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Analytical Chemistry in Europe: Towards Sustainability and Quality of Life

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Analytical Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 17778

Special Issue Editors

1. Associate Laboratory i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2819-516 Caparica, Portugal
2. UCIBIO—Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Chemistry Department, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
3. CICS-UBI—Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilhã, Portugal
Interests: method development and validation; electrochemical detection; proteomics; protein biomarkers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
1. Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior (CICS-UBI), Covilhã, Portugal
2. Pharmaco-Toxicology Laboratory, UBIMedical, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
3. Centro Académico Clínico das Beiras (CACB)—Grupo de Problemas Relacionados com Toxicofilias, Covilhã, Portugal
Interests: toxicology; analytical method development; recreational drugs; natural psychoactive substances; therapeutic drug monitoring; sample preparation; alternative samples; miniaturized extraction procedures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Laboratory of Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology, National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, I.P. – South Branch, Rua Manuel Bento de Sousa, n.º 3, 1169-201 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: method development and validation; hair testing; alternative specimens; drug monitoring; toxicology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Several research groups are devoted to the dissemination of new and original knowledge across all borders of analytical chemistry. In order to assemble these findings, a Special Issue entitled “Analytical Chemistry in Europe: towards sustainability and quality of life” is being launched. This Special Issue intends to gather full scientific papers, short communications, and review articles covering novel analytical and bioanalytical methods and technology that have a huge societal impact as well as technology that is sufficiently innovative, robust, and accurate compared to other methods that are currently available for the intended application. Developments with interdisciplinary approaches are welcome in particular, and systems should be proven with suitably complex and analytically challenging samples.

Presenting a very broad scope, this Special Issue welcomes papers covering but not limited to the following technologies and emergent applications: Global health; point-of-care and molecular diagnostics; biosensors and bioengineering; drug development and pharmaceutical analysis; microfluidics and nanotechnology; omics analysis (such as proteomics, metabolomics or glycomics); environmental, veterinary, agricultural and food science; neuroscience; biochemical and clinical and forensic analysis; and industrial process and method development.

This Special Issue will provide an excellent collection of academic papers and will be able to act as a reference tool for researchers, particularly those working in the fields of biotechnology, medicine, food sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, toxicology, and biology, including health and industry professionals.

We are looking forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Luís Passarinha
Prof. Dr. Eugenia Gallardo
Dr. Mário Barroso
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • analytical and bioanalytical methods
  • chemistry
  • drugs
  • toxic compounds
  • biomarkers
  • sample preparation
  • life quality
  • sustainability

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 11990 KiB  
Article
Interactions between Damaged Hair Keratin and Juglone as a Possible Restoring Agent: A Vibrational and Scanning Electron Microscopy Study
by Michele Di Foggia, Paola Taddei, Carla Boga, Benedetta Nocentini and Gabriele Micheletti
Molecules 2024, 29(2), 320; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29020320 - 09 Jan 2024
Viewed by 649
Abstract
Juglone, a quinonic compound present in walnut extracts, was proposed as a restoring agent for hair keratin treated with permanent or discoloration processes. The proposed mechanism of restoration by juglone involves the formation of a Michael adduct between the quinone and the thiol [...] Read more.
