In the Marcellus shale region, elevated concentrations of dissolved methane in private water wells has been shown to be linked to natural gas extraction, but little is known of the connections between methane, gas production, and water chemistry. This study evaluates the relationships of methane to the major chemical constituents of groundwater by comparing analytical data obtained from a stray gas investigation by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP). Furthermore, spatiotemporal relationships of dissolved methane to gas well production and total iron (Fe) concentrations of groundwater to adjacent gas wellheads are examined. The objectives of this study were to identify essential pre- and post-drill test parameters that are sensitive to methane, and to determine what water types are associated with stray gas. It was discovered that total Fe concentrations in groundwater increased and sulfate (SO4) concentrations decreased likely as the result of redox reactions by anaerobic microbes in the presence of stray gas. Therefore, total Fe and SO4 should be mandated pre- and post-drill test parameters for baseline water quality assessments.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Nutrition))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Background: Clinical studies have shown that tea consumption leads to decreased iron absorption. This finding is however, not supported by epidemiological studies, where no relationship between an increased tea consumption and a lower iron status in a population at risk of iron depletion has been found. Objectives: The main aim of this study was to compare the effects of black tea and Rooibos consumption on the iron status of primary school children in a rural setting in Potchefstroom, South Africa. Methods: One hundred and seventy five children, aged six to fifteen years, participated in this single blind, randomised, parallel intervention trial. Subjects were randomly allocated to receive two 200ml servings of either black tea or Rooibos with milk and sugar. These beverages were consumed during breaks and at the same time as the food h m the school-feeding scheme. The trial proceeded for sixteen weeks. The children received antihelminthic treatment (500mg mebendazole) at baseline. Haemoglobii haematocrit, serum iron, ferritin and transferfin were measured and total iron binding capacity and transferrin saturation were calculated. Trained fieldworkers measured dietary intakes by means of 24-hour dietary recalls and anthropometrists took anthropometric measurements. All the above mentioned data were gathered at the beginning and at the end of the intervention period. Results: Measurements indicated a study population that is malnourished in terms of anthropometrical indices and nutrient intakes. Biochemical markers of iron status also indicated that the population could be at risk of iron depletion. Changes in red blood cell count, haemoglobin, haematocrit, mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), serum iron, transferrin, transferrin saturation, ferritin and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) did not differ significantly between the two groups. Mean red blood cell count, haematocrit, MCV, transferrin and TIBC increased significantly h m baseline to end in both groups (all p<0.0001) and MCH decreased significantly (p<.0001). Mean haemoglobin increased significantly with black tea consumption (p=0.002), although not with the consumption of Rooibos (p=0.073). Conclusion: Black tea or Rooibos consumption has similar effects on the iron status of primary school children. Iron status was not compromised by black tea in comparison with Rooibos. This questions the proposed limitation of black tea consumption as a public health strategy in order to combat iron deficiency in a population with marginal iron status. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Nutrition))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Background: Clinical studies have shown that tea consumption leads to decreased iron absorption. This finding is however, not supported by epidemiological studies, where no relationship between an increased tea consumption and a lower iron status in a population at risk of iron depletion has been found. Objectives: The main aim of this study was to compare the effects of black tea and Rooibos consumption on the iron status of primary school children in a rural setting in Potchefstroom, South Africa. Methods: One hundred and seventy five children, aged six to fifteen years, participated in this single blind, randomised, parallel intervention trial. Subjects were randomly allocated to receive two 200ml servings of either black tea or Rooibos with milk and sugar. These beverages were consumed during breaks and at the same time as the food h m the school-feeding scheme. The trial proceeded for sixteen weeks. The children received antihelminthic treatment (500mg mebendazole) at baseline. Haemoglobii haematocrit, serum iron, ferritin and transferfin were measured and total iron binding capacity and transferrin saturation were calculated. Trained fieldworkers measured dietary intakes by means of 24-hour dietary recalls and anthropometrists took anthropometric measurements. All the above mentioned data were gathered at the beginning and at the end of the intervention period. Results: Measurements indicated a study population that is malnourished in terms of anthropometrical indices and nutrient intakes. Biochemical markers of iron status also indicated that the population could be at risk of iron depletion. Changes in red blood cell count, haemoglobin, haematocrit, mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), serum iron, transferrin, transferrin saturation, ferritin and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) did not differ significantly between the two groups. Mean red blood cell count, haematocrit, MCV, transferrin and TIBC increased significantly h m baseline to end in both groups (all p<0.0001) and MCH decreased significantly (p<.0001). Mean haemoglobin increased significantly with black tea consumption (p=0.002), although not with the consumption of Rooibos (p=0.073). Conclusion: Black tea or Rooibos consumption has similar effects on the iron status of primary school children. Iron status was not compromised by black tea in comparison with Rooibos. This questions the proposed limitation of black tea consumption as a public health strategy in order to combat iron deficiency in a population with marginal iron status. