynaptic density protein, and it may help elucidate the role of zinc homeostasis in synaptic function and disease. PMID:24602382

  17. Assessments of serum copper and zinc concentration, and the Cu/Zn ratio determination in patients with multidrug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Bahi, Gnogbo Alexis; Boyvin, Lydie; Méité, Souleymane; M'Boh, Gervais Melaine; Yeo, Kadjowely; N'Guessan, Kouassi Raymond; Bidié, Alain Dit Philippe; Djaman, Allico Joseph

    2017-04-11

    In Côte d'Ivoire, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a serious public health problem with a prevalence estimated at 2.5% in 2006. Zinc and copper are essential Trace element needed to strengthen the immune system and also useful in the fight against tuberculosis. The Cu / Zn ratio is a good indicator of oxidative stress. The principal aim of this study was to evaluate the serum concentration of some trace element and determine the Cu / Zn ratio in patients with multidrug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (MDR-TB) before and after second line treatment of TB. Blood samples were obtained from 100 MDR-TB patients after confirmation of their status through the microscopic and molecular diagnosis of resistance to Isoniazid and Rifampicin by GeneXpert. The concentration level of zinc and copper were determined using flame air / acetylene atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) Type Varian Spectr AA-20 Victoria, Australlia. A significant decrease in zinc levels (P < 0.05) and an increased Cu / Zn ratio (P < 0.05) was observed in MDR-TB patients compared to controls TB free. During treatment a significant reduction in Cu / Zn ratio (P < 0.05) was observed compared to the initial result. The decrease in serum zinc level and the high Cu / Zn ratio could explain the immune system dysfunction and the high level of oxidative stress in patients with MDR-TB. Therefore the evaluation of the zinc and copper status could represent essential parameters in monitoring of TB second line treatment for better treatment management.

  18. A Historical Review of Progress in the Assessment of Dietary Zinc Intake as an Indicator of Population Zinc Status123

    PubMed Central

    Gibson, Rosalind S.

    2012-01-01

    Dietary components influencing zinc (Zn) bioavailability were implicated in the first cases of human Zn deficiency in the Middle East in the 1960s. It was not until the 1980s that isotope tracer studies in humans quantified the effects of the type and/or quantity of Zn, protein, iron, and phytate (myo-inositol hexaphosphate) on Zn absorption in humans and confirmed the dose-dependent inhibitory effect of phytate on Zn absorption. This led to further analysis of the Zn and phytate content of foods. The use of phytate-to-Zn molar ratios as likely estimates of absorbable dietary Zn followed together with an assessment of their relationship with Zn biomarkers in low-income countries (LIC). In the 1990s, increasing knowledge of factors governing Zn-absorption diets led to refinements of Zn requirements and algorithms to estimate dietary Zn bioavailability. Their use highlighted that inadequate Zn intake from plant-based diets were a major etiological factor in morbidity and stunting in LIC, prompting the need to identify indicators of the population’s Zn status. Major advances in analyses of dietary data pioneered by Beaton in 1980s led to the endorsement in 2007 of a dietary Zn indicator based on the prevalence of the population with usual Zn intake below the estimated average requirement for Zn. Risk of Zn deficiency is a public health concern when the prevalence of inadequate Zn intake is >25%. Recent findings that Zn bioavailability from high-phytate, whole-day diets is lower than previous estimates suggest that revision of Zn estimated average requirement for LIC may be warranted. PMID:23153731

  19. Designing Hydrolytic Zinc Metalloenzymes

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Zinc is an essential element required for the function of more than 300 enzymes spanning all classes. Despite years of dedicated study, questions regarding the connections between primary and secondary metal ligands and protein structure and function remain unanswered, despite numerous mechanistic, structural, biochemical, and synthetic model studies. Protein design is a powerful strategy for reproducing native metal sites that may be applied to answering some of these questions and subsequently generating novel zinc enzymes. From examination of the earliest design studies introducing simple Zn(II)-binding sites into de novo and natural protein scaffolds to current studies involving the preparation of efficient hydrolytic zinc sites, it is increasingly likely that protein design will achieve reaction rates previously thought possible only for native enzymes. This Current Topic will review the design and redesign of Zn(II)-binding sites in de novo-designed proteins and native protein scaffolds toward the preparation of catalytic hydrolytic sites. After discussing the preparation of Zn(II)-binding sites in various scaffolds, we will describe relevant examples for reengineering existing zinc sites to generate new or altered catalytic activities. Then, we will describe our work on the preparation of a de novo-designed hydrolytic zinc site in detail and present comparisons to related designed zinc sites. Collectively, these studies demonstrate the significant progress being made toward building zinc metalloenzymes from the bottom up. PMID:24506795

  20. Comparative Study of Antidiabetic Activity and Oxidative Stress Induced by Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Zinc Sulfate in Diabetic Rats.

    PubMed

    Nazarizadeh, Ali; Asri-Rezaie, Siamak

    2016-08-01

    In the current study, antidiabetic activity and toxic effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO) were investigated in diabetic rats compared to zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) with particular emphasis on oxidative stress parameters. One hundred and twenty male Wistar rats were divided into two healthy and diabetic groups, randomly. Each major group was further subdivided into five subgroups and then orally supplemented with various doses of ZnO (1, 3, and 10 mg/kg) and ZnSO4 (30 mg/kg) for 56 consecutive days. ZnO showed greater antidiabetic activity compared to ZnSO4 evidenced by improved glucose disposal, insulin levels, and zinc status. The altered activities of erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes as well as raised levels of lipid peroxidation and a marked reduction of total antioxidant capacity were observed in rats receiving ZnO. ZnO nanoparticles acted as a potent antidiabetic agent, however, severely elicited oxidative stress particularly at higher doses.

  1. Effects of zinc complexes on the distribution of zinc in calcareous soil and zinc uptake by maize.

    PubMed

    Alvarez, José M; Rico, María I

    2003-09-10

    The movement and availability of Zn from six organic Zn sources in a Typic Xerorthent (calcareous) soil were compared by incubation, column assay, and in a greenhouse study with maize (Zea mays L.). Zinc soil behavior was studied by sequential, diethylenetriaminepentaacetate, and Mehlich-3 extractions. In the incubation experiment, the differences in Zn concentration observed in the water soluble plus exchangeable fraction strongly correlated with Zn uptake by plants in the greenhouse experiment. Zinc applied to the surface of soil columns scarcely moved into deeper layers except for Zn-ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) that showed the greatest distribution of labile Zn throughout the soil and the highest proportion of leaching of the applied Zn. In the upper part of the column, changes in the chemical forms of all treatments occurred and an increase in organically complexed and amorphous Fe oxide-bound fractions was detected. However, the water soluble plus exchangeable fraction was not detected. The same results were obtained at the end of the greenhouse experiment. Significant increases were found in plant dry matter yield and Zn concentration as compared with the control treatment without Zn addition. Increasing Zn rate in the soil increased dry matter yield in all cases but Zn concentration in the plant increased only with Zn-EDTA and Zn-ethylenediaminedi-o-hydroxyphenyl-acetate (EDDHA) fertilizers. Higher Zn concentration in plants (50.9 mg kg(-)(1)) occurred when 20 mg Zn kg(-)(1) was added to the soil as Zn-EDTA. The relative effectiveness of the different Zn carriers in increasing Zn uptake was in the order: Zn-EDTA > Zn-EDDHA > Zn-heptagluconate >/= Zn-phenolate approximately Zn-polyflavonoid approximately Zn-lignosulfonate.

  2. Effects of nanoparticle zinc oxide on emotional behavior and trace elements homeostasis in rat brain.

    PubMed

    Amara, Salem; Slama, Imen Ben; Omri, Karim; El Ghoul, Jaber; El Mir, Lassaad; Rhouma, Khemais Ben; Abdelmelek, Hafedh; Sakly, Mohsen

    2015-12-01

    Over recent years, nanotoxicology and the potential effects on human body have grown in significance, the potential influences of nanosized materials on the central nervous system have received more attention. The aim of this study was to determine whether zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) exposure cause alterations in emotional behavior and trace elements homeostasis in rat brain. Rats were treated by intraperitoneal injection of ZnO NPs (20-30 nm) at a dose of 25 mg/kg body weight. Sub -: acute ZnO NPs treatment induced no significant increase in the zinc content in the homogenate brain. Statistically significant decreases in iron and calcium concentrations were found in rat brain tissue compared to control. However, sodium and potassium contents remained unchanged. Also, there were no significant changes in the body weight and the coefficient of brain. In the present study, the anxiety-related behavior was evaluated using the plus-maze test. ZnO NPs treatment modulates slightly the exploratory behaviors of rats. However, no significant differences were observed in the anxious index between ZnO NP-treated rats and the control group (p > 0.05). Interestingly, our results demonstrated minimal effects of ZnO NPs on emotional behavior of animals, but there was a possible alteration in trace elements homeostasis in rat brain. © The Author(s) 2012.

  3. Prognostic value of serum zinc levels in patients with acute HC/zinc chloride smoke inhalation

    PubMed Central

    Xie, Fei; Zhang, Xingang; Xie, Lixin

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Hexachloroethane (HC)/zinc chloride (ZnCl, smoke bomb) exposure in the military setting results in lung injury which is uncommon and has been rarely described in previous studies. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between the serum zinc in patients with HC/ZnCl smoke inhalation lung injury and disease severity. A total of 15 patients with HC/ZnCl-related conditions were recruited in this study. The serum zinc level and the pulmonary function tests and liver function tests including total lung capacity (TLC), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory pressure in 1 second (FEV1), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST) were analyzed. Eleven cases had mild clinical manifestations. Four cases rapidly developed features typical of severe adult respiratory distress syndrome. The level of serum zinc was increased, but FVC, FEV1, and TLC was decreased significantly in the moderate and severe cases. In addition, the serum zinc level correlated well with the TLC, FVC, and FEV1 (r = −0.587, −0.626, −0.617, respectively; P = .027, .017, .019, respectively). The 4 cases in moderate and severe group had delayed impairment of liver functions after the accident. This study suggested that the serum zinc level may be associated with the severity of lung and liver injuries after HC/ZnCl smoke inhalation. PMID:28953660

  4. Tuning the Redox Properties of a Nonheme Iron(III)-Peroxo Complex Binding Redox-Inactive Zinc Ions by Water Molecules.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yong-Min; Bang, Suhee; Yoon, Heejung; Bae, Seong Hee; Hong, Seungwoo; Cho, Kyung-Bin; Sarangi, Ritimukta; Fukuzumi, Shunichi; Nam, Wonwoo

    2015-07-20

    Redox-inactive metal ions play important roles in tuning chemical properties of metal-oxygen intermediates. Herein we report the effect of water molecules on the redox properties of a nonheme iron(III)-peroxo complex binding redox-inactive metal ions. The coordination of two water molecules to a Zn(2+) ion in (TMC)Fe(III) -(O2 )-Zn(CF3 SO3 )2 (1-Zn(2+) ) decreases the Lewis acidity of the Zn(2+) ion, resulting in the decrease of the one-electron oxidation and reduction potentials of 1-Zn(2+) . This further changes the reactivities of 1-Zn(2+) in oxidation and reduction reactions; no reaction occurred upon addition of an oxidant (e.g., cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate (CAN)) to 1-Zn(2+) , whereas 1-Zn(2+) coordinating two water molecules, (TMC)Fe(III) -(O2 )-Zn(CF3 SO3 )2 -(OH2 )2 [1-Zn(2+) -(OH2 )2 ], releases the O2 unit in the oxidation reaction. In the reduction reactions, 1-Zn(2+) was converted to its corresponding iron(IV)-oxo species upon addition of a reductant (e.g., a ferrocene derivative), whereas such a reaction occurred at a much slower rate in the case of 1-Zn(2+) -(OH2 )2 . The present results provide the first biomimetic example showing that water molecules at the active sites of metalloenzymes may participate in tuning the redox properties of metal-oxygen intermediates. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Tuning the Redox Properties of a Nonheme Iron(III)-Peroxo Complex Binding Redox-Inactive Zinc Ions by Water Molecules

    DOE PAGES

    Lee, Yong-Min; Bang, Suhee; Yoon, Heejung; ...

    2015-06-19

    Here we report redox-inactive metal ions play important roles in tuning chemical properties of metal–oxygen intermediates. We describe the effect of water molecules on the redox properties of a nonheme iron(III)–peroxo complex binding redox-inactive metal ions. The coordination of two water molecules to a Zn 2+ ion in (TMC)Fe III-(O 2)-Zn(CF 3SO 3) 2 (1-Zn 2+) decreases the Lewis acidity of the Zn 2+ ion, resulting in the decrease of the one-electron oxidation and reduction potentials of 1-Zn 2+. This further changes the reactivities of 1-Zn 2+ in oxidation and reduction reactions; no reaction occurred upon addition of an oxidantmore » (e.g., cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate (CAN)) to 1-Zn 2+, whereas 1-Zn 2+ coordinating two water molecules, (TMC)Fe III-(O 2)-Zn(CF 3SO 3) 2-(OH 2) 2 [1-Zn 2+-(OH 2) 2], releases the O 2 unit in the oxidation reaction. In the reduction reactions, 1-Zn 2+ was converted to its corresponding iron(IV)–oxo species upon addition of a reductant (e.g., a ferrocene derivative), whereas such a reaction occurred at a much slower rate in the case of 1-Zn 2+-(OH 2) 2. Finally, the present results provide the first biomimetic example showing that water molecules at the active sites of metalloenzymes may participate in tuning the redox properties of metal–oxygen intermediates.« less

  6. Supramolecular complex of a fused zinc phthalocyanine-zinc porphyrin dyad assembled by two imidazole-C60 units: ultrafast photoevents.

    PubMed

    Follana-Berná, Jorge; Seetharaman, Sairaman; Martín-Gomis, Luis; Charalambidis, Georgios; Trapali, Adelais; Karr, Paul A; Coutsolelos, Athanassios G; Fernández-Lázaro, Fernando; D'Souza, Francis; Sastre-Santos, Ángela

    2018-03-14

    A new zinc phthalocyanine-zinc porphyrin dyad (ZnPc-ZnP) fused through a pyrazine ring has been synthesized as a receptor for imidazole-substituted C 60 (C 60 Im) electron acceptor. Self-assembly via metal-ligand axial coordination and the pertinent association constants in solution were determined by 1 H-NMR, UV-Vis and fluorescence titration experiments at room temperature. The designed host was able to bind up to two C 60 Im electron acceptor guest molecules to yield C 60 Im:ZnPc-ZnP:ImC 60 donor-acceptor supramolecular complex. The spectral data showed that the two binding sites behave independently with binding constants similar in magnitude. Steady-state fluorescence studies were indicative of an efficient singlet-singlet energy transfer from zinc porphyrin to zinc phthalocyanine within the fused dyad. Accordingly, the transient absorption studies covering a wide timescale of femto-to-milli seconds revealed ultrafast energy transfer from 1 ZnP* to ZnPc (k EnT ∼ 10 12 s -1 ) in the fused dyad. Further, a photo induced electron transfer was observed in the supramolecularly assembled C 60 Im:ZnPc-ZnP:ImC 60 donor-acceptor complex leading to charge separated states, which persisted for about 200 ns.

  7. The Effects of Iron and/or Zinc Supplementation on Maternal Reports of Sleep in Infants from Nepal and Zanzibar

    PubMed Central

    Kordas, Katarzyna; Siegel, Emily H.; Olney, Deanna K.; Katz, Joanne; Tielsch, James M.; Kariger, Patricia K.; Khalfan, Sabra S.; LeClerq, Steven C.; Khatry, Subarna K.; Stoltzfus, Rebecca J.

    2009-01-01

    Background There is some evidence that sleep patterns may be affected by iron deficiency anemia but the role of iron in sleep has not been tested in a randomized iron supplementation trial. Objective We investigated the effect of iron supplementation on maternal reports of sleep in infants in 2 randomized, placebo-controlled trials from Pemba Island, Zanzibar, and Nepal. Design In both studies, which had parallel designs and were carried out in years 2002 to 2003, infants received iron–folic acid with or without zinc daily for 12 months, and assessments of development were made every 3 months for the duration of the study. Eight hundred seventy-seven Pemban (12.5 ± 4.0 months old) and 567 Nepali (10.8 ± 4.0 months) infants participated. Maternal reports of sleep patterns (napping frequency and duration, nighttime sleep duration, frequency of night waking) were collected. Results Mean Hb concentration was 9.2 ± 1.1 for Pemban and 10.1 ± 1.2 g/dL for Nepali infants. Approximately, one-third of the children were stunted. Supplemental iron was consistently associated with longer night and total sleep duration. The effects of zinc supplementation also included longer sleep duration. Conclusions Micronutrient supplementation in infants at high risk for iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia was related to increased night sleep duration and less night waking. PMID:19322104

  8. Atomistic Interface Dynamics in Sn-Catalyzed Growth of Wurtzite and Zinc-Blende ZnO Nanowires.

    PubMed

    Jia, Shuangfeng; Hu, Shuaishuai; Zheng, He; Wei, Yanjie; Meng, Shuang; Sheng, Huaping; Liu, Huihui; Zhou, Siyuan; Zhao, Dongshan; Wang, Jianbo

    2018-06-11

    Unraveling the phase selection mechanisms of semiconductor nanowires (NWs) is critical for the applications in future advanced nanodevices. In this study, the atomistic vapor-solid-liquid growth processes of Sn-catalyzed wurtzite (WZ) and zinc blende (ZB) ZnO are directly revealed based on the in situ transmission electron microscopy. The growth kinetics of WZ and ZB crystal phases in ZnO appear markedly different in terms of the NW-droplet interface, whereas the nucleation site as determined by the contact angle ϕ between the seed particle and the NW is found to be crucial for tuning the NW structure through combined experimental and theoretical investigations. These results offer an atomic-scale view into the dynamic growth process of ZnO NW, which has implications for the phase-controllable synthesis of II-VI compounds and heterostructures with tunable band structures.

  9. Nitric Oxide Is Associated with Long-Term Zinc Tolerance in Solanum nigrum1[W

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Jin; Yin, Hengxia; Li, Yulong; Liu, Xiaojing

    2010-01-01

    Nitric oxide (NO) has been identified as a signal molecule that interplays with reactive oxygen species in response to heavy metal stresses. Roles of NO in regulating cadmium toxicity and iron deficiency have been proposed; however, the function of NO in zinc (Zn) tolerance in plants remains unclear. Here, we investigated NO accumulation and its role in plant Zn tolerance. Zn-induced NO production promoted an increase in reactive oxygen species accumulation in Solanum nigrum roots by modulating the expression and activity of antioxidative enzymes. Subsequently, programmed cell death (PCD) was observed in primary root tips. Inhibiting NO accumulation by 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-imidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (a specific NO scavenger) or NG-nitro-l-arginine-methyl ester (a NO synthase inhibitor) prevented the increase of superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide as well as the subsequent cell death in the root tips, supporting the role of NO in Zn-induced PCD in the root tips. Zn-induced NO production affected the length of primary roots, the number of lateral roots, and root hair growth and thereby modulated root system architecture and activity. Investigation of metal contents in Zn-treated roots suggests that NO is required for metal (especially iron) uptake and homeostasis in plants exposed to excess Zn. Taken together, our results indicate that NO production and the subsequent PCD in root tips exposed to excess Zn are favorable for the S. nigrum seedling response to long-term Zn toxicity by modulating root system architecture and subsequent adaptation to Zn stress. PMID:20855519

  10. Nut traits and nutritional composition of hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) as influenced by zinc fertilization.

    PubMed

    Özenç, Nedim; Özenç, Damla Bender

    2015-07-01

    Zinc is an essential element for plants and its deficiency is a widespread problem throughout the world, causing decreased yields and nutritional quality. In this study the effect of zinc fertilization on some nut traits and the nutritional composition of 'Tombul' hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) variety cultivated in the Black Sea region of Turkey was investigated and the contribution of this nut to human nutrition determined. Trials were carried out at 'Tombul' hazelnut orchards, and zinc fertilizers were applied at 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 kg Zn ha(-1) in three consecutive years. Significant differences in some nut traits and mineral composition (protein, total oil, ash, kernel percentage, empty and wrinkled nuts, copper, boron, manganese and molybdenum) were observed with zinc fertilizer applications. In terms of daily nutritional element requirements, 100 g of hazelnut provided about 44.74% phosphorus, 13.39% potassium, 19.32% calcium, 37.49% magnesium, 0.19% sodium, 51.63% iron, 25.73% zinc and 14.05% boron of the recommended daily amounts (RDAs), while copper, manganese and molybdenum contents exceeded their RDAs. In order to improve some nut traits and the mineral composition of hazelnut, 0.8 and 1.6 kg Zn ha(-1) fertilizations could be recommended in practice. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  11. Decreased Dissolution of ZnO by Iron Doping Yields Nanoparticles with Reduced Toxicity in the Rodent Lung and Zebrafish Embryos

    PubMed Central

    Xia, Tian; Zhao, Yan; Sager, Tina; George, Saji; Pokhrel, Suman; Li, Ning; Schoenfeld, David; Meng, Huan; Lin, Sijie; Wang, Xiang; Wang, Meiying; Ji, Zhaoxia; Zink, Jeffrey I.; Mädler, Lutz; Castranova, Vincent; Lin, Shuo; Nel, Andre E.

    2014-01-01

    We have recently shown that the dissolution of ZnO nanoparticles and Zn2+ shedding leads to a series of sub-lethal and lethal toxicological responses at cellular level that can be alleviated by iron-doping. Iron-doping changes the particle matrix and slows the rate of particle dissolution. To determine whether iron doping of ZnO also leads to lesser toxic effects in vivo, toxicity studies were performed in rodent and zebrafish models. First, we synthesized a fresh batch of ZnO nanoparticles doped with 1–10 wt % of Fe. These particles were extensively characterized to confirm their doping status, reduced rate of dissolution in an exposure medium and reduced toxicity in a cellular screen. Subsequent studies compared the effects of undoped to doped particles in the rat lung, mouse lung and the zebrafish embryo. The zebrafish studies looked at embryo hatching and mortality rates as well as the generation of morphological defects, while the endpoints in the rodent lung included an assessment of inflammatory cell infiltrates, LDH release and cytokine levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Iron doping, similar to the effect of the metal chelator, DTPA, interfered in the inhibitory effects of Zn2+ on zebrafish hatching. In the oropharyngeal aspiration model in the mouse, iron doping was associated with decreased polymorphonuclear cell counts and IL-6 mRNA production. Doped particles also elicited decreased heme oxygenase 1 expression in the murine lung. In the intratracheal instillation studies in the rat, Fe-doping was associated with decreased polymorphonuclear cell counts, LDH and albumin levels. All considered, the above data show that Fe-doping is a possible safe design strategy for preventing ZnO toxicity in animals and the environment. PMID:21250651

  12. Effects of cadmium and zinc on solar-simulated light-irradiated cells: potential role of zinc-metallothionein in zinc-induced genoprotection.

    PubMed

    Jourdan, Eric; Emonet-Piccardi, Nathalie; Didier, Christine; Beani, Jean-Claude; Favier, Alain; Richard, Marie-Jeanne

    2002-09-15

    Zinc is an essential oligoelement for cell growth and cell survival and has been demonstrated to protect cells from oxidative stress induced by UVA or from genotoxic stress due to UVB. In a recent work we demonstrated that the antioxidant role of zinc could be related to its ability to induce metallothioneins (MTs). In this study we identified the mechanism of zinc protection against solar-simulated light (SSL) injury. Cultured human keratinocytes (HaCaT) were used to examine MTs expression and localization in response to solar-simulated radiation. We found translocation to the nucleus, with overexpression of MTs in irradiated cells, a novel observation. The genoprotective effect of zinc was dependent on time and protein synthesis. DNA damage was significantly decreased after 48 h of ZnCl(2) (100 microM) treatment and is inhibited by actinomycin D. ZnCl(2) treatment (100 microM) led to an intense induction, redistribution, and accumulation of MT in the nucleus of irradiated cells. MT expression correlated with the time period of ZnCl(2) treatment. CdCl(2), a potent MT inducer, did not show any genoprotection, although the MTs were expressed in the nucleus. Overall our findings demonstrate that MTs could be a good candidate for explaining the genoprotection mediated by zinc on irradiated cells.

  13. Incorporation of zinc into the coccoliths of the microalga Emiliania huxleyi.

    PubMed

    Santomauro, Giulia; Sun, Wei-Lin; Brümmer, Franz; Bill, Joachim

    2016-04-01

    The coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi is covered with elaborated calcite plates, the so-called coccoliths, which are produced inside the cells. We investigated the incorporation of zinc into the coccoliths of E. huxleyi by applying different zinc and calcium amounts via the culture media and subsequently analyzing the zinc content in the cells and the Zn/Ca ratio of the coccoliths. To investigate the Zn/Ca ratio of coccoliths built in the manipulated media, the algae have first to be decalcified, i.e. coccolith free. We used a newly developed decalcification method to obtain 'naked' cells for cultivation. E. huxleyi proliferated and produced new coccoliths in all media with manipulated Zn/Ca ratios. The cells and the newly built coccoliths were investigated regarding their zinc content and their Zn/Ca ratio, respectively. High zinc amounts were taken up by the algae. The Zn/Ca ratio of the coccoliths was positively correlated to the Zn/Ca ratio of the applied media. The unique feature of the coccoliths was maintained also at high Zn/Ca ratios. We suggest the following pathway of the zinc ions into the coccoliths: first, the zinc ions are bound to the cell surface, followed by their transportation into the cytoplasm. Obviously, the zinc ions are removed afterwards into the coccolith vesicle, where the zinc is incorporated into the calcite coccoliths which are then extruded. The incorporation of toxic zinc ions into the coccoliths possibly due to a new function of the coccoliths as detoxification sites is discussed.

  14. The Critical Roles of Zinc: Beyond Impact on Myocardial Signaling

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Sung Ryul; Noh, Su Jin; Pronto, Julius Ryan; Jeong, Yu Jeong; Kim, Hyoung Kyu; Song, In Sung; Xu, Zhelong; Kwon, Hyog Young; Kang, Se Chan; Sohn, Eun-Hwa; Ko, Kyung Soo; Rhee, Byoung Doo; Kim, Nari

    2015-01-01

    Zinc has been considered as a vital constituent of proteins, including enzymes. Mobile reactive zinc (Zn2+) is the key form of zinc involved in signal transductions, which are mainly driven by its binding to proteins or the release of zinc from proteins, possibly via a redox switch. There has been growing evidence of zinc's critical role in cell signaling, due to its flexible coordination geometry and rapid shifts in protein conformation to perform biological reactions. The importance and complexity of Zn2+ activity has been presumed to parallel the degree of calcium's participation in cellular processes. Whole body and cellular Zn2+ levels are largely regulated by metallothioneins (MTs), Zn2+ importers (ZIPs), and Zn2+ transporters (ZnTs). Numerous proteins involved in signaling pathways, mitochondrial metabolism, and ion channels that play a pivotal role in controlling cardiac contractility are common targets of Zn2+. However, these regulatory actions of Zn2+ are not limited to the function of the heart, but also extend to numerous other organ systems, such as the central nervous system, immune system, cardiovascular tissue, and secretory glands, such as the pancreas, prostate, and mammary glands. In this review, the regulation of cellular Zn2+ levels, Zn2+-mediated signal transduction, impacts of Zn2+ on ion channels and mitochondrial metabolism, and finally, the implications of Zn2+ in health and disease development were outlined to help widen the current understanding of the versatile and complex roles of Zn2+. PMID:26330751

  15. Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of nano-structured Zinc(II)-based metal-organic frameworks as precursors for the synthesis of ZnO nano-structures.

