An innovative bovine odorant binding protein-based filtering cartridge for the removal of triazine herbicides from water
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ORIGINAL PAPER
An innovative bovine odorant binding protein-based filtering cartridge for the removal of triazine herbicides from water Federica Bianchi & Giuseppina Basini & Stefano Grolli & Virna Conti & Francesco Bianchi & Francesca Grasselli & Maria Careri & Roberto Ramoni
Received: 23 August 2012 / Revised: 9 October 2012 / Accepted: 10 October 2012 / Published online: 28 October 2012 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012
Abstract Odorant binding protein (OBP) is a multifunctional scavenger for small hydrophobic molecules dissolved in the mucus lining the nasal epithelia of mammals, characterized by broad ligand binding specificity towards a large number of structurally unrelated natural and synthetic molecules of different chemical classes. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the application of OBP as the active element of an innovative filtering matrix for the removal of environmental pollutants such as triazine herbicides from water samples. The filtering device, obtained by coupling histidine-tagged bovine OBP to a nickel nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) agarose resin, was characterized in terms of retention capacity for the herbicides atrazine, simazine, and propazine. Analysis of these herbicides at trace levels with solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry using the selected ion monitoring mode proved the capabilities of the proposed device for the decontamination of surface and groundwater samples in the 0.2–2,300 μg/L concentration range, obtaining a reduction in the triazine content greater than 97 %, thus suggesting its possible use for the potabilization of water. Published in the special issue Analytical Science in Italy with guest editor Aldo Roda. F. Bianchi (*) : M. Careri Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/A, 43124 Parma, Italy e-mail: [email protected] G. Basini : S. Grolli : V. Conti : F. Bianchi : F. Grasselli : R. Ramoni (*) Dipartimento di Scienze Medico-Veterinarie, Via del Taglio 10, 43126 Parma, Italy e-mail: [email protected]
Keywords Atrazine . Triazines . Odorant binding protein . Filtering cartridge . Endocrine disruptors . Solid-phase microextraction
Introduction Atrazine and related compounds represent a class of selective herbicides used as pre-emergent or early post-emergent compounds to control broadleaf plants and grassy weeds in crops. Although the use of atrazine has been banned both from Italy and from the other countries of the European Union since 1992 [1] and 2004 [2], respectively, it is still one of the most commonly used herbicides in the world. The International Agency for Research on Cancer downgraded atrazine from Group 2B to Group 3 (the agent is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans) [3]. However, since it is suspected to have teratogenic [4] and endocrine disruptor effects [5], and taking into account its widespread water contamination, atrazine is still considered a priority pollutant and its maximum concentration level in surface and dri
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