In recent years carotenoids have represented a good alternative for the pharmaceutical and food industries and especially for the human health, they prevent different diseases, such cancer, macular degradation and cataracts. The use of post-harvest residues represents a good alternative for obtaining analytes of interest. The application of enzymatic pretreatment over plant matrices has resulted in an increase in the level of extraction and lowered operating costs. Today, the use of organic solvents such as hexane in this process is frequent, however, new investigations with novel environmentally friendly solvents (non-toxic) promise new cleaner technologies. The aim of this review is to present some methodologies and technologies used today to obtain carotenoids from plant residues, industrial and post-harvest materials.

Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts can be transmitted by the fecal-oral route and may cause gastrointestinal parasitic zoonoses. These zoonoses are common in rural zones due to the parasites being harbored in fecally contaminated soil. This study assessed the risk of illness (giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis) from inhaling and/or ingesting soil and/or airborne dust in Potam, Mexico. To assess the risk of infection, Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) was employed, with the following steps: (1) hazard identification, (2) hazard exposure, (3) dose-response, and (4) risk characterization. Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts were observed in 52% and 57%, respectively, of total soil samples (n=21), and in 60% and 80%, respectively, of air samples (n=12). The calculated annual risks were higher than 9.9 × 10(-1) for both parasites in both types of sample. Soil and air inhalation and/or ingestion are important vehicles for these parasites. To our knowledge, the results obtained in the present study represent the first QMRAs for cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis due to soil and air inhalation/ingestion in Mexico. In addition, this is the first evidence of the microbial air quality around these parasites in rural zones.

Cryptosporidium and Giardia are gastrointestinal disease-causing organisms transmitted by the fecal–oral route, zoonotic and prevalent in all socioeconomic segments with greater emphasis in rural communities. The goal of this study was to assess the risk of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis of Potam dwellers consuming drinking water from communal well water. To achieve the goal, quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) was carried out as follows: (a) identification of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts in well water samples by information collection rule method, (b) assessment of exposure to healthy Potam residents, (c) dose-response modelling, and (d) risk characterization using an exponential model. All well water samples tested were positive for Cryptosporidium and Giardia. The QMRA results indicate a mean of annual risks of 99:100 (0.99) for cryptosporidiosis and 1:1 (1.0) for giardiasis. The outcome of the present study may drive decision-makers to establish an educational and treatment program to reduce the incidence of parasite-borne intestinal infection in the Potam community, and to conduct risk analysis programs in other similar rural communities in Mexico.

Exposure to inorganic arsenic (InAs) through drinking water, even at low to moderate concentrations, is a global public health problem. The objectives of this study were to estimate the risk ratio (HQ), cancer risk (R), and DNA damage (comet assay) of children from three indigenous Yaqui populations located in southern Sonora, Mexico, who were exposed to InAs through drinking water. A cross-sectional study was employed, and analysis of InAs in water and urine was performed via HPLC/ICP-MS. InAs levels in drinking water from Pótam, Vícam, and Cócorit were 108.2, 36.0, and 6.2 μg/L⁻¹ respectively. Children from Pótam had arsenic concentrations in urine of 107.1 μg As L⁻¹ compared with 40.3 μg As L⁻¹ for the children of Cócorit. The HQ values for the children of Pótam, Vícam, and Cócorit were 16.64, 6.02, and 0.94, while the R values were 9.4E-04, 3.5E-04, and 5.7E-05, respectively. Children with the highest arsenic exposure had significantly increased DNA damage (OTM = 14.4 vs. 4.3) [p < 0.0005] which positively correlated with urinary arsenic levels (r = 0.56, p < 0.0001). In conclusion, children of Pótam and Vícam are at significant risk of developing chronic diseases and cancers associated with chronic exposure to this metalloid.

The use of halophytes such as Salicornia bigelovii represents an alternative with economic potential for desert agriculture and coastal areas. However, the success in the establishment of commercial plots has been limited by the low germination percentages of this species. Propagation using plant cuttings represents a viable and rapid alternative to this problem. The formation of functional roots is fundamental in the propagation of plant cuttings and has been achieved through the application of chemical growth regulators. The application of chitosan in some crops has evidenced to be an alternative for the germination process and an enhancer of harvest performance; however, there are no studies that evaluate its effect on the halophyte S. bigelovii. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of marine-derived chitosan and indole butyric acid as root-promoting agents in cuttings of Salicornia bigelovii. The concentrations (individually and combined) of chitosan at 100 and 50% and indole butyric acid were applied at a rate of 0.937 and 1.25 g kg‑1. A completely randomized design of nine treatments and f ive repetitions was used and 225 experimental units were evaluated. The following variables were measured: root length, fresh weight and total dry weight of the root, and number and length of new shoots. The results showed that the most eff icient treatment was 100% chitosan + 0.937 g kg-1 indole butyric acid, promoting the production of photosynthetic shoots up to 800%. These results indicate that it is feasible to achieve the propagation of Salicornia by means of cuttings using marine-derived chitosan as a growth promoter.