    PubMed

    Bigdeli, Fahime; Ghasempour, Hosein; Azhdari Tehrani, Alireza; Morsali, Ali; Hosseini-Monfared, Hassan

    2017-07-01

    A 3D, porous Zn(II)-based metal-organic framework {[Zn 2 (oba) 2 (4-bpmn)]·(DMF) 1.5 } n (TMU-21), (4-bpmn=N,N'-Bis-pyridin-4-ylmethylene-naphtalene-1,5-diamine, H 2 oba=4,4'-oxybis(benzoic acid)) with nano-rods morphology under ultrasonic irradiation at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure was prepared and characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Sonication time and concentration of initial reagents effects on the size and morphology of nano-structured MOFs were studied. Also {[Zn 2 (oba) 2 (4-bpmn)] (TMU-21) and {[Zn 2 (oba) 2 (4-bpmb)] (TMU-6), 4-bpmb=N,N'-(1,4-phenylene)bis(1-(pyridin-4-yl)methanimine) were easily prepared by mechanochemical synthesis. Nanostructures of Zinc(II) oxide were obtained by calcination of these compounds and their de-solvated analogue as activated MOFs, at 550°C under air atmosphere. As a result of that, different Nanostructures of Zinc(II) oxide were obtained. The ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and FT-IR spectroscopy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Behaviour of Zinc Complexes and Zinc Sulphide Nanoparticles Revealed by Using Screen Printed Electrodes and Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Nejdl, Lukas; Ruttkay-Nedecky, Branislav; Kudr, Jiří; Kremplova, Monika; Cernei, Natalia; Prasek, Jan; Konecna, Marie; Hubalek, Jaromir; Zitka, Ondrej; Kynicky, Jindrich; Kopel, Pavel; Kizek, Rene; Adam, Vojtech

    2013-01-01

    In this study, we focused on microfluidic electrochemical analysis of zinc complexes (Zn(phen)(his)Cl2, Zn(his)Cl2) and ZnS quantum dots (QDs) using printed electrodes. This method was chosen due to the simple (easy to use) instrumentation and variable setting of flows. Reduction signals of zinc under the strictly defined and controlled conditions (pH, temperature, flow rate, accumulation time and applied potential) were studied. We showed that the increasing concentration of the complexes (Zn(phen)(his)Cl2, Zn(his)Cl2) led to a decrease in the electrochemical signal and a significant shift of the potential to more positive values. The most likely explanation of this result is that zinc is strongly bound in the complex and its distribution on the electrode is very limited. Changing the pH from 3.5 to 5.5 resulted in a significant intensification of the Zn(II) reduction signal. The complexes were also characterized by UV/VIS spectrophotometry, chromatography, and ESI-QTOF mass spectrometry. PMID:24233071

  17. The behavior of iron and zinc stable isotopes accompanying the subduction of mafic oceanic crust: A case study from Western Alpine ophiolites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Inglis, Edward C.; Debret, Baptiste; Burton, Kevin W.; Millet, Marc-Alban; Pons, Marie-Laure; Dale, Christopher W.; Bouilhol, Pierre; Cooper, Matthew; Nowell, Geoff M.; McCoy-West, Alex J.; Williams, Helen M.

    2017-07-01

    Arc lavas display elevated Fe3+/ΣFe ratios relative to MORB. One mechanism to explain this is the mobilization and transfer of oxidized or oxidizing components from the subducting slab to the mantle wedge. Here we use iron and zinc isotopes, which are fractionated upon complexation by sulfide, chloride, and carbonate ligands, to remark on the chemistry and oxidation state of fluids released during prograde metamorphism of subducted oceanic crust. We present data for metagabbros and metabasalts from the Chenaillet massif, Queyras complex, and the Zermatt-Saas ophiolite (Western European Alps), which have been metamorphosed at typical subduction zone P-T conditions and preserve their prograde metamorphic history. There is no systematic, detectable fractionation of either Fe or Zn isotopes across metamorphic facies, rather the isotope composition of the eclogites overlaps with published data for MORB. The lack of resolvable Fe isotope fractionation with increasing prograde metamorphism likely reflects the mass balance of the system, and in this scenario Fe mobility is not traceable with Fe isotopes. Given that Zn isotopes are fractionated by S-bearing and C-bearing fluids, this suggests that relatively small amounts of Zn are mobilized from the mafic lithologies in within these types of dehydration fluids. Conversely, metagabbros from the Queyras that are in proximity to metasediments display a significant Fe isotope fractionation. The covariation of δ56Fe of these samples with selected fluid mobile elements suggests the infiltration of sediment derived fluids with an isotopically light signature during subduction.

  18. Biphasic zinc compartmentalisation in a human fungal pathogen.

    PubMed

    Crawford, Aaron C; Lehtovirta-Morley, Laura E; Alamir, Omran; Niemiec, Maria J; Alawfi, Bader; Alsarraf, Mohammad; Skrahina, Volha; Costa, Anna C B P; Anderson, Andrew; Yellagunda, Sujan; Ballou, Elizabeth R; Hube, Bernhard; Urban, Constantin F; Wilson, Duncan

    2018-05-01

    Nutritional immunity describes the host-driven manipulation of essential micronutrients, including iron, zinc and manganese. To withstand nutritional immunity and proliferate within their hosts, pathogenic microbes must express efficient micronutrient uptake and homeostatic systems. Here we have elucidated the pathway of cellular zinc assimilation in the major human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Bioinformatics analysis identified nine putative zinc transporters: four cytoplasmic-import Zip proteins (Zrt1, Zrt2, Zrt3 and orf19.5428) and five cytoplasmic-export ZnT proteins (orf19.1536/Zrc1, orf19.3874, orf19.3769, orf19.3132 and orf19.52). Only Zrt1 and Zrt2 are predicted to localise to the plasma membrane and here we demonstrate that Zrt2 is essential for C. albicans zinc uptake and growth at acidic pH. In contrast, ZRT1 expression was found to be highly pH-dependent and could support growth of the ZRT2-null strain at pH 7 and above. This regulatory paradigm is analogous to the distantly related pathogenic mould, Aspergillus fumigatus, suggesting that pH-adaptation of zinc transport may be conserved in fungi and we propose that environmental pH has shaped the evolution of zinc import systems in fungi. Deletion of C. albicans ZRT2 reduced kidney fungal burden in wild type, but not in mice lacking the zinc-chelating antimicrobial protein calprotectin. Inhibition of zrt2Δ growth by neutrophil extracellular traps was calprotectin-dependent. This suggests that, within the kidney, C. albicans growth is determined by pathogen-Zrt2 and host-calprotectin. As well as serving as an essential micronutrient, zinc can also be highly toxic and we show that C. albicans deals with this potential threat by rapidly compartmentalising zinc within vesicular stores called zincosomes. In order to understand mechanistically how this process occurs, we created deletion mutants of all five ZnT-type transporters in C. albicans. Here we show that, unlike in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, C

  19. Disordered Zinc in Zn4Sb3 with Phonon-Glass and Electron-Crystal Thermoelectric Properties

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Snyder, G. Jeffrey; Christensen, Mogens; Nishibori, Eiji; Caillat, Thierry; Brummerstedt Iversen, Bo

    2004-01-01

    By converting waste heat into electricity, thermoelectric generators could be an important part of the solution to today's energy challenges. The compound Zn4Sb3 is one of the most efficient thermoelectric materials known. Its high efficiency results from an extraordinarily low thermal conductivity in conjunction with the electronic structure of a heavily doped semiconductor. Previous structural studies have been unable to explain this unusual combination of properties. Here, we show through a comprehensive structural analysis using single-crystal X-ray and powder-synchrotron-radiation diffraction methods, that both the electronic and thermal properties of Zn4Sb3 can be understood in terms of unique structural features that have been previously overlooked. The identification of Sb3- ions and Sb-2(4-) dimers reveals that Zn4Sb3 is a valence semiconductor with the ideal stoichiometry Zn13Sb10. In addition, the structure contains significant disorder, with zinc atoms distributed over multiple positions. The discovery of glass-like interstitial sites uncovers a highly effective mechanism for reducing thermal conductivity. Thus Zn4Sb3 is in many ways an ideal 'phonon glass, electron crystal' thermoelectric material.

  20. Solubility of nano-zinc oxide in environmentally and biologically important matrices

    PubMed Central

    Reed, Robert B.; Ladner, David A.; Higgins, Christopher P.; Westerhoff, Paul; Ranville, James F.

    2011-01-01

    Increasing manufacture and use of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) is leading to a greater probability for release of ENPs into the environment and exposure to organisms. In particular, zinc oxide (ZnO) is toxic, although it is unclear whether this toxicity is due to the zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO), dissolution to Zn2+, or some combination thereof. The goal of this study was to determine the relative solubilites of both commercially available and in-house synthesized ZnO in matrices used for environmental fate and transport or biological toxicity studies. Dissolution of ZnO was observed in nanopure water (7.18– 7.40 mg/L dissolved Zn, as measured by filtration) and Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium (RPMI-1640) (~5 mg/L), but much more dissolution was observed in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium (DMEM), where the dissolved Zn concentration exceeded 34 mg/L. Moderately hard water exhibited low zinc solubility, likely due to precipitation of a zinc carbonate solid phase. Precipitation of a zinc-containing solid phase in RPMI also appeared to limit zinc solubility. Equilibrium conditions with respect to ZnO solubility were not apparent in these matrices, even after more than 1,000 h of dissolution. These results suggest that solution chemistry exerts a strong influence on ZnO dissolution and can result in limits on zinc solubility due to precipitation of less soluble solid phases. PMID:21994124

  1. Biogenesis of zinc storage granules in Drosophila melanogaster.

    PubMed

    Tejeda-Guzmán, Carlos; Rosas-Arellano, Abraham; Kroll, Thomas; Webb, Samuel M; Barajas-Aceves, Martha; Osorio, Beatriz; Missirlis, Fanis

    2018-03-19

    Membrane transporters and sequestration mechanisms concentrate metal ions differentially into discrete subcellular microenvironments for use in protein cofactors, signalling, storage or excretion. Here we identify zinc storage granules as the insect's major zinc reservoir in principal Malpighian tubule epithelial cells of Drosophila melanogaster The concerted action of Adaptor Protein-3, Rab32, HOPS and BLOC complexes as well as of the white-scarlet (ABCG2-like) and ZnT35C (ZnT2/ZnT3/ZnT8-like) transporters is required for zinc storage granule biogenesis. Due to lysosome-related organelle defects caused by mutations in the homologous human genes, patients with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome may lack zinc granules in beta pancreatic cells, intestinal paneth cells and presynaptic vesicles of hippocampal mossy fibers. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  2. Production of zinc and manganese oxide particles by pyrolysis of alkaline and Zn-C battery waste.

    PubMed

    Ebin, Burçak; Petranikova, Martina; Steenari, Britt-Marie; Ekberg, Christian

    2016-05-01

    Production of zinc and manganese oxide particles from alkaline and zinc-carbon battery black mass was studied by a pyrolysis process at 850-950°C with various residence times under 1L/minN2(g) flow rate conditions without using any additive. The particular and chemical properties of the battery waste were characterized to investigate the possible reactions and effects on the properties of the reaction products. The thermodynamics of the pyrolysis process were studied using the HSC Chemistry 5.11 software. The carbothermic reduction reaction of battery black mass takes place and makes it possible to produce fine zinc particles by a rapid condensation, after the evaporation of zinc from a pyrolysis batch. The amount of zinc that can be separated from the black mass is increased by both pyrolysis temperature and residence time. Zinc recovery of 97% was achieved at 950°C and 1h residence time using the proposed alkaline battery recycling process. The pyrolysis residue is mainly MnO powder with a low amount of zinc, iron and potassium impurities and has an average particle size of 2.9μm. The obtained zinc particles have an average particle size of about 860nm and consist of hexagonal crystals around 110nm in size. The morphology of the zinc particles changes from a hexagonal shape to s spherical morphology by elevating the pyrolysis temperature. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Effect of resveratrol and zinc on intracellular zinc status in normal human prostate epithelial cells

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    To evaluate the influence of resveratrol on cellular zinc status, normal human prostate epithelial (NHPrE) cells were treated with 6 levels of resveratrol (0, 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 microM) and 4 levels of zinc [0, 4, 16, and 32 microM for zinc-deficient (ZD), zinc-normal (ZN), zinc-adequate (ZA), an...

  4. Insulin Storage and Glucose Homeostasis in Mice Null for the Granule Zinc Transporter ZnT8 and Studies of the Type 2 Diabetes–Associated Variants

    PubMed Central

    Nicolson, Tamara J.; Bellomo, Elisa A.; Wijesekara, Nadeeja; Loder, Merewyn K.; Baldwin, Jocelyn M.; Gyulkhandanyan, Armen V.; Koshkin, Vasilij; Tarasov, Andrei I.; Carzaniga, Raffaella; Kronenberger, Katrin; Taneja, Tarvinder K.; da Silva Xavier, Gabriela; Libert, Sarah; Froguel, Philippe; Scharfmann, Raphael; Stetsyuk, Volodymir; Ravassard, Philippe; Parker, Helen; Gribble, Fiona M.; Reimann, Frank; Sladek, Robert; Hughes, Stephen J.; Johnson, Paul R.V.; Masseboeuf, Myriam; Burcelin, Remy; Baldwin, Stephen A.; Liu, Ming; Lara-Lemus, Roberto; Arvan, Peter; Schuit, Frans C.; Wheeler, Michael B.; Chimienti, Fabrice; Rutter, Guy A.

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVE Zinc ions are essential for the formation of hexameric insulin and hormone crystallization. A nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism rs13266634 in the SLC30A8 gene, encoding the secretory granule zinc transporter ZnT8, is associated with type 2 diabetes. We describe the effects of deleting the ZnT8 gene in mice and explore the action of the at-risk allele. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Slc30a8 null mice were generated and backcrossed at least twice onto a C57BL/6J background. Glucose and insulin tolerance were measured by intraperitoneal injection or euglycemic clamp, respectively. Insulin secretion, electrophysiology, imaging, and the generation of adenoviruses encoding the low- (W325) or elevated- (R325) risk ZnT8 alleles were undertaken using standard protocols. RESULTS ZnT8−/− mice displayed age-, sex-, and diet-dependent abnormalities in glucose tolerance, insulin secretion, and body weight. Islets isolated from null mice had reduced granule zinc content and showed age-dependent changes in granule morphology, with markedly fewer dense cores but more rod-like crystals. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, granule fusion, and insulin crystal dissolution, assessed by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, were unchanged or enhanced in ZnT8−/− islets. Insulin processing was normal. Molecular modeling revealed that residue-325 was located at the interface between ZnT8 monomers. Correspondingly, the R325 variant displayed lower apparent Zn2+ transport activity than W325 ZnT8 by fluorescence-based assay. CONCLUSIONS ZnT8 is required for normal insulin crystallization and insulin release in vivo but not, remarkably, in vitro. Defects in the former processes in carriers of the R allele may increase type 2 diabetes risks. PMID:19542200

  5. Degradation of 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP): hydrolysis, elimination, and reduction by iron and zinc.

    PubMed

    Sarathy, Vaishnavi; Salter, Alexandra J; Nurmi, James T; O'Brien Johnson, Graham; Johnson, Richard L; Tratnyek, Paul G

    2010-01-15

    1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP) is an emerging contaminant because of increased recognition of its occurrence in groundwater, potential carcinogenicity, and resistance to natural attenuation. The physical and chemical properties of TCP make it difficult to remediate, with all conventional options being relatively slow or inefficient. Treatments that result in alkaline conditions (e.g., permeable reactive barriers containing zerovalent iron) favor base-catalyzed hydrolysis of TCP, but high temperature (e.g., conditions of in situ thermal remediation) is necessary for this reaction to be significant. Common reductants (sulfide, ferrous iron adsorbed to iron oxides, and most forms of construction-grade or nano-Fe(0)) produce insignificant rates of reductive dechlorination of TCP. Quantifiable rates of TCP reduction were obtained with several types of activated nano-Fe(0), but the surface area normalized rate contants (k(SA)) for these reactions were lower than is generally considered useful for in situ remediation applications (10(-4) L m(-2) h(-1)). Much faster rates of degradation of TCP were obtained with granular Zn(0), (k(SA) = 10(-3) - 10(-2) L m(-2) h(-1)) and potentially problematic dechlorination intermediates (1,2- or 1,3-dichloropropane, 3-chloro-1-propene) were not detected. The advantages of Zn(0) over Fe(0) are somewhat peculiar to TCP and may suggest a practical application for Zn(0) even though it has not found favor for remediation of contamination with other chlorinated solvents.

  6. Investigation of ZnO Nanowire Interfaces for Multi-Scale Composites

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-06

    growth of zinc oxide ( ZnO ) nanowires on the surface of the...through the growth of zinc oxide ( ZnO ) nanowires on the surface of the reinforcing fibers. The nanowires functionally grade the interface, improve bonding...bulk composite. This has been accomplished through the growth of zinc oxide ( ZnO ) nanowires on the surface of the reinforcing fibers. ZnO

  7. Highly stable field emission from ZnO nanowire field emitters controlled by an amorphous indium–gallium–zinc-oxide thin film transistor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Xiaojie; Wang, Ying; Zhang, Zhipeng; Ou, Hai; She, Juncong; Deng, Shaozhi; Xu, Ningsheng; Chen, Jun

    2018-04-01

    Lowering the driving voltage and improving the stability of nanowire field emitters are essential for them to be applied in devices. In this study the characteristics of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire field emitter arrays (FEAs) controlled by an amorphous indium–gallium–zinc-oxide thin film transistor (a-IGZO TFT) were studied. A low driving voltage along with stabilization of the field emission current were achieved. Modulation of field emission currents up to three orders of magnitude was achieved at a gate voltage of 0–32 V for a constant anode voltage. Additionally, a-IGZO TFT control can dramatically reduce the emission current fluctuation (i.e., from 46.11 to 1.79% at an emission current of ∼3.7 µA). Both the a-IGZO TFT and ZnO nanowire FEAs were prepared on glass substrates in our research, demonstrating the feasibility of realizing large area a-IGZO TFT-controlled ZnO nanowire FEAs.

  8. Zinc and volatile element loss during planetary magma ocean phases

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dhaliwal, Jasmeet K.; Day, James M. D.; Moynier, Frédéric

    2016-10-01

    Zinc is a moderately volatile element and a key tracer of volatile depletion on planetary bodies due to lack of significant isotopic fractionation under high-temperature processes. Terrestrial basalts have δ66Zn values similar to some chondrites (+ 0.15 to 0.3‰ where [{66Zn/64Znsample/66Zn/64ZnJMC-Lyon-1} × 1000]) and elevated Zn concentrations (100 ppm). Lunar mare basalts yield a mean δ66Zn value of +1.4 ± 0.5‰ and have low Zn concentrations (~2 ppm). Late-stage lunar magmatic products, such as ferroan anorthosite, Mg-suite and Alkali suite rocks exhibit heavier δ66Zn values (+3 to +6‰). The heavy δ66Zn lunar signature is thought to reflect evaporative loss and fractionation of zinc, either during a giant impact or in a magma ocean phase.We explore conditions of volatile element loss within a lunar magma ocean (LMO) using models of Zn isotopic fractionation that are widely applicable to planetary magma oceans. For the Moon, our objective was to identify conditions that would yield a δ66Zn signature of ~ +1.4‰ within the mantle, assuming a terrestrial mantle zinc starting composition.We examine two cases of zinc evaporative fractionation: (1) lunar surface zinc fractionation that was completed prior to LMO crystallization and (2) lunar surface zinc fractionation that was concurrent with LMO crystallization. The first case resulted in a homogeneous lunar mantle and the second case yielded a stratified lunar mantle, with the greatest zinc isotopic enrichment in late-stage crystallization products. This latter case reproduces the distribution of zinc isotope compositions in lunar materials quite well.We find that hydrodynamic escape was not a dominant process in losing Zn, but that erosion of a nascent lunar atmosphere, or separation of condensates into a proto-lunar crust are possible. While lunar volatile depletion is still possible as a consequence of the giant impact, this process cannot reproduce the variable δ66Zn found in the Moon. Outgassing

  9. Effects of ZnSO4 and Zn-EDTA broadcast or banded to soil on Zn bioavailability in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Zn fractions in soil.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Aiqing; Yang, Shu; Wang, Bini; Tian, Xiaohong; Zhang, Youlin

    2018-08-01

    Human Zn deficiency is prevalent in developing countries, and staple grains are commonly bio-fortified to increase their Zn contents. We measured Zn content, distribution, and bioavailability in calcareous soil and in wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.) in Shaanxi Province, China, when either an organic Zn-ethylenediaminetetraacetate (Zn-EDTA) or an inorganic zinc sulfate heptahydrate (ZnSO 4 ·7H 2 O) Zn source was banded below the seedbed or broadcasted into soil. Compared with ZnSO 4 ·7H 2 O, Zn-EDTA fertilization produced higher Zn concentration and uptake in wheat plants. However, Zn bioavailability in grain remained low, with [phytate]/[Zn] ratio >15 and the resulting estimated dietary total absorbed zinc (TAZ) < 3 mg Zn/d. ZnSO 4 banded into soil had little short-term effect on grain Zn concentration but had a high residual effect and promoted the maintenance of a high concentration of the Zn fraction bound to loose organic matter (LOM-Zn) in rhizosphere soil. Both ZnSO 4 and Zn-EDTA were more efficient if uniformly mixed through the soil than if banded to soil. Both ZnSO 4 and Zn-EDTA had limited effects on Zn bioavailability in wheat plants due to the high rate of Zn fixation in this calcareous soil. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Evaluation of iron and zinc bioavailability of beans targeted for biofortification using in vitro and in vivo models and their effect on the nutritional status of preschool children.

    PubMed

    Vaz-Tostes, Maria das Graças; Verediano, Thaisa Agrizzi; de Mejia, Elvira Gonzalez; Brunoro Costa, Neuza Maria

    2016-03-15

    Biofortified beans have been produced with higher nutrient concentrations. The objective was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo iron and zinc bioavailability of common beans Pontal (PO), targeted for biofortification, compared with conventional Perola (PE) and their effects on the iron and zinc nutritional status of preschool children. In Caco-2 cells, PO and PE beans did not show differences in ferritin (PO, 13.1 ± 1.4; PE, 13.6 ± 1.4 ng mg(-1) protein) or zinc uptake (PO, 15.9 ± 1.5; PE, 15.5 ± 3.5 µmol mg(-1) protein). In the rat, PO and PE beans presented high iron bioavailability (PO, 109.6 ± 29.5; PE, 110.7 ± 13.9%). In preschool children, no changes were observed in iron and zinc nutritional status comparing before and after PO consumption (ferritin, 41.2 ± 23.2 and 28.9 ± 40.4 µg L(-1) ; hemoglobin, 13.7 ± 2.2 and 13.1 ± 3.2 g dL(-1) ; plasma zinc, 119.2 ± 24.5 and 133.9 ± 57.7 µg dL(-1) ; erythrocyte zinc, 53.5 ± 13.8 and 59.4 ± 17.1 µg g(-1) hemoglobin). Iron and zinc bioavailability in PO and PE beans was not statistically different using either cell culture, animal or human models. Efforts should focus on increasing mineral bioavailability of beans targeted for biofortification. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  11. Influence of DNA-methylation on zinc homeostasis in myeloid cells: Regulation of zinc transporters and zinc binding proteins.

    PubMed

    Kessels, Jana Elena; Wessels, Inga; Haase, Hajo; Rink, Lothar; Uciechowski, Peter

    2016-09-01

    The distribution of intracellular zinc, predominantly regulated through zinc transporters and zinc binding proteins, is required to support an efficient immune response. Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation are involved in the expression of these genes. In demethylation experiments using 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (AZA) increased intracellular (after 24 and 48h) and total cellular zinc levels (after 48h) were observed in the myeloid cell line HL-60. To uncover the mechanisms that cause the disturbed zinc homeostasis after DNA demethylation, the expression of human zinc transporters and zinc binding proteins were investigated. Real time PCR analyses of 14 ZIP (solute-linked carrier (SLC) SLC39A; Zrt/IRT-like protein), and 9 ZnT (SLC30A) zinc transporters revealed significantly enhanced mRNA expression of the zinc importer ZIP1 after AZA treatment. Because ZIP1 protein was also enhanced after AZA treatment, ZIP1 up-regulation might be the mediator of enhanced intracellular zinc levels. The mRNA expression of ZIP14 was decreased, whereas zinc exporter ZnT3 mRNA was also significantly increased; which might be a cellular reaction to compensate elevated zinc levels. An enhanced but not significant chromatin accessibility of ZIP1 promoter region I was detected by chromatin accessibility by real-time PCR (CHART) assays after demethylation. Additionally, DNA demethylation resulted in increased mRNA accumulation of zinc binding proteins metallothionein (MT) and S100A8/S100A9 after 48h. MT mRNA was significantly enhanced after 24h of AZA treatment also suggesting a reaction of the cell to restore zinc homeostasis. These data indicate that DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mechanism affecting zinc binding proteins and transporters, and, therefore, regulating zinc homeostasis in myeloid cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  12. Effect of Tamarindus indica leaf powder on plasma concentrations of copper, zinc, and iron in fluorotic cows

    PubMed Central

    Samal, Pinaki; Patra, R. C.; Gupta, A. R.; Mishra, S. K.; Jena, D.; Satapathy, D.

    2016-01-01

    Aim: The main objective of the study was to determine the deleterious effect of fluoride on plasma trace minerals of fluorotic cattle and to evaluate the effect of Tamarindus indica leaf powder toward correction of the same. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 cattle exhibiting chronic sign of fluorosis and 10 healthy cattle from nonfluorotic area were incorporated in this study. Fluorotic cattle were divided into three equal groups consisting of 10 cattle each. Group I from fluoride free area served as healthy control. The Group II received no treatment and served as disease control. Groups III and IV were supplemented with tamarind leaf powder at 15 g and 30 g/day with feed for 60 days. Plasma mineral status was evaluated after 60 days of treatment with double beam atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results: Statistical analysis of data revealed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in mean plasma copper (Cu) (0.344±0.007 ppm), zinc (Zn) (0.692±0.06 ppm), and iron (Fe) concentration (1.100±0.01 ppm) in fluorotic cattle in comparison to healthy cattle (0.58±0.010, 2.342±0.04, 1.406±0.04 ppm, respectively). Significant (p<0.05) increase in Cu, Zn, and Fe was recorded after supplementation of tamarind leaf powder to the fluorotic cattle. Conclusion: It was concluded that fluorotic cattle might be supplemented with T. indica leaf powder with feed for the correction of the decreased level of certain plasma minerals. PMID:27847422

  13. Bimetallic iron–iron and iron–zinc complexes of the redox-active ONO pincer ligand† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Complete experimental procedures and magnetic measurements and models. CCDC 1417565–1417567. For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/c5sc03006d Click here for additional data file. Click here for additional data file.

    PubMed Central

    Wong, Janice L.; Higgins, Robert F.; Bhowmick, Indrani; Cao, David Xi; Szigethy, Géza; Ziller, Joseph W.

    2016-01-01

    A new bimetallic platform comprising a six-coordinate Fe(ONO)2 unit bound to an (ONO)M (M = Fe, Zn) has been discovered ((ONOcat)H3 = bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-phenol)amine). Reaction of Fe(ONO)2 with either (ONOcat)Fe(py)3 or with (ONOq)FeCl2 under reducing conditions led to the formation of the bimetallic complex Fe2(ONO)3, which includes unique five- and six-coordinate iron centers. Similarly, the reaction of Fe(ONO)2 with the new synthon (ONOsq˙)Zn(py)2 led to the formation of the heterobimetallic complex FeZn(ONO)3, with a six-coordinate iron center and a five-coordinate zinc center. Both bimetallic complexes were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies, solid-state magnetic measurements, and multiple spectroscopic techniques. The magnetic data for FeZn(ONO)3 are consistent with a ground state S = 3/2 spin system, generated from a high-spin iron(ii) center that is antiferromagnetically coupled to a single (ONOsq˙)2– radical ligand. In the case of Fe2(ONO)3, the magnetic data revealed a ground state S = 7/2 spin system arising from the interactions of one high-spin iron(ii) center, one high-spin iron(iii) center, and two (ONOsq˙)2– radical ligands. PMID:28808535

  14. Synthesis of zinc chlorophyll materials for dye-sensitized solar cell applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erten-Ela, Sule; Vakuliuk, Olena; Tarnowska, Anna; Ocakoglu, Kasim; Gryko, Daniel T.

    2015-01-01

    To design sensitizers for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), a series of zinc chlorins with different substituents were synthesized. Novel zinc methyl 3-devinyl-3-hydroxymethyl-20-phenylacetylenylpyropheophorbide-a (ZnChl-1), zinc methyl 20-bromo-3-devinyl-3-hydroxymethylpyropheophorbide-a (ZnChl-2), zinc methyl 3-devinyl-3-hydroxymethyl-pyropheophorbide-a (ZnChl-3), zinc propyl 3-devinyl-3-hydroxymethyl-pyropheophorbide-a (ZnChl-4) were synthesized and their photovoltaic performances were evaluated in dye-sensitized solar cells. Photoelectrodes with a 7 μm thick nanoporous layer and a 5 μm thick light-scattering layer were used to fabricate dye sensitized solar cells. The best efficiency was obtained with ZnChl-2 sensitizer. ZnChl-2 gave a Jsc of 3.5 mA/cm2, Voc of 412 mV, FF of 0.56 and an overall conversion efficiency of 0.81 at full sun (1000 W m-2).

