The procedure for the reliable determination of Be in natural waters by ETAAS was elaborated. Various modifiers (EDTA, Ca(NO3)2, Mg(NO3)2, Pd(NO3)2 and the mixture of Pd(NO3)2 and Mg(NO3)2) for the determination of beryllium was examined. The applicability of the selected Mg(NO3)2 as the appropriate and generally used modifier for the determination of Be in the different types of natural waters...

In the present study, bacteriological quality of 187 different mineral water bottle brands marketed in Karachi was analyzed from September 2009 to June 2010. All the collected samples were analyzed for the presence of coliform bacteria, fecal coliform bacteria, E. coli, fecal entrococci, P. aeruginosa and total viable plate count (TVPC). Alarmingly, 67 (36%) of these samples did not comply with...

Anxiety and depressive symptoms (AD) are common among cancer patients and have been shown to adversely affect their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Dark chocolate is popular for its beneficial effects on mood regulations. This study aims to assess the effects of dark chocolate consumption on AD and the HRQoL status among cancer patients. A sample of 133 cancer patients was recruited fro...

We have developed a semiautomatic procedure based on a sequential injection method for 90Sr/90Y determination that allows their radiochemical separation in about 30 min. The method has been tested using 90Sr/90Y solutions with activities lower than 12 Bq. The source is eluted in a pH = 6.5 medium through a MnO2-impregnated cotton filter, where 9OY is preconcentrated in preference by adsorption....

Copper effects on human health represent a relevant issue in modern nutrition. One of the difficulties in assessing the early, acute effects of copper ingested via drinking water is that the taste of copper may influence the response and the capacity to taste copper in different waters is unknown. The purpose of the study was to determine the taste threshold of copper in different types of wate...