Free and total para-aminobenzoic acid analysis in plants with high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

para-Aminobenzoic acid (PABA), a precursor in the synthesis of folates in plants, is determined by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). In plants PABA can be converted into its beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (PABA-Glc) and can also exist in its free form. In this work, we developed and validated a quantitative method to study free and total PABA in plants. The total PABA (free PABA plus PABA-Glc) can be evaluated after acid hydrolysis at 80 degrees C for 2 hours. The plant material is homogenized and the PABA content is quantified using the standard addition procedure. The validated method is selective, sensitive, simple, accurate, has a recovery between 99.6 to 102.5%, is reproducible (RSD between 1.4 and 4.4%), and is linear between 2.5 and 1538 ng/mL. Free and total PABA determinations in five vegetables showed that different plant species had different amounts of free and total PABA, and that the ratios of total versus free PABA were also variable. This new method could be valuable for studies of folate synthesis in plants.     

One saccharide sensor based on the complex of the boronic acid and the monosaccharide using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

A novel saccharide sensor based on the covalent interaction between the boronic acid and saccharides was developed. Poly (aminophenylboronic acid) (PABA) was prepared by electropolymerizing 3-aminophenylboronic acid on gold electrode surface in acidic solution. The boronic acid group of the PABA film can form covalent-bond with different saccharides, which can change the dielectric characteristics of the PABA film, and the change of the dielectric characteristic was saccharides concentration dependent. Four kinds of saccharides could be detected by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Good linear relationship and high sensitivity were obtained by this method.     

P-AMINOBENZOIC ACID CAN SENSITIZE THE FORMATION OF PYRIMIDINE DIMERS IN DNA: DIRECT CHEMICAL EVIDENCE

Thymine-containing photoproducts with chromatographic properties similar to those of cyclobutyl pyrimidine dimers can be formed in [³H]-thymine-labeled DNA in solution by 313 nm ultraviolet radiation in the presence of para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), a compound used in sunscreen preparations. In the absence of PABA, similar fluences of 313 nm radiation do not produce significant numbers of these photoproducts. The thymine-containing photoproducts can be reversed by 254 nm radiation so that the tritium label migrates with the mobility of thymine monomer, a behavior characteristic of thymine-containing cyclobutyl pyrimidine dimers. This result supports previous, but less direct, data from other laboratories indicating that PABA can sensitize dimer formation in the DNA of bacterial and mammalian cells.     

Copolyesteramides: synthesis and kinetic analysis

The synthesis of copolyesteramides using para-acetamido benzoic acid (PABA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by melt polymerization has been studied in detail. The performance of three transesterification catalysts are assessed for three different initial compositions, PABA 60 mol%/PET 40%, PABA 50 mol%/PET 50% and PABA 40 mol%/PET 60%. The polycondensations are found to obey second order kinetics, irrespective of whether the reaction was catalysed or not. The mechanism of initial stage polymerization kinetics of the copolymers has been fully explained.It is suggested that acetic acid is evolved only by the homopolymerization of PABA and that the insertion of a monomer of homopolymer of PABA into PET does not yield any acetic acid. A set of differential equations containing three different rate constants, k₁ for homopolymerization of PABA, k₂ for PET reaction with dimer of PABA and k₃ for PABA reaction with copolymer of PABA and PET has been developed and numerically solved, to study the initial stage kinetics. The computed values of acetic acid are compared with the experimentally collected amount and the three rate constants are optimized using a differential algebraic optimization technique. The present model represents the data with an acceptable accuracy with an average % error of less than 5% between experimental and computed values for the entire experimental range. The correlation coefficient values range between 0.988 and 0.999.Differential scanning analysis of the copolyestermides indicates that 40 mol% PABA and 60% PET had the highest enthalpy values of the order of 18 kJ/mol. It is found that within the copolyesteramide series the degree of crystallinity increased with the increase of PET contents in the feed mixture to the batch reactor.     

Fabrication of intercalated p-aminobenzoic acid into Zn-Ti layered double hydroxide and its application as UV absorbent

An organic ultraviolet (UV) ray absorbent, p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) was intercalated into a Zn-Ti layered double hydroxide (LDH) precursor by an anion-exchange reaction to obtain ZnTi-PABA-LDH, a new organic-inorganic nanocomposite. The structure and the thermal stability of ZnTi-PABA-LDH were characterized by XRD, FT-IR and TG-DTA. The results indicate ZnTi-PABA-LDH, synthesized by this method, exhibit relatively high crystallinity, and markedly enhanced thermal stability of PABA after intercalation into ZnTi-LDH. The UV-vis-NIR spectrophotometric and ESR data show excellent UV ray resistance and greatly decreased photocatalytic activity when PABA is intercalated into the interlayers of the ZnTi-LDH. The studies suggest that ZnTi-PABA-LDH may have potential applications as safe sunscreen materials.     