  15. Interaction of zinc with dental mineral.

    PubMed

    Ingram, G S; Horay, C P; Stead, W J

    1992-01-01

    As some currently available toothpastes contain zinc compounds, the reaction of zinc with dental mineral and its effect on crystal growth rates were studied using three synthetic calcium-deficient hydroxyapatites (HAP) as being representative of dental mineral. Zinc was readily acquired by all HAP samples in the absence of added calcium, the amount adsorbed being proportional to the HAP surface area; about 9 mumol Zn/m2 was adsorbed at high zinc concentrations. As zinc was acquired, calcium was released, consistent with 1:1 Ca:Zn exchange. Soluble calcium reduced zinc uptake and similarly, calcium post-treatment released zinc. Pretreatment of HAP with 0.5 mM zinc reduced its subsequent ability to undergo seeded crystal growth, as did extracts of a toothpaste containing 0.5% zinc citrate, even in the presence of saliva. The reverse reaction, i.e. displacement of adsorbed zinc by salivary levels of calcium, however, indicates the mechanism by which zinc can reduce calculus formation in vivo by inhibiting plaque mineralisation without adversely affecting the anti-caries effects of fluoride.

  16. Zinc supplementation influences genomic stability biomarkers, antioxidant activity, and zinc transporter genes in an elderly Australian population with low zinc status.

    PubMed

    Sharif, Razinah; Thomas, Philip; Zalewski, Peter; Fenech, Michael

    2015-06-01

    An increased intake of Zinc (Zn) may reduce the risk of degenerative diseases but may prove to be toxic if taken in excess. This study aimed to investigate whether zinc carnosine supplement can improve Zn status, genome stability events, and Zn transporter gene expression in an elderly (65-85 years) South Australian cohort with low plasma Zn levels. A 12-week placebo-controlled intervention trial was performed with 84 volunteers completing the study, (placebo, n = 42) and (Zn group, n = 42). Plasma Zn was significantly increased (p < 0.05) by 5.69% in the Zn supplemented group after 12 weeks. A significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the micronucleus frequency (-24.18%) was observed for the Zn supplemented cohort relative to baseline compared to the placebo group. Reductions of -7.09% for tail moment and -8.76% for tail intensity were observed for the Zn group (relative to baseline) (p < 0.05). Telomere base damage was found to be also significantly decreased in the Zn group (p < 0.05). Both MT1A and ZIP1 expression showed a significant increase in the Zn supplemented group (p < 0.05). Zn supplementation may have a beneficial effect in an elderly population with low Zn levels by improving Zn status, antioxidant profile, and lowering DNA damage. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. In-house zinc SAD phasing at Cu Kα edge.

    PubMed

    Kim, Min-Kyu; Lee, Sangmin; An, Young Jun; Jeong, Chang-Sook; Ji, Chang-Jun; Lee, Jin-Won; Cha, Sun-Shin

    2013-07-01

    De novo zinc single-wavelength anomalous dispersion (Zn-SAD) phasing has been demonstrated with the 1.9 Å resolution data of glucose isomerase and 2.6 Å resolution data of Staphylococcus aureus Fur (SaFur) collected using in-house Cu Kα X-ray source. The successful in-house Zn-SAD phasing of glucose isomerase, based on the anomalous signals of both zinc ions introduced to crystals by soaking and native sulfur atoms, drove us to determine the structure of SaFur, a zinc-containing transcription factor, by Zn-SAD phasing using in-house X-ray source. The abundance of zinc-containing proteins in nature, the easy zinc derivatization of the protein surface, no need of synchrotron access, and the successful experimental phasing with the modest 2.6 Å resolution SAD data indicate that inhouse Zn-SAD phasing can be widely applicable to structure determination.

  18. Removal of metals from lead-zinc mine tailings using bioleaching and followed by sulfide precipitation.

    PubMed

    Ye, Maoyou; Li, Guojian; Yan, Pingfang; Ren, Jie; Zheng, Li; Han, Dajian; Sun, Shuiyu; Huang, Shaosong; Zhong, Yujian

    2017-10-01

    Mine tailings often contain significant amounts of metals and sulfide, many traditional operations used to minerals was not as good as those currently available. This study investigated metals removal from lead-zinc mine tailings using bioleaching and followed by sulfide precipitation. Metals were dissolved from the tailings by the bacteria in a bioleaching reactor. During a 10% pulp density bioleaching experiment, approximately 0.82% Pb, 97.38% Zn, and 71.37% Fe were extracted after 50 days. With the pulp density of 10% and 20%, the dissolution of metals followed shrinking core kinetic model. Metals (Pb, Zn, and Fe) present in the pregnant bioleaching leachate. Metals were next precipitated as a sulfide phase using sodium sulfide (Na 2 S). Metal precipitations were selectively and quantitatively produced from the bioleaching leachate by adding Na 2 S. More than 99% of the zinc and 75% of the iron was precipitated using 25 g/L Na 2 S in the bioleaching leachate. The results in the study were to provide useful information for recovering or removing metals from lead-zinc mine tailings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. HOMEOSTATIC REGULATION OF KCC2 ACTIVITY BY THE ZINC RECEPTOR mZnR/GPR39 DURING SEIZURES

    PubMed Central

    Gilad, David; Shorer, Sharon; Ketzef, Maya; Friedman, Alon; Sekler, Israel; Aizenman, Elias; Hershfinkel, Michal

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the synaptic metabotropic zinc receptor mZnR/GPR39 in physiological adaptation to epileptic seizures. We previously demonstrated that synaptic activation of mZnR/GPR39 enhances inhibitory drive in the hippocampus by upregulating neuronal K+/Cl− co-transporter 2 (KCC2) activity. Here, we first show that mZnR/GPR39 knockout (KO) adult mice have dramatically enhanced susceptibility to seizures triggered by a single intraperitoneal injection of kainic acid, when compared to wild type (WT) littermates. Kainate also substantially enhances seizure-associated gamma oscillatory activity in juvenile mZnR/GPR39 KO hippocampal slices, a phenomenon that can be reproduced in WT tissue by extracellular Zn2+ chelation. Importantly, kainate-induced synaptic Zn2+ release enhances surface expression and transport activity of KCC2 in WT, but not mZnR/GPR39 KO hippocampal neurons. Kainate-dependent upregulation of KCC2 requires mZnR/GPR39 activation of the Gαq/phospholipase C/extracellular regulated kinase (ERK1/2) signaling cascade. We suggest that mZnR/GPR39-dependent upregulation of KCC2 activity provides homeostatic adaptation to an excitotoxic stimulus by increasing inhibition. As such, mZnR/GPR39 may provide a novel pharmacological target for dampening epileptic seizure activity. PMID:25562657

  20. The biological inorganic chemistry of zinc ions.

    PubMed

    Krężel, Artur; Maret, Wolfgang

    2016-12-01

    The solution and complexation chemistry of zinc ions is the basis for zinc biology. In living organisms, zinc is redox-inert and has only one valence state: Zn(II). Its coordination environment in proteins is limited by oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur donors from the side chains of a few amino acids. In an estimated 10% of all human proteins, zinc has a catalytic or structural function and remains bound during the lifetime of the protein. However, in other proteins zinc ions bind reversibly with dissociation and association rates commensurate with the requirements in regulation, transport, transfer, sensing, signalling, and storage. In contrast to the extensive knowledge about zinc proteins, the coordination chemistry of the "mobile" zinc ions in these processes, i.e. when not bound to proteins, is virtually unexplored and the mechanisms of ligand exchange are poorly understood. Knowledge of the biological inorganic chemistry of zinc ions is essential for understanding its cellular biology and for designing complexes that deliver zinc to proteins and chelating agents that remove zinc from proteins, for detecting zinc ion species by qualitative and quantitative analysis, and for proper planning and execution of experiments involving zinc ions and nanoparticles such as zinc oxide (ZnO). In most investigations, reference is made to zinc or Zn 2+ without full appreciation of how biological zinc ions are buffered and how the d-block cation Zn 2+ differs from s-block cations such as Ca 2+ with regard to significantly higher affinity for ligands, preference for the donor atoms of ligands, and coordination dynamics. Zinc needs to be tightly controlled. The interaction with low molecular weight ligands such as water and inorganic and organic anions is highly relevant to its biology but in contrast to its coordination in proteins has not been discussed in the biochemical literature. From the discussion in this article, it is becoming evident that zinc ion speciation is

  1. Zn/Cd ratios and cadmium isotope evidence for the classification of lead-zinc deposits

    PubMed Central

    Wen, Hanjie; Zhu, Chuanwei; Zhang, Yuxu; Cloquet, Christophe; Fan, Haifeng; Fu, Shaohong

    2016-01-01

    Lead-zinc deposits are often difficult to classify because clear criteria are lacking. In recent years, new tools, such as Cd and Zn isotopes, have been used to better understand the ore-formation processes and to classify Pb-Zn deposits. Herein, we investigate Cd concentrations, Cd isotope systematics and Zn/Cd ratios in sphalerite from nine Pb-Zn deposits divided into high-temperature systems (e.g., porphyry), low-temperature systems (e.g., Mississippi Valley type [MVT]) and exhalative systems (e.g., sedimentary exhalative [SEDEX]). Our results showed little evidence of fractionation in the high-temperature systems. In the low-temperature systems, Cd concentrations were the highest, but were also highly variable, a result consistent with the higher fractionation of Cd at low temperatures. The δ114/110Cd values in low-temperature systems were enriched in heavier isotopes (mean of 0.32 ± 0.31‰). Exhalative systems had the lowest Cd concentrations, with a mean δ114/110Cd value of 0.12 ± 0.50‰. We thus conclude that different ore-formation systems result in different characteristic Cd concentrations and fraction levels and that low-temperature processes lead to the most significant fractionation of Cd. Therefore, Cd distribution and isotopic studies can support better understanding of the geochemistry of ore-formation processes and the classification of Pb-Zn deposits. PMID:27121538

  2. Radioactive zinc ( sup 65 Zn), zinc, cadmium, and mercury in the Pacific Hake, Merluccius productus (Ayres), off the West Coast of the United States

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Naidu, J.R.

    1974-06-01

    The Pacific Hake, Merluccius productus (Ayers) was used to monitor the waters off Puget Sound and the West Coast of the US for zinc(Zn), cadmium(Cd), mercury(Hg) and {sup 65}Zn. The Columbia River is not the source of Zn, Cd or Hg contamination, but is the source of {sup 65}Zn, with the concentration in the Hake reflecting the position of the Columbia River plume. Zn and Cd accumulation in the Hake were fit to the equation Y=B{sub 1}+B{sub 2}e{sup B}{sub 3}X where Y is the concentration of the element and X is the length or weight of the fish. Biological attributesmore » were assigned to the other parameters as follows: B{sub 1} is the asymptotic value for Zn or Cd at chemical maturity; B{sub 2} is the location of the curve with respect to the length or weight of the fish; and B{sub 3} is a constant pertaining to the rate of change of Zn or Cd. Although Zn, Cd and Hg are all Group 2B elements, only the concentrations of Zn and Cd were correlated for all locations; Hg concentrations varied as a function of location. Zn and Cd concentrations increase with fish size and approach an asymptotic value at maturity, while Hg concentrations were linear and the slope is a function of sampling location. Zn and Cd levels are regulated in the adult, while Hg continues to increase with age. It may be significant that the age distribution of fish caught commercially coincides with the maximum concentration of Zn and Cd. 195 refs., 30 figs., 10 tabs. (MHB)« less

  3. Zinc pharmacokinetic parameters in the determination of body zinc status in children.

    PubMed

    Vale, S H L; Leite, L D; Alves, C X; Dantas, M M G; Costa, J B S; Marchini, J S; França, M C; Brandão-Neto, J

    2014-02-01

    Serum or tissue zinc concentrations are often used to assess body zinc status. However, all of these methods are relatively inaccurate. Thus, we investigated three different kinetic methods for the determination of zinc clearance to establish which of these could detect small changes in the body zinc status of children. Forty apparently healthy children were studied. Renal handling of zinc was investigated during intravenous zinc administration (0.06537 mg Zn/kg of body weight), both before and after oral zinc supplementation (5 mg Zn/day for 3 months). Three kinetic methods were used to determine zinc clearance: CZn-Formula A and CZn-Formula B were both used to calculate systemic clearance; the first is a general formula and the second is used for the specific analysis of a single-compartment model; CZn-Formula C is widely used in medical practices to analyze kinetic routine. Basal serum zinc values, which were within the reference range for healthy children, increased significantly after oral zinc supplementation. The three formulas used gave different results for zinc clearance both before and after oral zinc supplementation. CZn-Formula B showed a positive correlation with basal serum zinc concentration after oral supplementation (R2=0.1172, P=0.0306). In addition, CZn-Formula B (P=0.0002) was more effective than CZn-Formula A (P=0.6028) and CZn-Formula C (P=0.0732) in detecting small variations in body zinc status. All three of the formulas used are suitable for studying zinc kinetics; however, CZn-Formula B is particularly effective at detecting small changes in body zinc status in healthy children.

  4. Zinc isotope fractionation during mantle melting and constraints on the Zn isotope composition of Earth's upper mantle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Ze-Zhou; Liu, Sheng-Ao; Liu, Jingao; Huang, Jian; Xiao, Yan; Chu, Zhu-Yin; Zhao, Xin-Miao; Tang, Limei

    2017-02-01

    The zinc (Zn) stable isotope system has great potential for tracing planetary formation and differentiation processes due to its chalcophile, lithophile and moderately volatile character. As an initial approach, the terrestrial mantle, and by inference, the bulk silicate Earth (BSE), have previously been suggested to have an average δ66Zn value of ∼+0.28‰ (relative to JMC 3-0749L) primarily based on oceanic basalts. Nevertheless, data for mantle peridotites are relatively scarce and it remains unclear whether Zn isotopes are fractionated during mantle melting. To address this issue, we report high-precision (±0.04‰; 2SD) Zn isotope data for well-characterized peridotites (n = 47) from cratonic and orogenic settings, as well as their mineral separates. Basalts including mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) and ocean island basalts (OIB) were also measured to avoid inter-laboratory bias. The MORB analyzed have homogeneous δ66Zn values of +0.28 ± 0.03‰ (here and throughout the text, errors are given as 2SD), similar to those of OIB obtained in this study and in the literature (+0.31 ± 0.09‰). Excluding the metasomatized peridotites that exhibit a wide δ66Zn range of -0.44‰ to +0.42‰, the non-metasomatized peridotites have relatively uniform δ66Zn value of +0.18 ± 0.06‰, which is lighter than both MORB and OIB. This difference suggests a small but detectable Zn isotope fractionation (∼0.1‰) during mantle partial melting. The magnitude of inter-mineral fractionation between olivine and pyroxene is, on average, close to zero, but spinels are always isotopically heavier than coexisting olivines (Δ66ZnSpl-Ol = +0.12 ± 0.07‰) due to the stiffer Zn-O bonds in spinel than silicate minerals (Ol, Opx and Cpx). Zinc concentrations in spinels are 11-88 times higher than those in silicate minerals, and our modelling suggests that spinel consumption during mantle melting plays a key role in generating high Zn concentrations and heavy Zn isotopic

  5. Development of a poly (ether urethane) system for the controlled release of two novel anti-biofilm agents based on gallium or zinc and its efficacy to prevent bacterial biofilm formation

    PubMed Central

    Ma, Hongyan; Darmawan, Erica T.; Zhang, Min; Zhange, Lei; Bryers, James D.

    2013-01-01

    Traditional antibiotic therapy to control medical device-based infections typically fails to clear biofilm infections and may even promote the evolution of antibiotic resistant species. We report here the development of two novel antibiofilm agents; gallium (Ga) or zinc (Zn) complexed with protoporphyrin IX (PP) or mesoprotoporphyrin IX (MP) that are both highly effective in negating suspended bacterial growth and biofilm formation. These chelated gallium or zinc complexes act as iron siderophore analogs, surplanting the natural iron uptake of most bacteria. Poly (ether urethane) (PEU; Biospan®) polymer films were fabricated for the controlled sustained release of the Ga- or Zn-complexes, using an incorporated pore-forming agent, poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG). An optimum formulation containing 8% PEG (MW=1450) in the PEU polymer effectively sustained drug release for at least 3 months. All drug-loaded PEU films exhibited in vitro ≥ 90% reduction of Gram-positive (Staphylococcus epidermidis) and Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria in both suspended and biofilm culture versus the negative control PEU films releasing nothing. Cytotoxicity and endotoxin evaluation demonstrated no adverse responses to the Ga- or Zn-complex releasing PEU films. Finally, in vivo studies further substantiate the anti-biofilm efficacy of the PEU films releasing Ga- or Zn- complexes. PMID:24140747

  6. Development of a poly(ether urethane) system for the controlled release of two novel anti-biofilm agents based on gallium or zinc and its efficacy to prevent bacterial biofilm formation.

    PubMed

    Ma, Hongyan; Darmawan, Erica T; Zhang, Min; Zhang, Lei; Bryers, James D

    2013-12-28

    Traditional antibiotic therapy to control medical device-based infections typically fails to clear biofilm infections and may even promote the evolution of antibiotic resistant species. We report here the development of two novel antibiofilm agents; gallium (Ga) or zinc (Zn) complexed with protoporphyrin IX (PP) or mesoprotoporphyrin IX (MP) that are both highly effective in negating suspended bacterial growth and biofilm formation. These chelated gallium or zinc complexes act as iron siderophore analogs, supplanting the natural iron uptake of most bacteria. Poly (ether urethane) (PEU; Biospan®) polymer films were fabricated for the controlled sustained release of the Ga- or Zn-complexes, using an incorporated pore-forming agent, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). An optimum formulation containing 8% PEG (MW=1450) in the PEU polymer effectively sustained drug release for at least 3months. All drug-loaded PEU films exhibited in vitro ≥ 90% reduction of Gram-positive (Staphylococcus epidermidis) and Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria in both suspended and biofilm culture versus the negative control PEU films releasing nothing. Cytotoxicity and endotoxin evaluation demonstrated no adverse responses to the Ga- or Zn-complex releasing PEU films. Finally, in vivo studies further substantiate the anti-biofilm efficacy of the PEU films releasing Ga- or Zn- complexes. © 2013.

  7. Disparate roles of zinc in chemical hypoxia-induced neuronal death

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Sujeong; Seo, Jung-Woo; Oh, Shin Bi; Kim, So Hee; Kim, Inki; Suh, Nayoung; Lee, Joo-Yong

    2015-01-01

    Accumulating evidence has provided a causative role of zinc (Zn2+) in neuronal death following ischemic brain injury. Using a hypoxia model of primary cultured cortical neurons with hypoxia-inducing chemicals, cobalt chloride (1 mM CoCl2), deferoxamine (3 mM DFX), and sodium azide (2 mM NaN3), we evaluated whether Zn2+ is involved in hypoxic neuronal death. The hypoxic chemicals rapidly elicited intracellular Zn2+ release/accumulation in viable neurons. The immediate addition of the Zn2+ chelator, CaEDTA or N,N,N’N’-tetrakis-(2-pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPEN), prevented the intracellular Zn2+ load and CoCl2-induced neuronal death, but neither 3 hour later Zn2+ chelation nor a non-Zn2+ chelator ZnEDTA (1 mM) demonstrated any effects. However, neither CaEDTA nor TPEN rescued neurons from cell death following DFX- or NaN3-induced hypoxia, whereas ZnEDTA rendered them resistant to the hypoxic injury. Instead, the immediate supplementation of Zn2+ rescued DFX- and NaN3-induced neuronal death. The iron supplementation also afforded neuroprotection against DFX-induced hypoxic injury. Thus, although intracellular Zn2+ release/accumulation is common during chemical hypoxia, Zn2+ might differently influence the subsequent fate of neurons; it appears to play a neurotoxic or neuroprotective role depending on the hypoxic chemical used. These results also suggest that different hypoxic chemicals may induce neuronal death via distinct mechanisms. PMID:25667569

  8. Disparate roles of zinc in chemical hypoxia-induced neuronal death.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sujeong; Seo, Jung-Woo; Oh, Shin Bi; Kim, So Hee; Kim, Inki; Suh, Nayoung; Lee, Joo-Yong

    2015-01-01

    Accumulating evidence has provided a causative role of zinc (Zn(2+)) in neuronal death following ischemic brain injury. Using a hypoxia model of primary cultured cortical neurons with hypoxia-inducing chemicals, cobalt chloride (1 mM CoCl2), deferoxamine (3 mM DFX), and sodium azide (2 mM NaN3), we evaluated whether Zn(2+) is involved in hypoxic neuronal death. The hypoxic chemicals rapidly elicited intracellular Zn(2+) release/accumulation in viable neurons. The immediate addition of the Zn(2+) chelator, CaEDTA or N,N,N'N'-tetrakis-(2-pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPEN), prevented the intracellular Zn(2+) load and CoCl2-induced neuronal death, but neither 3 hour later Zn(2+) chelation nor a non-Zn(2+) chelator ZnEDTA (1 mM) demonstrated any effects. However, neither CaEDTA nor TPEN rescued neurons from cell death following DFX- or NaN3-induced hypoxia, whereas ZnEDTA rendered them resistant to the hypoxic injury. Instead, the immediate supplementation of Zn(2+) rescued DFX- and NaN3-induced neuronal death. The iron supplementation also afforded neuroprotection against DFX-induced hypoxic injury. Thus, although intracellular Zn(2+) release/accumulation is common during chemical hypoxia, Zn(2+) might differently influence the subsequent fate of neurons; it appears to play a neurotoxic or neuroprotective role depending on the hypoxic chemical used. These results also suggest that different hypoxic chemicals may induce neuronal death via distinct mechanisms.

  9. Significant Enhancement of Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 with H2O over ZnO by the Formation of Basic Zinc Carbonate.

    PubMed

    Xin, Chunyu; Hu, Maocong; Wang, Kang; Wang, Xitao

    2017-07-11

    Electron-hole pair separation efficiency and adsorption performance of photocatalysts to CO 2 are the two key factors affecting the performance of photocatalytic CO 2 reduction with H 2 O. Distinct from conventional promoter addition, this study proposed a novel approach to address these two issues by tuning the own surface features of semiconductor photocatalyst. Three ZnO samples with different morphologies, surface area, and defect content were fabricated by varying preparation methods, characterized by XRD, TEM, and room-temperature PL spectra, and tested in photoreduction of CO 2 with H 2 O. The results show that the as-prepared porous ZnO nanosheets exhibit a much higher activity for photoreduction of CO 2 with H 2 O when compared to ZnO nanoparticles and nanorods attributed to the existence of more defect sites, that is, zinc and oxygen vacancies. These defects would lower the combination rate of electron-hole pair as well as promote the formation of basic zinc carbonate by Lewis acid-base interaction, which is the active intermediate species for photoreduction of CO 2 . ZnO nanoparticles and ZnO nanorods with few defects show weak adsorption for CO 2 leading to the inferior photocatalytic activities. This work provides new insight on the CO 2 activation under light irradiation.

  10. Reclaiming the spent alkaline zinc manganese dioxide batteries collected from the manufacturers to prepare valuable electrolytic zinc and LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 materials.

    PubMed

    Ma, Ya; Cui, Yan; Zuo, Xiaoxi; Huang, Shanna; Hu, Keshui; Xiao, Xin; Nan, Junmin

    2014-10-01

    A process for reclaiming the materials in spent alkaline zinc manganese dioxide (Zn-Mn) batteries collected from the manufacturers to prepare valuable electrolytic zinc and LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 materials is presented. After dismantling battery cans, the iron cans, covers, electric rods, organic separator, label, sealing materials, and electrolyte are separated through the washing, magnetic separation, filtrating, and sieving operations. Then, the powder residues react with H2SO4 (2 mol L(-1)) solution to dissolve zinc under a liquid/solid ratio of 3:1 at room temperature, and subsequently, the electrolytic Zn with purity of ⩾99.8% is recovered in an electrolytic cell with a cathode efficiency of ⩾85% under the conditions of 37-40°C and 300 A m(-2). The most of MnO2 and a small quantity of electrolytic MnO2 are recovered from the filtration residue and the electrodeposit on the anode of electrolytic cell, respectively. The recovered manganese oxides are used to synthesize LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 material of lithium-ion battery. The as-synthesized LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 discharges 118.3 mAh g(-1) capacity and 4.7 V voltage plateau, which is comparable to the sample synthesized using commercial electrolytic MnO2. This process can recover the substances in the spent Zn-Mn batteries and innocuously treat the wastewaters, indicating that it is environmentally acceptable and applicable. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. A concentrated electrolyte for zinc hexacyanoferrate electrodes in aqueous rechargeable zinc-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, D.; Lee, C.; Jeong, S.

    2018-01-01

    In this study, a concentrated electrolyte was applied in an aqueous rechargeable zinc-ion battery system with a zinc hexacyanoferrate (ZnHCF) electrode to improve the electrochemical performance by changing the hydration number of the zinc ions. To optimize the active material, ZnHCF was synthesized using aqueous solutions of zinc nitrate with three different concentrations. The synthesized materials exhibited some differences in structure, crystallinity, and particle size, as observed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Subsequently, these well-structured materials were applied in electrochemical tests. A more than two-fold improvement in the charge/discharge capacities was observed when the concentrated electrolyte was used instead of the dilute electrolyte. Additionally, the cycling performance observed in the concentrated electrolyte was superior to that in the dilute electrolyte. This improvement in the electrochemical performance may result from a decrease in the hydration number of the zinc ions in the concentrated electrolyte.

  12. Efficiency of a zinc lignosulfonate as Zn source for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and corn (Zea mays L.) under hydroponic culture conditions.

    PubMed

    Martín-Ortiz, Diego; Hernández-Apaolaza, Lourdes; Gárate, Agustin

    2009-01-14

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of a zinc lignosulfonate (ZnLS) as Zn source for wheat and corn plants under hydroponic conditions. The Zn-complexing capacity of three commercial lignosulfonates (byproducts of the paper and pulp industry) was tested, and a LS-NH4, from spruce wood, was selected. Its efficacy as Zn fertilizer for wheat and corn plants was assessed at different pH values (7.0 and 8.0) in comparison with a chelate (ZnEDTA) and an inorganic salt (ZnSO4). For wheat at pH 7.0, it was concluded that the efficacy of the Zn fertilizers followed the sequence Zn-EDTA > Zn-LS approximately ZnSO4 > zero-Zn; and for wheat and corn at pH 8.0, similar results were obtained: Zn-LS > ZnSO4 approximately 0 Zn. These data give evidence that ZnLS could be used as Zn source to the roots of wheat and corn and seems to be more efficient than ZnSO4 to correct Zn deficiency in both plants.

  13. Mobility and fractionation of Fe, Pb and Zn in river sediments from a silver and base-metals mining area: Taxco, México.

    PubMed

    Espinosa, E; Armienta, M A

    2007-08-01

    The impact of mining wastes on both the concentration and environmental mobility of Zn, Pb and Fe was studied in a shallow river. The studied tributary of the Taxco river is located south of the historical Ag, Zn, Cu and Pb mining area of Taxco, about 150 km south of México City. Methodology included total concentration determinations and sequential extraction analyses of the operational defined fractions of sediments. Results indicated that Fe, Pb and Zn concentrations are up to 5, 100 and 390 times respectively, greater than regional background concentrations. Higher contents of Pb and Zn were observed in the rainy season versus the dry season, whereas Fe was lower in the rainy season. Zinc and lead increased downflow in the dry season, and did not show any trend during the rainy season. Speciation showed that Zn was mainly linked to the carbonatic fraction (25-39%), to the hydrous Fe/Mn oxides fraction (15-25%) and to the organic matter and sulfide fraction (14-48%); lead was mainly associated to the hydrous Fe/Mn oxides (49-59%) and residual (22-39%) fractions; finally, iron was contained mainly in the residual (65-78%) and the hydrous Fe/Mn oxides fraction (15%). Mobility decreased according to the relation: Zn > Pb > Fe. Sediments were classified as strongly polluted in zinc, strongly to very strongly polluted in Pb, and moderately to strongly polluted in iron. However, a low proportion of metals in the exchangeable fractions, indicates low bioavailability. Limestone presence played a very important role on Zn and Pb fractionation and environmental mobility. Results show the importance of including geological background in river pollution studies.

  14. Measurement of total Zn and Zn isotope ratios by quadrupole ICP-MS for evaluation of Zn uptake in gills of brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wolf, R.E.; Todd, A.S.; Brinkman, S.; Lamothe, P.J.; Smith, K.S.; Ranville, J.F.

