This study applied bottom-up LC-MS/MS proteomics to compare spleen tissue from untreated female Sprague–Dawley rats with tissue from rats exposed to 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) while receiving combined pomegranate seed oil (PSO) and bitter melon extract (BME) supplementation. Previously published ICP-MS data obtained using the same experimental model were considered only as contextual information on macro- and trace-element levels. Differential-abundance analysis identified 437 protein groups between the two endpoint groups, including 203 with higher and 234 with lower relative abundance in the PSO+BME+DMBA group. Functional enrichment highlighted translation-, RNA-binding-, and ribosome-related annotations, while protein–protein interaction analysis revealed interconnected modules within the differentially abundant protein-group set. The previously published elemental study indicated that carcinogenic status was the principal factor associated with splenic elemental composition and reported group-dependent differences in selected elements, including Fe and Ca. Because proteomics was performed only for the untreated control and PSO+BME+DMBA groups, the observed differences cannot be attributed separately to DMBA, PSO, BME, or their interactions. Direct element–protein relationships were not established. The study therefore provides an exploratory proteomic comparison interpreted in the context of previously reported elemental data.
This study applied bottom-up LC-MS/MS proteomics to compare spleen tissue from untreated female Sprague–Dawley rats with tissue from rats exposed to 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) while receiving combined pomegranate seed oil (PSO) and bitter melon extract (BME) supplementation. Previously published ICP-MS data obtained using the same experimental model were considered only as contextual information on macro- and trace-element levels. Differential-abundance analysis identified 437 protein groups between the two endpoint groups, including 203 with higher and 234 with lower relative abundance in the PSO+BME+DMBA group. Functional enrichment highlighted translation-, RNA-binding-, and ribosome-related annotations, while protein–protein interaction analysis revealed interconnected modules within the differentially abundant protein-group set. The previously published elemental study indicated that carcinogenic status was the principal factor associated with splenic elemental composition and reported group-dependent differences in selected elements, including Fe and Ca. Because proteomics was performed only for the untreated control and PSO+BME+DMBA groups, the observed differences cannot be attributed separately to DMBA, PSO, BME, or their interactions. Direct element–protein relationships were not established. The study therefore provides an exploratory proteomic comparison interpreted in the context of previously reported elemental data.
Prof. Ramon Barnes finished his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry at the University of Illinois in 1966 and from 1968 to 1969 he was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Iowa State University. He then joined the University of Massachusetts (UMass, Amherst) where he taught analytical chemistry, with a focus on spectrochemical analysis from 1969 to 2000. After his retirement, he remained at UMass as Professor Emeritus of Chemistry. To remember Prof. Barnes is to remember energy—inexhaustible energy to create and keep knowledge flowing and to help people learn and develop. His exceptional commitment to analytical chemistry was outstanding, reflecting a lifelong dedication to spectrochemical analysis, particularly plasma spectrochemistry. As he said in an interview with The Analytical Scientist in 2021 [1]: “I look at my career as one of public service – be it academic, industrial, or educational.” In addition to his scientific contributions to this field, Prof. Barnes created the famous “Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry,” which has now been running for 40 years in the United States, followed by spin-off meetings in Europe and sometimes in Asia-Pacific countries. Anyone who has had the opportunity to participate in these meetings will testify to the hard work carried out by the professor and his team in bringing to all attendees a wonderful learning experience in a friendly atmosphere. How can one forget his beautiful (but not discrete!) Hawaiian shirts? Or the punctuality of the bell ringing to signal the restarting of sessions after coffee breaks? Hey, folks, let’s get back and get some work done! Furthermore, it’s impossible not to recognize the professor’s dedication in founding the “ICP Information Newsletter” in 1975, which he went on to edit for decades. Over the years, I have had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Barnes research group in Amherst several times and I never ceased to be amazed by his commitment to bringing this updated compilation of plasmas in analytical chemistry to the ICP community. Absolutely admirable! Later, Prof. Barnes founded and acted as the Director of the University Research Institute for Analytical Chemistry (URIAC) to foster education and research in spectrochemical analysis. The professor also made major contributions in the area of sample preparation regarding inorganic analysis, with an emphasis on microwave-assisted sample preparation. In the 1990s he started the “Workshop on Sample Preparation,” held at UMass, and he was instrumental in bringing this workshop to Brazil, starting in 1996 at the Center for Nuclear Energy Agriculture (USP, Piracicaba) with Prof. Francisco José Krug as the chairman and reaching its XIV edition, 30th anniversary, in 2026 at the Federal University of Pelotas (RS). This sequence of workshops was essential to building a solid community in this field in Brazil with an appreciable international impact. The presence of Prof. Barnes at almost all of the workshops held in several Brazilian universities was decisive in consolidating this event. He also played an important role in helping to bring specialists from abroad to collaborate in these workshops. The fact that the professor’s was always willing to return to Brazil and his readiness to share with us his huge experience in analytical chemistry was both impressive and unforgettable. His contributions to the development of spectrochemical analysis and sample preparation were recognized during the 17th Brazilian Meeting on Analytical Chemistry (Belo Horizonte, MG, 2013), where he presented a conference and received an award for his contributions to the development of analytical chemistry in Brazil. Recently, he was also honored in the XIV Workshop on Sample Preparation. I could not conclude this tribute to Prof. Barnes without mentioning his adorable wife, Dorothy. I think it is better to allow the professor to speak for himself [1]: “Yes, I’d like to mention my wife, Dorothy. We’ve been married for over 50 years, after meeting as graduate students at the University of Illinois. She’s much smarter than I am and certainly much more of a people-person! I’ve learned a great deal from her, and I appreciate all her encouragement and patience over the years. Without her, I think I’d not be doing what I’m doing. She deserves plenty of credit!” What a great partners! We feel privileged to have known them. Thank you, Ramon; we so appreciate all that you achieved. It has been an honor to learn from you and is our mission to follow in your footsteps.