Direct and simultaneous high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for the determination of p-aminobenzoic acid and its conjugates in human urine

Procedures based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were developed for identifying and measuring p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and its conjugate metabolites in human urine after oral doses of PABA. p-Aminohippuric acid (PAH), PABA, p-acetamidohippuric acid (PAHA) and p-acetamidobenzoic acid (PADB) in urine were resolved and determined by HPLC simultaneously and directly without extraction. A mobile phase consisting of 3% (v/v) acetonitrile in distilled water containing 0.005 M 1-heptanesulphonic acid in glacial acetic acid (PIC-B7) at pH 3.3 was eluted at 1 ml/min through a C18 Spherisorb column, followed by UV detection at 280 nm. After hydrolysis of urine samples at 37 degrees C for 3 h with beta-glucuronidase, the amounts of PABA-glucuronide and PADB-glucuronide were also determined. The retention times of PAH, a dominant peak which disappeared after hydrolysis, PABA, DABA (3,5-diaminobenzoic acid, as the internal standard), PAHA and PADB were 11.8, 14, 15, 18, 24 and 46 min, respectively. The 24-h urinary recoveries of PAH, PAHA, PADB, PADB-glucuronide, PABA and PABA-glucuronide after separate oral doses of 200 and 800 mg of PABA in one healthy subject were 43.4 and 48.1, 7 and 29.1, 11.2 and 11.8, 34.8 and 6.6, 0.2 and 0.3, and 1.0 and 2.4%, respectively. It is interesting that at high dose (800 mg) saturation of glucuronidation of PADB (N-acetylated PABA) appeared to occur, which resulted in an increase in the formation of PAHA, the glycine conjugate of PADB. Over 90% of the oral dose was accounted for by 8 h after administration.     

Analysis of p-aminobenzoic acid and its metabolites in urine and plasma by ion pair HPLC in the NBT-PABA pancreatic function test

An ion pair HPLC method which can simultaneously detect the major metabolites of an exocrine pancreatic function testing agent (NBT-PABA) in plasma and urine has been developed. This assay has been applied to a pharmacokinetic study of PABA and its metabolites in 3 healthy adult volunteers following the oral administration of 1 g NBT-PABA. The 6 h testing period currently used to collect urine following the NBT-PABA ingestion is adequate for the recovery of PABA and its metabolites. Plasma determination of these compounds may provide an improved evaluation of the pancreatic performance in patients with abnormal liver or kidney function.     

A novel layer-by-layer approach for the fabrication of conducting polymer/RNA multilayer films for controlled release

Poly(anilineboronic acid) (PABA)/ribonucleic acid (RNA) multilayer films were prepared under neutral condition using a layer-by-layer deposition of PABA and RNA. RNA was used both as a polyelectrolyte for multilayer formation as well as dopant for PABA. Photoelastic modulated infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy measurements suggest that PABA interacts covalently with RNA through the formation of a boronate ester, a boron-nitrogen dative bond, as well as electrostatic interactions of anionic phosphates with cationic amines. The deposition procedure was monitored with UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, showing a linear dependence of absorbance with the number of PABA/RNA bilayers deposited. The multilayer films were further characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ellipsometry, which yielded a PABA/RNA bilayer thickness of approximately 10 nm. The PABA/RNA multilayer films are redox-active at neutral pH, consistent with the formation of a self-doped polymer. Electrochemical control of PABA under these conditions allows potential-induced controlled release of RNA from a multilayer at neutral pH, suggesting that this may serve as a novel method for controlled release of RNA under physiological conditions.     

Random copolyamides of terephthalic acid,p‐phenylenediamine and p‐aminobenzoic acid soluble in N‐methylpyrrolidone/CaCl2

Moderate‐molecular‐weight copolyamides soluble in N‐methylpyrrolidone (NMP) containing dissolved CaCl₂ can be obtained by polycondensation of terephthalic acid (TPA), p‐phenylenediamine (PPD), and p‐aminobenzoic acid (PABA) with triphenyl phosphite/pyridine in NMP. The randomly copolymerized polymers contain more than 40 mol‐% of PABA and are easily soluble in NMP.     

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering interaction of p-aminobenzoic acid on a silver-coated alumina substrate

The adsorption behavior of p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) molecules on a silver-coated alumina surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate was investigated. For spotted PABA and PABA in non-polar solvents, the PABA molecule is adsorbed flat on the surface of the SERS substrate. In this orientation, the benzene ring is π-bonded to the substrate, and the molecule is further anchored to the substrate by the binding of the lone pairs of NH₂ and COO⁻ groups onto the metal surface. On the other hand, the adsorption behavior of PABA in a polar solvent is greatly influenced by the hydrogen bonding of the amine group with the polar solvent. In this orientation, the molecule is preferentially adsorbed through the COO^± and assumes a non-flat orientation on the metal surface.     

