Simultaneous analysis of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs using electrochemically controlled solid‐phase microextraction based on nanostructure molecularly imprinted polypyrrole film coupled to ion mobility spectrometry

A simple, rapid, and highly sensitive method for simultaneous analysis of anti‐inflammatory drugs (naproxen, ibuprofen, and mefenamic acid) in diluted human serum was developed using the electrochemically controlled solid‐phase microextraction coupled to ion mobility spectrometry. A conducting molecularly imprinted polymer film based on polypyrrole was synthesized for the selective uptake and release of drugs. The film was prepared by incorporation of a template molecule (naproxen) during the electropolymerization of pyrrole onto a platinum electrode using cyclic voltammetry method. The measured ion mobility spectrometry intensity was related to the concentration of analytes taken up into the films. The calibration graphs (naproxen, ibuprofen, and mefenamic acid) were linear in the range of 0.1–30 ng/mL and detection limits were 0.07–0.37 ng/mL and relative standard deviation was lower than 6%. On the basis of the results obtained in this work, the conducting molecularly imprinted polymer films as absorbent have been applied in the electrochemically controlled solid‐phase microextraction and ion mobility spectrometry system for the selective clean‐up and quantification of trace amounts of anti‐inflammatory drugs in human serum samples. Scanning electron microscopy has confirmed the nano‐structure morphology of the polypyrrole film.     

Adsorptive Stripping Differential Pulse Voltammetric Determination of Risperidone with a Multi‐Walled Carbon Nanotube‐Ionic Liquid Paste Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

A new composite electrode has been fabricated based on coating multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and n‐octylpyridinum hexafluorophosphate (OPPF₆) ionic liquid composite on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode (OPPF₆‐MWCNTs/GCE). This electrode shows very attractive electrochemical performances for electrooxidation of risperidone (RIS) compared to conventional electrodes using carbon and mineral oil, notably improved sensitivity and stability. The oxidation peak potentials in cyclic voltammogram of RIS on the OPPF₆‐MWCNTs/GCE was occurred around 230 mV vs. SCE at Britton–Robinson (B–R) buffer (pH 4.0) at scan rate of 100 mV s^?1. The electrochemical parameters such as diffusion coefficient (D), charge transfer coefficient (α) and the electron transfer rate constant (k/_s) were determined using cyclic voltammetry. Under the optimized conditions, the peak current was linear to risperidone concentration over the concentration range of 10–200 nM with sensitivity of 0.016 μA/nM^?1 using differential pulse voltammetry. The detection limit was 6.54 nM (S/N = 3). The electrode also displayed good selectivity and repeatability. In the presence of clozapine (CLZ) the response of RIS kept almost unchanged. Thus this electrode could find application in the determination of RIS in some real samples. The analytical performance of the OPPF₆‐MWCNTs/GCE was demonstrated for the determination of RIS in human serum and pharmaceutical samples.     

Adsorption and Micellization Behavior of Cationic Surfactants (Gemini and Conventional)—Amphiphilic Drug Systems

In the present work, the behavior of mixed drug–surfactant systems has been studied by surface tension measurements. The drug used in this work is adiphenine hydrochloride (ADP) and the surfactants are of m-s-m type geminis, i.e., alkanediyl-α,ω-bis(dimethylalkylammonium bromide), with m = (14, 16), s = (4, 5, 6), and conventional alkyltrimethylammonium bromides (CTAB, TTAB). The excess surface concentration (Γ _max ) increases and the minimum head group area at the air/water interface (A _min) decreases with increasing concentration of surfactant in the drug solution. Both the critical micelle concentration (cmc) and ideal cmc (cmc*) values decrease with mole fraction of surfactants. Also, the cmc values are lower than cmc*, indicating attractive interactions are present in the mixed micelles. The mole fractions of surfactant in the micelles $ \left( {X_{1}^{m} } \right) $ and monolayers $ \left( {X_{1}^{\sigma } } \right) $ , as well as the respective interaction parameters ( $ \beta^{m} $ , $ \beta^{\sigma } $ ), indicate that monolayer formation is easier than micelle formation due to the rigid hydrophobic part of the drug.     

Measurement of natural radioactivity in soil from Peshawar basin of Pakistan

Natural radioactivity in the environment may change with time due to human activities, chemical and biological changes. From the view of radiation risk to population, the knowledge of natural radioactivity levels and the measurement of collective radiation dose received by the population is very vital. Radiological constraints on soil of thickly populated Peshawar basin in northern Pakistan were assessed through radiometric assay. Soil samples collected from different locations of four districts of this basin were analysed using an HPGe gamma spectrometer. Activity concentrations of ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th in these samples was 648 ± 121 (421–996), 45 ± 7 (32–60) and 59 ± 7 (46–72) Bq kg^?1, respectively that followed lognormal distribution. The average concentrations of primordial radionuclides were found to be higher than that reported for the worldwide soil. Radium equivalent activity and gamma index derived from these activity concentrations were lesser than their respective limits. The average absorbed dose rate and the annual effective dose for both indoor and outdoor cases were found to be higher than the values given in the UNSCEAR 2000 report. The results of the present study were compared with those for other locations of Pakistan along with that for the world. The radiological impact of the measured data was evaluated using hazard assessment models. A thoughtful discussion of the above mentioned evaluation is also given.     

