The peppermint (Mentha piperita), the salvia (Salvia officinalis), the lemon balm (Melissa oficinalis), the camomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and the valerian (Valeriana officinalis) are herbs with healing effects. Their ethanol extracts are used for food fortification or in a cosmetic industry. Substances contained in herbal extracts were analyzed in this thesis. The extracts were prepared by maceration. Next, they were analyzed by using a gas chromatography and a mass spectrometry. The aim of this thesis was an optimalization of the method used for the analysis of sensorially active substances. Then, herbal extracts were analyzed and concentration of sensorially active substances was determined.

Please read the abstract in the section front of this document / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Chemical Pathology / unrestricted

The dissertation focused on the analysis of twenty historical remains of pharmaceutical substances and pharmaceutical preparations dating to the 18th and 20th century by liquid and gas chromatography with UV-spectrometric or mass spectrometric detection. The analytical approach was chosen with regards to the age and pharmaceutical forms of the analyzed historical remain. The authenticity of the sample was verified by identifying the active ingredients, their possible degradation products and other excipients by tandem mass spectrometry. The fragmentation of some analytes was also studied by tandem mass spectrometry. The stability of historical pharmaceutical preparations from the 20th century was assessed on the basis of a decrease in the concentration of active substances compared to the content declared by the manufacturer or, in case of historical pharmaceutical remains from the 18th century, on the basis of active substance concentrations determined in the historical residue and current reference material. A multi-analytical approach combining five analytical methods, the results of which complement each other, was used to analyze the historical remains of ointments. While the active substances identified in ipecacuanha were found to be partially degraded, they were completely degraded in senna...

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All-purpose wheat flour is a useful long-term storage commodity, but is subject to off-odor formation. Although flour stored in a low oxygen atmosphere should inhibit rancid odor formation, it elicits consumer complaints about odor. The purpose of this study was to examine off-odor development in all-purpose wheat flour during ambient and elevated storage by determining the effect of low oxygen atmosphere and enrichment-bleaching on quality as measured by, free fatty acids (FFA), flour descriptive sensory analysis, conjugated dienes, headspace volatiles, bread consumer sensory analysis, color, loaf volume, and vitamin analysis. Enriched, bleached (EB) and unenriched, unbleached (UU) flour was stored in a low and normal oxygen atmosphere in no. 10 cans at 22, 30, and 40°C for 24 weeks. Moisture remained constant throughout the study. Headspace oxygen was < 0.1% in flour stored in a low oxygen atmosphere and decreased in flour stored in a normal oxygen atmosphere. FFA increased with storage time and temperature. The "fresh flour" descriptive aroma of flour decreased during storage and decreased more rapidly in a low oxygen atmosphere. The "cardboard/stale" aroma increased in flour stored in a normal oxygen atmosphere. The "acid-metallic" aroma increased in flour stored in a low oxygen atmosphere and was determined to be the off-odor from consumer complaints. Conjugated dienes and volatiles generally increased more rapidly in flour stored in a normal oxygen atmosphere and in EB flour, suggesting that the acid-metallic odor did not result from lipid oxidation. Bread consumer sensory analysis identified EB flour stored in a normal oxygen atmosphere to have the lowest acceptance scores for aroma, overall acceptability, and flavor. The acid-metallic odor dissipated within 24 hours when the container was opened and was not detrimental to consumer acceptance of bread made from the flour. Oxygen absorbers prevented the darkening of flour but not the reddening or yellowing. A low oxygen atmosphere resulted in higher bread loaf volumes. Vitamin degradation is not a concern under normal storage conditions. Bleaching appears to increase flour oxidative rancidity more than enrichment. Although storage at a low oxygen atmosphere results in an off-odor present in newly opened cans, it gave higher quality flour and bread. A low oxygen atmosphere should continue to be used in flour stored long-term, and consumers should be made aware that the off-odor present in cans of flour dissipates after opening.