Hydrated Zinc p‐Aminobenzoate [Zn(p‐H2NC6H4COO)2(H2O)]·H2O from a Layered Zinc Hydroxide

A new pillard crystal packing of a hydrated [Zn(PABA)₂(H₂O)]·H₂O (PABA = p‐aminobenzoate) ( 1 ) was obtained starting from a layered zinc hydroxide with PABA as organic substrate. Compound 1 was characterized in the solid state by crystal structure analysis and in solution by ¹³C‐ and ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy. In contrast to the known hydrate of [Zn(PABA)₂]·1.5H₂O the water molecules of crystal packing of 1 are involved in the coordination sphere of the zinc atoms, forming hydrogen bonding interactions between amino groups of PABA and water molecules.     

Sun Screen Microemulsions

Three sunscreen compounds, p-amino benzoic acid (PABA), octyl-di-methyl-p-amino benzoic acid (ODP), and 2-hydroxy-4-methyoxy-5-sulfobenzophenone (HMSB) were incorporated into a model microemulsion system stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate and pentanol.

The PABA acted as a hydrotrope supporting the stability of an oil-in-water microemulsion, while ODP had the opposite effect. HMSB, finally retained both the oil-in-water and the water-in-oil parts of the microemulsion system.     

O2-2,4-二硝基苯基偶氮二醇盐类化合物的设计、合成及抗肿瘤活性

以O2-2,4-二硝基苯基偶氮二醇盐(PABA/NO)为先导化合物,选择适当的仲胺作为偶氮二醇盐中相应的胺片段,并用碳氮键取代苯环5位的碳氧酯键,设计合成了化合物2a,2b和4a~4j,以期获得活性更强且稳定性好的抗肿瘤药物.目标化合物经1H NMR,13C NMR及HRMS进行了结构确证.生物活性测试结果表明,目标化合物可不同程度地抑制结肠癌HCT-116细胞的增殖,其中化合物4h的活性最强(IC50=7.945±0.421 μmol/L),优于PABA/NO(IC50=12.134±0.675 μmol/L).NO释放实验结果表明,此类化合物的NO释放量与细胞毒性呈正相关.化合物4h在HCT-116细胞中释放NO的量最多,约是正常细胞的2倍.此外,化合物4h在大鼠血浆中的体外稳定性显著优于PABA/NO,值得进一步研究.     

Detection of adrenaline on poly(3-aminobenzylamine) ultrathin film by electrochemical-surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy

In this Article, we present a novel method to detect adrenaline on poly(3-aminobenzylamine) (PABA) ultrathin films by electrochemical-surface plasmon resonance (EC-SPR) spectroscopy. We prepared a PABA film, which specifically reacts with adrenaline, on a gold electrode by electropolymerization of 3-aminobenzylamine. The specific reaction of benzylamine within the PABA structure with adrenaline was studied by XPS, UV-vis spectroscopy, and EC-SPR techniques. Adrenaline was detected in real time by EC-SPR spectroscopy, which provides simultaneous monitoring of both optical SPR reflectivity and electrochemical current responses upon injecting adrenaline into the PABA thin film. The number of changes in both current and SPR reflectivity on the injection of adrenaline exhibited the linear relation to the concentration, and the detection limit was 100 pM. The responses were distinctive to those for uric acid and ascorbic acid, which are major interferences of adrenaline.     

Light-induced Photoswitching of 4-(Phenylazo)benzoic Acid on Au(111)

Photochromic molecules can undergo a reversible conversion between two isomeric forms upon exposure to external stimuli such as electromagnetic radiation. A significant physical transformation accompanying the photoisomerization process defines them as photoswitches, with potential applications in various molecular electronic devices. As such, a detailed understanding of the photoisomerization process on surfaces and the influence of the local chemical environment on switching efficiency is essential. Herein, we use scanning tunneling microscopy to observe the photoisomerization of 4-(phenylazo)benzoic acid (PABA) assembled on Au(111) in kinetically constrained metastable states guided by pulse deposition. Photoswitching is observed at low molecular density and is absent in tight-packed islands. Furthermore, switching events were noted in PABA molecules coadsorbed in a host octanethiol monolayer, suggesting an influence of the surrounding chemical environment on photoswitching efficiency.     

Pre-column (hnu-HPLC) photochemical reaction for the on-line characterization of photoproducts using p-aminobenzoic acid as a model substance

A special photochemical reactor on the basis of high-pressure resistant reaction coils has been constructed, which can be coupled to an HPLC-system before the separation column. By means of the so-called "on-line pre-column (hv-HPLC)"-method, the starting compounds can be irradiated on-line, the conversion products formed can be separated and detected subsequently. The efficiency of the proposed method was proved by using p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) as a model substance.     