Micelle-Catalyzed Interaction Between [Ni(II)-Gly-Gly]+ and Ninhydrin

The effect of cationic micelles of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) on the observed pseudo-first-order rate constant for the interaction of nickel dipeptide complex [Ni(II)-Gly-Gly]⁺ with ninhydrin has been studied spectrophotometrically. At constant temperature and pH, increase in the [CTAB] from 0.0 to 60.0 × 10^?3 mol dm^?3 caused nearly three-fold increase of the rate constant. The micellar catalysis is explained in terms of the pseudophase model. From the observed kinetic data, binding constants of micelle–[Ni(II)-Gly-Gly]⁺ (K _S), and micelle–ninhydrin (K _N) are evaluated, respectively, to be 5.3 mol^?1 dm³ and 84.0 mol^?1 dm³. The role of added inorganic (NaCl, NaBr, Na₂SO₄) and organic salts (NaBenz, NaSal) on the reaction rate has also been examined.     

Effect of Phosphate on Glucosamine Production by Ethanolic Fungus Mucor indicus

In this study, the effect of phosphorous compound concentration on the production of glucosamine by Mucor indicus was investigated. Changes in the yield of ethanol, the major metabolite of the fungus, were also followed besides. The alkali insoluble material of the biomass of the fungus mainly contained phosphates and polymers of glucosamine and N-acetyl glucosamine, i.e., chitin and chitosan. Yields of glucosamine (78–113 g/kg dry fungal biomass) and ethanol (200–370 g/kg glucose) were significantly affected by the phosphorous concentration. The results showed that lower concentrations of phosphorous favored the production of glucosamine while higher ethanol as well as biomass yields was obtained at higher concentrations. The best concentration was 0.5 g/l where glucosamine yield was 0.37 g/l (11 % of the biomass). At this phosphate concentration, ethanol and biomass yields were 360 and 76 g/kg glucose, respectively. On average, proteins comprised 51.5 % of the biomass. Glycerol was the second important metabolite during the fermentation by the fungus which appeared at lower yields (20–34 g/kg glucose).     

A hybrid nanofluid analysis near a parabolic stretched surface

Two dimensional incompressible steady viscous nano-fluid flow with the impacts of heat generation and porous medium is examined numerically. For this objective Ti₆Al₄v are taken as nano-particles dispersed in different base fluids such as methanol, engine oil and water. Basically in this study we will compare three different nano-fluids to assess their flow behaviour and thermal performance. The flow model is developed under certain assumptions. The two dimensional non-linear PDEs are converted into non-linear ODEs with suitable transformation. The numerical procedure is adopted to find the results by using Bvp4c technique in MATLAB. Moreover, graphs are generated for various parameters against the temperature and velocity profiles. The fluid behaviour for different parameter is examined on velocity and temperature profile. It is depicted that for high values of volume fraction and curvature parameter nano-particles leads to high velocity and temperature profile. Moreover, velocity profile decreases for permeability parameter, while temperature profile enhances for heat generation parameter. The influence of Nusselt number and skin friction also assessed. The model of entropy generation is also presented.     

Aggregation and microenvironmental properties of gemini and conventional mixed surfactants systems: A fluorometric study

Aggregation behavior of cationic gemini (hexanediyl-1,5-bis(dimethylcettylammonium bromide) (16-5-16)) surfactant with conventional single chain surfactants cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB) were studied with the help of fluorescence measurements. Fluorescence probe is a proficient technique for examining the surfactant-surfactant interaction and aggregation. The micelle aggregation number (N _agg) was measured using steady-state fluorescence quenching method. The micelle aggregation numbers of binary combinations fall between those of constituent surfactants. The micropolarity (I ₁/I ₃), binding constant (K _sv) and dielectric constant (D _exp) of mixed systems were determined from the ratio of peaks intensity in the pyrene fluorescence spectrum. The I ₁/I ₃ values were found to be more than >1, showing more polar environment around pyrene in the mixed micelle as compared to the pure micelles.     

An EQCM study on the influence of saccharin on the corrosion properties of nanostructured cobalt and cobalt-iron alloy coatings

Nanostructured cobalt (Co) and cobalt-iron (CoFe) alloy coatings were electrodeposited from sulfate solutions in the presence and absence of saccharin. The effects of saccharin on the corrosion behavior of Co and CoFe alloy coatings were investigated using the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) technique coupled with cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements. Saccharin was added to the electrolyte as a grain refiner and brightener. Interestingly, opposite corrosion behaviors were found for all nanostructured coatings in 0.1 M H₂SO₄ and 0.1 M NaOH. The use of saccharin as an additive in the plating solution accelerated the anodic reaction for all deposits in acidic medium. The mass decreases while dissolution rate increased with higher saccharin concentration. Meanwhile, formation of a thick passive film on the Co electrode surface were enhanced while a hindering effect was observed for CoFe alloy coatings deposited in the presence of saccharin in alkaline solution. The anodic and cathodic curves obtained from potentiodynamic polarization experiments were also in agreement with the EQCM results.