Analytical chemistry plays a fundamental role in contemporary science by transforming chemical phenomena into reliable information that supports decision-making. Its contribution extends beyond the laboratory, reaching strategic areas such as healthcare, pharmaceutical industry, environmental science, agriculture, and as support for technological development. This edition of the Brazilian Journal of Analytical Chemistry brings studies that reflect the diversity of the field. The interview provides insights into the development of analytical chemistry and the challenges facing by the scientific research, while a point of view paper on the proteome and precision therapies highlights new possibilities at the interface of molecular analysis and personalized medicine. The reliability of analytical data is also a key focus of this issue. A metrological approach to performance assessment and measurement uncertainty in qualitative analysis is presented in the letter section. This concern is also evident in studies addressing the determination of mycotoxins in medicinal plants and the evaluation of extractables from packaging materials, both of which are directly related to safety and quality control. Innovation is demonstrated through the development of electrochemical sensors, the application of LC-MS for the determination of opioids in urine, and the integration of EDXRF and chemometrics for soil analysis. These studies illustrate how the combination of advanced technologies, instrumental strategies, and data analysis can lead to methods that are more efficient, selective, rapid, and potentially more sustainable. We hope that the work presented here will stimulate further research, foster connections across different areas of knowledge, and contribute to the continued advancement of the science of chemical measurement.
Professor Renato Zanella earned his PhD in Analytical Chemistry from TU Dortmund Universität, Germany, in 1994, with postdoctoral training completed at the Free University of Amsterdam (the Netherlands). He served as an Adjunct Professor at the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM) from 1994 to 2006, was an Associate Professor from 2007 to 2014, and has been a Full Professor since 2014. He has coordinated the Pesticide Residue Analysis Laboratory (LARP) since 2001. The laboratory has been accredited by the General Coordination for Accreditation of the Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia (CGCRE/INMETRO) since 2012. He has also led the Research Center for Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (CPCEM) since 2001, coordinating several research projects on residues and contaminants in food, environmental, biological, and industrial samples. He has held a research productivity fellowship from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) since 2004 and currently holds a PQ 1B level. He served as a member of the Chemistry Advisory Committee of the CNPq (2020–2023) and of the Superior Council of the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS) (2017–2022), serving as Vice President in 2021 and 2022. He served as Administrative Director (2020–2024) and has been President (2024–present) and a member of the Superior Council of the Fundação de Apoio à Tecnologia e Ciência (FATEC) (2020–present). He served as President of the Red de Análises de La Calidad Ambiental en América Latina (RACAL) (2013–2024) and has been a member of the Extended Executive Committee of the International Association of Environmental Analytical Chemistry (IAEAC) since 2013. Professor Zanella served as Director (2006–2008) and Vice Director (2004–2006) of the Analytical Chemistry Division of the Sociedade Brasileira de Química (SBQ). He served as Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Chemistry (PPGQ) at UFSM and as a member of the University Council of UFSM (2008–2010). He also served as President of the Advisory Committee of the Pro-Rectory of Graduate Studies and Research of UFSM (2009–2010). He is Vice Coordinator of the Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia (INCT) in Analytical Chemistry of Food: Food Safety and Characterization of Functional Foods (INCT-ALIM). He has been a member of the Scientific Committee of the Brazilian Society of Mass Spectrometry (BrMASS) since 2018. He served as a member of the Coordination Center of the National Food Analysis Network (RENALI) of the Brazilian Technology System at the Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação. (SIBRATEC)/MCTI and as a member of the Scientific Council of the Residues and Contaminants Network of MCTI/MAPA. He is the author of more than 220 articles and 18 book chapters, with more than 5,200 citations and an h-index of 40 (Scopus). He has supervised 51 master's dissertations, 30 doctoral theses, 6 postdoctoral fellows, and 41 undergraduate research projects. Currently supervises 2 master's, 6 doctoral, 1 post-doctoral and 4 undergraduate research students. Professor Zanella serves as Associate Editor of Food Analytical Methods and Scientia Chromatographica. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry (IJEAC) and Separations, and acts as an ad hoc reviewer for several scientific journals and the main Brazilian funding agencies. He coordinated the IX Latin American Symposium on Environmental and Sanitary Analytical Chemistry, in Salvador-BA (2011). He was a member of the Organizing Committee of the Latin American Congress on Chromatography and Related Techniques (COLACRO) in 2010 and 2012 and served on the Organizing Committee of the Latin American Symposium on Environmental Analytical Chemistry (LASEAC) in 2015 (Ecuador), 2017 (Colombia), 2018 (Chile), 2019 and 2024 (Brazil), and 2024 (Colombia). He has delivered lectures at scientific events in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, Uruguay, and the United States, as well as numerous events in Brazil. He has also taught courses in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, and Brazil. According to his lattes CV the most frequent keywords associated with his work include pesticides, veterinary drugs, pharmaceuticals, water, soil, food, fruits, cereals, milk, meat, chromatography, GC-MS/MS, UHPLC-MS/MS, SPE, and QuEChERS.