THE PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF p-AMINOBENZOIC ACID

We have studied the photoreactions occurring when p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), a component of some sunscreens, is irradiated in aqueous solution. These studies were carried out in the presence and absence of oxygen, using light of lambda = 254 nm as well as light of wavelengths greater than 290 nm. In deoxygenated solution between pH 7.5 and 11.0, we found two photoproducts that were identified as 4-(4'-aminophenyl)aminobenzoic acid (I) and 4-(2'-amino-5'-carboxyphenyl)aminobenzoic acid (V); we used 1H and 13C NMR, electron impact mass spectrometry and synthesis by an independent route to identify each of these compounds. Rapid discoloration of the photolyzed sample was observed when PABA was irradiated in aerated solution. Although a number of products were detected under these conditions, the three most abundant stable compounds have been isolated and identified as 4-amino-3-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-aminophenol and 4-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)aminobenzoic acid (IV). The latter compound was shown to result from rapid photo-induced oxidation of I in the presence of oxygen. Even in the presence of trace amounts of oxygen, the yield of I was significantly reduced in favor of IV. Studies of the thermal oxidation of I, coupled with evidence gathered from studies of the photochemistry of incompletely deoxygenated PABA solutions, indicate that 4-(2,5-cyclohexadien-4-one)iminobenzoic acid (III) is an intermediate on the pathway between I and IV. Qualitatively, we found that the photochemical reactions resulting from irradiation of PABA solutions with lambda = 254 nm light and light with lambda greater than 290 nm were the same. The quantum yields for formation of I and V are highly pH dependent, both being less than 10(-4) at pH 7 and rising steadily to values greater than 10(-3) at pH 11. The detailed pH dependence suggests that the deprotonated PABA radical cation may be an important intermediate entering into the reactions forming I and IV.     

Pre-column (hν-HPLC) photochemical reaction for the on-line characterization of photoproducts using p-aminobenzoic acid as a model substance

A special photochemical reactor on the basis of high-pressure resistant reaction coils has been constructed, which can be coupled to an HPLC-system before the separation column. By means of the so-called “on-line pre-column (hν-HPLC)”-method, the starting compounds can be irradiated on-line, the conversion products formed can be separated and detected subsequently. The efficiency of the proposed method was proved by using p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) as a model substance.     

THE PHOTOPHYSICS OF p-AMINOBENZOIC ACID

Abstract— The lowest-lying allowed UV transition in p -aminobenzoic acid (PABA) is assigned Γ→¹L_a based on quantitative absorption and fluorescence studies, as well as semiempirical PM3 multielec-tron configuration interaction calculations. The oscillator strengths, fluorescence quantum efficiencies and lifetimes are reported for PABA in several polar, nonpolar, protic and aprotic solvents (aerated) at 296 K. Reasonable agreement is found between the observed radiative rate constant and that calculated from the absorption and fluorescence spectra. Shifts in the absorption and fluorescence spectra in aprotic solvents are analyzed in terms of the Onsager reaction field model; results are consistent with an increase in dipole moment of ca 4 D between the relaxed S₀ and S₁, states. No evidence is found for the emission from the amino-twisted form of PABA in all solvents studied although calculations show that the amino-twisted S, state is highly polar, but higher in energy by ca 35 kJ/mol ( in vacuo ). The fluorescence efficiency is excitation wavelength independent in both methylcyclohexane and water. The temperature dependence of the nonradiative rate constant (from S₁) was studied in several solvents. Nonradiative decay may be due to intersystem crossing, which would be fast enough to compete with thermally activated intramolecular NH₂ twisting. The phosphorescence spectrum and lifetime obtained in an EPA glass at 77 K are reported, and the triplet energy of PABA is estimated.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the comparison of the photostability of five sunscreen agents

Sunscreen agents are commonly used in cosmetic products to filter out noxious radiation in sunlight. A convenient high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the quantification of five sunscreens after irradiation has been selected. We used this analytical method to compare the photostability of benzophenone-3, PEG-25 PABA, octyl dimethyl PABA, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, at levels in the range of 25-60 microM. The assay was carried out, using a C8 column with a methanol--water mobile phase. The detector was set at a wavelength of 300 nm. The assay was linear with the following limits: 0.2 microgram ml-1 for benzophenone-3, 1 microgram ml-1 for PEG-25 PABA, 0.15 microgram ml-1 for octyl dimethyl PABA, 0.1 microgram ml-1 for methylbenzylidene camphor and 0.05 microgram ml-1 for butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane. The half-lives calculated indicate a very good photostability of the sunscreens studied and permit to classify amongst themselves.