Juglone, a quinonic compound present in walnut extracts, was proposed as a restoring agent for hair keratin treated with permanent or discoloration processes. The proposed mechanism of restoration by juglone involves the formation of a Michael adduct between the quinone and the thiol moieties of cysteine residues. To this purpose, the first part of the present paper involved the spectroscopic study of the product of the reaction between juglone and N-acetyl-L-cysteine as a model compound. IR spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) monitored the chemical and morphological variations induced by applying juglone to hair keratin. In order to simulate the most common hair treatments (i.e., permanent and discoloration), juglone was applied to hair that had been previously treated with a reducing agent, i.e., methyl thioglycolate (MT) or with bleaching agents (based on hydrogen peroxide and persulfates) followed by sodium hydrogen sulfite. IR spectroscopy allowed us to monitor the formation of Michael adducts between juglone and cysteine residues: the Michael adducts’ content was related to the cysteine content of the samples. In fact, MT and sodium hydrogen sulfite favored the reduction of the disulfide bonds and increased the content of free cysteine residues, which can react with juglone. SEM analyses confirmed the trend observed by IR spectroscopy since hair samples treated with juglone adopted a more regular hair surface and more imbricated scales, thus supporting the possible use of juglone as a restoring agent for damaged hair keratins. Full article
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15 pages, 3886 KiB  
Article
Electron Beam Processing as a Promising Tool to Decontaminate Polymers Containing Brominated Flame Retardants
by Rachida Khadidja Benmammar, Venkateswara Rao Mundlapati, Zohra Bouberka, Ana Barrera, Jean-Noël Staelens, Jean-François Tahon, Michael Ziskind, Yvain Carpentier, Cristian Focsa, Philippe Supiot, Corinne Foissac and Ulrich Maschke
Molecules 2023, 28(23), 7753; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28237753 - 24 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1384
Abstract
Electron Beam (EB) irradiation was utilized to decontaminate model systems of industrial polymers that contain a brominated flame retardant (BFR). Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and Polycarbonate (PC) are two types of polymers commonly found in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). In this study, these [...] Read more.
Electron Beam (EB) irradiation was utilized to decontaminate model systems of industrial polymers that contain a brominated flame retardant (BFR). Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and Polycarbonate (PC) are two types of polymers commonly found in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). In this study, these polymers were exposed to EB irradiation to degrade DecaBromoDiphenylEther (DBDE), one of the most toxic BFRs. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis demonstrated an 87% degradation rate of DBDE for the ABS-DBDE system and 91% for the PC-DBDE system following an 1800 kGy irradiation dose. Thermal analysis using Differential Scanning Calorimetry revealed the presence of crosslinking in ABS and a minor reduction in the glass transition temperature of PC after EB processing. Polymers exhibited thermal stability after photolysis, as indicated by thermogravimetric analysis. In summary, EB irradiation had no impact on the overall thermal properties of both polymers. High-resolution mass spectrometry analysis has confirmed the debromination of both ABS-DBDE and PC-DBDE systems. Therefore, the results obtained are promising and could offer an alternative approach for removing bromine and other additives from plastic E-waste. Full article
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14 pages, 6089 KiB  
Article
Myo-Inositol, Scyllo-Inositol, and Other Minor Carbohydrates as Authenticity Markers for the Control of Italian Bulk, Concentrate, and Rectified Grape Must
by Mauro Paolini, Matteo Perini, Letizia Allari, Loris Tonidandel, Fabio Finato, Katia Guardini and Roberto Larcher
Molecules 2023, 28(8), 3609; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28083609 - 20 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1066
Abstract
Myo-inositol polyalcohol is a characteristic component of natural and concentrated grape musts (CMs), and Regulation (EU) no. 1308/2013 prescribes its presence as a marker of the authenticity of rectified concentrated must (RCM). Other polyalcohols besides myo-inositol, such as scyllo-inositol or [...] Read more.