    2009-01-01

    This study evaluates the potential use of stable zinc isotopes in toxicity studies measuring zinc uptake by the gills of brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The use of stable isotopes in such studies has several advantages over the use of radioisotopes, including cost, ease of handling, elimination of permit requirements, and waste disposal. A pilot study using brown trout was performed to evaluate sample preparation methods and the ability of a quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) system to successfully measure changes in the 67Zn/66Zn ratios for planned exposure levels and duration. After completion of the pilot study, a full-scale zinc exposure study using rainbow trout was performed. The results of these studies indicate that there are several factors that affect the precision of the measured 67Zn/66Zn ratios in the sample digests, including variations in sample size, endogenous zinc levels, and zinc uptake rates by individual fish. However, since these factors were incorporated in the calculation of the total zinc accumulated by the gills during the exposures, the data obtained were adequate for their intended use in calculating zinc binding and evaluating the influences of differences in water quality parameters.

  15. DETERMINATION OF MATERNAL SERUM ZINC, IRON, CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM DURING PREGNANCY IN PREGNANT WOMEN AND UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH OUTCOME OF PREGNANCY

    PubMed Central

    Khoushabi, Fahimeh; Shadan, Mohammad Reza; Miri, Ali; Sharifi-Rad, Javad

    2016-01-01

    Background: Trace elements and specially minerals are critical for the development of fetus. Many minerals are transferred to the fetus for fetal stores in the latter part of the pregnancy. It has been shown that various trace elements such as Zinc, Iron, Calcium and Magnesium are metabolically interrelated and there is alteration in their concentration during pregnancy. Beyond pregnancy is associated with increased demand of all the nutrients and deficiency of any of these could affect pregnancy, delivery and outcome of pregnancy. Aim: To study the levels of trace elements namely zinc, iron, magnesium and calcium in maternal and umbilical cord blood and their association with pregnancy outcome. Methods: Sixty pregnant women in Zabol, Iran were selected from those who had registered their names for the prenatal care and who had followed up till the 3rd trimester of pregnancy ending in child birth. Biochemical parameters analyzed with help of the biochemical laboratory. Data were analyzed by SPSS software. Results: The mean biochemical profile such, serum calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron in the pregnant women were as follow: in the 1st trimester 8.3, 1.9, 74.9 and 74.4 µg/dl respectively; in the 2nd trimester 8.5, 1.9, 73.1 and 79.3 µg/dl, respectively; in the 3rd trimester 8.6, 1.9, 68.4, and 82.2 µg/dl, respectively. In the umbilical cord blood, the mean serum calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron were 8.5, 1.9, 84.1, and 89.8 µg/dl, respectively. The mean serum calcium and magnesium during the three trimesters of pregnancy were not significantly different from that in the umbilical cord blood, while the mean serum zinc and iron in the umbilical cord blood were significantly different (p<0.05) in the three trimester of pregnancy. The mean birth weight of neonates was 3.1 kg and 12% of neonates showed low birth weight. Our findings showed that, except magnesium, the profile of other biochemical variables, namely, calcium, zinc and iron in the umbilical cord blood

  16. Soil pH effects on the comparative toxicity of dissolved zinc, non-nano and nano ZnO to the earthworm Eisenia fetida.

    PubMed

    Heggelund, Laura R; Diez-Ortiz, Maria; Lofts, Stephen; Lahive, Elma; Jurkschat, Kerstin; Wojnarowicz, Jacek; Cedergreen, Nina; Spurgeon, David; Svendsen, Claus

    2014-08-01

    To determine how soil properties influence nanoparticle (NP) fate, bioavailability and toxicity, this study compared the toxicity of nano zinc oxide (ZnO NPs), non-nano ZnO and ionic ZnCl2 to the earthworm Eisenia fetida in a natural soil at three pH levels. NP characterisation indicated that reaction with the soil media greatly controls ZnO properties. Three main conclusions were drawn. First that Zn toxicity, especially for reproduction, was influenced by pH for all Zn forms. This can be linked to the influence of pH on Zn dissolution. Secondly, that ZnO fate, toxicity and bioaccumulation were similar (including relationships with pH) for both ZnO forms, indicating the absence of NP-specific effects. Finally, earthworm Zn concentrations were higher in worms exposed to ZnO compared to ZnCl2, despite the greater toxicity of the ionic form. This observation suggests the importance of considering the relationship between uptake and toxicity in nanotoxicology studies.

  17. Leptin, NPY, Melatonin and Zinc Levels in Experimental Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism: The Relation to Zinc.

    PubMed

    Baltaci, Abdulkerim Kasım; Mogulkoc, Rasim

    2017-06-01

    Since zinc mediates the effects of many hormones or is found in the structure of numerous hormone receptors, zinc deficiency leads to various functional impairments in the hormone balance. And also thyroid hormones have important activity on metabolism and feeding. NPY and leptin are affective on food intake and regulation of appetite. The present study is conducted to determine how zinc supplementation and deficiency affect thyroid hormones (free and total T3 and T4), melatonin, leptin, and NPY levels in thyroid dysfunction in rats. The experiment groups in the study were formed as follows: Control (C); Hypothyroidism (PTU); Hypothyroidism+Zinc (PTU+Zn); Hypothyroidism+Zinc deficient; Hyperthyroidism (H); Hyperthyroidism+Zinc (H+Zn); and Hyperthyroidism+Zinc deficient. Thyroid hormone parameters (FT 3 , FT 4 , TT 3 , and TT 4 ) were found to be reduced in hypothyroidism groups and elevated in the hyperthyroidism groups. Melatonin values increased in hyperthyroidism and decreased in hypothyroidism. Leptin and NPY levels both increased in hypo- and hyperthyroidism. Zinc levels, on the other hand, decreased in hypothyroidism and increased in hyperthyroidism. Zinc supplementation, particularly when thyroid function is impaired, has been demonstrated to markedly prevent these changes.

  18. Zinc in an ultraoligotrophic lake food web.

    PubMed

    Montañez, Juan Cruz; Arribére, María A; Rizzo, Andrea; Arcagni, Marina; Campbell, Linda; Ribeiro Guevara, Sergio

    2018-06-01

    Zinc (Zn) bioaccumulation and trophic transfer were analyzed in the food web of Lake Nahuel Huapi, a deep, unpolluted ultraoligotrophic system in North Patagonia. Benthic macroinvertebrates, plankton, and native and introduced fish were collected at three sites. The effect of pyroclastic inputs on Zn levels in lacustrine food webs was assessed by studying the impact of the eruption of Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex (PCCVC) in 2011, by performing three sampling campaigns immediately before and after the PCCVC eruption, and after 2 years of recovery of the ecosystem. Zinc trophodynamics in L. Nahuel Huapi food web was assessed using nitrogen stable isotopes (δ 15 N). There was no significant increase of Zn concentrations ([Zn]) in L. Nahuel Huapi biota after the PCCVC eruption, despite the evidence of [Zn] increase in lake water that could be associated with volcanic ash leaching. The organisms studied exhibited [Zn] above the threshold level considered for dietary deficiency, regulating Zn adequately even under a catastrophic situations like PCCVC 2011 eruption. Zinc concentrations exhibited a biodilution pattern in the lake's food web. To the best of our knowledge, present research is the first report of Zn biodilution in lacustrine systems, and the first to study Zn transfer in a freshwater food web including both pelagic and benthic compartments.

  19. Effects of Al2O3 and CaO/SiO2 Ratio on Phase Equilbria in the ZnO-"FeO"-Al2O3-CaO-SiO2 System in Equilibrium with Metallic Iron

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Baojun; Hayes, Peter C.; Jak, Evgueni

    2011-02-01

    The phase equilibria and liquidus temperatures in the ZnO-"FeO"-Al2O3-CaO-SiO2 system in equilibrium with metallic iron have been determined experimentally in the temperature range 1383 K to 1573 K (1150 °C to 1300 °C). The experimental conditions were selected to characterize lead blast furnace and imperial smelting furnace slags. The results are presented in a form of pseudoternary sections ZnO-"FeO"-(Al2O3 + CaO + SiO2) with fixed CaO/SiO2 and (CaO + SiO2)/Al2O3 ratios. It was found that wustite and spinel are the major primary phases in the composition range investigated. Effects of Al2O3 concentration as well as the CaO/SiO2 ratio on the primary phase field, the liquidus temperature, and the partitioning of ZnO between liquid and solid phases have been discussed for zinc-containing slags.

  20. Atomic absorption spectrometric determination of copper, zinc, and lead in geological materials

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sanzolone, R.F.; Chao, T.T.

    1976-01-01

    An atomic absorption spectrometric method is described for the determination of copper, zinc, and lead in geological materials. The sample is digested with HF-HCl-H2O2; the final solution for analysis is in 10 % (v/v) HCl. Copper and zinc are determined directly by aspirating the solution into an air-acetylene flame. A separate aliquot of the solution is used for determination of lead; lead is extracted into TOPO-MIBK from the acidic solution in the presence of iodide and ascorbic acid. For a 0.50-g sample, the limits of determination are 10-2000 p.p.m. for Cu and Zn, and 5-5000 p.p.m. for Pb. As much as 40 % Fe or Ca. and 10 % Al, Mg, or Mn in the sample do not interfere. The proposed method can be applied to the determination of copper, zinc, and lead in a wide range of geological materials including iron- and manganese-rich, calcareous and carbonate samples. ?? 1976.

  1. Formation of the ZnFe2O4 phase in an electric arc furnace off-gas treatment system.

    PubMed

    Suetens, T; Guo, M; Van Acker, K; Blanpain, B

    2015-04-28

    To better understand the phenomena of ZnFe2O4 spinel formation in electric arc furnace dust, the dust was characterized with particle size analysis, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA). Different ZnFe2O4 formation reaction extents were observed for iron oxide particles with different particle sizes. ZnO particles were present as both individual particles and aggregated on the surface of larger particles. Also, the slag particles found in the off-gas were shown not to react with the zinc vapor. After confirming the presence of a ZnFe2O4 formation reaction, the thermodynamic feasibility of in-process separation - a new electric arc furnace dust treatment technology - was reevaluated. The large air intake and the presence of iron oxide particles in the off-gas were included into the thermodynamic calculations. The formation of the stable ZnFe2O4 spinel phase was shown to be thermodynamically favorable in current electric arc furnace off-gas ducts conditions even before reaching the post combustion chamber. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Cold Extrusion but Not Coating Affects Iron Bioavailability from Fortified Rice in Young Women and Is Associated with Modifications in Starch Microstructure and Mineral Retention during Cooking.

    PubMed

    Hackl, Laura; Speich, Cornelia; Zeder, Christophe; Sánchez-Ferrer, Antoni; Adelmann, Horst; de Pee, Saskia; Tay, Fabian; Zimmermann, Michael B; Moretti, Diego

    2017-12-01

    Background: Rice can be fortified with the use of hot or cold extrusion or coating, but the nutritional qualities of the resulting rice grains have never been directly compared. Objective: Using fortified rice produced by coating or hot or cold extrusion, we compared 1 ) iron and zinc absorption with the use of stable isotopes, 2 ) iron and zinc retention during cooking, and 3 ) starch microstructure. Methods: We conducted 2 studies in young women: in study 1 [ n = 19; mean ± SD age: 26.2 ± 3.4 y; body mass index (BMI; in kg/m 2 ): 21.3 ± 1.6], we compared the fractional iron absorption (FAFe) from rice meals containing isotopically labeled ferric prophosphate ( 57 FePP), zinc oxide (ZnO), citric acid, and micronutrients fortified through hot extrusion (HER1) with rice meals fortified through cold extrusion containing 57 FePP, ZnO, citric acid, and micronutrients (CER); in study 2 ( n = 22; age: 24 ± 4 y; BMI: 21.2 ± 1.3), we compared FAFe and fractional zinc absorption (FAZn) from rice meals fortified through hot extrusion (HER2) compared with rice meals fortified through coating containing 57 FePP, ZnO, a citric acid and trisodium cirate mixture (CA/TSC), and micronutrients (COR) relative to rice meals extrinsically fortified with ferrous sulfate (reference). Rice types HER1 and CER contained citric acid, whereas types HER2 and COR contained CA/TSC. We assessed retention during standardized cooking experiments and characterized the rice starch microstructure. Results: FAFe (95% CI) was greater from CER [2.2% (1.4%, 3.4%)] than from HER1 [1.2% (0.7%, 2.0%)] ( P = 0.036). There was no difference in FAFe between HER2 [5.1% (3.7%, 7.1%)] and COR [4.0% (2.9%, 5.4%)] ( P = 0.14), but FAFe from COR was lower than that from the reference meal [6.6% (4.9%, 9.0%)] ( P = 0.003), and the geometric mean FAZn (95% CI) did not differ between HER2 [9.5% (7.9%, 11.6%)] and COR [9.6% (8.7%, 10.7%)] ( P = 0.92). Cooking in a rice-to-water ratio of 1:2 resulted in iron and zinc

  3. Fate of zinc in an electroplating sludge during electrokinetic treatments.

    PubMed

    Liu, Shou-Heng; Wang, H Paul

    2008-08-01

    Chemical structure of zinc in the electrokinetic treatments of an electroplating sludge has been studied by in situ extended X-ray absorption fine structural (EXAFS) and X-ray absorption near edge structural (XANES) spectroscopies in the present work. The least-square fitted XANES spectra indicate that the main zinc compounds in the sludge were ZnCO(3) (75%), ZnOSiO(2) (17%) and Zn(OH)(2) (7%). Zinc in the sludge possessed a Zn-O bond distance of 2.07 A with a coordination number (CN) of 5. In the second shells, the bond distance of Zn-(O)-Si was 3.05 A (CN=2). An increase of Zn-(O)-Si (0.05 A) with a decrease of its CN (from 5 to <1) was found in the early stage of the electrokinetic treatment. Prolong the electrokinetic treatment time to 180 min, about 34% of Zn(II) was dissolved into the aqueous phase and about 68% of Zn(II) in the sludge (or 23% of total zinc) was migrated to the cathode under the electric field (5 V cm(-1)). The dissolution and electromigration rates of Zn(II) in the sludge were 1.0 and 0.6 mmol h(-1)g(-1) sludge, respectively during the electrokinetic treatment. This work also exemplifies the utilization of in situ EXAFS and XANES for revealing speciation and possible reaction pathways during the course of zinc recycling from the sludge by electrokinetic treatments.

  4. Process for preparing zinc oxide-based sorbents

    DOEpatents

    Gangwal, Santosh Kumar [Cary, NC; Turk, Brian Scott [Durham, NC; Gupta, Raghubir Prasad [Durham, NC

    2011-06-07

    The disclosure relates to zinc oxide-based sorbents, and processes for preparing and using them. The sorbents are preferably used to remove one or more reduced sulfur species from gas streams. The sorbents comprise an active zinc component, optionally in combination with one or more promoter components and/or one or more substantially inert components. The active zinc component is a two phase material, consisting essentially of a zinc oxide (ZnO) phase and a zinc aluminate (ZnAl.sub.2O.sub.4) phase. Each of the two phases is characterized by a relatively small crystallite size of typically less than about 500 Angstroms. Preferably the sorbents are prepared by converting a precursor mixture, comprising a precipitated zinc oxide precursor and a precipitated aluminum oxide precursor, to the two-phase, active zinc oxide containing component.

  5. Isotopic composition of zinc, copper, and iron in lunar samples

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moynier, F.; Albarède, F.; Herzog, G. F.

    2006-12-01

    We determined by ICP-MS the concentrations and isotopic ratios of Fe, Cu, and Zn in the Ti-rich lunar basalt 74275, in the lunar orange glass 74220, and in up to 10 lunar soils, namely, 14163, 15231, 64501, 66041, 68841, 69941, 70011, 72501, 75081, and 76501. Two analyses of zinc in lunar basalt 74275 give δ 66Zn = 0.17‰ and 0.75‰, values within the range of those measured in terrestrial basalts; copper in lunar basalt 74275 has δ 65Cu ˜ +1.4‰, which is isotopically heavier than values observed in terrestrial basalts. In the orange glass, we measured δ 56Fe = -0.24‰, δ 65Cu = -0.42‰, and δ 66Zn ˜ -3.6‰. These values of δ are more negative than those obtained for 74275 and for typical lunar basalts, but for Cu, comparable to those observed in terrestrial sulfides and meteorites. In lunar soils we found 0.11‰ ⩽ δ 56Fe ⩽ 0.51‰, 2.6‰ ⩽ δ 65Cu ⩽ 4.5‰, and 2.2‰ ⩽ δ 66Zn ⩽ 6.4‰. Insofar as we can generalize from a small sample set, S, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Cd show similar trends in isotopic fractionation on the Moon. Lunar basalts have nearly terrestrial isotopic ratios. Relative to the lunar basalt 74275, the pyroclastic glass 74220 is enriched in the lighter isotopes of Fe, Cu, and Zn, and the soils are enriched in the heavier isotopes of Fe, Cu, and Zn. The patterns in the basalts are likely inherited from the source material; the light-isotope enrichments seen in the orange glass originated during lava fountaining or, less probably, during partial condensation of vapor; and the heavy-isotope enrichments in the lunar soils were likely created by a combination of processes that included micrometeorite vaporization and sputtering. In the orange glass, the light-isotope enrichments (relative to lunar basalts) of Zn are larger than those of Cu. If these enrichments reflect accurately the isotopic composition of the gas, they suggest that Cu is more volatile than Zn in the liquid from which the gas derived. A simple model built on

  6. Enriching rice with Zn and Fe while minimizing Cd risk

    PubMed Central

    Slamet-Loedin, Inez H.; Johnson-Beebout, Sarah E.; Impa, Somayanda; Tsakirpaloglou, Nikolaos

    2015-01-01

    Enriching iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) content in rice grains, while minimizing cadmium (Cd) levels, is important for human health and nutrition. Natural genetic variation in rice grain Zn enables Zn-biofortification through conventional breeding, but limited natural Fe variation has led to a need for genetic modification approaches, including over-expressing genes responsible for Fe storage, chelators, and transporters. Generally, Cd uptake and allocation is associated with divalent metal cations (including Fe and Zn) transporters, but the details of this process are still unknown in rice. In addition to genetic variation, metal uptake is sometimes limited by its bioavailability in the soil. The availability of Fe, Zn, and Cd for plant uptake varies widely depending on soil redox potential. The typical practice of flooding rice increases Fe while decreasing Zn and Cd availability. On the other hand, moderate soil drying improves Zn uptake but also increases Cd and decreases Fe uptake. Use of Zn- or Fe-containing fertilizers complements breeding efforts by providing sufficient metals for plant uptake. In addition, the timing of nitrogen fertilization has also been shown to affect metal accumulation in grains. The purpose of this mini-review is to identify knowledge gaps and prioritize strategies for improving the nutritional value and safety of rice. PMID:25814994

  7. Resistance of extremely halophilic archaea to zinc and zinc oxide nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salgaonkar, Bhakti B.; Das, Deepthi; Bragança, Judith Maria

    2016-02-01

    Industrialization as well as other anthropogenic activities have resulted in addition of high loads of metal and/or metal nanoparticles to the environment. In this study, the effect of one of the widely used heavy metal, zinc (Zn) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on extremely halophilic archaea was evaluated. One representative member from four genera namely Halococcus, Haloferax, Halorubrum and Haloarcula of the family Halobacteriaceae was taken as the model organism. All the haloarchaeal genera investigated were resistant to both ZnCl2 and ZnO NPs at varying concentrations. Halococcus strain BK6 and Haloferax strain BBK2 showed the highest resistance in complex/minimal medium of up to 2.0/1.0 mM ZnCl2 and 2.0/1.0-0.5 mM ZnO NP. Accumulation of ZnCl2/ZnO NPs was seen as Haloferax strain BBK2 (287.2/549.6 mg g-1) > Halococcus strain BK6 (165.9/388.5 mg g-1) > Haloarcula strain BS2 (93.2/28.5 mg g-1) > Halorubrum strain BS17 (29.9/16.2 mg g-1). Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) analysis revealed that bulk ZnCl2 was sorbed at a higher concentration (21.77 %) on the cell surface of Haloferax strain BBK2 as compared to the ZnO NPs (14.89 %).

  8. [The quantitative changes of bioelements (Ca, Zn, Mg, Cu, Mn) in crystalline lenses under the influence of hypodynamic stress and zinc].

    PubMed

    Kusleika, Saulius

    2002-01-01

    The aim of the study was to investigate and estimate quantitative changes of bioelements (Ca, Zn, Mg, Cu, Mn) in the lenses on the influence of hypodynamic stress and zinc (Zn). Hypodynamic stress of 48 days duration was provoked for Chinchilla rabbits (n = 20) by placing them in metal hutches. Every day (48 days) 10 rabbits, which had intervention received 0.3 mg/kg body wt. doses of Zn (in form of Zn acetate). The rabbits (n = 10) of the control group, which had no intervention were kept in vivarium conditions. Concentration of bioelements in the lenses of rabbits was detected by atomic absorption spectrophotometry 503 "Perkin-Elmer" (USA). The investigation revealed that hypodynamic stress of 48 days duration caused the increase in amount of Ca, Zn, Mn in lenses as compared with that in control rabbits and in rabbits receiving Zn. The concentration of bioelements (Ca, Zn, Mg, Cu, Mn) in lenses of rabbits receiving Zn in case of hypodynamic stress did not change significantly.

  9. Comparison of the effects and distribution of zinc oxide nanoparticles and zinc ions in activated sludge reactors.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Dongqing; Trzcinski, Antoine P; Oh, Hyun-Suk; Chew, Evelyn; Liu, Yu; Tan, Soon Keat; Ng, Wun Jern

    2017-09-19

    Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are being increasingly applied in the industry, which results inevitably in the release of these materials into the hydrosphere. In this study, simulated waste-activated sludge experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of Zinc Oxide NPs and to compare it with its ionic counterpart (as ZnSO 4 ). It was found that even 1 mg/L of ZnO NPs could have a small impact on COD and ammonia removal. Under 1, 10 and 50 mg/L of ZnO NP exposure, the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal efficiencies decreased from 79.8% to 78.9%, 72.7% and 65.7%, respectively. The corresponding ammonium (NH 4 + N) concentration in the effluent significantly (P < 0.05) increased from 11.9 mg/L (control) to 15.3, 20.9 and 28.5 mg/L, respectively. Under equal Zn concentration, zinc ions were more toxic towards microorganisms compared to ZnO NPs. Under 50 mg/L exposure, the effluent Zn level was 5.69 mg/L, implying that ZnO NPs have a strong affinity for activated sludge. The capacity for adsorption of ZnO NPs onto activated sludge was found to be 2.3, 6.3, and 13.9 mg/g MLSS at influent ZnO NP concentrations of 1.0, 10 and 50 mg/L respectively, which were 1.74-, 2.13- and 2.05-fold more than under Zn ion exposure.

  10. Effect of ultrafine zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on induction of oral tolerance in mice.

    PubMed

    Matsumura, Misa; Takasu, Nobuo; Nagata, Masafumi; Nakamura, Kazuichi; Kawai, Motoyuki; Yoshino, Shin

    2010-01-01

    Ultrafine nanoparticles of zinc oxide (ZnO) recently became available as a substitute for larger-size fine ZnO particles. However, the biological activity of ultrafine ZnO currently remains undefined. In the present study, we investigated the effect of ultrafine ZnO on oral tolerance that plays an important role in the prevention of food allergy. Oral tolerance was induced in mice by a single oral administration (i.e., gavage) of 25 mg of ovalbumin (OVA) 5 days prior to a subcutaneous immunization with OVA (Day 0). Varying doses of ultrafine (diameter: approximately 21 nm) as well as fine (diameter: < 5 microm) ZnO particles were given orally at the same time during the OVA gavage. The results indicated that a single oral administration of OVA was followed by significant decreases in serum anti-OVA IgG, IgG(1), IgG(2a), and IgE antibodies and in the proliferative responses to the antigen by these hosts' spleen cells. The decreases in these immune responses to OVA were associated with a marked suppression of secretion of interferon (IFN)gamma, interleukin (IL)-5, and IL-17 by these lymphoid cells. Treatment with either ultrafine or fine ZnO failed to affect the oral OVA-induced suppression of antigen-specific IgG, IgG(1), IgG(2a), and IgE production or lymphoid cell proliferation. The suppression induced by the oral OVA upon secretion of IFN gamma, IL-5, and IL-17 was also unaffected by either size of ZnO. These results indicate that ultrafine particles of ZnO do not appear to modulate the induction of oral tolerance in mice.

  11. Electromagnetic interference attenuation and shielding effect of quaternary Epoxy-PPy/Fe3O4-ZnO nanocomposite as a broad band microwave-absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olad, Ali; Shakoori, Sahar

    2018-07-01

    An increase in the electromagnetic wave pollution generated from wireless telecommunication devices has devoted to a great request for exploiting microwave absorbing materials for themselves. The combination of inherently conducting polymers such as polypyrrole (PPy) with metal oxides has led to design ideal microwave absorbing materials which benefit both advantage effects of ICPs and metal oxide nanoparticles. Herein, the quaternary nanocomposite of Epoxy-PPy/Fe3O4-ZnO was prepared and tested for the absorption of X-band microwaves. Simultaneous application of metal oxides and conducting polypyrrole in the epoxy matrix was evaluated in order to increase the absorption intensity and broadness of microwaves in X-band region. The morphology, microstructure, and phase structure of Fe3O4, ZnO, and PPy, as well as quaternary nanocomposite were characterized and studied using FTIR, XRD, FESEM and TEM techniques. The presence of nanoparticles in the quaternary nanocomposite was confirmed by EDS. The magnetization of iron oxide was studied by VSM. The synergetic effect of iron oxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles in different weight ratios (Fe3O4/ZnO) on the electromagnetic wave absorption was evaluated. The electromagnetic parameters have been evaluated by the vector network analyzer in the frequency range of 8.2-12.4 GHz which is named as X-band region and is adequate for radar applications. The electromagnetic wave absorbing outcomes indicated that Epoxy-PPy/Fe3O4-ZnO quaternary nanocomposite has wide absorption area and high attenuation, which is believed to be due to dielectric loss properties related to the polypyrrole, magnetic loss factor of Fe3O4, and synergetic effects of components. The maximum reflection loss reached to -32.53 dB at 9.96 GHz with a nanocomposite thickness of 2 mm which is dedicated to the Epoxy-PPy/Fe3O4-ZnO with iron oxide to zinc oxide ratio of 2:1. The absorption bandwidth with the reflection loss lower than -10 dB (90% attenuation) was up to

  12. Antimycobacterial, antimicrobial, and biocompatibility properties of para-aminosalicylic acid with zinc layered hydroxide and Zn/Al layered double hydroxide nanocomposites

    PubMed Central

    Saifullah, Bullo; El Zowalaty, Mohamed E; Arulselvan, Palanisamy; Fakurazi, Sharida; Webster, Thomas J; Geilich, Benjamin M; Hussein, Mohd Zobir

    2014-01-01

    The treatment of tuberculosis by chemotherapy is complicated due to multiple drug prescriptions, long treatment duration, and adverse side effects. We report here for the first time an in vitro therapeutic effect of nanocomposites based on para-aminosalicylic acid with zinc layered hydroxide (PAS-ZLH) and zinc-aluminum layered double hydroxides (PAS-Zn/Al LDH), against mycobacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, and Gram-negative bacteria. The nanocomposites demonstrated good antimycobacterial activity and were found to be effective in killing Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. A biocompatibility study revealed good biocompatibility of the PAS-ZLH nanocomposites against normal human MRC-5 lung cells. The para-aminosalicylic acid loading was quantified with high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. In summary, the present preliminary in vitro studies are highly encouraging for further in vivo studies of PAS-ZLH and PAS-Zn/Al LDH nanocomposites to treat tuberculosis. PMID:25114509

  13. Trojan Horse for Light-Triggered Bifurcated Production of Singlet Oxygen and Fenton-Reactive Iron within Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Cioloboc, Daniela; Kennedy, Christopher; Boice, Emily N; Clark, Emily R; Kurtz, Donald M

    2018-01-08

    Traditional photodynamic therapy for cancer relies on dye-photosensitized generation of singlet oxygen. However, therapeutically effective singlet oxygen generation requires well-oxygenated tissues, whereas many tumor environments tend to be hypoxic. We describe a platform for targeted enhancement of photodynamic therapy that produces singlet oxygen in oxygenated environments and hydroxyl radical, which is typically regarded as the most toxic reactive oxygen species, in hypoxic environments. The 24-subunit iron storage protein bacterioferritin (Bfr) has the unique property of binding 12 heme groups in its protein shell. We inserted the isostructural photosensitizer, zinc(II) protoporphyrin IX (ZnP), in place of the hemes and extended the surface-exposed N-terminal ends of the Bfr subunits with a peptide targeting a receptor that is hyperexpressed on the cell surface of many tumors and tumor vasculature. We then loaded the inner cavity with ∼2500 irons as a ferric oxyhydroxide polymer and finally conjugated 2 kDa polyethylene glycol to the outer surface. We showed that the inserted ZnP photosensitizes generation of both singlet oxygen and the hydroxyl radical, the latter via the reaction of photoreleased ferrous iron with hydrogen peroxide. This targeted iron-loaded ZnP-Bfr construct was endocytosed by C32 melanoma cells and localized to lysosomes. Irradiating the treated cells with light at wavelengths overlapping the ZnP Soret absorption band induced photosensitized intracellular Fe 2+ release and substantial lowering of cell viability. This targeted, light-triggered production of intracellular singlet oxygen and Fenton-reactive iron could potentially be developed into a phototherapeutic adjunct for many types of cancers.

