The purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations of mineral oil hydrocarbons in dry foodstuffs packed in recycled paperboard, which were imported from different foreign countries to Germany. After collection, mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in dry foodstuffs and recycled paperboard were analysed using online coupled high-performance liquid chromatography–gas chromatography–flame ionisation detection (online HPLC–GC–FID) far before the end of the shelf life of the samples. Our results showed that recycled paperboard has MOAH content higher than that of dry foodstuffs. The proportion of MOAH within total mineral oil hydrocarbons was determined to be 7–45% in dry foodstuffs and 4–48% in paperboard. In addition, 29% of the products were found to contain over 1.00 mg/kg MOAH, with a maximum of 2.72 mg/kg in oatmeal. White colour recycled paperboard contained lower amounts of MOSH and MOAH than that of brown and grey colour recycled paperboard. The MOSH concentration in dry foodstuffs ranged from 0.11 to 21.92 mg/kg (˂C25 hydrocarbons), which may be an indication of rapid migration. The lowest determined MOSH concentrations (˂C25 hydrocarbons) were found in sea salt and soda samples, even when their paperboard contained high mineral oil hydrocarbons. Our three samples in packages containing internal bags (for complete barriers) were found to have low mineral oil concentration due to reduced migration through plastic (acrylate-coated polypropylene). However, one sample, a ‘crispy’ product with an internal bag, contained the extreme amount of 21.92 mg/kg. Differences in contaminants observed in both dry foodstuffs and recycled paperboard may have been due to the different packaging and production techniques of the different countries. In addition, 8 of 24 dry foodstuff samples contained MOSH concentrations frequently exceeding the 2.0 mg/kg limit for MOSH C₂₀–C₃₅.

Salinity stress poses a major challenge to plant growth and development, causing problems like osmotic stress, ion toxicity, and nutrient imbalances. These issues lead to reduced photosynthesis and early aging of plants. In this study, we explored the potential of potassium humate (Kh) and iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe (II,III) oxide-NPs) to help cotton plants (Gossypium hirsitum L.) cope with saline conditions. We examined various growth parameters such as plant height, leaf number, fresh and dry weights of leaves and roots, leaf area, chlorophyll content (SPAD values), and relative water content (RWC). Our findings showed that salinity stress significantly decreased plant height, leaf number, fresh leaf weight, dry leaf weight, leaf area, and RWC. However, the application of Fe (II,III) oxide-NPs and Kh helped mitigate these negative effects. Notably, the combination of Fe (II,III) oxide-NPs and Kh resulted in the highest plant height under saline conditions. Kh alone was particularly effective in increasing leaf number and fresh leaf weight, even under stress. In conclusion, both Fe (II,III) oxide NPs and Kh proved to be effective in enhancing cotton plant resilience to salinity stress, highlighting their potential use in sustainable agriculture in saline and arid regions. These insights can help develop strategies to improve plant growth and yield under challenging environmental conditions.