Myo-inositol polyalcohol is a characteristic component of natural and concentrated grape musts (CMs), and Regulation (EU) no. 1308/2013 prescribes its presence as a marker of the authenticity of rectified concentrated must (RCM). Other polyalcohols besides myo-inositol, such as scyllo-inositol or minor sugars, could be considered authenticity markers, but an extensive search in the literature yielded no exhaustively investigated study of their concentration variability in genuine products. The aim of this study was to create an extensive national data bank of minor carbohydrates profiles and investigate the impact of the geographical origin and the different vintages on the concentration of these compounds; to this end, 450 authentic Italian grape musts of different varieties were sampled and analyzed during the harvest season in 2019, 2020, and 2021. The grape musts from the Italian wine-growing areas CII and CIIIb had myo- and scyllo-inositol contents always higher than 756 and 39 mg/kg of sugar, respectively. Conversely, also considering other mono- and disaccharides, sucrose, sorbitol, lactose, maltose, and isomaltose showed contents always lower than 534, 1207, 390, 2222, and 1639 mg/kg of sugar, respectively. The general applicability to the CM and RCM of the proposed authenticity thresholds, established in the must, was demonstrated by studying the influence of must concentration on the myo- and scyllo-inositol content. Inter-laboratory comparison experiments were also conducted to harmonize and characterize laboratory methods and validate the analytical dataset. Based on the obtained results, the text of the EU legislation (Reg. (EU) 1308/2013), which defines the characteristics of the must and the CRM product, should be revised. Full article
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25 pages, 7420 KiB  
Article
Vibrational Study on the Structure, Bioactivity, and Silver Adsorption of Silk Fibroin Fibers Grafted with Methacrylonitrile
by Michele Di Foggia, Masuhiro Tsukada and Paola Taddei
Molecules 2023, 28(6), 2551; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28062551 - 10 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1232
Abstract
Natural fibers have received increasing attention as starting materials for innovative applications in many research fields, from biomedicine to engineering. Bombyx mori silk fibroin has become a material of choice in the development of many biomedical devices. Grafting represents a good strategy to [...] Read more.
Natural fibers have received increasing attention as starting materials for innovative applications in many research fields, from biomedicine to engineering. Bombyx mori silk fibroin has become a material of choice in the development of many biomedical devices. Grafting represents a good strategy to improve the material properties according to the desired function. In the present study, Bombyx mori silk fibroin fibers were grafted with methacrylonitrile (MAN) with different weight gains. The potential interest in biomedical applications of MAN functionalization relies on the presence of the nitrile group, which is an acceptor of H bonds and can bind metals. IR and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the grafted samples and the possible structural changes induced by grafting. Afterward, the same techniques were used to study the bioactivity (i.e., the calcium phosphate nucleation ability) of MAN-grafted silk fibroins after ageing in simulated body fluid (SBF) for possible application in bone tissue engineering, and their interaction with Ag+ ions, for the development of biomaterials with enhanced anti-microbial properties. MAN was found to efficiently polymerize on silk fibroin through polar amino acids (i.e., serine and tryptophan), inducing an enrichment in silk fibroin-ordered domains. IR spectroscopy allowed us to detect the nucleation of a thin calcium phosphate layer and the uptake of Ag+ ions through the nitrile group, which may foster the application of these grafted materials in biomedical applications. Full article
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13 pages, 1907 KiB  
Article
Recycling of Plastics from E-Waste via Photodegradation in a Low-Pressure Reactor: The Case of Decabromodiphenyl Ether Dispersed in Poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) and Poly(carbonate)
by Hussam Aldoori, Zohra Bouberka, Hervé Feuchter, Skander Khelifi, Franck Poutch, Loic Brison, Fouad Laoutid, Stijn Steuperaert, Corinne Foissac, Philippe Supiot, Christian Malas and Ulrich Maschke
Molecules 2023, 28(6), 2491; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28062491 - 08 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1410
Abstract
Recycling of plastic waste from electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), containing brominated flame retardants (BFR) remains difficult due to the increasingly stringent regulations on their handling and recovery. This report deals with photodegradation in a low-pressure reactor applying UV-visible light on Decabromodiphenyl ether [...] Read more.