  14. Cross talk between increased intracellular zinc (Zn2+) and accumulation of reactive oxygen species in chemical ischemia.

    PubMed

    Slepchenko, Kira G; Lu, Qiping; Li, Yang V

    2017-10-01

    Both zinc (Zn 2+ ) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been shown to accumulate during hypoxic-ischemic stress and play important roles in pathological processes. To understand the cross talk between the two of them, here we studied Zn 2+ and ROS accumulation by employing fluorescent probes in HeLa cells to further the understanding of the cause and effect relationship of these two important cellular signaling systems during chemical-ischemia, stimulated by oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). We observed two Zn 2+ rises that were divided into four phases in the course of 30 min of OGD. The first Zn 2+ rise was a transient, which was followed by a latent phase during which Zn 2+ levels recovered; however, levels remained above a basal level in most cells. The final phase was the second Zn 2+ rise, which reached a sustained plateau called Zn 2+ overload. Zn 2+ rises were not observed when Zn 2+ was removed by TPEN (a Zn 2+ chelator) or thapsigargin (depleting Zn 2+ from intracellular stores) treatment, indicating that Zn 2+ was from intracellular storage. Damaging mitochondria with FCCP significantly reduced the second Zn 2+ rise, indicating that the mitochondrial Zn 2+ accumulation contributes to Zn 2+ overload. We also detected two OGD-induced ROS rises. Two Zn 2+ rises preceded two ROS rises. Removal of Zn 2+ reduced or delayed OGD- and FCCP-induced ROS generation, indicating that Zn 2+ contributes to mitochondrial ROS generation. There was a Zn 2+ -induced increase in the functional component of NADPH oxidase, p47 phox , thus suggesting that NADPH oxidase may mediate Zn 2+ -induced ROS accumulation. We suggest a new mechanism of cross talk between Zn 2+ and mitochondrial ROS through positive feedback processes that eventually causes excessive free Zn 2+ and ROS accumulations during the course of ischemic stress. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  15. Stabilization of lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in contaminated rice paddy soil using starfish: A preliminary study.

    PubMed

    Moon, Deok Hyun; Hwang, Inseong; Koutsospyros, Agamemnon; Cheong, Kyung Hoon; Ok, Yong Sik; Ji, Won Hyun; Park, Jeong-Hun

    2018-05-01

    Lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) contaminated rice paddy soil was stabilized using natural (NSF) and calcined starfish (CSF). Contaminated soil was treated with NSF in the range of 0-10 wt% and CSF in the range of 0-5 wt% and cured for 28 days. Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) test was used to evaluate effectiveness of starfish treatment. Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) analyses were conducted to investigate the mechanism responsible for effective immobilization of Pb and Zn. Experimental results suggest that NSF and CSF treatments effectively immobilize Pb and Zn in treated rice paddy soil. TCLP levels for Pb and Zn were reduced with increasing NSF and CSF dosage. Comparison of the two treatment methods reveals that CSF treatment is more effective than NSF treatment. Leachability of the two metals is reduced approximately 58% for Pb and 51% for Zn, upon 10 wt% NSF treatment. More pronounced leachability reductions, 93% for Pb and 76% for Zn, are achieved upon treatment with 5 wt% CSF. Sequential extraction results reveal that NSF and CSF treatments of contaminated soil generated decrease in exchangeable/weak acid Pb and Zn soluble fractions, and increase of residual Pb and Zn fractions. Results for the SEM-EDX sample treated with 5 wt% CSF indicate that effective Pb and Zn immobilization is most probably associated with calcium silicate hydrates (CSHs) and calcium aluminum hydrates (CAHs). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Antibacterial and wound healing properties of chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/zinc oxide beads (CS/PVA/ZnO).

    PubMed

    Gutha, Yuvaraja; Pathak, Janak L; Zhang, Weijiang; Zhang, Yaping; Jiao, Xu

    2017-10-01

    Treatment against bacterial infection is crucial for wound healing. Development of cost-effective antibacterial agent with wound healing properties is still in high demand. In this study we aimed to design chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/zinc oxide (CS/PVA/ZnO) beads as novel antibacterial agent with wound healing properties. CS/PVA/ZnO beads were synthesized, and characterized by using XRD, FTIR, SEM, and TEM analysis. Pure chitosan exhibits two peaks at 2θ=10 and 20 and the CS/PVA polymer matrix exhibit the peaks at 2θ=19.7° and another of low intensity at 2θ=11.5°. Pure ZnO shows the characteristic peaks at (100), (002), (101), (102), (110), (103), (200), and (112) that were in good agreement with wurtzite ore having hexagonal lattice structure. The antibacterial activity of CS/PVA/ZnO against Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus were evaluated with the zone of inhibition method. Antibacterial activity of CS/PVA/ZnO was higher than that of chitosan (CS) and poly(vinyl alcohol (PVA). Hemocompatibility and biocompatibility of CS/PVA/ZnO were tested in in vitro. Wound healing properties of CS/PVA/ZnO were tested in mice skin wound. CS/PVA/ZnO showed strong antimicrobial, wound healing effect, hemocompatibility and biocompatibility. Hence the results strongly support the possibility of using this novel CS/PVA/ZnO material for the anti bacterial and wound healing application. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Electrodeposition of zinc hydroxysulfate nanosheets and reduction to zinc metal microdendrites on polypyrrole films.

    PubMed

    Andreoli, Enrico; Rooney, Denise A; Redington, Wynette; Gunning, Robert; Breslin, Carmel B

    2012-01-01

    Nanothin sheets made of zinc sulfate hydroxide hydrate, ZnSO4[Zn(OH)2]3 x 5H2O, are easily and quickly prepared using an innovative electrochemical route onto polypyrrole-polystyrene sulfonate (PPy-PSS) films. The sheets are characterized using a range of experimental techniques. The deposits are formed on the film surface with instantaneous nucleation to grow into a network of entangled nanosheets. The effect of the experimental conditions on the deposition is reported. Interestingly, the formation of the nanosheets is observed on PPy-PSS films only, and not on films doped with other sulfate/sulfonate dopants. The zinc nanosheets can be easily electrochemically reduced to metallic zinc microdentrites.

  18. Prenatal zinc supplementation of zinc-adequate rats adversely affects immunity in offspring

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    We previously showed that zinc (Zn) supplementation of Zn-adequate dams induced immunosuppressive effects that persist in the offspring after weaning. We investigated whether the immunosuppressive effects were due to in utero exposure and/or mediated via milk using a cross-fostering design. Pregnant...

  19. Improving the selective cancer killing ability of ZnO nanoparticles using Fe doping.

    PubMed

    Thurber, Aaron; Wingett, Denise G; Rasmussen, John W; Layne, Janet; Johnson, Lydia; Tenne, Dmitri A; Zhang, Jianhui; Hanna, Charles B; Punnoose, Alex

    2012-06-01

    This work reports a new method to improve our recent demonstration of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) selectively killing certain human cancer cells, achieved by incorporating Fe ions into the NPs. Thoroughly characterized cationic ZnO NPs (∼6 nm) doped with Fe ions (Zn(1-x )Fe (x) O, x = 0-0.15) were used in this work, applied at a concentration of 24 μg/ml. Cytotoxicity studies using flow cytometry on Jurkat leukemic cancer cells show cell viability drops from about 43% for undoped ZnO NPs to 15% for ZnO NPs doped with 7.5% Fe. However, the trend reverses and cell viability increases with higher Fe concentrations. The non-immortalized human T cells are markedly more resistant to Fe-doped ZnO NPs than cancerous T cells, confirming that Fe-doped samples still maintain selective toxicity to cancer cells. Pure iron oxide samples displayed no appreciable toxicity. Reactive oxygen species generated with NP introduction to cells increased with increasing Fe up to 7.5% and decreased for >7.5% doping.

  20. Intracellular accumulation dynamics and fate of zinc ions in alveolar epithelial cells exposed to airborne ZnO nanoparticles at the air–liquid interface

    DOE PAGES

    Mihai, Cosmin; Chrisler, William B.; Xie, Yumei; ...

    2013-12-02

    Airborne nanoparticles (NPs) that enter the respiratory tract are likely to reach the alveolar region. Accumulating observations support a role for zinc oxide (ZnO) NP dissolution in toxicity, but the majority of in vitro studies were conducted in cells exposed to NPs in growth media, where large doses of dissolved ions are shed into the exposure solution. To determine the precise intracellular accumulation dynamics and fate of zinc ions (Zn 2+) shed by airborne NPs in the cellular environment, we exposed alveolar epithelial cells to aerosolized NPs at the air-liquid interface (ALI). Using a fluorescent indicator for Zn 2+, togethermore » with organelle-specific fluorescent proteins, we quantified Zn 2+ in single cells and organelles over time. We found that at the ALI, intracellular Zn 2+ values peaked 3 h post exposure and decayed to normal values by 12 h, while in submersed cultures, intracellular Zn 2+ values continued to increase over time. The lowest toxic NP dose at the ALI generated peak intracellular Zn 2+ values that were nearly 3 folds lower than the peak values generated by the lowest toxic dose of NPs in submersed cultures, and 8 folds lower than the peak values generated by the lowest toxic dose of ZnSO4 or Zn 2+. At the ALI, the majority of intracellular Zn 2+ was found in endosomes and lysosomes as early as 1 h post exposure. In contrast, the majority of intracellular Zn 2+ following exposures to ZnSO 4 was found in other larger vesicles, with less than 10% in endosomes and lysosomes. In conclusion, together, our observations indicate that low but critical levels of intracellular Zn 2+ have to be reached, concentrated specifically in endosomes and lysosomes, for toxicity to occur, and point to the focal dissolution of the NPs in the cellular environment and the accumulation of the ions specifically in endosomes and lysosomes as the processes underlying the potent toxicity of airborne ZnO NPs.« less

  1. Intracellular accumulation dynamics and fate of zinc ions in alveolar epithelial cells exposed to airborne ZnO nanoparticles at the air–liquid interface

    PubMed Central

    Mihai, Cosmin; Chrisler, William B.; Xie, Yumei; Hu, Dehong; Szymanski, Craig J.; Tolic, Ana; Klein, Jessica A.; Smith, Jordan N.; Tarasevich, Barbara J.; Orr, Galya

    2015-01-01

    Airborne nanoparticles (NPs) that enter the respiratory tract are likely to reach the alveolar region. Accumulating observations support a role for zinc oxide (ZnO) NP dissolution in toxicity, but the majority of in-vitro studies were conducted in cells exposed to NPs in growth media, where large doses of dissolved ions are shed into the exposure solution. To determine the precise intracellular accumulation dynamics and fate of zinc ions (Zn2+) shed by airborne NPs in the cellular environment, we exposed alveolar epithelial cells to aerosolized NPs at the air–liquid interface (ALI). Using a fluorescent indicator for Zn2+, together with organelle-specific fluorescent proteins, we quantified Zn2+ in single cells and organelles over time. We found that at the ALI, intracellular Zn2+ values peaked 3 h post exposure and decayed to normal values by 12 h, while in submerged cultures, intracellular Zn2+ values continued to increase over time. The lowest toxic NP dose at the ALI generated peak intracellular Zn2+ values that were nearly three-folds lower than the peak values generated by the lowest toxic dose of NPs in submerged cultures, and eight-folds lower than the peak values generated by the lowest toxic dose of ZnSO4 or Zn2+. At the ALI, the majority of intracellular Zn2+ was found in endosomes and lysosomes as early as 1 h post exposure. In contrast, the majority of intracellular Zn2+ following exposures to ZnSO4 was found in other larger vesicles, with less than 10% in endosomes and lysosomes. Together, our observations indicate that low but critical levels of intracellular Zn2+ have to be reached, concentrated specifically in endosomes and lysosomes, for toxicity to occur, and point to the focal dissolution of the NPs in the cellular environment and the accumulation of the ions specifically in endosomes and lysosomes as the processes underlying the potent toxicity of airborne ZnO NPs. PMID:24289294

  2. Intracellular accumulation dynamics and fate of zinc ions in alveolar epithelial cells exposed to airborne ZnO nanoparticles at the air-liquid interface.

    PubMed

    Mihai, Cosmin; Chrisler, William B; Xie, Yumei; Hu, Dehong; Szymanski, Craig J; Tolic, Ana; Klein, Jessica A; Smith, Jordan N; Tarasevich, Barbara J; Orr, Galya

    2015-02-01

    Airborne nanoparticles (NPs) that enter the respiratory tract are likely to reach the alveolar region. Accumulating observations support a role for zinc oxide (ZnO) NP dissolution in toxicity, but the majority of in-vitro studies were conducted in cells exposed to NPs in growth media, where large doses of dissolved ions are shed into the exposure solution. To determine the precise intracellular accumulation dynamics and fate of zinc ions (Zn(2+)) shed by airborne NPs in the cellular environment, we exposed alveolar epithelial cells to aerosolized NPs at the air-liquid interface (ALI). Using a fluorescent indicator for Zn(2+), together with organelle-specific fluorescent proteins, we quantified Zn(2+) in single cells and organelles over time. We found that at the ALI, intracellular Zn(2+) values peaked 3 h post exposure and decayed to normal values by 12 h, while in submerged cultures, intracellular Zn(2+) values continued to increase over time. The lowest toxic NP dose at the ALI generated peak intracellular Zn(2+) values that were nearly three-folds lower than the peak values generated by the lowest toxic dose of NPs in submerged cultures, and eight-folds lower than the peak values generated by the lowest toxic dose of ZnSO4 or Zn(2+). At the ALI, the majority of intracellular Zn(2+) was found in endosomes and lysosomes as early as 1 h post exposure. In contrast, the majority of intracellular Zn(2+) following exposures to ZnSO4 was found in other larger vesicles, with less than 10% in endosomes and lysosomes. Together, our observations indicate that low but critical levels of intracellular Zn(2+) have to be reached, concentrated specifically in endosomes and lysosomes, for toxicity to occur, and point to the focal dissolution of the NPs in the cellular environment and the accumulation of the ions specifically in endosomes and lysosomes as the processes underlying the potent toxicity of airborne ZnO NPs.

  3. Intracellular accumulation dynamics and fate of zinc ions in alveolar epithelial cells exposed to airborne ZnO nanoparticles at the air–liquid interface

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mihai, Cosmin; Chrisler, William B.; Xie, Yumei

    Airborne nanoparticles (NPs) that enter the respiratory tract are likely to reach the alveolar region. Accumulating observations support a role for zinc oxide (ZnO) NP dissolution in toxicity, but the majority of in vitro studies were conducted in cells exposed to NPs in growth media, where large doses of dissolved ions are shed into the exposure solution. To determine the precise intracellular accumulation dynamics and fate of zinc ions (Zn 2+) shed by airborne NPs in the cellular environment, we exposed alveolar epithelial cells to aerosolized NPs at the air-liquid interface (ALI). Using a fluorescent indicator for Zn 2+, togethermore » with organelle-specific fluorescent proteins, we quantified Zn 2+ in single cells and organelles over time. We found that at the ALI, intracellular Zn 2+ values peaked 3 h post exposure and decayed to normal values by 12 h, while in submersed cultures, intracellular Zn 2+ values continued to increase over time. The lowest toxic NP dose at the ALI generated peak intracellular Zn 2+ values that were nearly 3 folds lower than the peak values generated by the lowest toxic dose of NPs in submersed cultures, and 8 folds lower than the peak values generated by the lowest toxic dose of ZnSO4 or Zn 2+. At the ALI, the majority of intracellular Zn 2+ was found in endosomes and lysosomes as early as 1 h post exposure. In contrast, the majority of intracellular Zn 2+ following exposures to ZnSO 4 was found in other larger vesicles, with less than 10% in endosomes and lysosomes. In conclusion, together, our observations indicate that low but critical levels of intracellular Zn 2+ have to be reached, concentrated specifically in endosomes and lysosomes, for toxicity to occur, and point to the focal dissolution of the NPs in the cellular environment and the accumulation of the ions specifically in endosomes and lysosomes as the processes underlying the potent toxicity of airborne ZnO NPs.« less

  4. Speciation And Bioavailability Of Zinc In Amended Sediments

    EPA Science Inventory

    The speciation and bioavailability of zinc (Zn) in smelter-contaminated sediments was investigated as a function of phosphate (apatite) and organic amendment loading rate. Zinc species identified in preamendment sediment were zinc hydroxide-like phases, sphalerite, and zinc sorbe...

  5. Comparative effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles and dissolved zinc on zebrafish embryos and eleuthero-embryos: importance of zinc ions.

    PubMed

    Brun, Nadja Rebecca; Lenz, Markus; Wehrli, Bernhard; Fent, Karl

    2014-04-01

    The increasing use of zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) and their associated environmental occurrence make it necessary to assess their potential effects on aquatic organisms. Upon water contact, nZnO dissolve partially to zinc (Zn(II)). To date it is not yet completely understood, whether effects of nZnO are solely or partly due to dissolved Zn(II). Here we compare potential effects of 0.2, 1 and 5mg/L nZnO and corresponding concentrations of released Zn(II) by water soluble ZnCl2 to two development stages of zebrafish, embryos and eleuthero-embryos, by analysing expressional changes by RT-qPCR. Another objective was to assess uptake and tissue distribution of Zn(II). Laser ablation-ICP-MS analysis demonstrated that uptake and tissue distribution of Zn(II) were identical for nZnO and ZnCl2 in eleuthero-embryos. Zn(II) was found particularly in the retina/pigment layer of eyes and brain. Both nZnO and dissolved Zn(II) derived from ZnCl2 had similar inhibiting effects on hatching, and they induced similar expressional changes of target genes. At 72hours post fertilization (hpf), both nZnO and Zn(II) delayed hatching at all doses, and inhibited hatching at 1 and 5 mg/L at 96 hpf. Both nZnO and Zn(II) lead to induction of metallothionein (mt2) in both embryos and eleuthero-embryos at all concentrations. Transcripts of oxidative stress related genes cat and Cu/Zn sod were also altered. Moreover, we show for the first time that nZnO exposure results in transcriptional changes of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNFα. Overall, transcriptional alterations were higher in embryos than eleuthero-embryos. The similarities of the effects lead to the conclusion that effects of nZnO are mainly related to the release of Zn(II). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Synthesis, structure and reactivity of [Tm(Bu(t))]ZnH, a monomeric terminal zinc hydride compound in a sulfur-rich coordination environment: access to a heterobimetallic compound.

    PubMed

    Kreider-Mueller, Ava; Quinlivan, Patrick J; Rauch, Michael; Owen, Jonathan S; Parkin, Gerard

    2016-02-07

    The first terminal zinc hydride complex that features a sulfur-rich coordination environment, namely the tris(2-mercapto-1-tert-butylimidazolyl)hydroborato compound, [Tm(Bu(t))]ZnH, has been synthesized via the reaction of [Tm(Bu(t))]ZnOPh with PhSiH3. The Zn-H bond of [Tm(Bu(t))]ZnH is subject to insertion of CO2 and facile protolytic cleavage, of which the latter provides access to heterobimetallic [Tm(Bu(t))]ZnMo(CO)3Cp.

  7. Effects of annealing heat treatment on the corrosion resistance of Zn/Mg/Zn multilayer coatings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bae, KiTae; La, JoungHyun; Lee, InGyu; Lee, SangYul; Nam, KyungHoon

    2017-05-01

    Zn coatings alloyed with magnesium offer superior corrosion resistance compared to pure Zn or other Zn-based alloy coatings. In this study, Zn/Mg/Zn multilayer coatings with various Mg layer thicknesses were synthesized using an unbalanced magnetron sputtering process and were annealed to form Zn-Mg intermetallic phases. The effects of the annealing heat treatment on the corrosion resistance of the Zn/Mg/Zn multilayer coatings were evaluated using electrochemical measurements. The extensive diffusion of magnesium species into the upper and lower zinc layer from the magnesium layer in the middle of the coating was observed after the heat treatment. This phenomenon caused (a) the porous microstructure to transition into a dense structure and (b) the formation of a MgZn2 intermetallic phase. The results of the electrochemical measurements demonstrated that the heat treated Zn/Mg/Zn multilayer coatings possessed higher levels of corrosion resistance than the non-heat treated coatings. A Zn/Mg/Zn multilayer coating with MgZn2 and (Zn) phases showed the best corrosion resistance among the heat treated coatings, which could be attributed to the reduced galvanic corrosion effects due to a small potential gradient between the MgZn2 and zinc.

  8. Zinc composite anode for batteries with solid electrolyte

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tedjar, F.; Melki, T.; Zerroual, L.

    A new negative composite anode for batteries with a solid electrolyte is studied. Using a complex of zinc ammonium chloride mixed with zinc metal powder, the advantage of the Zn/Zn 2+ electrode ( e = -760 mV) is kept while the energy density and the shelf-life of the battery are increased.

  9. Spectroscopic characterization of zinc oxide nanorods synthesized by solid-state reaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prasad, Virendra; D'Souza, Charlene; Yadav, Deepti; Shaikh, A. J.; Vigneshwaran, Nadanathangam

    2006-09-01

    Well-crystallized zinc oxide nanorods have been fabricated by single step solid-state reaction using zinc acetate and sodium hydroxide, at room temperature. The sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) stabilized zinc oxide nanorods were characterized by using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction revealed the wurtzite structure of zinc oxide. The size estimation by XRD and TEM confirmed that the ZnO nanorods are made of single crystals. The growth of zinc oxide crystals into rod shape was found to be closely related to its hexagonal nature. The mass ratio of SLS:ZnO in the nanorods was found to be 1:10 based on the thermogravimetric analysis. Blue shift of photoluminescence emission was noticed in the ZnO nanorods when compared to that of ZnO bulk. FT-IR analysis confirmed the binding of SLS with ZnO nanorods. Apart from ease of preparation, this method has the advantage of eco-friendliness since the solvent and other harmful chemicals were eliminated in the synthesis protocol.

  10. Preparation and characterization of double layer thin films ZnO/ZnO:Ag for methylene blue photodegradation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wibowo, Singgih, E-mail: singgih@st.fisika.undip.ac.id; Sutanto, Heri, E-mail: herisutanto@undip.ac.id

    2016-02-08

    Double layer (DL) thin films of zinc oxide and silver-doped zinc oxide (ZnO/ZnO:Ag) were deposited on glass substrate by sol-gel spray coating technique. The prepared thin films were subjected for optical and photocatalytic studies. UV-visible transmission spectra shows that the subtitution of Ag in ZnO leads to band gap reduction. The influence of Ag doping on the photocatalytic activity of ZnO for the degradation of methylene blue dye was studied under solar radiation. The light absorption over an extended visible region by Ag ion doping in ZnO film contributed equally to improve the photocatalytic activity up to 98.29%.

  11. Effect of additional vitamin E and zinc supplementation on immunological changes in peripartum Sahiwal cows.

    PubMed

    Chandra, G; Aggarwal, A; Kumar, M; Singh, A K; Sharma, V K; Upadhyay, R C

    2014-12-01

    This study was conducted to exploit ameliorative effect of additional vitamin E and/or zinc supplementation on immune response of peripartum Sahiwal cows. Thirty-two pregnant dry Sahiwal cows were blocked into four treatment groups (n = 8), namely control, zinc (Zn), vitamin E (Vit E) and zinc + vitamin E (Zn + Vit E). Feeding regimen was same in all the groups except that the Sahiwal cows in the zinc-, vitamin E- and zinc + vitamin E-fed groups were additionally supplemented with 60 mg Zn/kg DM, 1000 IU vitamin E and 60 mg/kg + 1000 IU Zn + vitamin E, respectively, from day 60 pre-partum to day 90 post-partum. Blood samples were collected on days -60, -45, -30, -15, -7, -3, 0, 3, 7, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 with respect to day of parturition and analysed for total immunoglobulin (TIG), immunoglobulin G (IgG), interleukin-2 (IL-2), vitamin E (Vit E) and zinc (Zn) status. Before calving, cows showed a decrease in plasma TIG, IgG, IL-2, Vit E and Zn levels. However, increased levels of plasma TIG, IgG, IL-2, Vit E and Zn were observed after calving. After calving, Sahiwal cows supplemented with Zn + Vit E had higher plasma TIG, IgG and IL-2 in comparison with cows of control and Zn + Vit E-fed groups. In the present study, plasma vitamin E level was higher in Vit E-fed and Zn + Vit E-fed cows; however, zinc level was higher in Zn- and Zn + Vit E-supplemented cows. In conclusion, a reduced immune response during peripartum period in Sahiwal cows was ameliorated by dietary vitamin E and zinc supplementation. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  12. On the formation of nanocrystalline active zinc oxide from zinc hydroxide carbonate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moezzi, Amir; Cortie, Michael; Dowd, Annette; McDonagh, Andrew

    2014-04-01

    The decomposition of zinc hydroxide carbonate, Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6 (ZHC), into the high surface area form of ZnO known as "active zinc oxide" is examined. In particular, the nucleation and evolution of the ZnO nanocrystals is of interest as the size of these particles controls the activity of the product. The decomposition process was studied using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and BET surface area measurements. At about 240 °C ZHC decomposes to porous ZnO in a single step. The product material has a specific surface area in the range of 47-65 m2 g-1 and initially has a crystallite size that is of the order of 10 nm. A further increase in temperature, however, causes the particles to coarsen to over 25 nm in diameter. In principle, the coarsening phenomenon may be interrupted to control the particle size.

  13. Zinc-Containing Hydroxyapatite Enhances Cold-Light-Activated Tooth Bleaching Treatment In Vitro

    PubMed Central

    Shi, Xinchang

    2017-01-01

    Cold-light bleaching treatment has grown to be a popular tooth whitening procedure in recent years, but its side effect of dental enamel demineralization is a widespread problem. The aim of this study was to synthesize zinc-substituted hydroxyapatite as an effective biomaterial to inhibit demineralization or increase remineralization. We synthesized zinc-substituted hydroxyapatite containing different zinc concentrations and analysed the product using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The biological assessment of Zn-HA was conducted by CCK-8 assay and bacterial inhibition tests. pH cycling was performed to estimate the effect of Zn-HA on the enamel surface after cold-light bleaching treatment. The XRD, FTIR, and EDS results illustrated that zinc ions and hydroxyapatite combined in two forms: (1) Zn2+ absorbed on the surface of HA crystal and (2) Zn2+ incorporated into the lattice of HA. The results indicated that 2% Zn-HA, 4% Zn-HA, and 8% Zn-HA effectively inhibited the growth of bacteria yet showed poor biocompatibility, whereas 1% Zn-HA positively affected osteoblast proliferation. The XRD and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that the use of Zn-HA in pH cycling is obviously beneficial for enamel remineralization. Zinc-substituted hydroxyapatite could be a promising biomaterial for use in cold-light bleaching to prevent enamel demineralization. PMID:29159178

  14. Supersaturation of aqueous species and hydrothermal crystal growth of ZnO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gelabert, M. C.

    2015-05-01

    Synthesis of ZnO crystals prepared with zinc acetate or chloride, disodium dihydrogen ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), potassium hydroxide and sodium triflate at 200 °C and variable pH 8-12 is reported. Crystals were imaged and size-analyzed with optical microscopy. Using aqueous speciation modeling software, supersaturation dependence on pH was calculated for five zinc species-Zn2+, Zn(OH)+, Zn(OH)2, Zn(OH)3- and Zn(OH)42- -to investigate connections between predominate crystal habits at different pH and dominant aqueous species. For zinc acetate and chloride systems, the zinc species with highest supersaturation was Zn(OH)42- throughout the pH 8-12 range, and the second highest was Zn2+ or Zn(OH)3-, with a crossover pH of 10.2-10.4 depending on counterion. The prominence of the tetrahydroxyl zinc species in ZnO crystal growth is supported by these calculations, and total supersaturation is inversely proportional to average crystal sizes, as expected. Optical microscopy and size analysis on products revealed crystals with a needle or prismatic habit throughout the studied pH range, and the change in aspect ratio correlates with supersaturation changes for the Zn2+ in this pH range, thus suggesting that growth rates along the [001] crystallographic direction are affected by small concentration changes of this ion.

