Effect of buffer composition and preparation protocol on the dispersion stability and interfacial behavior of aqueous DPPC dispersions

The effect of the buffer composition and the preparation protocol on the dynamic surface tension (DST) and vesicle sizes of aqueous dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) dispersions was studied. Four isotonic buffers were used in preparing DPPC dispersions at physiological conditions for possible biological applications: (1) a standard PBS solution; (2) the above PBS with 1 mM CaCl₂; (3) PBS with one tenth the previous standard phosphate salt concentrations and 2.5 mM CaCl₂; and (4) 150 mM NaCl with 2.5 mM CaCl₂ and 10 mM HEPES (4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid). Two protocols, with a new method and an old method (Bangham method), were used in preparing the DPPC dispersions. The DPPC dispersions prepared with the new method contained mostly vesicles and were quite stable at 25 or 37 °C. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and spectroturbidimetry (ST) results showed that the DPPC vesicle sizes in buffer (4) were much smaller than those in the other buffers. When the DPPC dispersions were prepared with the new method, the diameter of the DPPC particles was smaller than those with the old method. The DPPC vesicles with the new method were more stable than those with the other method. The DPPC dispersions of 1000 ppm at 37 °C with the new method produced, at pulsating area conditions at 20 cycles per minute, low tension minima (γ_min), lower than 10 mN/m, in buffers (1), (2), and (4). With buffer (4) the DSTs were lower and were achieved faster than with the other buffers. A minimum concentration of 1000 or 250 ppm DPPC was needed to produce DSTs lower than 10 mN/m within 10 min or less, with buffer (2) or (4), respectively. IRRAS results suggest that DPPC in buffer (2) or (4) forms a close-packed monolayer at the interface. These results have implications for designing efficient protocols of lipid dispersion preparation and lung surfactant replacement formulations in treating respiratory disease.     

Evaluation of antitubercular drug insertion into preformed dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine monolayers

Insertion profiles of antitubercular drugs isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RFM) and ethambutol (ETH) into dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) membrane models were evaluated by Langmuir monolayer technique. Maximum drug insertion into DPPC monolayer was observed with rifampicin with a surface pressure increase (Δπ_max) in the range of 21–33 mN/m depending upon rifampicin concentration. Isoniazid had minimal insertion resulting in a lower Δπ_max of about 2–3 mN/m, suggestive of minimal interactions between INH and DPPC. Ethambutol surface pressure increment on insertion resulted in an intermediate rise in the Δπ_max (6–10 mN/m). Antitubercular drug combination in the ratio of 2 mM:0.7 mM:4.5 mM for INH:RFM:ETH, attained Δπ_max between 25 and 33 mN/m. Insertion profiles similar to rifampicin were exhibited by the antitubercular drug mixture suggestive of predominant rifampicin insertion into the DPPC monolayer. The extent of drug insertion into the DPPC monolayer is suggestive of the drug penetration potential into biological membranes in vivo. Higher RFM Δπ_max is suggestive of excellent cell membrane penetration, which explains broad reach of the drug to all the organs including the cerebrospinal fluid while lower Δπ_max of INH suggests poor membrane penetration restricting the entry of the drug in different biological membranes. DPPC membrane destabilization was observed at higher antitubercular drug concentrations indicated by the negative slopes of the surface pressure–time curves. This may correlate with the dose related toxic effects observed in tuberculosis affected patients. Drug insertion studies offer a potential tool in understanding the pharmacotoxicological behavior of the various pharmacological agents.     

Application of nonionic surfactants combining hydrophobic and hydrophilic cholelitholytic solvents on dissolution of gallstones

Application of nonionic surfactants in chemolitholysis was developed to combine two immiscible cholelitholytic solvents, MTBE and EDTA, into a homogeneous solution to increase the efficiency of gallstone dissolution. Eight kinds of Sinopol were employed to investigate and prepare the homogeneous solution, which included MTBE, EDTA (2wt.%) aqueous solution and the Sinopol, thereby, an in vitro study of chemolitholysis was carried out. Three kinds of gallstones were characterized by FTIR and SEM. The dissolution percentage of three kinds of gallstones in the homogeneous (Sinopol mixed) solution was evaluated and a comparison of the average dissolution percentage between these Sinopol mixed solutions and traditional cholelitholytic solvents was made. The composition of gallstones was classified into oil-soluble and water-soluble groups. Furthermore, the hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties of solvents corresponding to oil-soluble and water-soluble gallstone components were analysed and discussed with a phase diagram.     

