Concerns about traces of numerous toxic substances and authenticity have prompted consumer demand for honey that is certified as organic, based on strict ecological, natural principles and traceability. The present study aims to characterize organic honey samples (n = 73) from Northeast Portugal, with respect to floral nectar origin, physicochemical parameters and microbial safety. The phenols ...

The first step in many life detection protocols on Mars involves attempts to extract or isolate organic matter from its mineral matrix. A number of extraction options are available and include heat and solvent assisted methods. Recent operations on Mars indicate that heating samples can cause the loss or obfuscation of organic signals from target materials, raising the importance of solvent-bas...

Snowmelt is known to cause peak concentrations of pollutants, which may adversely affect receiving water quality. High concentrations of metals and suspended solids in snow have been reported, whereas studies on organic pollutants are rare. This study aims at investigating the occurrence of anthropogenic organic compounds in urban snow in Gothenburg (Sweden). The most frequently detected organi...

We demonstrate an integrated organic double half-wave rectifier for use in organic radio frequency identification RFID tags. This rectifier comprises two organic Schottky diodes, each followed by a capacitor, integrated on the same foil. This rectifier delivers approximately twice the dc voltage of single half-wave rectifiers. Its offset voltage is merely 2 V. It is able to generate voltages of...

The dynamic interplay between preparation, handling, containment, and analysis of ultrapure chemical standards and reagents for the clinical chemistry laboratory is described. Inorganic as well as organic standards are reviewed. The contamination problems associated with water, acids, and solvents in trace-element analysis are defined and resolved. In addition, less well-known sources of error ...

Chest x rays, smoking histories, and pulmonary function tests were obtained for 171 men employed in the manufacturing of silicon carbide. A lifetime exposure to respirable particulates (organic and inorganic fractions) and sulphur dioxide was estimated for each worker. Chest x ray abnormalities were related to respirable particulates (round opacities) and to age and smoking (linear opacities). ...

Demand for organic meat is partially driven by consumer perceptions that organic foods are more nutritious than non-organic foods. However, there have been no systematic reviews comparing specifically the nutrient content of organic and conventionally produced meat. In this study, we report results of a meta-analysis based on sixty-seven published studies comparing the composition of organic an...

The US market for organic foods has grown from $3.5 billion in 1996 to $28.6 billion in 2010, according to the Organic Trade Association. Organic products are now sold in specialty stores and conventional supermarkets. Organic products contain numerous marketing claims and terms, only some of which are standardized and regulated. In terms of health advantages, organic diets have been convincing...

Purpose – This paper analyses the sustainability-oriented transformation of industries from the lens of sustainable entrepreneurship. We investigate the co-evolution between pioneers introducing radically more sustainable offerings and (mostly large) market leaders with their responses. While sustainability pioneers introduce new products in niche markets, incumbents advance them into the mass ...