  15. The Blue-Shift of Photoluminescence Spectra of Zinc Complexes of 8-Hydroxyquinoline by Addition of ZnO Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keshmiri, Laleh; Elahi, Seyed Mohammad; Jafari, Mohammad Reza; Jafari, Fatemeh; Parhizgar, Sara Sadat

    2018-02-01

    In this research, an organo-metallic complex based on zinc ions (Znq2), which can be used in organic light-emitting diodes, was investigated. Nanoparticles of ZnO were produced and added to the Znq2 complex. By means of x-ray diffraction, the structure of Znq2 complex and ZnO nanoparticles and the energy levels of them were determined from cyclic-voltammetry analysis. From thermal gravimetric studies, it was found that the complexes have a high thermal stability in the air atmosphere. The purity of samples was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The maximum intensity of the photoluminescence spectrum of Znq2 occurred at 565 nm and showed a blue shift to 511 nm by adding ZnO nanoparticles to the Znq2 complex. The optical and electrical properties of the Znq2 and the mixture of Znq2 and ZnO nano powders were studied in order to find any possible applications in organic light emitting devices.

  16. Physical chemical effects of zinc on in vitro enamel demineralization.

    PubMed

    Mohammed, N R; Mneimne, M; Hill, R G; Al-Jawad, M; Lynch, R J M; Anderson, P

    2014-09-01

    Zinc salts are formulated into oral health products as antibacterial agents, yet their interaction with enamel is not clearly understood. The aim was to investigate the effect of zinc concentration [Zn(2+)] on the in vitro demineralization of enamel during exposure to caries-simulating conditions. Furthermore, the possible mechanism of zinc's action for reducing demineralization was determined. Enamel blocks and synthetic hydroxyapatite (HAp) were demineralized in a range of zinc-containing acidic solutions (0-3565ppm [Zn(2+)]) at pH 4.0 and 37°C. Inductively coupled-plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) was used to measure ion release into solution. Enamel blocks were analysed by Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and HAp by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and neutron diffraction (ND). ICP-OES analysis of the acidic solutions showed a decrease in [Ca(2+)] and [PO4(3-)] release with increasing [Zn(2+)]. FTIR revealed a α-hopeite (α-Zn3(PO4)2.4H2O)-like phase on the enamel surfaces at >107ppm [Zn(2+)]. XRD and ND analysis confirmed a zinc-phosphate phase present alongside the HAp. This study confirms that zinc reduces enamel demineralization. Under the conditions studied, zinc acts predominantly on enamel surfaces at PO4(3-) sites in the HAp lattice to possibly form an α-hopeite-like phase. These results have a significant implication on the understanding of the fundamental chemistry of zinc in toothpastes and demonstrate its therapeutic potential in preventing tooth mineral loss. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  17. Influence of Dopants in ZnO Films on Defects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peng, Cheng-Xiao; Weng, Hui-Min; Zhang, Yang; Ma, Xing-Ping; Ye, Bang-Jiao

    2008-12-01

    The influence of dopants in ZnO films on defects is investigated by slow positron annihilation technique. The results show S that parameters meet SAl > Sun > SAg for Al-doped ZnO films, undoped and Ag-doped ZnO films. Zinc vacancies are found in all ZnO films with different dopants. According to S parameter and the same defect type, it can be induced that the zinc vacancy concentration is the highest in the Al-doped ZnO film, and it is the least in the Ag-doped ZnO film. When Al atoms are doped in the ZnO films grown on silicon substrates, Zn vacancies increase as compared to the undoped and Ag-doped ZnO films. The dopant concentration could determine the position of Fermi level in materials, while defect formation energy of zinc vacancy strongly depends on the position of Fermi level, so its concentration varies with dopant element and dopant concentration.

  18. Soluble Supercapacitors: Large and Reversible Charge Storage in Colloidal Iron-Doped ZnO Nanocrystals.

    PubMed

    Brozek, Carl K; Zhou, Dongming; Liu, Hongbin; Li, Xiaosong; Kittilstved, Kevin R; Gamelin, Daniel R

    2018-05-09

    Colloidal ZnO semiconductor nanocrystals have previously been shown to accumulate multiple delocalized conduction-band electrons under chemical, electrochemical, or photochemical reducing conditions, leading to emergent semimetallic characteristics such as quantum plasmon resonances and raising prospects for application in multielectron redox transformations. Here, we demonstrate a dramatic enhancement in the capacitance of colloidal ZnO nanocrystals through aliovalent Fe 3+ -doping. Very high areal and volumetric capacitances (33 μF cm -2 , 233 F cm -3 ) are achieved in Zn 0.99 Fe 0.01 O nanocrystals that rival those of the best supercapacitors used in commercial energy-storage devices. The redox properties of these nanocrystals are probed by potentiometric titration and optical spectroscopy. These data indicate an equilibrium between electron localization by Fe 3+ dopants and electron delocalization within the ZnO conduction band, allowing facile reversible charge storage and removal. As "soluble supercapacitors", colloidal iron-doped ZnO nanocrystals constitute a promising class of solution-processable electronic materials with large charge-storage capacity attractive for future energy-storage applications.

  19. Enhanced zinc consumption causes memory deficits and increased brain levels of zinc

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Flinn, J.M.; Hunter, D.; Linkous, D.H.; Lanzirotti, A.; Smith, L.N.; Brightwell, J.; Jones, B.F.

    2005-01-01

    Zinc deficiency has been shown to impair cognitive functioning, but little work has been done on the effects of elevated zinc. This research examined the effect on memory of raising Sprague-Dawley rats on enhanced levels of zinc (10 ppm ZnCO3; 0.153 mM) in the drinking water for periods of 3 or 9 months, both pre- and postnatally. Controls were raised on lab water. Memory was tested in a series of Morris Water Maze (MWM) experiments, and zinc-treated rats were found to have impairments in both reference and working memory. They were significantly slower to find a stationary platform and showed greater thigmotaxicity, a measure of anxiety. On a working memory task, where the platform was moved each day, zinc-treated animals had longer latencies over both trials and days, swam further from the platform, and showed greater thigmotaxicity. On trials using an Atlantis platform, which remained in one place but was lowered on probe trials, the zinc-treated animals had significantly fewer platform crossings, spent less time in the target quadrant, and did not swim as close to the platform position. They had significantly greater latency on nonprobe trials. Microprobe synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (??SXRF) confirmed that brain zinc levels were increased by adding ZnCO 3 to the drinking water. These data show that long-term dietary administration of zinc can lead to impairments in cognitive function. ?? 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. 21 CFR 73.1991 - Zinc oxide.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... amounts consistent with good manufacturing practice. (d) Labeling. The color additive and any mixtues... ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Drugs § 73.1991 Zinc oxide. (a) Identity. (1) The color additive zinc...). It is principally composed of Zn. (2) Color additive mixtures for drug use made with zinc oxide may...

  1. Characterization of zinc stress response in Cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. IU 625.

    PubMed

    Newby, Robert; Lee, Lee H; Perez, Jose L; Tao, Xin; Chu, Tinchun

    2017-05-01

    The ability of cyanobacteria to survive many environmental stress factors is a testament to their resilience in nature. Of these environmental stress factors, overexposure to zinc is important to study since excessive zinc intake can be a severe hazard. Zinc toxicity in freshwater has been demonstrated to affects organisms such as invertebrates, algae and cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria which possess increased resistance to zinc have been isolated. It is therefore important to elucidate the mechanism of survival and response to determine what factors allow their survival; as well as any remediation implications they may have. To characterize the effects of zinc in freshwater cyanobacteria, we investigated the response of Synechococcus sp. IU 625 (S. IU 625) over 29days to various concentrations (10, 25, and 50mg/L) of ZnCl 2 . S. IU 625 was shown to be tolerant up to 25mg/L ZnCl 2 exposure, with 10mg/L ZnCl 2 having no outward physiological change and 50mg/L ZnCl 2 proving lethal to the cells. To determine a potential mechanism Inductive Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and RNA-seq analysis were performed on zinc exposed cells. Analysis performed on days 4 and 7 indicated that response is dose-dependent, with 10mg/L ZnCl 2 exhibiting nearly all zinc extracellular, corresponding with upregulation of cation transport response. Whereas the 25mg/L ZnCl 2 exhibited half of total zinc sequestered by the cells, which corresponds with the upregulation of sequestering proteins such as metallothionein and the downregulation of genes involved with ATP synthesis and phycobilisome assembly. These analyses were combined with growth monitoring, microscopy, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and flow cytometry to present a full spectrum of mechanisms behind zinc response in S. IU 625. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Selenium, copper, zinc, iron levels and mortality in patients with sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome in Western Black Sea Region, Turkey.

    PubMed

    Ayoglu, Hilal; Sezer, Ustun; Akin, Mehmet; Okyay, Dilek; Ayoglu, Ferruh; Can, Murat; Kucukosman, Gamze; Piskin, Ozcan; Aydin, Bengu; Cimencan, Murat; Gur, Abdullah; Turan, Isil

    2016-04-01

    To evaluate the changing levels of selenium, copper, zinc and iron in patients with sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome and their influence on mortality. The prospective study was conducted at a tertiary care university hospital in Zonguldak city in the western Black Sea region of Turkey from January 2012 to December 2013, and comprised patients with sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Blood samples were taken on 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th days to measure serum selenium, copper, zinc and iron levels. Patients' demographic data, presence of additional diseases and mortality were recorded. Of the 57 patients, 28(49.1%) were female and 29(50.9%) were male, with an overall mean age of 60.3±19.4 years, mean height of 166.1±11.4cm, mean weight of 76.5±17.5kg. Copper and zinc levels were in the normal range, while selenium and iron levels were lower than the limit values at all measuring periods. There was no significant difference between first and other days in accordance with element levels (p>0.05). Baseline copper levels in patients with malignancy were lower than patients without malignancy (p< 0.05). In hypertensive patients, baseline copper levels were higher and 7th day levels were lower than non-hypertensive (p< 0.05). Baseline selenium levels of those who died were lower than the other patients (p< 0.05). Selenium and iron levels were decreased in patients with sepsis-systemic inflammatory response syndrome and copper levels were lower in patients with malignancy, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p< 0.05). There was no change in zinc levels of the patients. Reduced basal selenium levels of patients with sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome were associated with mortality.

  3. Long-range ordering effect in electrodeposition of zinc and zinc oxide.

    PubMed

    Liu, Tao; Wang, Sheng; Shi, Zi-Liang; Ma, Guo-Bin; Wang, Mu; Peng, Ru-Wen; Hao, Xi-Ping; Ming, Nai-Ben

    2007-05-01

    In this paper, we report the long-range ordering effect observed in the electro-crystallization of Zn and ZnO from an ultrathin aqueous electrolyte layer of ZnSO4 . The deposition branches are regularly angled, covered with random-looking, scalelike crystalline platelets of ZnO. Although the orientation of each crystalline platelet of ZnO appears random, transmission electron microscopy shows that they essentially possess the same crystallographic orientation as the single-crystalline zinc electrodeposit underneath. Based on the experimental observations, we suggest that this unique long-range ordering effect results from an epitaxial nucleation effect in electrocrystallization.

  4. Mitochondrial and Chromosomal Damage Induced by Oxidative Stress in Zn2+ Ions, ZnO-Bulk and ZnO-NPs treated Allium cepa roots

    PubMed Central

    Ahmed, Bilal; Dwivedi, Sourabh; Abdin, Malik Zainul; Azam, Ameer; Al-Shaeri, Majed; Khan, Mohammad Saghir; Saquib, Quaiser; Al-Khedhairy, Abdulaziz A.; Musarrat, Javed

    2017-01-01

    Large-scale synthesis and release of nanomaterials in environment is a growing concern for human health and ecosystem. Therefore, we have investigated the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), zinc oxide bulk (ZnO-Bulk), and zinc ions (Zn2+) in treated roots of Allium cepa, under hydroponic conditions. ZnO-NPs were characterized by UV-visible, XRD, FT-IR spectroscopy and TEM analyses. Bulbs of A. cepa exposed to ZnO-NPs (25.5 nm) for 12 h exhibited significant decrease (23 ± 8.7%) in % mitotic index and increase in chromosomal aberrations (18 ± 7.6%), in a dose-dependent manner. Transmission electron microcopy and FT-IR data suggested surface attachment, internalization and biomolecular intervention of ZnO-NPs in root cells, respectively. The levels of TBARS and antioxidant enzymes were found to be significantly greater in treated root cells vis-à-vis untreated control. Furthermore, dose-dependent increase in ROS production and alterations in ΔΨm were observed in treated roots. FT-IR analysis of root tissues demonstrated symmetric and asymmetric P=O stretching of >PO2− at 1240 cm−1 and stretching of C-O ribose at 1060 cm−1, suggestive of nuclear damage. Overall, the results elucidated A. cepa, as a good model for assessment of cytotoxicity and oxidative DNA damage with ZnO-NPs and Zn2+ in plants. PMID:28120857

  5. In Vitro Bioavailability of Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, and Copper from Gluten-Free Breads Supplemented with Natural Additives.

    PubMed

    Regula, J; Cerba, A; Suliburska, J; Tinkov, A A

    2018-03-01

    The aim of this study was to measure the content of calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper and determine the bioavailability of these ingredients in gluten-free breads fortified with milk and selected seeds. Due to the increasing prevalence of celiac disease and mineral deficiencies, it has become necessary to produce food with higher nutritional values which maintains the appropriate product characteristics. This study was designed for gluten-free breads fortified with milk and seeds such as flax, poppy, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or nuts, and flour with amaranth. Subsequently, digestion was performed in vitro and the potential bioavailability of the minerals was measured. In the case of calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper, higher bioavailability was observed in rice bread, and, in the case of copper and zinc, in buckwheat bread. This demonstrated a clear increase in bioavailability of all the minerals when the bread were enriched. However, satisfactory results are obtained only for the individual micronutrients.

  6. Zinc and the iron donor frataxin regulate oligomerization of the scaffold protein to form new Fe-S cluster assembly centers.

    PubMed

    Galeano, B K; Ranatunga, W; Gakh, O; Smith, D Y; Thompson, J R; Isaya, G

    2017-06-21

    Early studies of the bacterial Fe-S cluster assembly system provided structural details for how the scaffold protein and the cysteine desulfurase interact. This work and additional work on the yeast and human systems elucidated a conserved mechanism for sulfur donation but did not provide any conclusive insights into the mechanism for iron delivery from the iron donor, frataxin, to the scaffold. We previously showed that oligomerization is a mechanism by which yeast frataxin (Yfh1) can promote assembly of the core machinery for Fe-S cluster synthesis both in vitro and in cells, in such a manner that the scaffold protein, Isu1, can bind to Yfh1 independent of the presence of the cysteine desulfurase, Nfs1. Here, in the absence of Yfh1, Isu1 was found to exist in two forms, one mostly monomeric with limited tendency to dimerize, and one with a strong propensity to oligomerize. Whereas the monomeric form is stabilized by zinc, the loss of zinc promotes formation of dimer and higher order oligomers. However, upon binding to oligomeric Yfh1, both forms take on a similar symmetrical trimeric configuration that places the Fe-S cluster coordinating residues of Isu1 in close proximity of iron-binding residues of Yfh1. This configuration is suitable for docking of Nfs1 in a manner that provides a structural context for coordinate iron and sulfur donation to the scaffold. Moreover, distinct structural features suggest that in physiological conditions the zinc-regulated abundance of monomeric vs. oligomeric Isu1 yields [Yfh1]·[Isu1] complexes with different Isu1 configurations that afford unique functional properties for Fe-S cluster assembly and delivery.

  7. Molecular mapping of the grain iron and zinc concentration, protein content and thousand kernel weight in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

    PubMed Central

    Krishnappa, Gopalareddy; Chaudhary, Swati; Ahlawat, Arvind Kumar; Singh, Santosh Kumar; Shukla, Ram Bihari; Jaiswal, Jai Prakash; Singh, Gyanendra Pratap; Solanki, Ishwar Singh

    2017-01-01

    Genomic regions responsible for accumulation of grain iron concentration (Fe), grain zinc concentration (Zn), grain protein content (PC) and thousand kernel weight (TKW) were investigated in 286 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between an old Indian wheat variety WH542 and a synthetic derivative (Triticum dicoccon PI94624/Aegilops squarrosa [409]//BCN). RILs were grown in six environments and evaluated for Fe, Zn, PC, and TKW. The population showed the continuous distribution for all the four traits, that for pooled Fe and PC was near normal, whereas, for pooled Zn, RILs exhibited positively skewed distribution. A genetic map spanning 2155.3cM was constructed using microsatellite markers covering the 21 chromosomes and used for QTL analysis. 16 quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified in this study. Four QTLs (QGFe.iari-2A, QGFe.iari-5A, QGFe.iari-7A and QGFe.iari-7B) for Fe, five QTLs (QGZn.iari-2A, QGZn.iari-4A, QGZn.iari-5A, QGZn.iari-7A and QGZn.iari-7B) for Zn, two QTLs (QGpc.iari-2A and QGpc.iari-3A) for PC, and five QTLs (QTkw.iari-1A, QTkw.iari-2A, QTkw.iari-2B, QTkw.iari-5B and QTkw.iari-7A) for TKW were identified. The QTLs together explained 20.0%, 32.0%, 24.1% and 32.3% phenotypic variation, respectively, for Fe, Zn, PC and TKW. QGpc.iari-2A was consistently expressed in all the six environments, whereas, QGFe.iari-7B and QGZn.iari-2A were identified in two environments each apart from pooled mean. QTkw.iari-2A and QTkw.iari-7A, respectively, were identified in four and three environments apart from pooled mean. A common region in the interval of Xgwm359-Xwmc407 on chromosome 2A was associated with Fe, Zn, and PC. One more QTL for TKW was identified on chromosome 2A but in a different chromosomal region (Xgwm382-Xgwm359). Two more regions on 5A (Xgwm126-Xgwm595) and 7A (Xbarc49-Xwmc525) were found to be associated with both Fe and Zn. A QTL for TKW was identified (Xwmc525-Xbarc222) in a different chromosomal region on the same

  8. Regulation of zinc homeostasis by inducible NO synthase-derived NO: nuclear metallothionein translocation and intranuclear Zn2+ release.

    PubMed

    Spahl, Daniela U; Berendji-Grün, Denise; Suschek, Christoph V; Kolb-Bachofen, Victoria; Kröncke, Klaus-D

    2003-11-25

    Zn2+ is critical for the functional and structural integrity of cells and contributes to a number of important processes including gene expression. It has been shown that NO exogenously applied via NO donors resulting in nitrosative stress leads to cytoplasmic Zn2+ release from the zinc storing protein metallothionein (MT) and probably other proteins that complex Zn2+ via cysteine thiols. We show here that, in cytokine-activated murine aortic endothelial cells, NO derived from the inducible NO synthase (iNOS) induces a transient nuclear release of Zn2+. This nuclear Zn2+ release depends on the presence of MT as shown by the lack of this effect in activated endothelial cells from MT-deficient mice and temporally correlates with nuclear MT translocation. Data also show that NO is an essential but not sufficient signal for MT-mediated Zn2+ trafficking from the cytoplasm into the nucleus. In addition, we found that, endogenously via iNOS, synthesized NO increases the constitutive mRNA expression of both MT-1 and MT-2 genes and that nitrosative stress exogenously applied via an NO donor increases constitutive MT mRNA expression via intracellular Zn2+ release. In conclusion, we here provide evidence for a signaling mechanism based on iNOS-derived NO through the regulation of intracellular Zn2+ trafficking and homeostasis.

  9. Regulation of zinc homeostasis by inducible NO synthase-derived NO: Nuclear metallothionein translocation and intranuclear Zn2+ release

    PubMed Central

    Spahl, Daniela U.; Berendji-Grün, Denise; Suschek, Christoph V.; Kolb-Bachofen, Victoria; Kröncke, Klaus-D.

    2003-01-01

    Zn2+ is critical for the functional and structural integrity of cells and contributes to a number of important processes including gene expression. It has been shown that NO exogenously applied via NO donors resulting in nitrosative stress leads to cytoplasmic Zn2+ release from the zinc storing protein metallothionein (MT) and probably other proteins that complex Zn2+ via cysteine thiols. We show here that, in cytokine-activated murine aortic endothelial cells, NO derived from the inducible NO synthase (iNOS) induces a transient nuclear release of Zn2+. This nuclear Zn2+ release depends on the presence of MT as shown by the lack of this effect in activated endothelial cells from MT-deficient mice and temporally correlates with nuclear MT translocation. Data also show that NO is an essential but not sufficient signal for MT-mediated Zn2+ trafficking from the cytoplasm into the nucleus. In addition, we found that, endogenously via iNOS, synthesized NO increases the constitutive mRNA expression of both MT-1 and MT-2 genes and that nitrosative stress exogenously applied via an NO donor increases constitutive MT mRNA expression via intracellular Zn2+ release. In conclusion, we here provide evidence for a signaling mechanism based on iNOS-derived NO through the regulation of intracellular Zn2+ trafficking and homeostasis. PMID:14617770

  10. A green analytical method using ultrasound in sample preparation for the flow injection determination of iron, manganese, and zinc in soluble solid samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Yebra, M Carmen

    2012-01-01

    A simple and rapid analytical method was developed for the determination of iron, manganese, and zinc in soluble solid samples. The method is based on continuous ultrasonic water dissolution of the sample (5-30 mg) at room temperature followed by flow injection flame atomic absorption spectrometric determination. A good precision of the whole procedure (1.2-4.6%) and a sample throughput of ca. 25 samples h(-1) were obtained. The proposed green analytical method has been successfully applied for the determination of iron, manganese, and zinc in soluble solid food samples (soluble cocoa and soluble coffee) and pharmaceutical preparations (multivitamin tablets). The ranges of concentrations found were 21.4-25.61 μg g(-1) for iron, 5.74-18.30 μg g(-1) for manganese, and 33.27-57.90 μg g(-1) for zinc in soluble solid food samples and 3.75-9.90 μg g(-1) for iron, 0.47-5.05 μg g(-1) for manganese, and 1.55-15.12 μg g(-1) for zinc in multivitamin tablets. The accuracy of the proposed method was established by a comparison with the conventional wet acid digestion method using a paired t-test, indicating the absence of systematic errors.

  11. Synthesis and characterization of ZnO thin films

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Anilkumar, T. S., E-mail: anil24march@gmail.com; Girija, M. L., E-mail: girija.ml.grt1@gmail.com; Venkatesh, J., E-mail: phph9502@yahoo.com

    2016-05-06

    Zinc oxide (ZnO) Thin films were deposited on glass substrate using Spin coating method. Zinc acetate dehydrate, Carbinol and Mono-ethanolamine were used as the precursor, solvent and stabilizer respectively to prepare ZnO Thin-films. The molar ratio of Monoethanolamine to Zinc acetate was maintained as approximately 1. The thickness of the films was determined by Interference technique. The optical properties of the films were studied by UV Vis-Spectrophotometer. From transmittance and absorbance curve, the energy band gap of ZnO is found out. Electrical Conductivity measurements of ZnO are carried out by two probe method and Activation energy for the electrical conductivitymore » of ZnO are found out. The crystal structure and orientation of the films were analyzed by XRD. The XRD patterns show that the ZnO films are polycrystalline with wurtzite hexagonal structure.« less

  12. High-performance iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic particle imaging - guided hyperthermia (hMPI)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bauer, Lisa M.; Situ, Shu F.; Griswold, Mark A.; Samia, Anna Cristina S.

    2016-06-01

    through selective doping of magnetite nanoparticles with zinc. Moreover, we demonstrated focused magnetic hyperthermia heating by adapting the field gradient used in MPI. By saturating the iron oxide nanoparticles outside of a field free region (FFR) with an external static field, we can selectively heat a target region in our test sample. By comparing zinc-doped magnetite cubic nanoparticles with undoped spherical nanoparticles, we could show a 5-fold improvement in the specific absorption rate (SAR) in magnetic hyperthermia while providing good MPI signal, thereby demonstrating the potential for high-performance focused hyperthermia therapy through an MPI-guided approach (hMPI). Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Detailed IONP synthetic methods, description of magnetic particle relaxometer set-up, TEM of reference IONP (Senior Scientific PrecisionMRX™ 25 nm oleic acid-coated nanoparticles), concentration dependent PSF of all IONP samples, PSF and SAR of Zn-Sph and Zn-Cube mixture sample, upper right quadrant of field-dependent hysteresis curve labelled with static field strengths, and the magnetic hyperthermia temperature profiles with and without the presence of external magnetic fields. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr01877g

  13. Iron-binding haemerythrin RING ubiquitin ligases regulate plant iron responses and accumulation

    PubMed Central

    Kobayashi, Takanori; Nagasaka, Seiji; Senoura, Takeshi; Itai, Reiko Nakanishi; Nakanishi, Hiromi; Nishizawa, Naoko K.

    2013-01-01

    Iron is essential for most living organisms. Plants transcriptionally induce genes involved in iron acquisition under conditions of low iron availability, but the nature of the deficiency signal and its sensors are unknown. Here we report the identification of new iron regulators in rice, designated Oryza sativa Haemerythrin motif-containing Really Interesting New Gene (RING)- and Zinc-finger protein 1 (OsHRZ1) and OsHRZ2. OsHRZ1, OsHRZ2 and their Arabidopsis homologue BRUTUS bind iron and zinc, and possess ubiquitination activity. OsHRZ1 and OsHRZ2 are susceptible to degradation in roots irrespective of iron conditions. OsHRZ-knockdown plants exhibit substantial tolerance to iron deficiency, and accumulate more iron in their shoots and grains irrespective of soil iron conditions. The expression of iron deficiency-inducible genes involved in iron utilization is enhanced in OsHRZ-knockdown plants, mostly under iron-sufficient conditions. These results suggest that OsHRZ1 and OsHRZ2 are iron-binding sensors that negatively regulate iron acquisition under conditions of iron sufficiency. PMID:24253678

  14. Dielectric properties and carbothermic reduction of zinc oxide and zinc ferrite by microwave heating

    PubMed Central

    Fabritius, Timo; Heikkinen, Eetu-Pekka; Chen, Guo

    2017-01-01

    This paper aims to study the dielectric properties and carbothermic reduction of zinc oxide (zincite, ZnO) and zinc ferrite (franklinite, ZnFe2O4) by microwave heating. To achieve this aim, the dielectric properties were measured with an open-ended coaxial method to understand the behaviour of the samples under microwave irradiation. The effects of microwave power, duration time and sample mass on the heating rate, and the effects of the stoichiometric amount of graphite on the reduction of ZnO and decomposition of ZnFe2O4 were investigated. The results show that ZnFe2O4 has significantly higher dielectric properties compared to ZnO. Generally, for both samples, the dielectric values at room temperature were quite low, indicating that both ZnO and ZnFe2O4 are poor microwave absorbers. It was found that the temperatures have a more significant effect on the imaginary permittivities than on the real permittivities. The heating rate showed that the sample temperature increased with increase in microwave power and sample mass. Using 700 W of microwave power and two times the stoichiometric amount of graphite, almost complete reduction of ZnO was achieved in 12 min, while ZnFe2O4 completely decomposed to zincite and wustite in 3 min. PMID:28989772

  15. Polyacrylamide Gel-Contained Zinc Finger Peptide as the "Lock" and Zinc Ions as the "Key" for Construction of Ultrasensitive Prostate-Specific Antigen SERS Immunosensor.

    PubMed

    Xie, Linglin; Yang, Xia; He, Yi; Yuan, Ruo; Chai, Yaqin

    2018-05-02

    In this work, we adopted polyacrylamide gel-contained zinc finger peptide (PZF) as a "lock" of Raman signal and zinc ions (Zn 2+ ) as a sensitive "key", which was converted from target-captured ZnO NPs, to achieve the measurement of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Owing to the lock effect from PZF, the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) tag toluidine blue (TB) connected on Ag NP-coating silica wafer was sheltered leading to low Raman response. Meanwhile, target PSA can specifically connect with antibody 2-coupled ZnO nanocomplexes (ZnO@Au@Ab 2 ) and antibody 1-coupled magnetic (CoFe 2 O 4 @Au@Ab 1 ) nanocomposite through sandwich immunoassay. In the presence of HCl, the ZnO NPs would convert into Zn 2+ to open the PZF because Zn 2+ can specifically react with zinc finger peptide to destroy the PZF structure forming abundant pores. In this way, Zn 2+ could act as the key of Raman signal to open the PZF structure obtaining a strong Raman signal of TB. The proposed SERS sensor can have a quantitative detection of PSA within the range of 1 pg mL -1 to 10 ng mL -1 with a detection limit of 0.65 pg mL -1 . The interaction between zinc finger peptide and Zn 2+ was firstly applied in SERS sensor for the sensitive detection of PSA. These results demonstrated that the new designed SERS biosensor could be a promising tool in biomarker diagnosis.