Lung surfactant dysfunction in tuberculosis: effect of mycobacterial tubercular lipids on dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine surface activity

In pulmonary tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria reside in the alveoli and are in close proximity with the alveolar surfactant. Mycolic acid in its free form and as cord factor, constitute the major lipids of the mycobacterial cell wall. They can detach from the bacteria easily and are known to be moderately surface active. We hypothesize that these surface-active mycobacterial cell wall lipids could interact with the pulmonary surfactant and result in lung surfactant dysfunction. In this study, the major phospholipid of the lung surfactant, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and binary mixtures of DPPC:phosphatidylglycerol (PG) in 9:1 and 7:3 ratios were modelled as lung surfactant monolayers and the inhibitory potential of mycolic acid and cord factor on the surface activity of DPPC and DPPC:PG mixtures was evaluated using Langmuir monolayers. The mycobacterial lipids caused common profile changes in all the isotherms: increase in minimum surface tension, compressibility and percentage area change required for change in surface tension from 30 to 10 mN/m. Higher minimum surface tension values were achieved in the presence of mycolic acid (18.2 ± 0.7 mN/m) and cord factor (13.28 ± 1.2 mN/m) as compared to 0 mN/m, achieved by pure DPPC film. Similarly higher values of compressibility (0.375 ± 0.005 m/mN for mycolic acid:DPPC and 0.197 ± 0.003 m/mN for cord factor:DPPC monolayers) were obtained in presence of mycolic acid and cord factor. Thus, mycolic acid and cord factor were said to be inhibitory towards lung surfactant phospholipids. Higher surface tension and compressibility values in presence of tubercular lipids are suggestive of an unstable and fluid surfactant film, which will fail to achieve low surface tensions and can contribute to alveolar collapse in patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis. In conclusion a biophysical inhibition of lung surfactant may play a role in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis and may serve as a target for the development of new drug loaded surfactants for this condition.     

Interaction of bovine serum albumin with chrysotile: spectroscopic and morphological studies

The biodurability of chrysotile fibers, which is related to their cytotoxicity and mutagenic responses, is strongly affected by the surface chemical adsorption of biological molecules. Natural chrysotile is a heterogeneous material in both structure and composition. The availability of synthetic stoichiometric chrysotile of constant structure and uniform morphology has allowed us to investigate its interaction with bovine serum albumin (BSA). By using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), we have obtained the first morphological evidence of albumin adsorption onto chrysotile nanocrystals. FTIR spectroscopy was used to quantify modifications of BSA secondary structure that were induced by the surface interaction. The protein transition to beta-turns allows a stronger interaction between the protein hydrophilic side-chains and the charged asbestos surface, which is consistent with hydrogen bonds involving the superficial OH groups. Synthetic stoichiometric chrysotile nanocrystals were shown to be an ideal reference standard with which to study the interaction of asbestos fibers with biological systems, in order to elucidate the chemical mechanisms of asbestos toxicity.     

Adsorption of sodium dodecylsulfate on chrysotile

Adsorption of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) onto chrysotile from aqueous solutions was investigated along with varying temperature, ionic strength and surface treatments. Commercial chrysotile fibers were treated by sonication or extensive washings. The ratio of adsorbed SDS per gram of chrysotile is approximately constant with varying chrysotile masses. A steady state is reached after about 2 h of contact between SDS and chrysotile. In general, less surfactant is adsorbed on the sonicated chrysotile than on the extensively washed chrysotile. For the sonicated chrysotile, isotherms presented an adsorption maximum in the region of the surfactant critical micelle concentration, when the experiments were carried out without ionic strength control. The adsorption maximum is due to the presence of magnesium ions in the solution, which can form complexes with dodecylsulfate ions. For the extensively washed chrysotile, the isotherm behavior is similar to that obtained with sonicated chrysotile in the presence of an inert electrolyte. No significant difference in adsorption of SDS on the extensively washed chrysotile was observed when varying temperature or ionic strength. The adsorption of SDS was found to be dependent on the prior surface treatment.     

Langmuir monolayer properties of the fluorinated-hydrogenated hybrid amphiphiles with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC)

Surface pressure–area (π–A), surface potential–area (ΔV–A), and dipole moment–area (μ–A) isotherms were obtained for the Langmuir monolayer of two fluorinated-hydrogenated hybrid amphiphiles (sodium phenyl 1-[(4-perfluorohexyl)-phenyl]-1-hexylphosphate (F6PH5PPhNa) and (sodium phenyl 1-[(4-perfluorooctyl)-phenyl]-1-hexylphosphate (F8PH5PPhNa)), DPPC and their two-component systems at the air/water interface. Monolayers spread on 0.02 M Tris buffer solution (pH 7.4) with 0.13 M NaCl at 298.2 K were investigated by the Wilhelmy method, ionizing electrode method and fluorescence microscopy. Moreover, the miscibility of two components was examined by plotting the variation of the molecular area and the surface potential as a function of the molar fraction for the fluorinated-hydrogenated hybrid amphiphiles on the basis of the additivity rule. The miscibility of the monlayers was also examined by construction of two-dimensional phase diagrams. Furthermore, assuming the regular surface mixture, the Joos equation for analysis of the collapse pressure of two-component monolayers allowed calculation of the interaction parameter (ξ) and the interaction energy (−Δ) between the fluorinated-hydrogenated hybrid amphiphiles and DPPC. The observations by a fluorescence microscopy also supported our interpretation as for the miscibility in the monolayer state. Comparing the monolayer behavior between the two binary systems, no remarkable difference was found among various aspects. Among the two combinations, the mole fraction dependence in monlayer properties was commonly classified into two ranges: 0 ≤ X ≤ 0.3 and 0.3 < X ≤ 1. Dependence of the chain length of fluorinated part was reflected for the molecular packing and surface potential.     