Recycling of plastic waste from electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), containing brominated flame retardants (BFR) remains difficult due to the increasingly stringent regulations on their handling and recovery. This report deals with photodegradation in a low-pressure reactor applying UV-visible light on Decabromodiphenyl ether (DBDE or BDE-209) randomly dispersed in commercially available Poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) (ABS) and Poly(carbonate) (PC). The aim of this study is to investigate the possibility of decomposing a BFR in plastic waste from EEE while maintaining the specifications of the polymeric materials in order to allow for their recycling. The photodegradation of the extracted BFR was monitored using infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy. DBDE underwent rapid photodegradation during the first minutes of exposure to UV-visible light and reached degradation yields superior to 90% after 15 min of irradiation. The evaluation of polymer properties (ABS and PC) after irradiation revealed superficial crosslinking effects, which were slightly accelerated in the presence of DBDE. However, the use of a low-pressure reactor avoids large photooxidation and allowed to maintain the thermal and structural properties of the virgin polymers. Full article
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12 pages, 4073 KiB  
Article
TG-DSC and TG-FTIR Studies of Annelated Triazinylacetic Acid Ethyl Esters—Potential Anticancer Agents
by Agnieszka Ostasz, Renata Łyszczek, Krzysztof Sztanke and Małgorzata Sztanke
Molecules 2023, 28(4), 1735; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28041735 - 11 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1136
Abstract
To avoid problems associated with the storage and processing of newly developed potential medicines, there is a need to carry out thermal studies in the preclinical phase of drug development. The thermal behaviour and decomposition pathway of a whole novel class of patented [...] Read more.
To avoid problems associated with the storage and processing of newly developed potential medicines, there is a need to carry out thermal studies in the preclinical phase of drug development. The thermal behaviour and decomposition pathway of a whole novel class of patented potential molecular pharmaceutics, i.e., ethyl 2-[4-oxo-8-(R-phenyl)-4,6,7,8-tetrahydroimidazo[2,1-c][1,2,4]triazin-3-yl]acetates (16) were reported for the first time in inert and oxidative atmospheres. The experiments were conducted with the use of simultaneous thermogravimetry/differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) and simultaneous thermogravimetry coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR). The decomposition pathways of compounds 16 were found to be different under oxidative and inert conditions. It was proven that the investigated molecules reveal higher thermal stability under a synthetic air atmosphere than under a nitrogen atmosphere, and their decomposition is preceded by the melting process. Among all the investigated compounds, only the meta-chloro derivative (4) was found to exhibit interesting polymorphic behaviour at a low heating rate (10 °C min−1). It was proven that the oxidative decomposition process of the studied molecules proceeds in three overlapping stages accompanied by strong exothermic effects. Additionally, it was concluded that the title compounds were stable up to a temperature of 195–216 °C in an atmosphere of synthetic air, and their thermal stability decreased in the order of R at the benzene ring: 4-CH3 > 3,4-Cl2 > 4-Cl > H > 2-OCH3 > 3-Cl. Full article
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10 pages, 936 KiB  
Article
Unbiased Determination of Adsorption Isotherms by Inverse Method in Liquid Chromatography
by Szabolcs Horváth, Diána Lukács, Evelin Farsang and Krisztián Horváth
Molecules 2023, 28(3), 1031; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28031031 - 19 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1387
Abstract
The Inverse Method is a widely used technique for the determination of adsorption isotherms in liquid chromatography. In this method, isotherm is determined from the overloaded peak profile of the component by the iterative solution of the mass balance equation of liquid chromatography. [...] Read more.
The Inverse Method is a widely used technique for the determination of adsorption isotherms in liquid chromatography. In this method, isotherm is determined from the overloaded peak profile of the component by the iterative solution of the mass balance equation of liquid chromatography. Successful use of this method requires a prior assumption of equation of isotherm (Langmuir, BET etc.). In this work, we have developed an inverse method that gives results of similar accuracy to the frontal analysis without assuming the equation of the isotherm. The oversaturated peaks were calculated using a spline fitted to data points instead of the derivative of the isotherm. The distribution of the isotherm points were optimized for minimizing the difference between the measured and calculated overloaded peaks. The accuracy of the developed method was verified with synthetic benchmark peaks and by the determination of isotherm of buthyl-benzoate under real conditions. The results confirmed that the accuracy of the developed method is similar to that of Frontal Analysis. Full article
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21 pages, 7222 KiB  
Article
The Determination of Cannabinoids in Urine Samples Using Microextraction by Packed Sorbent and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
by Luana M. Rosendo, Tiago Rosado, Patrik Oliveira, Ana Y. Simão, Cláudia Margalho, Suzel Costa, Luís A. Passarinha, Mário Barroso and Eugenia Gallardo
Molecules 2022, 27(17), 5503; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27175503 - 27 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2065
Abstract
Cannabis is the most consumed illicit drug worldwide, and its legal status is a source of concern. This study proposes a rapid procedure for the simultaneous quantification of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 11-hydroxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC), 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH), cannabidiol (CBD), and [...] Read more.
