Bimetallic Au-Ag nanoparticles with homogeneous dispersion in amine-modified SBA-15 mesoporous silica channels were successfully synthesized by the post-modification method. The obtained nanocomposites with different component ratios were studied by structural, Physico-chemical, and optical analysis. The structural and Physico-chemical properties were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm measurement (BET). The optical properties were characterized by photoluminescence (PL) and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The photoluminescence and absorption spectra were strongly affected by the change in the compositional ratio of gold to silver nanoparticles due to the interactions of Au-Ag nanoparticles, the configuration of conduction electrons and their plasmonic properties. A significant enhancement was observed in the photoluminescence spectrum in the long-wavelength red emission at 640 nm for a one-to-one composition ratio of Au/Ag/SBA-15 nanocomposite. Since the light emission of most microorganisms is in the visible range, the nanocomposite produced can be proposed for applications in biosensor technology. Manuscript profile

Probiotic soy cheese is a fermented soy milk product that has nutritional and health properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of kind of probiotic culture on the sensory properties and proteolysis in soy probiotic cheese during storage. Probiotic soy cheese was produced using cheese starter (25% thermophilic + 75% mesophilic) as well as probiotic strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei and Bifidobacterium lactis. The control sample (without probiotic bacteria) was also produced. These samples were stored for 1 month. Probiotic bacteria added to soy cheese had good survival, therefore after one month storage, the probiotic bacterial count was more than 7 log CFU/g. The quantity of soluble nitrogen and non-protein nitrogen in the samples increased during storage. Treatment 3 (containing cheese starter + B. lactis) had a higher rate of proteolysis during storage than the other treatments. Taste, odor, texture and overall acceptance scores of sampels decreased during storage (p<0.05) but no change in color score was observed. Treatment 1 (containing cheese starter + L. acidophilus) obtained the highest score of sensory overall acceptability and was recognized as the superior treatment. Manuscript profile

آلودگی مواد غذایی با فلزات سنگین یک نگرانی جهانی است. هدف از انجام این مطالعه تعیین میزان فلز سنگین سرب و برخی از عناصر مغذی مانند کلسیم و آهن در خمیر مرغ تهیه شده به‌روش دستی و مکانیکی می‌باشد. بدین منظور چهار لاشه مرغ به‌طور دستی و چهار لاشه به‌صورت مکانیکی کاملاً استخوان‌زدایی شد. اندازه‌گیری غلظت عناصر در این نمونه‌ها به‌روش هضم خشک و توسط دستگاه جذب اتمی انجام شد. میانگین غلظت عناصر سرب، کلسیم و آهن به‌صورت میلی‌گرم بر کیلوگرم خمیر مرغ محاسبه و گزارش گردید. میانگین غلظت سرب در خمیر مرغ تهیه شده به‌روش دستی 94/2 میلی‌گرم بر کیلوگرم و در خمیر مرغ تهیه شده به‌روش مکانیکی 79/3 میلی‌گرم بر کیلوگرم بوده است. میانگین غلظت کلسیم در خمیر مرغ دستی و مکانیکی به‌ترتیب 78/65 و 83/275 میلی‌گرم بر کیلوگرم می‌باشد. هم‌چنین میانگین مقدار آهن در خمیر مرغ دستی و مکانیکی به‌ترتیب 21/4 و05/23 میلی‌گرم بر کیلوگرم بود. در مجموع، اختلاف معنی‌داری بین میانگین غلظت سرب، کلسیم و آهن در خمیر مرغ تهیه شده از کل لاشه وجود داشت (05/0p <). میانگین عناصر سرب، کلسیم در تمام خمیر مرغ‌های مورد مطالعه از حد مجاز 1/0 و 100 میلی‌گرم بر کیلوگرم در نظر گرفته شده بر اساس ضوابط بین‌المللی کدکس و سازمان بهداشت جهانی بیشتر است. مقادیر این عناصر و اختلاف آن‌ها در دو نوع خمیر مرغ مورد مطالعه می تواند در کشف نوع خمیر مرغ به‌کار رفته در فرآورده‌های گوشتی استفاده شود. Manuscript profile