  16. Genome-wide analysis of the Zn(II)2Cys6 zinc cluster-encoding gene family in Aspergillus flavus

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Proteins with a Zn(II)2Cys6 domain, Cys-X2-Cys-X6-Cys-X5-12-Cys-X2-Cys-X6-9-Cys (hereafter, referred to as the C6 domain), form a subclass of zinc finger proteins found exclusively in fungi and yeast. Genome sequence databases of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans have provided an overvie...

  17. Characterization of the root transcriptome for iron and zinc homeostasis-related genes in indica rice (Oryza sativa L)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Micronutrient malnutrition is the most common form of nutrient deficiency among populations having a cereal based-diet. Rice is the staple food for one third of the world’s population, but is a poor source of iron and zinc concentration. We have characterized the root transcriptome of diverse indica...

  18. Antimicrobial activity of ZnO-TiO2 nanomaterials synthesized from three different precursors of ZnO: influence of ZnO/TiO2 weight ratio.

    PubMed

    Daou, Ikram; Moukrad, Najia; Zegaoui, Omar; Rhazi Filali, Fouzia

    2018-03-01

    In this study, ZnO-TiO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized from three different precursors for ZnO (zinc acetate di-hydrate, zinc nitrate hexahydrate and zinc sulfate heptahydrate) and titanium (IV) isopropoxide for TiO 2 . The prepared nanomaterials were calcined at 500 °C for 3 h and characterized by various physicochemical techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and transmission electron microscopy, combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDS). The obtained results showed that the crystalline structure, size and morphology of the ZnO-TiO 2 nanoparticles are strongly influenced by the nature of the precursor of ZnO, as well as the ZnO/TiO 2 weight ratio. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the synthesized nanomaterials were evaluated, in the dark, against five multi-resistant of Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella Paratyphi A) bacteria and a fungus (Candida albicans), which are pathogenic for humans. The obtained results showed that pure TiO 2 anatase is inactive against the tested strains, while the addition of ZnO to TiO 2 improves noticeably the effectiveness of TiO 2 nanoparticles, depending on the nature of the precursor of ZnO and the ZnO/TiO 2 weight ratio.

  19. Influences of Silver and Zinc Contents in the Stannite Ag2ZnSnS4 Photoelectrodes on Their Photoelectrochemical Performances in the Salt-Water Solution.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Kong-Wei; Hong, Shu-Wei

    2018-06-13

    The multicomponent metal sulphide (stannite Ag2ZnSnS4) samples were grown onto the conductive metal oxide coated glass substrates by using the sulfurization of co-sputtering silver-zinc-tin precursors. Several [Ag]/[Zn+Sn] and [Zn]/[Sn] ratios were set in the metal precursors to investigate their influences on the crystal phases, microstructures and physical properties of the stannite Ag2ZnSnS4 samples. The results of the crystal phases and compositions of samples showed that the stannite Ag2ZnSnS4 phase can be obtained using the two-step sulfurization process, which maintained the silver-zinc-tin precursors at 160C for 1 hour and then kept them at 450oC for 30 minutes under sulfur/nitrogen atmosphere. N-type stannite Ag2ZnSnS4 samples with the carrier concentrations of 5.54x1012 - 9.11x1012 cm-3 can be obtained. High resistivities of Ag2ZnSnS4 samples were observed due to the low values of carrier concentration. Increasing the silver content in the sample can improve its PEC performance due to the decrease in the sample resistivity. The ratio of [Ag]/[Zn+Sn] kept at 0.8 and ratio of [Zn]/[Sn] set at 0.90 in the stannite Ag2ZnSnS4 sample had the highest photoelectrochemical performance of 0.31 mA.cm-2 with the potential set at 1.23 V vs. relative hydrogen electrode applied on the sample because of it having the lowest charge transfer resistance in electrolyte.

  20. Structural Characterization and Antifungal Studies of Zinc-Doped Hydroxyapatite Coatings.

    PubMed

    Iconaru, Simona Liliana; Prodan, Alina Mihaela; Buton, Nicolas; Predoi, Daniela

    2017-04-09

    The present study is focused on the synthesis, characterization and antifungal evaluation of zinc-doped hydroxyapatite (Zn:HAp) coatings. The Zn:HAp coatings were deposited on a pure Si (Zn:HAp_Si) and Ti (Zn:HAp_Ti) substrate by a sol-gel dip coating method using a zinc-doped hydroxyapatite nanogel. The nature of the crystal phase was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The crystalline phase of the prepared Zn:HAp composite was assigned to hexagonal hydroxyapatite in the P6 3/m space group. The colloidal properties of the resulting Zn:HAp (x Zn = 0.1) nanogel were analyzed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and zeta potential. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the morphology of the zinc-doped hydroxyapatite (Zn:HAp) nanogel composite and Zn:HAp coatings. The elements Ca, P, O and Zn were found in the Zn:HAp composite. According to the EDX results, the degree of Zn substitution in the structure of Zn:HAp composite was 1.67 wt%. Moreover, the antifungal activity of Zn:HAp_Si and Zn:HAp_Ti against Candida albicans ( C. albicans ) was evaluated. A decrease in the number of surviving cells was not observed under dark conditions, whereas under daylight and UV light illumination a major decrease in the number of surviving cells was observed.

  1. Kinetic Aspects of Leaching Zinc from Waste Galvanizing Zinc by Using Hydrochloric Acid Solutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sminčáková, Emília; Trpčevská, Jarmila; Pirošková, Jana

    2017-10-01

    In this work, the results of acid leaching of flux skimmings coming from two plants are presented. Sample A contained two phases, Zn(OH)Cl and NH4Cl. In sample B, the presence of three phases, Zn5(OH)8Cl2·H2O, (NH4)2(ZnCl4) and ZnCl2(NH3)2, was proved. The aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid and distilled water was used as the leaching medium. The effects of the leaching time, temperature and concentration of the leaching medium on the zinc extraction were investigated. The apparent activation energy, E a = 4.61 kJ mol-1, and apparent reaction order n = 0.18 for sample A, and the values E a = 6.28 kJ mol-1 and n = 0.33 for sample B were experimentally determined. Zinc leaching in acid medium is a diffusion-controlled process.

  2. Effect of short-term zinc supplementation on zinc and selenium tissue distribution and serum antioxidant enzymes.

    PubMed

    Skalny, Andrey A; Tinkov, Alexey A; Medvedeva, Yulia S; Alchinova, Irina B; Karganov, Mikhail Y; Skalny, Anatoly V; Nikonorov, Alexandr A

    2015-01-01

    A significant association between Zn and Se homeostasis exists. At the same time, data on the influence of zinc supplementation on selenium distribution in organs and tissues seem to be absent. Therefore, the primary objective of the current study is to investigate the influence of zinc asparaginate supplementation on zinc and selenium distribution and serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in Wistar rats. 36 rats were used in the experiment. The duration of the experiment was 7 and 14 days in the first and second series, respectively. The rats in Group I were used as the control ones. Animals in Groups II and III daily obtained zinc asparaginate (ZnA) in the doses of 5 and 15 mg/kg weight, respectively. Zinc and selenium content in liver, kidneys, heart, muscle, serum and hair was assessed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Serum SOD and GPx activity was analysed spectrophotometrically using Randox kits. Intragastric administration of zinc asparaginate significantly increased liver, kidney, and serum zinc content without affecting skeletal and cardiac muscle levels. Zinc supplementation also stimulated selenium retention in the rats' organs. Moreover, a significant positive correlation between zinc and selenium content was observed. Finally, zinc asparaginate treatment has been shown to modulate serum GPx but not SOD activity. The obtained data indicate that zinc-induced increase in GPx activity may be mediated through modulation of selenium status. However, future studies are required to estimate the exact mechanisms of zinc and selenium interplay.

  3. Facile synthesis of p-type Zn-doped α-Fe2O3 films for solar water splitting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuo, Chun-Lin; Hsu, Yu-Kuei; Lin, Yan-Gu

    2014-10-01

    A facile and simple fabrication of Zn-doped α-Fe2O3 thin films as a photocathode for solar hydrogen generation was proposed in this report. Transparent Zn-doped α-Fe2O3 films were prepared by a deposition-annealing (DA) process using nontoxic iron(III) chloride as the Fe precursor and zinc chloride as a acceptor dopant, followed by annealing at 550 °C in air. In terms of the structural examination of as-grown samples, X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated an increase in the lattice parameters of Zn incorporated in Fe2O3 by substituting Fe in the host lattice. No second phase was determined, indicating no phase separation in the ternary materials. Energy dispersive spectroscopy results demonstrated that Zn, Fe, and O elements existed in the deposits. Furthermore, impedance measurements show that the Zn-dopant serves as an hole acceptor and increases the acceptor concentration by increasing concentration of zinc precursor. Significantly, the photoelectrochemical measurements exhibited remarkable cathodic current, corresponding to the reduction reaction of hydrogen. Finally, the optimum photocurrent can be achieved by controlled variation of the Fe and Zni precursor concentration, annealing conditions, and the number of DA cycles. According to our investigation, the understandings of morphology effect on PEC activity give the blueprint for materials design in the application of solar hydrogen.

  4. Evaluation of the simultaneous effects of processing parameters on the iron and zinc solubility of infant sorghum porridge by response surface methodology.

    PubMed

    Kayodé, A P Polycarpe; Nout, Martinus J R; Bakker, Evert J; Van Boekel, Martinus A J S

    2006-06-14

    The purpose of this study was to improve the micronutrient quality of indigenous African infant flour using traditional techniques available in the region. Response surface methodology was used to study the effect of duration of soaking, germination, and fermentation on phytate and phenolic compounds (PC), pH, viscosity, and the in vitro solubility (IVS) of iron and zinc in infant sorghum flour. The phytate and the PC concentrations of the flour were significantly modified as a result of the duration of germination and fermentation and their mutual interaction. These modifications were accompanied by a significant increase in % IVS Zn after 24 h of sprouting. Except for the interaction of soaking and fermentation, none of the processing parameters exerted a significant effect on the % IVS Fe. The viscosity of the porridge prepared with the flour decreased significantly with the duration of germination, making it possible to produce a porridge with high energy and nutrient density. The use of germination in combination with fermentation is recommended in the processing of cereals for infant feeding in developing countries.

  5. Iron, zinc and copper in the Alzheimer’s disease brain: a quantitative meta-analysis. Some insight on the influence of citation bias on scientific opinion

    PubMed Central

    Schrag, Matthew; Mueller, Claudius; Oyoyo, Udochukwu; Kirsch, Wolff M.

    2011-01-01

    Dysfunctional homeostasis of transition metals is believed to play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Although questioned by some, brain copper, zinc, and particularly iron overload are widely accepted features of AD which have led to the hypothesis that oxidative stress generated from aberrant homeostasis of these transition metals might be a pathogenic mechanism behind AD. This meta-analysis compiled and critically assessed available quantitative data on brain iron, zinc and copper levels in AD patients compared to aged controls. The results were very heterogeneous. A series of heavily cited articles from one laboratory reported a large increase in iron in AD neocortex compared to age-matched controls (p<0.0001) while seven laboratories failed to reproduce these findings reporting no significant difference between the groups (p=0.76). A more than three-fold citation bias was found to favor outlier studies reporting increases in iron and this bias was particularly prominent among narrative review articles. Additionally, while zinc was not significantly changed in the neocortex (p=0.29), copper was significantly depleted in AD (p=0.0003). In light of these findings, it will be important to re-evaluate the hypothesis that transition metal overload accounts for oxidative injury noted in AD. PMID:21600264

  6. An Animal-Source Food Supplement Increases Micronutrient Intakes and Iron Status among Reproductive-Age Women in Rural Vietnam.

    PubMed

    Hall, Andrew G; Ngu, Tu; Nga, Hoang T; Quyen, Phi N; Hong Anh, Pham T; King, Janet C

    2017-06-01

    Background: Few studies have examined the impact of local animal-source foods (ASFs) on the nutritional status of reproductive-age women in developing countries. Objective: We hypothesized that a midmorning snack of local ASF for 6 mo would reduce dietary micronutrient deficiencies [usual intake less than the estimated average requirement (EAR)] and improve blood biomarkers of iron, zinc, and vitamins A and B-12 status among nonpregnant, reproductive-age women in rural Vietnam. Methods: One hundred seventeen women, 18-30 y old, were randomly assigned to receive either an ASF (mean: 144 kcal, 8.9 mg Fe, 2.7 mg Zn, 1050 μg retinoic acid equivalent vitamin A, and 5.5 μg vitamin B-12) or a control snack (mean: 150 kcal, 2.0 mg Fe, 0.9 mg Zn, 0 μg retinoic acid equivalent vitamin A, and 0 μg vitamin B-12) 5 d/wk for 6 mo. Usual nutrient intakes were estimated by repeated 24-h dietary recalls. Blood samples were collected at baseline and 3 and 6 mo. Because of the relation between nutritional status and inflammation, serum C-reactive protein, α-1-acid-glycoprotein, and urinary tract infections (UTIs) were also monitored. Results: Eighty-nine women (47 in the ASF group and 42 controls) completed the study. In the ASF group, intakes of iron and vitamins A and B-12 below the EAR were eliminated, and the prevalence of a low zinc intake was reduced to 9.6% compared with 64.7% in controls ( P < 0.001). At 6 mo, a modest increase ( P < 0.05) in hemoglobin and iron status occurred in the ASF group compared with the control group, but plasma zinc, retinol, and serum vitamin B-12 concentrations did not differ. UTI relative risk was 3.9 ( P < 0.05) among women assigned to the ASF group who had a low whole-body iron status at baseline. Conclusions: Adding a small amount of locally produced ASF to the diets of reproductive-age Vietnamese women improved micronutrient intakes and iron status. However, the increased UTI incidence in women in the ASF group with initially lower iron

  7. Zinc Transporter 3 Is Involved in Learned Fear and Extinction, but Not in Innate Fear

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martel, Guillaume; Hevi, Charles; Friebely, Olivia; Baybutt, Trevor; Shumyatsky, Gleb P.

    2010-01-01

    Synaptically released Zn[superscript 2+] is a potential modulator of neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity in fear-conditioning pathways. Zinc transporter 3 (ZnT3) knock-out (KO) mice are well suited to test the role of zinc in learned fear, because ZnT3 is colocalized with synaptic zinc, responsible for its transport to synaptic vesicles,…

  8. Elemental and isotopic behaviour of Zn in Deccan basalt weathering profiles: Chemical weathering from bedrock to laterite and links to Zn deficiency in tropical soils.

    PubMed

    Suhr, Nils; Schoenberg, Ronny; Chew, David; Rosca, Carolina; Widdowson, Mike; Kamber, Balz S

    2018-04-01

    Zinc (Zn) is a micronutrient for organisms and essential for plant growth, therefore knowledge of its elemental cycling in the surface environment is important regarding wider aspects of human nutrition and health. To explore the nature of Zn cycling, we compared its weathering behaviour in a sub-recent regolith versus an ancient laterite profile of the Deccan Traps, India - an area of known soil Zn deficiency. We demonstrate that progressive breakdown of primary minerals and the associated formation of phyllosilicates and iron oxides leads to a depletion in Zn, ultimately resulting in a loss of 80% in lateritic residues. This residue is mainly composed of resistant iron oxides and hydroxides ultimately delivering insufficient amounts of bio-available Zn. Moreover, (sub)-tropical weathering in regions experiencing extended tectonic quiescence (e.g., cratons) further enhance the development of old and deep soil profiles that become deficient in Zn. This situation is clearly revealed by the spatial correlation of the global distribution of laterites, cratons (Africa, India, South America and Australia) and known regions of Zn deficient soils that result in health problems for humans whose diet is derived from such land. We also investigate whether this elemental depletion of Zn is accompanied by isotope fractionation. In the saprolitic horizons of both weathering profiles, compositions of δ 66 Zn JMC-Lyon lie within the "crustal average" of +0.27±0.07‰ δ 66 Zn JMC-Lyon . By contrast, soil horizons enriched in secondary oxides show lighter isotope compositions. The isotopic signature of Zn (Δ 66 Zn sample-protolith up to ~ -0.65‰) during the formation of the ferruginous-lateritic weathering profile likely resulted from a combination of biotically- and kinetically-controlled sorption reactions on Fe-oxyhydroxides. Our findings suggest that oxide rich soil types/horizons in (sub)-tropical regions likely exert a control on riverine Zn isotope compositions such

  9. Utilization of automotive shredder residues in a thermal process for recovery of manganese and zinc from zinc-carbon and alkaline spent batteries.

    PubMed

    Ippolito, N M; Belardi, G; Medici, F; Piga, L

    2016-05-01

    The aim of the study is the recovery by thermal treatment of manganese and zinc from a mixture of zinc-carbon and alkaline spent batteries, on the basis of the different phase change temperatures of the two metal-bearing phases. ASR (Automotive Shredder Residue), containing 68% of carbon, was added to the mixture to act as a reductant to metallic Zn of the zinc-bearing phases. The mixture was subsequently heated in different atmospheres (air, CO2 and N2) and at different temperatures (900°C, 1000°C and 1200°C) and stoichiometric excess of ASR (300%, 600% and 900%). Characterization of the mixture and of the residues of thermal treatment was carried out by chemical analysis, TGA/DTA, SEM and XRD. The results show that recovery of 99% of zinc (grade 97%) is achieved at 1000°C in N2 with a stoichiometric excess of car-fluff of 900%. This product could be suitable for production of new batteries after refining by hydrometallurgical way. Recovery of Mn around 98% in the residue of the treatment is achieved at any temperature and atmosphere tested with a grade of 57% at 900% excess of car-fluff. This residue is enriched in manganese oxide and could be used in the production of iron-manganese alloys. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Zinc supplementation in children with cystic fibrosis

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Cystic fibrosis (CF) leads to malabsorption of macro- and micronutrients. Symptomatic zinc deficiency has been reported in CF but little is known about zinc homeostasis in children with CF. Zinc supplementation (Zn suppl) is increasingly common in children with CF but it is not without theoretcial r...

  11. Effect of controlled zinc release on bone mineral density from injectable Zn-containing beta-tricalcium phosphate suspension in zinc-deficient diseased rats.

    PubMed

    Otsuka, Makoto; Ohshita, Yuko; Marunaka, Sunao; Matsuda, Yoshihia; Ito, Atsuo; Ichinose, Noboru; Otsuka, Kuniko; Higuchi, William I

    2004-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of zinc (Zn)-containing beta-tricalcium phosphate (Zn-TCP) in correcting the bone mineral deficiency noted in osteoporosis using ovariectomized rat model. Four rats were used for each of the four experimental groups: D0, D10, D20, and N10. The rats in D0, D10, and D20 groups were ovariectomized, and fed a vitamin D-, Ca-, and Zn-deficient diet, and induced Zn-deficient osteoporoses for 9 weeks. In contrast, the N10 group was the normal rats fed normal healthy diet for 9 weeks. D0 group was injected with pure beta-TCP suspension, D10 and D20 groups were injected with suspensions containing 10 mg of 10 mol % (6.17 wt % Zn) and 20 mol % (12.05 wt % Zn) Zn-TCP, respectively, and the healthy group, N10 were injected with 10 mol %. Zn-TCP suspensions. Injections were administered intramuscularly in the left thigh once a week in all rats, and fed a vitamin D- and Zn-deficient diet for 9 weeks. The plasma calcium (Ca) and Zn levels, plasma alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) and bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar vertebra and femora were measured. The plasma Zn levels in all the rats were between 1.1 and 2.8 microg/mL. The areas under the curves for the Ca, Zn, and ALP (Ca-AUC, Zn-AUC, and ALP-AUC) levels between 0 and 63 days were calculated. Results for the AUCs were as follows: (1) the Zn-AUCs were in the order of N10 = D20 > D10 > D0; (2) the Ca-AUCs for D0, D10 groups were significantly lower than that for the N10 group; (3) the ALP-AUCs for the D10 and D20 groups were significantly higher than that for the N10 group, and that of the D0 group was in between those. The body weight of D10 and D20 groups significantly increased with time, that of the D0 group increased slightly, and that of the N10 group remained unchanged for the entire experimental period. The BMD of the lumbar vertebrae of the D10 and D20 groups (about 100 mg/cm(2)) was significantly higher than that of the D0 group but lower than that of

  12. Impact of the two different iron fortified cookies on treatment of anemia in preschool children in Brazil.

    PubMed

    Landim, Liejy Agnes; Pessoa, Marcia Luiza Dos Santos Beserra; Brandão, Amanda de Castro Amorim Serpa; Morgano, Marcelo Antonio; Marcos Antônio de Mota Araújo, Marcos Antônio De Mota Araújo; Rocha, Maurisrael De Moura; Arêas, José Alfredo Gomes; Moreira-Araújo, Regilda Saraiva Dos Reis

    2016-09-20

    Nutritional intervention in pre-school children using cookies prepared with wheat flour enriched with iron and folic acid (CWFFeFA) and cookies prepared with cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) flour fortified with iron and zinc and wheat flour enriched with iron and folic acid (CCFFeZn + WFFeFA). To assess the impact of the ingestion of CWFFeFA and CCFFeZn + WFFeFA by pre-school children, using the cowpea variety BRS-Xiquexique, to control iron-deficiency anaemia. Nutritional intervention was conducted in municipal day care centres selected at random (n = 262) involving pre-school children aged 2 to 5 years living in Teresina, state of Piauí, Brazil. To assess the socioeconomic data, BMI-for-age, haemoglobin levels before and after intervention, and dietary intake, the children were divided into group 1 (G1), which received CWFFeFA (30 g), and group 2 (G2), which received CCFFeZn + WFFeFA (30 g). Food acceptance was evaluated daily. The prevalence of anaemia in G1 and G2 before the nutritional intervention was 12.2% (n = 18) and 11.5% (n = 30), respectively. After intervention, the prevalence decreased to 1.4% in G1 (n = 2) and to 4.2% in G2 (n = 11). Food acceptance by pre-school children in G1 and G2 was 97.4% and 94.3%, respectively. The use of both types of cookie formulations decreased the prevalence of anaemia among pre-school children, and CCFFeZn + WFFeFA yielded the greatest decrease.

  13. Zinc uptake and regulation by the sublittoral prawn Pandalus montagui (Crustacea: Decapoda)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nugegoda, D.; Rainbow, P. S.

    1988-06-01

    The sublittoral decapod crustacean Pandalus montagui Leach in artificial seawater at 10°C regulates the total body zinc concentration to a constant level in dissolved zinc concentrations up to ca. 22 μg Zn l -1, beyond which there is net accumulation of body zinc. This threshold of zinc regulation breakdown is lower than that in the littoral decapods Palaemon elegans (ca. 93 μg Zn l -1) and Palaemonetes varians (ca. 190 μg Zn l -1) under the same physico-chemical conditions. Correspondingly, zinc uptake rates of the three species of decapods decrease in the order P. montagui > P. elegans > P. varians. It is concluded that regulation of total body zinc concentration is more efficient in decapods adapted to the fluctuating environments of littoral habitats, possibly as a result of changes in permeability of uptake surfaces in combination with improved zinc excretion systems. The moult cycle is important in determining the ability of an individual prawn to regulate zinc. Body zinc in Pandalus montagui consists of at least two pools of zinc exchanging at different rates which the environment. Zinc and copper are not evenly distributed in the tissues of P. montagui.

  14. Bismuth zinc vanadate, BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6}: New crystal structure type and electronic structure

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Eliziario Nunes, Sayonara; Department of Materials Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, 13565-905 São Carlos, SP; Wang, Chun-Hai

    2015-02-15

    We report a combined experimental and computational study of the crystal structure and electronic properties of bismuth zinc vanadate, BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6}, known for its visible light photocatalytic activity. The crystal structure has been solved from laboratory powder X-ray diffraction data using the repeated minimisations from random starting values method. BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6} adopts a new structure type, based on the following building blocks: corner- and edge-sharing ZnO{sub 4} tetrahedra, ZnO{sub 6} octahedra and VO{sub 4} tetrahedra, and Bi{sub 2}O{sub 12} dimers. It is the only known member of the BiM{sub 2}AO{sub 6} (M=Pb, Ca, Cd, Mn, Zn, Mg, Cu;more » A=V, P, As) family which does not appear to be structurally closely related to others. The electronic structure of BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6}, calculated by DFT methods, shows that it is an indirect gap semiconductor with a calculated band gap of 1.6 eV, which compares favourably to the experimentally measured value of 2.4 eV. - Graphical abstract: The crystal structure of BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6}, a new structure type in the BiM{sub 2}AO{sub 6} (M=Mg, Ca, Cd, Cu, Pb, Mn, Zn; A=V, P, As) family. - Highlights: • Structure solution from PXRD data by repeated minimisations from random starting values. • New structure type in the BiM{sub 2}AO{sub 6} (M=Pb, Ca, Cd, Mn, Zn, Mg, Cu; A=V, P, As) family. • Electronic structure calculation.« less

  15. [Zinc and chronic enteropathies].

    PubMed

    Giorgi, P L; Catassi, C; Guerrieri, A

    1984-01-01

    In recent years the nutritional importance of zinc has been well established; its deficiency and its symptoms have also been recognized in humans. Furthermore, Acrodermatitis Enteropathica has been isolated, a rare but severe disease, of which skin lesions, chronic diarrhoea and recurring infections are the main symptoms. The disease is related to the malfunctioning of intestinal absorption of zinc and can be treated by administering pharmacological doses of zinc orally. Good dietary sources of zinc are meat, fish and, to a less extent, human milk. The amount of zinc absorbed in the small intestine is influenced by other nutrients: some compounds inhibit this process (dietary fiber, phytate) while others (picolinic acid, citric acid), referred to as Zn-binding ligands (ZnBL) facilitate it. Citric acid is thought to be the ligand which accounts for the high level of bioavailability of zinc in human milk. zinc absorption occurs throughout the small intestine, not only in the prossimal tract (duodenum and jejunum) but also in the distal tract (ileum). Diarrhoea is one of the clinical manifestations of zinc deficiency, thus many illnesses distinguished by chronic diarrhoea entail a bad absorption of zinc. In fact, in some cases of chronic enteropathies in infants, like coeliac disease and seldom cystic fibrosis, a deficiency of zinc has been isolated. Some of the symptoms of Crohn's disease, like retarded growth and hypogonadism, have been related to hypozinchemia which is present in this illness. Finally, it is possible that some of the dietary treatments frequently used for persistent post-enteritis diarrhoea (i.e. cow's milk exclusion, abuse and misuse of dietary fiber like carrot and carub powder, use of soy formula) can constitute a scarce supply of zinc and therefore could promote the persistency of diarrhoea itself.

  16. The effect of zinc and phytoestrogen supplementation on the changes in mineral content of the femur of rats with chemically induced mammary carcinogenesis.

    PubMed

    Skrajnowska, Dorota; Korczak, Barbara Bobrowska-; Tokarz, Andrzej; Kazimierczuk, Agata; Klepacz, Marta; Makowska, Justyna; Gadzinski, Blazej

    2015-10-01

    The aim of this study was to assess skeletal effects of zinc or zinc with phytoestrogen (resveratrol or genistein) supplementation in an animal model of rats with DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis. The changes in bone parameters such as the length and mass were examined, as well as the changes in concentrations of selected minerals: calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and phosphorus. Moreover, the investigations focused on finding the differences between the levels of iron and zinc in other tissues: the liver, spleen and serum of the examined rats. Fifty-six female Sprague-Dawley rats, 40 days old, were divided into four groups, regardless of the diets: standard (77mg Zn kg/food), zinc (4.6mg/mL via gavage), zinc (4.6mg/mL) plus resveratrol (0.2mg/kgbw), and zinc (4.6mg/mL) plus genistein (0.2mg/kgbw) for a period from 40 days until 20 weeks of age. The study rats were also treated with 7,12-dimethyl-1,2-benz[a]anthracene (DMBA) to induce mammary carcinogenesis. The applied diet and the advanced mammary cancer did not affect macrometric parameters of the rats' bones, but they strongly affected their mineral content. It was found that mammary cancer, irrespectively of the applied diet, significantly modified the iron level in the femur, liver, spleen and serum of the examined rats. In addition, zinc supplementation significantly lowered the levels of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus in the femur of rats with mammary cancer as compared with respective levels in the control group. So, it was found that additional supplementation with zinc, which is generally considered to be an antioxidant, with the co-existing mammary carcinoma, increased the unfavorable changes as concerns the stability of bone tissue. The appropriate combination of zinc and phytoestrogens (resveratrol or genistein) could help prevent or slow bone loss associated with a range of skeletal disorders in breast cancer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  17. How Many Atomic Layers of Zinc Are in a Galvanized Iron Coating? An Experiment for General Chemistry Laboratory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Shui-Ping

    2007-01-01

    This article describes an experiment using a novel gasometric assembly to determine the thickness and number of atomic layers of zinc coating on galvanized iron substrates. Students solved this problem through three stages. In the first stage, students were encouraged to find a suitable acidic concentration through the guided-inquiry approach. In…

  18. Acceptors in ZnO

    DOE PAGES

    Mccluskey, Matthew D.; Corolewski, Caleb; Lv, Jinpeng; ...