Cannabis is the most consumed illicit drug worldwide, and its legal status is a source of concern. This study proposes a rapid procedure for the simultaneous quantification of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 11-hydroxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC), 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN) in urine samples. Microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) was used to pre-concentrate the analytes, which were detected by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The procedure was previously optimized, and the final conditions were: conditioning with 50 µL methanol and 50 µL of water, sample load with two draw–eject cycles, and washing with 310 µL of 0.1% formic acid in water with 5% isopropanol; the elution was made with 35 µL of 0.1% ammonium hydroxide in methanol. This fast extraction procedure allowed quantification in the ranges of 1–400 ng/mL for THC and CBD, 5–400 ng/mL for CBN and 11-OH-THC, and 10–400 ng/mL for THC-COOH with coefficients of determination higher than 0.99. The limits of quantification and detection were between 1 and 10 ng/mL using 0.25 mL of sample. The extraction efficiencies varied between 26 and 85%. This analytical method is the first allowing the for determination of cannabinoids in urine samples using MEPS, a fast, simple, and low-cost alternative to conventional techniques. Full article
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Review

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29 pages, 8671 KiB  
Review
A Critical Review of Analytical Methods for the Quantification of Phthalates Esters in Two Important European Food Products: Olive Oil and Wine
by Flávia Freitas, Maria João Cabrita and Marco Gomes da Silva
Molecules 2023, 28(22), 7628; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28227628 - 16 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1123
Abstract
Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are a class of chemicals widely used as plasticizers. These compounds, considered toxic, do not bond to the polymeric matrix of plastic and can, therefore, migrate into the surrounding environment, posing a risk to human health. The primary source [...] Read more.
Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are a class of chemicals widely used as plasticizers. These compounds, considered toxic, do not bond to the polymeric matrix of plastic and can, therefore, migrate into the surrounding environment, posing a risk to human health. The primary source of human exposure is food, which can become contaminated during cultivation, production, and packaging. Therefore, it is imperative to control and regulate this exposure. This review covers the analytical methods used for their determination in two economically significant products: olive oil and wine. Additionally, it provides a summary and analysis of information regarding the characteristics, toxicity, effects on human health, and current regulations pertaining to PAEs in food. Various approaches for the extraction, purification, and quantification of these analytes are highlighted. Solvent and sorbent-based extraction techniques are reviewed, as are the chromatographic separation and other methods currently applied in the analysis of PAEs in wines and olive oils. The analysis of these contaminants is challenging due to the complexities of the matrices and the widespread presence of PAEs in analytical laboratories, demanding the implementation of appropriate strategies. Full article
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19 pages, 1450 KiB  
Review
On-Site Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
by Ruben Epping and Matthias Koch
Molecules 2023, 28(4), 1598; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28041598 - 07 Feb 2023
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5381
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are of interest in many different fields. Among them are food and fragrance analysis, environmental and atmospheric research, industrial applications, security or medical and life science. In the past, the characterization of these compounds was mostly performed via sample [...] Read more.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are of interest in many different fields. Among them are food and fragrance analysis, environmental and atmospheric research, industrial applications, security or medical and life science. In the past, the characterization of these compounds was mostly performed via sample collection and off-site analysis with gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) as the gold standard. While powerful, this method also has several drawbacks such as being slow, expensive, and demanding on the user. For decades, intense research has been dedicated to find methods for fast VOC analysis on-site with time and spatial resolution. We present the working principles of the most important, utilized, and researched technologies for this purpose and highlight important publications from the last five years. In this overview, non-selective gas sensors, electronic noses, spectroscopic methods, miniaturized gas chromatography, ion mobility spectrometry and direct injection mass spectrometry are covered. The advantages and limitations of the different methods are compared. Finally, we give our outlook into the future progression of this field of research. Full article
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