This study provides chemical confirmation for the use of resinous plant exudates in mortuary contexts in Roman Britain. Analysis of amorphous masses, adhering residues and grave deposits using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry has revealed terpenoid biomarkers in sixteen inhumation and two cremation burials. The natural products characterized include European Pinaceae (conifer) resins, Pistacia spp. (mastic/terebinth) resins from the Mediterranean or the Levant and Boswellia spp. (frankincense) gum-resins from southern Arabia or eastern Africa. In addition, traces of a balsamic resin, probably Liquidambar orientalis, have been identified. A correlation between the use of these exotic exudates and interment in substantial, often multiple, containers with high-quality textiles and grave goods was observed. Theoretical consideration of this imported rite illuminates the multiplicity of roles played by resins/gum-resins in the mortuary sphere. The material properties of these highly scented substances speak to the biological reality of the decomposing body and to the socially constructed identity of the individual. On a practical level, they acted as temporary preservatives and masked the odour of decay. As social signifiers, they denoted the status of the deceased and promoted remembrance through conspicuous consumption and sensory impact. Encoded with ritual meaning, they purified the body and facilitated the final rite of passage to the afterlife. The recovery of these resinous traces provides us with new insights into the treatment of the body in the Roman period and establishes fresh links between the remote province of Britannia and the remainder of the Empire. / Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). / Vol. II, which contains supplementary material files, is not available online.

In this thesis, an analytical platform was designed and applied to various in vitro bacterial and eukaryotic cell cultures. An extraction and an analytical protocol were developed for comprehensive and simultaneous analysis of both lipid and polar metabolites for intra- and extracellular metabolomics using HILIC-LC-TOF-MS. This analytical platform was applied to four diverse research questions such as the effect of oxygen environment on growth, the interplay between gene expression and metabolism, metabolic changes that occur with age, and PAH toxicity. Specifically: (i) the effect of oxygen on the growth, physiology and metabolism of the Gram positive Streptococcus intermedius were investigated by comprehensive intra- and extracellular metabolomes and transcriptome. (ii) Metabolic insights into the role of the multipartite genome of the Gram negative bacteria Sinorhizobium meliloti and its metabolic preferences in a nutritionally complex environment. (iii) Age-associated metabolic dysregulation in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages during bacterial lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation. (iv) Comprehensive intracellular metabolomic profiles of Sinorhizobium meliloti to sub-lethal exposure of individual or mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon revealed additive and dose-dependent effects. This thesis has demonstrated the versatility of the designed analytical platform and its use for diverse research in cell biology. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The Encounters and Transformations in Iron Age Europe project (ENTRANS) aims to expand our knowledge regarding the nature and impact of cultural encounters during the European Iron Age. The study of ceramic vessels was included in the project, in order to further understand cultural practices in the south-east Alpine region. Organic residue analysis is an important tool in archaeological research for determining the presence of food and other organic substances associated with ceramic vessels. It has the potential to significantly improve our understanding of Iron Age societies and the interactions between them. This research focuses on the analysis of visible and absorbed organic residues from 377 ceramic vessels, from Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age sites in Slovenia and Croatia, by gas-chromatography mass spectrometry. Two methods of lipid extraction were compared in a pilot study compressing 30 potsherds from Kaptol (solvent vs. acid extraction). This study revealed that more information was obtained by acid extraction, thus it was selected as the main method of extraction for this project. Differences between settlement, funerary and ritual sites were observed, suggesting that the vessels placed in the graves were not previously used or carried foodstuff with low lipid content, such as liquids and dry foods/cereals. Some types of residues were only identified in funerary vessels, specifically potential castor oil in Kaptol, mixed with other fats and oils. Lipid biomarkers and lipid ratios revealed significant differences between contexts and different sites, suggesting that the differences in cultural practices can also be identified in the use of ceramic vessels. Some residues were also sampled for gas-chromatography compound-specific isotope ratio mass spectrometry and bulk isotope analysis (only visible residues), which identified potential dairy fats in two potsherds from Poštela. The results were also compared with the contextual information, mainly the faunal remains, and the data obtained from the osteology and diet study preformed with individuals from the same area and chronology as the ceramic vessels. / Encounters and Transformations in Iron Age Europe Project (ENTRANS); Humanities in the European Research Area (HERA); Institute Life Sciences Research (ILSR) University of Bradford.

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