امکان آلودگی میکروبی ادویه‌ در طی مراحل مختلف برداشت، خشک‌کردن یا حمل‌ نقل وجود دارد. روش‌های مختلفی جهت کاهش بار میکروبی ادویه ‌استفاده می‌شود که مشکلاتی مانند تغییر عطر و طعم به همراه دارد. هدف از این تحقیق دستیابی به شرایط بهینه پرتودهی ماورای بنفش ‌به منظور کاهش ‌بار میکروبی برخی از ‌ادویه‌‌های پرمصرف ایران بود. بدین منظور، شش نوع ادویه‌ شامل زردچوبه، زنجبیل، فلفل‌قرمز، فلفل‌سیاه، دارچین و سماق از بازار تهران نمونه‌برداری شدند. آزمایه‌ها با روش‌های موجود در استاندارد ملی ایران مورد آزمون میکروبی قرار گرفتند. سپس ادویه آلوده در کابینت ماورای بنفش با طول موج 254 نانومتر در ضخامت‌های 1، 5 و10 میلی‌متر و زمان‌های 5، 10و 15 دقیقه پرتودهی شدند. روی نمونه‌های پرتودهی شده آزمون میکروبی انجام شد. طبق نتایج حاصله، تاثیر متغیر زمان بر شمارش جمعیت مزوفیل‌های هوازی زردچوبه، فلفل‌قرمز، فلفل‌سیاه و دارچین، همچنین بر شمارش کلی‌فرم زردچوبه و فلفل‌قرمز و نیز بر شمارش کپک زردچوبه، فلفل‌قرمز و فلفل‌سیاه و زنجبیل معنی دار بود (0/01>p). همچنین متغیر ضخامت نمونه تأثیر کاملاً معنی‌داری بر شمارش جمعیت مزوفیل‌های هوازی زردچوبه، زنجبیل و فلفل‌سیاه، بر شمارش کلی‌فرم زردچوبه، زنجبیل، فلفل‌قرمز، دارچین، بر شمارش کپک زردچوبه، زنجبیل، فلفل‌سیاه، فلفل‌قرمز و تأثیر معنی‌دار بر شمارش کلی میکروبی فلفل‌قرمز و کپک دارچین داشت(0/01>p). نتایج این مطالعه نشان می‌دهد که پرتودهی با اشعه‌ ماورای بنفش در شرایط بهینه شده می‌تواند بار آلودگی ادویه را تا حد قابل قبول کاهش دهد. Manuscript profile

اصلاح سطح گرافن اکسید با ایجاد یک پیوند کوالانسی می تواند ویژگی های این ماده را بهبود ببخشد. در پژوهش حاضر، سطح گرافن اکسید تهیه شده با مولکول 6-آمینو-2،'2- بی پیریدین و تشکیل یک پیوند کووالانسی بین گروه های آمینی لیگاند و گروه های کربوکسیلیک اسید سطح گرافن اکسید، اصلاح و به صورت ABP-GO نام گذاری شد. با روش های پراش پرتو ایکس (XRD)، طیف سنجی فتوالکترون پرتو ایکس (XPS)، طیف سنجی فروسرخ تبدیل فوریه (FTIR)، میکروسکوپی الکترونی روبشی گسیل میدانی (FESEM)، طیف سنجی تفکیک انرژی (EDS) و میکروسکوپی الکترونی عبوری (TEM) ساختار و ریخت ترکیب اصلاح شده با لیگاندهای پیریدینی، تأیید شدند. ویژگی های الکتروشیمیایی الکترود اصلاح شده با روش های طیف سنجی رهبندی الکتروشیمیایی (EIS)، ولت آمپرسنجی چرخه ای (CV) و ولت آمپرسنجی عاری سازی آندی تپی تفاضلی (DPASV) بررسی شد. مساحت سطح زیاد و توانایی جذب سرب با رسانایی مناسب الکترود اصلاح شده حاکی از عملکرد مناسب حسگرPb(II) ، با حد تشخیص 3 نانومولار بود. این الکترود به آسانی پیوند بین گروه - NH2و سرب (II) را مهیا می سازد و قابلیت به کارگیری دوباره و تکرار پذیری خوب (5 بار و در حدود 90 درصد) را به ترتیب فراهم می کند. Manuscript profile

In this study, residual amount of pentachlorophenol (PCP) as the most important paper preservative, which is extremely hazardous pollutant, was determined in some tissue papers and napkins. Twenty-five samples of two producing hygienic paper factories prepared from virgin and secondary pulp were analyzed for the presence of trace amount of PCP. The analytical procedure involved direct extraction of PCP from hygienic paper and its determination by gas chromatography with electron capture detection. The statistical results for the analysis of all samples revealed that there were significant differences between mean of PCP in hygienic papers prepared from virgin and secondary pulp (P<0.05). This method gave recoveries of 86-98% for hygienic paper made from virgin pulp and 79-92% for hygienic paper made from secondary pulp. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for PCP were 6.3 and 21.0 mg/kg, respectively. The analytical method has the requisite sensitivity, accuracy, precision and specificity to assay PCP in hygienic papers. This study demonstrates a concern with exposition to PCP considering that hygienic paper is largely consumed in the society. Manuscript profile

