The α-diketones glyoxal, methylglyoxal, and diacetyl were determined in selected beer and wine using a procedure involving the use of C18 solid phase extraction columns to remove interferences and derivatization of the compounds with o-phenylenediamine to form quinoxalines, which are separated by HPLC and detected using UV spectrophotometric detection. Interferences were more difficult to remove in the case of beer, due to the higher complexity of the matrix and because the concentrations of the compounds were lower (higher for methylglyoxal and lower for diacetyl, but all in the 10−7 M region). The determination was easier to implement in the case of wine as the typical concentrations of the compounds were about ten times higher, with methylglyoxal being the more abundant compound found.

The exposure to solar radiation (mainly due to the action of ultraviolet radiation) is one of the main causes for the premature failure of many polymeric materials, including the geotextiles. In this work, a nonwoven polypropylene geotextile (stabilized with a known amount of a hindered amine light stabilizer) was exposed to ultraviolet-aging tests, both in the laboratory (accelerated conditions) and outdoors (natural conditions). The damage occurred in the geotextile (caused by the ultraviolet-aging tests) was evaluated quantitatively (by monitoring changes in its mass per unit area, thickness, and tensile properties) and qualitatively (by scanning electron microscopy). The results, among other findings, showed that: (1) the ultraviolet-aging tests (both in the laboratory and outdoors) induced relevant damage in the polypropylene fibers of the geotextile (transverse cracks), leading to the deterioration of its tensile behavior, (2) the amount of degradation increased with the increase of the ultraviolet radiant energy, (3) the laboratory tests caused a faster deterioration of the polypropylene fibers than the outdoor tests, and (4) the degradation found by scanning electron microscopy in the polypropylene fibers correlated well with the deterioration occurred in the tensile behavior of the geotextile.