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Nutrition))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Submitted by Ana Hilda Fonseca (anahilda@ufba.br) on 2016-08-31T12:55:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de Vitória Regina B. Soares.pdf: 4140552 bytes, checksum: cfbde6e68fae6f80c2843951ea61ffde (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Vanessa Reis (vanessa.jamile@ufba.br) on 2016-09-02T15:48:05Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de Vitória Regina B. Soares.pdf: 4140552 bytes, checksum: cfbde6e68fae6f80c2843951ea61ffde (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-02T15:48:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de Vitória Regina B. Soares.pdf: 4140552 bytes, checksum: cfbde6e68fae6f80c2843951ea61ffde (MD5) / CNPq / Para aumentar o nível de automatização no desenvolvimento de procedimentos analíticos em sistemas de análises por injeção sequencial foi proposta uma rotina em linguagem QuickBasic que permitia incorporar a etapa de otimização multivariada como uma das etapas do processo analítico, simplificando o gerenciamento do sistema. A rotina foi desenvolvida para sistemas de análises por injeção sequencial, uma vez que esta estratégia de análises em fluxo pode executar diferentes procedimentos sem reconfiguração do sistema. O processo automatizado de otimização, calibração e medida foi aplicado para as determinações espectrofotométricas de ferro total e de captopril em medicamentos, empregando os métodos da 1,10-o-fenantrolina e do acoplamento com o radical iminoquinona, respectivamente. Para rotina de otimização desenvolvida foi selecionado o sinal líquido como resposta e a intervenção do operador se restringiu a selecionar as variáveis do sistema sob otimização, definir os domínios experimentais de cada variável e escolher o desenho experimental a ser executado. Entretanto, caso as condições ótimas não fossem encontradas no domínio experimental selecionado a rotina foi programada de modo a sugerir ao operador os deslocamentos que deveriam ser feitos nos domínios experimentais. Os fatores investigados para a determinação de ferro total em amostras de fortificantes foram os volumes amostrados dos reagentes e a vazão da solução transportadora, enquanto que para o captopril foram investigados os volumes amostrados dos reagentes, a acidez da solução do oxidante e da solução da amina aromática, além da vazão da solução transportadora. Nas condições otimizadas os graus de sopreposição de zonas para ambos os procedimentos variaram entre 0,79 e 1, indicando a eficiente mistura das soluções das amostras e reagentes no percurso analítico. O procedimento SIA otimizado para a determinação do teor de ferro total em fortificantes apresentou baixa dispersão (<2%), limite de quantificação de 1,43 mg L-1 , com consumo de 0,7 mg de 1,10-o- fenantrolina e 6 mg de ácido ascórbico por determinação. A freqüência analítica foi de 60 determinações h-1 e os resultados obtidos para diferentes amostras de fortificantes foram comparados com o mesmo método em batelada e não apresentaram diferenças significativas para 95% de confiabilidade. Trinta determinações de captopril em produtos farmacêuticos por hora de trabalho foram executadas pelo procedimento de análise por injeção seqüencial otimizado consumindo 0,15 mg de sulfato de N-N-dimetil-p-fenilodiamina (DMPD) e 4 mg de FeCl3.6H2O por determinação. Faixa linear de trabalho entre 2,65 e 100 mg L-1 e boa precisão (ca. 1%) foram também obtidas. Os teores de captopril em amostras de produtos farmacêuticos foram determinados pelo procedimento proposto e os resultados, quando comparados com o método iodométrico de referência, não apresentaram diferenças significativa para 95% de confiança / A QuickBasic routine was proposed to increase the automatization in the development of analytical process for sequential injection analysis system in order to permit the inclusion of multivariated optimization as one of the steps of analytical process leading to simplify the system management. The routine was developed for sequential injection analysis once this flow analysis strategy can perform diverse analytical procedures in the same manifold. The automatized process for optimization, calibration and measurement was applied to determine the total iron concentration in pharmaceutical formulations by 1,10-o-phenantroline spectrophotometric method, as well as captopril in pharmaceutical formulations based on coupling reaction with iminoquinone radical. Sensitivity (net signal) was selected as dependent parameter for the optimization step and the analyst action was limited to select the parameters to be optimized and the experimental design to be used as well to define the experimental domains of all parameters. A decision of the analyst was also expected in the cases where the optimal conditions were not attained in the domains previously selected and, once new domains are suggested by the software, a new sequence of experiments will be carried out with human agreement. Aliquots volumes of reagents and carrier solution flow rate were the parameters evaluated for total iron determination in supplements, while the acidity and volumes of reagents solutions and the flow rate of carrier solution were optimized for captopril determination flow procedure. For both analytical procedures in the optimized conditions the index of zone overlapping was varied from 0.79 and 1, suggesting an efficient mixture of solutions in the analytical path. The optimized SIA procedure for total iron determination in supplement samples has low dispersion (<2%), limit of quantification of 1.43 mg L-1, leading to consume 0.7 mg of 1,10-o-phenantroline and 6 mg of ascorbic acid per determination. An analytical throughput of 60 determinations h-1 was estimated and no significant difference (95% confidence level) was observed by comparing the results obtained by the flow method in optimized conditions and those obtained by the spectrophotometric procedure in batch mode. Thirty captopril determinations in pharmaceutical formulations per hour were carried out by employing the optimized sequential injection analysis procedure, consuming 0.15 mg of N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine (DMPD) and 4 mg of FeCl3.6H2O. Linear range from 2.65 to 100 mg L-1 with high precision (ca. 1%) was also obtained and no significant differences (95% confidence level) were observed by comparing the optimized flow procedure with the iodometric reference method.