In this study, powdered activated carbon was used as an absorbent to reduce Fe (II) ions concentration of groundwater. The adsorption behavior of Fe (II) ions was studied by varying parameters including the dosage of powdered activated carbon, pH of solution, initial concentration of Fe (II) and contact time. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms and kinetics were also investigated based on Fe (II) adsorption tests. The optimized adsorption conditions were used for reducing iron concentration of groundwater derived from deep wells in Marand Plain with agricultural purposes in April 2017. An increase in contact time and adsorbent dosage resulted in increase of adsorption rate. The optimum condition of Fe (II) removal process was found at pH=4, 0.45 g adsorbent dosage, 10 mg/l initial concentration of Fe (II) and contact time of 30 min. The removal percent was equal to 97.21 at optimal conditions. Langmuir and Freundlich's models were employed to analyze the experimental data. Langmuir model fitted well with the correlation coefficient (R2=0.995) with adsorption capacity of qmax=205.2 mg/g. According to results of analysis of the kinetic data by the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order equations, we found that the adsorption of Fe (II) using PAC follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model with correlation coefficients (R2) equals to 0.9995, 0.9996 and 0.9993 for 10, 20 and 30 mg/l Fe (II) concentrations, respectively. In addition, the reaction is spontaneous and endothermic. In optimal conditions, this adsorbent can be suitable for improving the quality of ground water containing high iron concentrations. Manuscript profile

Deboning method has a major effect on quality and safety of poultry carcasses or animal bones.The aim of this study was to determine residual concentration of lead, iron and calcium in chicken meat paste as indicative parameters for identifying deboning procedure. The test samples were eight whole chicken carcasses collected randomly in a three-month period from main retail markets in Tehran. All of the collected samples divided into the two groups: deboning of one group well done by hand and the other was performed mechanically by machine. Sample preparation and analyses were performed by wet digestion and atomic absorption analysis, respectively. According to the results the mean concentration of lead, iron and calcium in manually deboned samples were 2.94 (±0.56), 4.21 (±0.31) and 65.77 (±2.11) mg Kg-1 and in mechanically deboned samples were 3.79 (±0.52), 23.05 (±3.47) and 275.83 (±16.31) mg Kg-1, respectively. In all cases, concentration of investigated elements in mechanically deboned treatments were significantly higher than manual ones (p < 0.05) and obviously indicated the difference in deboning procedures. More ever the results of calculating estimated daily intake for lead due to consumption of chicken meat paste showed that in both of deboning methods, the concentration of lead was more than that recommended by provisional tolerable daily intake. Manuscript profile

The potential of palm kernel shell, as agricultural waste, to remove Cr (VI) from aqueous solution was evaluated. Effective parameters such as pH (2–8), temperature (20–80 °C), contact time (10-120 min), adsorbent concentration (0.1–1 g/L), and initial Cr (VI) concentration (10-100 mg/L) were all studied to attain the maximum removal efficiency. Results show the adsorption capacity increases as pH value decreases and the optimum pH value is pH= 2.0. The other optimal conditions are temperature 40 °C, contact time 45 min, adsorbent concentration 0.5 g/L and initial Cr (VI) concentration 10 mg/L. The equilibrium data for chromate adsorption well fitted to Freundlich equation, with maximum adsorption capacity of 125 mg/g. This novel activated carbon derived from palm shell powder has been found to be effective for the removal of Cr (VI) and not noxious to the ecosystem. Manuscript profile

The main purpose of this study was to compare efficiency of two extraction methods for analysis of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the tahdig of potato prepared with the solid edible oils. The PAHs separation was performed with conventional solvent extraction by Soxhlet and sonication methods. All samples were prepared under the same time (30 min) and temperature (180 °C) with solid edible oils. The extraction efficiencies were determined by subsequent optimized analysis by GC/MS. The amounts of extracted PAHs by Soxhlet and sonication methods were 74.2±3.8 and 136.7±2.1 µg/Kg, respectively. With the sonication, mean quantities of PAHs extracted from tahdig were 84% more than Soxhlet method and this improved limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for some high molecular weight PAHs up to 0.01 and 0.03 µg/Kg, respectively. This study clearly demonstrated the sonication method was especially much efficient than the traditional Soxhlet method for detection of PAHs in the tahdig of potato with complicated matrix. Manuscript profile