    2015-03-21

    Zinc oxide (ZnO) has potential for a range of applications in the area of optoelectronics. The quest for p-type ZnO has focused much attention on acceptors. In this paper, Cu, N, and Li acceptor impurities are discussed. Experimental evidence shows that these point defects have acceptor levels 3.2, 1.5, and 0.8 eV above the valence-band maximum, respectively. The levels are deep because the ZnO valence band is quite low compared to conventional, non-oxide semiconductors. Using MoO2 contacts, the electrical resistivity of ZnO:Li was measured and showed behavior consistent with bulk hole conduction for temperatures above 400 K. A photoluminescence peakmore » in ZnO nanocrystals has been attributed to an acceptor, which may involve a zinc vacancy. High field (W-band) electron paramagnetic resonance measurements on the nanocrystals revealed an axial center with g = 2.0033 and g = 2.0075, along with an isotropic center at g = 2.0053.« less

  19. MATRIX METALLOPROTEINS (MMP)-MEDIATED PHOSPHORYLATION OF THE EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR (EGFR) IN HUMAN AIRWAY EPITHELIAL CELLS (HAEC) EXPOSED TO ZINC (ZN)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP)-Mediated Phosphorylation of The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) in Human Airway Epithelial Cells (HAEC) Exposed to Zinc (Zn)
    Weidong Wu, James M. Samet, Robert Silbajoris, Lisa A. Dailey, Lee M. Graves, and Philip A. Bromberg
    Center fo...

  20. Moessbauer studies in zinc-manganese ferrites for use in measuring small velocities and accelerations with great precision

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Escue, W. T.; Gupta, R. G.; Mendiratta, R. G.

    1975-01-01

    Mossbauer spectroscopy was used for a systematic study of the magnetic behavior of manganese and zinc in mixed ferrites. It was observed that Zn2+ has preference to substitute Mn2+ at interstitial sites where the metal ions are tetrahedrally coordinated with four oxygen neighbors. The internal magnetic hyperfine field at the tetrahedral iron site is larger than that at the octahedral site. The relaxation effects were observed to play an important role as the zinc contents were increased, while the spin-correlation time and the magnetic field were observed to decrease in strength. It is concluded that Mossbauer effect data on complex materials, when used in conjunction with other data, can provide useful insight into the origin of the microscopic properties of magnetic materials.

  1. The Functions of Metamorphic Metallothioneins in Zinc and Copper Metabolism.

    PubMed

    Krężel, Artur; Maret, Wolfgang

    2017-06-09

    Recent discoveries in zinc biology provide a new platform for discussing the primary physiological functions of mammalian metallothioneins (MTs) and their exquisite zinc-dependent regulation. It is now understood that the control of cellular zinc homeostasis includes buffering of Zn 2+ ions at picomolar concentrations, extensive subcellular re-distribution of Zn 2+ , the loading of exocytotic vesicles with zinc species, and the control of Zn 2+ ion signalling. In parallel, characteristic features of human MTs became known: their graded affinities for Zn 2+ and the redox activity of their thiolate coordination environments. Unlike the single species that structural models of mammalian MTs describe with a set of seven divalent or eight to twelve monovalent metal ions, MTs are metamorphic. In vivo, they exist as many species differing in redox state and load with different metal ions. The functions of mammalian MTs should no longer be considered elusive or enigmatic because it is now evident that the reactivity and coordination dynamics of MTs with Zn 2+ and Cu⁺ match the biological requirements for controlling-binding and delivering-these cellular metal ions, thus completing a 60-year search for their functions. MT represents a unique biological principle for buffering the most competitive essential metal ions Zn 2+ and Cu⁺. How this knowledge translates to the function of other families of MTs awaits further insights into the specifics of how their properties relate to zinc and copper metabolism in other organisms.

  2. Therapeutic effects of transdermal systems containing zinc-related materials on thermal burn rats.

    PubMed

    Otsuka, Makoto; Hatakeyama, Haruna; Shikamura, Masayuki; Otsuka, Kuniko; Ito, Atsuo

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy of slow zinc (Zn) release from β-tricalcium phosphate powder (ZnTCP) containing 10 mol% Zn on rats with thermal burns. The first-aid tapes were contained zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) solution, ZnTCP suspensions or zinc oxide ointment. After thermal burn treatments were performed on Zn-deficient rats, the groups D1, D2 and D3 were treated with tapes containing ZnTCP, ZnSO4 and zinc oxide ointment. The effects of the tapes on wound area, plasma Zn levels and alkaline phosphatase activity (Alp) were investigated. The wound area profiles of all rat groups could be separated into before and after the scab formation at around day 6. The area under the curve (Aw-AUC) for wound area profiles, therefore, was evaluated as an index of therapeutic scores for the thermal wound. The order of Aw-AUC was D3>C>D2>D1. The degree of expansion at the initial stage by thermal burns of group D1 was the lowest and that of group D2 was the highest, and the order was D1ZnTCP treatment could control the initial inflammation caused by thermal burns.

  3. Effects of Zinc Supplementation on DNA Damage in Rats with Experimental Kidney Deficiency.

    PubMed

    Yegin, Sevim Çiftçi; Dede, Semiha; Mis, Leyla; Yur, Fatmagül

    2017-04-01

    This study was carried out to determine the effect of zinc on oxidative DNA damage in rats with experimental acute and chronic kidney deficiency. Six groups of five Wistar-Albino rats each were assigned as controls (C), acute kidney deficiency (AKD), zinc-supplemented (+Zn), acute kidney deficiency, zinc-supplemented (AKD + Zn), chronic kidney deficiency (CKD) and zinc-supplemented chronic kidney deficiency (CKD + Zn). The levels of 8-Oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were determined, being the lowest in the CKD group (p < 0.05), higher in the C group than those of rats with CKD but lower than that of all the other groups (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the controls and the CKD + Zn group, or between the AKD and the +Zn groups. Among all groups, the highest 8-OHdG level was found in the AKD + Zn group (p < 0.05). DNA damage was greater in acute renal failure than in rats with chronic renal failure. The DNA damage in the zinc group was significantly higher than in the controls.

  4. A Green Analytical Method Using Ultrasound in Sample Preparation for the Flow Injection Determination of Iron, Manganese, and Zinc in Soluble Solid Samples by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Yebra, M. Carmen

    2012-01-01

    A simple and rapid analytical method was developed for the determination of iron, manganese, and zinc in soluble solid samples. The method is based on continuous ultrasonic water dissolution of the sample (5–30 mg) at room temperature followed by flow injection flame atomic absorption spectrometric determination. A good precision of the whole procedure (1.2–4.6%) and a sample throughput of ca. 25 samples h–1 were obtained. The proposed green analytical method has been successfully applied for the determination of iron, manganese, and zinc in soluble solid food samples (soluble cocoa and soluble coffee) and pharmaceutical preparations (multivitamin tablets). The ranges of concentrations found were 21.4–25.61 μg g−1 for iron, 5.74–18.30 μg g−1 for manganese, and 33.27–57.90 μg g−1 for zinc in soluble solid food samples and 3.75–9.90 μg g−1 for iron, 0.47–5.05 μg g−1 for manganese, and 1.55–15.12 μg g−1 for zinc in multivitamin tablets. The accuracy of the proposed method was established by a comparison with the conventional wet acid digestion method using a paired t-test, indicating the absence of systematic errors. PMID:22567553

  5. An overview of zinc addition for BWR dose rate control

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Marble, W.J.

    1995-03-01

    This paper presents an overview of the BWRs employing feedwater zinc addition to reduce primary system dose rates. It identifies which BWRs are using zinc addition and reviews the mechanical injection and passive addition hardware currently being employed. The impact that zinc has on plant chemistry, including the factor of two to four reduction in reactor water Co-60 concentrations, is discussed. Dose rate results, showing the benefits of implementing zinc on either fresh piping surfaces or on pipes with existing films are reviewed. The advantages of using zinc that is isotopically enhanced by the depletion of the Zn-64 precursor tomore » Zn-65 are identified.« less

  6. Paramagnetic dysprosium-doped zinc oxide thin films grown by pulsed-laser deposition

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lo, Fang-Yuh, E-mail: fangyuhlo@ntnu.edu.tw; Ting, Yi-Chieh; Chou, Kai-Chieh

    2015-06-07

    Dysprosium(Dy)-doped zinc oxide (Dy:ZnO) thin films were fabricated on c-oriented sapphire substrate by pulsed-laser deposition with doping concentration ranging from 1 to 10 at. %. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman-scattering, optical transmission spectroscopy, and spectroscopic ellipsometry revealed incorporation of Dy into ZnO host matrix without secondary phase. Solubility limit of Dy in ZnO under our deposition condition was between 5 and 10 at. % according to XRD and Raman-scattering characteristics. Optical transmission spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry also showed increase in both transmittance in ultraviolet regime and band gap of Dy:ZnO with increasing Dy density. Zinc vacancies and zinc interstitials were identified by photoluminescencemore » spectroscopy as the defects accompanied with Dy incorporation. Magnetic investigations with a superconducting quantum interference device showed paramagnetism without long-range order for all Dy:ZnO thin films, and a hint of antiferromagnetic alignment of Dy impurities was observed at highest doping concentration—indicating the overall contribution of zinc vacancies and zinc interstitials to magnetic interaction was either neutral or toward antiferromagnetic. From our investigations, Dy:ZnO thin films could be useful for spin alignment and magneto-optical applications.« less

  7. Thermo-optical characterization of cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide (CdSe/ZnS) quantum dots embedded in biocompatible materials.

    PubMed

    Pilla, Viviane; Alves, Leandro P; Iwazaki, Adalberto N; Andrade, Acácio A; Antunes, Andrea; Munin, Egberto

    2013-09-01

    Cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide (CdSe/ZnS) core-shell quantum dots (QDs) embedded in biocompatible materials were thermally and optically characterized with a thermal lens (TL) technique. Transient TL measurements were performed with a mode-mismatched, dual-beam (excitation and probe) configuration. A thermo-optical study of the CdSe/ZnS QDs was performed for different core diameters (3.5, 4.0, 5.2, and 6.6 nm) in aqueous solution and synthetic saliva, and three different core diameters (2.4, 2.9, and 4.1 nm) embedded in restorative dental resin (0.025% by mass). The thermal diffusivity results are characteristic of the biocompatible matrices. The radiative quantum efficiencies for aqueous solution and biofluid materials are dependent on the core size of the CdSe/ZnS core-shell QDs. The results obtained from the fluorescence spectral measurements for the biocompatible materials support the TL results.

  8. Improved synthesis of fine zinc borate particles using seed crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gürhan, Deniz; Çakal, Gaye Ö.; Eroğlu, İnci; Özkar, Saim

    2009-03-01

    Zinc borate is a flame retardant additive used in polymers, wood applications and textile products. There are different types of zinc borate having different chemical compositions and structures. In this study, the production of zinc borate having the molecular formula of 2ZnO·3B 2O 3·3.5H 2O was reexamined by studying the effects of reaction parameters on the properties of product as well as the reaction kinetics. Production of zinc borate from the reaction of boric acid and zinc oxide in the presence of seed crystals was performed in a continuously stirred, temperature-controlled batch reactor having a volume of 1.5 L. Samples taken in regular time intervals during the experiments were analyzed for the concentration of zinc oxide and boron oxide in the solid as well as for the conversion of zinc oxide to zinc borate versus time. The zinc borate production reaction was fit to the logistic model. The reaction rate, reaction completion time, composition and particle size distribution of zinc borate product were determined by varying the following parameters: the boric acid to zinc oxide ratio (H 3BO 3:ZnO=3:1, 3.5:1, 5:1 and 7:1), the particle size of zinc oxide (10 and 25 μm), stirring rate (275, 400, 800 and 1600 rpm), temperature (75, 85 and 95 °C) and the size of seed crystals (10 and 2 μm). The products were also analyzed for particle size distribution. The experimental results showed that the reaction rate increases with the increase in H 3BO 3:ZnO ratio, particle size of zinc oxide, stirring rate and temperature. Concomitantly, the reaction completion time is decreased by increasing the H 3BO 3:ZnO ratio, stirring rate and temperature. The average particle sizes of the zinc borate products are in the range 4.3-16.6 μm (wet dispersion analysis).

  9. Formation of isolated Zn vacancies in ZnO single crystals by absorption of ultraviolet radiation: a combined study using positron annihilation, photoluminescence, and mass spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Khan, Enamul H; Weber, Marc H; McCluskey, Matthew D

    2013-07-05

    Positron annihilation spectra reveal isolated zinc vacancy (V(Zn)) creation in single-crystal ZnO exposed to 193-nm radiation at 100 mJ/cm(2) fluence. The appearance of a photoluminescence excitation peak at 3.18 eV in irradiated ZnO is attributed to an electronic transition from the V(Zn) acceptor level at ~100 meV to the conduction band. The observed V(Zn) density profile and hyperthermal Zn(+) ion emission support zinc vacancy-interstitial Frenkel pair creation by exciting a wide 6.34 eV Zn-O antibonding state at 193-nm photon-a novel photoelectronic process for controlled V(Zn) creation in ZnO.

  10. Pore-water chemistry explains zinc phytotoxicity in soil.

    PubMed

    Kader, Mohammed; Lamb, Dane T; Correll, Ray; Megharaj, Mallavarapu; Naidu, Ravi

    2015-12-01

    Zinc (Zn) is a widespread soil contaminant arising from a numerous anthropogenic sources. However, adequately predicting toxicity of Zn to ecological receptors remains difficult due to the complexity of soil characteristics. In this study, we examined solid-solution partitioning using pore-water data and toxicity of Zn to cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in spiked soils. Pore-water effective concentration (ECx, x=10%, 20% and 50% reduction) values were negatively related to pH, indicating lower Zn pore water concentration were needed to cause phytotoxicity at high pH soils. Total dissolved zinc (Znpw) and free zinc (Zn(2+)) in soil-pore water successfully described 78% and 80.3% of the variation in relative growth (%) in the full dataset. When the complete data set was used (10 soils), the estimated EC50pw was 450 and 79.2 µM for Znpw and Zn(2+), respectively. Total added Zn, soil pore water pH (pHpw) and dissolve organic carbon (DOC) were the best predictors of Znpw and Zn(2+) in pore-water. The EC10 (total loading) values ranged from 179 to 5214 mg/kg, depending on soil type. Only pH measurements in soil were related to ECx total Zn data. The strongest relationship to ECx overall was pHca, although pHw and pHpw were in general related to Zn ECx. Similarly, when a solution-only model was used to predict Zn in shoot, DOC was negatively related to Zn in shoot, indicating a reduction in uptake/ translocation of Zn from solution with increasing DOC. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Early-in-life dietary zinc deficiency and supplementation and mammary tumor development in adulthood female rats.

    PubMed

    da Silva, Flávia R M; Grassi, Tony F; Zapaterini, Joyce R; Bidinotto, Lucas T; Barbisan, Luis F

    2017-06-01

    Zinc deficiency during pregnancy and postnatal life can adversely increase risk of developing human diseases at adulthood. The present study was designed to evaluate whether dietary zinc deficiency or supplementation during the pregnancy, lactation and juvenile stages interferes in the development of mammary tumors induced by 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) in female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Pregnant female SD rats were allocated into three groups: zinc-adequate diet (ZnA - 35-mg/kg chow), zinc-deficient diet (ZnD - 3-mg/kg chow) or zinc-supplemented diet (ZnS - 180-mg/kg chow) during gestational day 10 (GD 10) until the litters' weaning. Female offspring received the same diets as their dams until postnatal day (PND) 51. At PND 51, the animals received a single dose of DMBA (50 mg/kg, ig) and zinc-adequate diets. At PND 180, female were euthanized, and tumor samples were processed for histological evaluation and gene expression microarray analysis. The ZnD induced a significant reduction in female offspring body weight evolution and in mammary gland development. At late in life, the ZnD or ZnS did not alter the latency, incidence, multiplicity, volume or histological types of mammary tumors in relation to the ZnA group. However, the total tumor number in ZnS group was higher than in ZnA group, accompanied by distinct expression of 4 genes up- and 15 genes down-regulated. The present findings indicate that early-in-life dietary zinc supplementation, differently to zinc deficiency, has a potential to modify the susceptibility to the development of mammary tumors induced by DMBA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Zinc-mediated attenuation of hippocampal mossy fiber long-term potentiation induced by forskolin.

    PubMed

    Ando, Masaki; Oku, Naoto; Takeda, Atsushi

    2010-11-01

    The rise in presynaptic calcium induced by high-frequency stimulation activates the calcium-calmodulin-sensitive adenylyl cyclase (AC) 1 followed by the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) at the hippocampal mossy fiber-CA3 synapse. Zinc is released with glutamate from mossy fiber terminals. However, the role of the zinc in mossy fiber LTP is controversial. In the present study, the mechanism of zinc-mediated attenuation of mossy fiber LTP was examined in that induced by forskolin, an AC activator. Mossy fiber LTP induced by tetanic stimulation (100 Hz for 1 s) was attenuated in the presence of 5 microM ZnCl(2), whereas that induced by forskolin under test stimulation (0.1 Hz) was not attenuated. Forskolin-induced mossy fiber LTP was attenuated by perfusion with 100 microM ZnCl(2) prior to the induction. However, the zinc (100 microM) pre-perfusion did not attenuate mossy fiber LTP induced by Sp-cAMPS, an activator of protein kinase A, under test stimulation. Zinc is necessary to be taken up into mossy fiber boutons for effectively inhibiting AC activity. In hippocampal slices labeled with ZnAF-2 DA, a membrane-permeable zinc indicator, intracellular ZnAF-2 signal was increased during tetanic stimulation in the presence of 5 microM ZnCl(2), but not under test stimulation. Intracellular ZnAF-2 signal was increased under test stimulation in the presence of 100 microM ZnCl(2). These results suggest that zinc taken up into mossy fibers attenuates forskolin-induced mossy fiber LTP via inhibition of AC activity. The significance of endogenous zinc uptake by mossy fibers is discussed focused on tetanus-induced mossy fiber LTP. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Kinetic control on Zn isotope signatures recorded in marine diatoms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Köbberich, Michael; Vance, Derek

    2017-08-01

    Marine diatoms dominate the oceanic cycle of the essential micronutrient zinc (Zn). The stable isotopes of zinc and other metals are increasingly used to understand trace metal micronutrient cycling in the oceans. One clear feature of the early isotope data is the heavy Zn isotope signature of the average oceanic dissolved pool relative to the inputs, potentially driven by uptake of light isotopes into phytoplankton cells and export to sediments. However, despite the fact that diatoms strip Zn from surface waters across the Antarctic polar front in the Southern Ocean, the local upper ocean is not isotopically heavy. Here we use culturing experiments to quantify the extent of Zn isotope fractionation by diatoms and to elucidate the mechanisms driving it. We have cultured two different open-ocean diatom species (T. oceanica and Chaetoceros sp.) in a series of experiments at constant medium Zn concentration but at bioavailable medium Fe ranging from limiting to replete. We find that T. oceanica can maintain high growth rates and Zn uptake rates over the full range of bioavailable iron (Fe) investigated, and that the Zn taken up has a δ66Zn that is unfractionated relative to that of the bioavailable free Zn in the medium. The studied representative of the genus Chaetoceros, on the other hand, shows more significantly reduced Zn uptake rates at low Fe and records more variable biomass δ66Zn signatures, of up to 0.85‰ heavier than the medium. We interpret the preferential uptake of heavy isotopes at extremely low Zn uptake rates as potentially due to either of the following two mechanisms. First, the release of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), at low Fe levels, may preferentially scavenge heavy Zn isotopes. Second, the Zn uptake rate may be slow enough to establish pseudo-equilibrium conditions at the transporter site, with heavy Zn isotopes forming more stable surface complexes. Thus we find that, in our experiments, Fe-limitation exerts a key control that

  14. Physicochemical characterization of mineral (iron/zinc) bound caseinate and their mineral uptake in Caco-2 cells.

    PubMed

    Shilpashree, B G; Arora, Sumit; Kapila, Suman; Sharma, Vivek

    2018-08-15

    Milk proteins (especially caseins) are widely accepted as good vehicle for the delivery of various bioactive compounds including minerals. Succinylation is one of the most acceptable chemical modification techniques to enhance the mineral binding ability of caseins. Addition of minerals to succinylated proteins may alter their physicochemical and biochemical properties. Physicochemical characteristics of succinylated sodium caseinate (S.NaCN)-mineral (iron/zinc) complexes were elucidated. Chromatographic behaviour and fluorescence intensity confirmed the structural modification of S.NaCN upon binding with minerals. The bound mineral from protein complexes showed significantly higher (P < 0.05) in vitro bioavailability (mineral uptake) than mineral salts in Caco-2 cells. Also, iron bound S.NaCN showed higher cellular ferritin formation than iron in its free form. These mineral bound protein complexes with improved bioavailability could safely replace inorganic fortificants in various functional food formulations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Two zinc(II) coordination complexes based on an asymmetric multidentate ligand: syntheses, structures, selective fluorescence sensing of iron(III) ions and thermal analyses.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yaru; Liu, Lan; Zhang, Xiao; Liang, Guorui; Gong, Xuebing

    2018-01-01

    The rational selection of ligands is vitally important in the construction of coordination complexes. Two novel Zn II complexes, namely bis(acetato-κO)bis[1-(1H-benzotriazol-1-ylmethyl)-2-propyl-1H-imidazole-κN 3 ]zinc(II) monohydrate, [Zn(C 13 H 15 N 5 ) 2 (C 2 H 3 O 2 ) 2 ]·H 2 O, (1), and bis(azido-κN 1 )bis[1-(1H-benzotriazol-1-ylmethyl)-2-propyl-1H-imidazole-κN 3 ]zinc(II), [Zn(C 13 H 15 N 5 ) 2 (N 3 ) 2 ], (2), constructed from the asymmetric multidentate imidazole ligand, have been synthesized under mild conditions and characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Both complexes exhibit a three-dimensional supramolecular network directed by different intermolecular interactions between discrete mononuclear units. The complexes were also investigated by fluorescence and thermal analyses. The experimental results show that (1) is a promising fluorescence sensor for detecting Fe 3+ ions and (2) is effective as an accelerator of the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate.

  16. Metal chaperones prevent zinc-mediated cognitive decline.

    PubMed

    Adlard, Paul A; Parncutt, Jacqui; Lal, Varsha; James, Simon; Hare, Dominic; Doble, Philip; Finkelstein, David I; Bush, Ashley I

    2015-09-01

    Zinc transporter-3 (ZnT3) protein is responsible for loading zinc into presynaptic vesicles and consequently controls the availability of zinc at the glutamatergic synapse. ZnT3 has been shown to decline with age and in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is crucially involved in learning and memory. In this study, we utilised whole animal behavioural analyses in the ZnT3 KO mouse line, together with electrophysiological analysis of long-term potentiation in brain slices from ZnT3 KO mice, to show that metal chaperones (clioquinol, 30 mg/kg/day for 6weeks) can prevent the age-dependent cognitive phenotype that characterises these animals. This likely occurs as a result of a homeostatic restoration of synaptic protein expression, as clioquinol significantly restored levels of various pre- and postsynaptic proteins that are critical for normal cognition, including PSD-95; AMPAR and NMDAR2b. We hypothesised that this clioquinol-mediated restoration of synaptic health resulted from a selective increase in synaptic zinc content within the hippocampus. While we demonstrated a small regional increase in hippocampal zinc content using synchrotron x-ray fluorescence microscopy, further sub-region analyses are required to determine whether this effect is seen in other regions of the hippocampal formation that are more closely linked to the synaptic plasticity effects observed in this study. These data support our recent report on the use of a different metal chaperone (PBT2) to prevent normal age-related cognitive decline and demonstrate that metal chaperones are efficacious in preventing the zinc-mediated cognitive decline that characterises ageing and disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. PARADOXICAL ROLE OF ZINC IN CARDIAC INJURY: A POTENTIAL LINK TO ENVIRONMENTAL ZINC EXPOSURE AND CARDIOVASCULAR MORBIDITY

    EPA Science Inventory


    Zinc (Zn) is consistently detected in respirable air particulate matter (PM). We recently demonstrated that inhalation of environmental combustion PM containing Zn produces myocardial lesions in rats, supporting epidemiological associations of cardiac morbidity and mortality ...

  18. Molecular Beam Epitaxial Growth of Iron Nitrides on Zinc-Blende Gallium Nitride(001)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pak, Jeongihm; Lin, Wenzhi; Chinchore, Abhijit; Wang, Kangkang; Smith, Arthur R.

    2008-03-01

    Iron nitrides are attractive materials for their high magnetic moments, corrosion, and oxidation resistance. We present the successful epitaxial growth of iron nitride on zinc-blende gallium nitride (c-GaN) in order to develop a novel magnetic transition metal nitride/semiconductor system. First, GaN is grown on magnesium oxide (MgO) substrates having (001) orientation using rf N2-plasma molecular beam epitaxy. Then we grow FeN at substrate temperature of ˜ 210 ^oC up to a thickness of ˜ 10.5 nm. In-situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) is used to monitor the surface during growth. Initial results suggest that the epitaxial relationship is FeN[001] || GaN[001] and FeN[100] || GaN[100]. Work in progress is to investigate the surface using in-situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to reveal the surface structure at atomic scale, as well as to explore more Fe-rich magnetic phases.

  19. Zinc in Pancreatic Islet Biology, Insulin Sensitivity, and Diabetes

    PubMed Central

    Maret, Wolfgang

    2017-01-01

    About 20 chemical elements are nutritionally essential for humans with defined molecular functions. Several essential and nonessential biometals are either functional nutrients with antidiabetic actions or can be diabetogenic. A key question remains whether changes in the metabolism of biometals and biominerals are a consequence of diabetes or are involved in its etiology. Exploration of the roles of zinc (Zn) in this regard is most revealing because 80 years of scientific discoveries link zinc and diabetes. In pancreatic β- and α-cells, zinc has specific functions in the biochemistry of insulin and glucagon. When zinc ions are secreted during vesicular exocytosis, they have autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine roles. The membrane protein ZnT8 transports zinc ions into the insulin and glucagon granules. ZnT8 has a risk allele that predisposes the majority of humans to developing diabetes. In target tissues, increased availability of zinc enhances the insulin response by inhibiting protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, which controls the phosphorylation state of the insulin receptor and hence downstream signalling. Inherited diseases of zinc metabolism, environmental exposures that interfere with the control of cellular zinc homeostasis, and nutritional or conditioned zinc deficiency influence the patho-biochemistry of diabetes. Accepting the view that zinc is one of the many factors in multiple gene-environment interactions that cause the functional demise of β-cells generates an immense potential for treating and perhaps preventing diabetes. Personalized nutrition, bioactive food, and pharmaceuticals targeting the control of cellular zinc in precision medicine are among the possible interventions. PMID:28401081

  20. Effect of modifying agents on the hydrophobicity and yield of zinc borate synthesized by zinc oxide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Acarali, Nil Baran; Bardakci, Melek; Tugrul, Nurcan; Derun, Emek Moroydor; Piskin, Sabriye

    2013-06-01

    The aim of this study was to synthesize zinc borate using zinc oxide, reference boric acid, and reference zinc borate (reference ZB) as the seed, and to investigate the effects of modifying agents and reaction parameters on the hydrophobicity and yield, respectively. The reaction parameters include reaction time (1-5 h), reactant ratio (H3BO3/ZnO by mass: 2-5), seed ratio (seed crystal/(H3BO3+ZnO) by mass: 0-2wt%), reaction temperature (50-120°C), cooling temperature (10-80°C), and stirring rate (400-700 r/min); the modifying agents involve propylene glycol (PG, 0-6wt%), kerosene (1wt%-6wt%), and oleic acid (OA, 1wt%-6wt%) with solvents (isopropyl alcohol (IPA), ethanol, and methanol). The results of reaction yield obtained from either magnetically or mechanically stirred systems were compared. Zinc borate produced was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and contact angle tests to identify the hydrophobicity. In conclusion, zinc borate is synthesized successfully under the optimized reaction conditions, and the different modifying agents with various solvents affect the hydrophobicity of zinc borate.