Determination of the solubility, dissolution enthalpy and entropy of Deflazacort in different solvents

The solubility of Deflazacort in four solvents, acetone, ethyl acetate, ethanol and 2-propanol, was measured at temperatures ranging from 293.15 K to 348.15 K at atmospheric pressure using Laser Monitoring Technique. The solubility data were correlated by the modified Apelblat model. Then the dissolution enthalpy and entropy of Deflazacort were predicted from the solubility data using van’t Hoff equation. In this study, it should be concluded that the viscosity and surface tension of solvents affect the solubility behavior, dissolution enthalpy and entropy of Deflazacort in different solvents.     

Effect of the temperature of polyurethane dissolution on the mechanism of wet-casting membrane formation

An analysis of data from scanning electron microscopy (SEM), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for two series of polyurethane membranes is presented. Membranes were prepared by direct immersion of the casting solution of polyurethane, dissolved in dimethyl formamide at different temperatures, into either water or 1-octanol bath at 25 °C. Depending on the temperature of polyurethane dissolution, a gradual variety in the membrane structure was observed by SEM. As the temperature of polymer dissolution was increased, the membrane structure changed from dense to cellular or particulate morphologies. On the basis of the GPC and DSC results, polyurethane molecular weight decreased but the degree of microphase separation caused by clustering of some of the soft and hard segments into separate domains in the membrane increased with increasing the temperature of polymer dissolution. It is thus proposed that the change in membrane structure is due to the variation of molecular weight of polyurethane, which in turn can change polymer chain mobility during membrane formation. In addition, the extent of microphase separation was described and related to the particulate morphology when 1-octanol was used as the nonsolvent.     

Electrochemical dissolution of magnetite in acid solutions

The present paper deals with the electrochemical behavior of magnetite microcrystals in an acid medium. A voltammetric method employing a carbon-paste electroactive electrode (CPEE) with an organic binder was used. It was found that the cathodic voltammograms, which were recorded at different scan rates, formed a set bounded in the space of i–E parameters by a generalizing voltammetric curve corresponding to the effective potential scan rate _eff. In other words, all curves are situated under one enveloping curve, just as the smaller dolls sit in the largest doll of a Russian doll. Reverse currents (a cathodic current in the anodic direction of the potential scan) were observed on the cyclic voltammogram. Forward and reverse currents obey the same laws and have one and the same generalizing curve, which could be taken as the magnetite characteristic.     

New protocols for preparing dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine dispersions and controlling surface tension and competitive adsorption with albumin at the air/aqueous interface

The adsorption behavior of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), which is the major component of lung surfactant, at the air/aqueous interface and the competitive adsorption with bovine serum albumin (BSA) were studied with tensiometry, infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS), and ellipsometry. Dynamic surface tensions lower than 1 mN/m were observed for DPPC dispersions, with mostly vesicles, prepared with new protocols, involving extensive sonication above 50 °C. The lipid adsorbs faster and more extensively for DPPC dispersions with vesicles than with liposomes. For DPPC dispersions by a certain preparation procedure at T > T_c, when lipid particles were observed on the surface, dynamic surface tensions as low as 1 mN/m were measured. Moreover, IRRAS intensities and ellipsometric δΔ values were found to be much higher than the values for other DPPC dispersions or spread DPPC monolayers, suggesting that a larger amount of liposomes or vesicles adsorb on the surface. For DPPC/BSA mixtures, the tension behavior is controlled primarily by BSA, which prevents the formation of a dense DPPC monolayer. When BSA is injected into the subphase with a spread DPPC monolayer or into a DPPC dispersion with preadsorbed layers, little or no BSA adsorbs and the DPPC layer remains on the surface. When a DPPC monolayer is spread on a BSA solution at 0.1 wt% at 25 °C, then DPPC lipid can displace the adsorbed BSA molecules. The lack of BSA adsorption, and the expulsion of BSA by DPPC monolayer is probably due to the strong hydrophilicity of the lipid polar headgroup. When a DPPC dispersion is introduced with Trurnit's method or when dispersion drops are sprayed onto the surface of a DPPC/BSA mixture, the surface tension becomes lower and is controlled by DPPC, which can prevent the adsorption of BSA. The results may be important in understanding inhibition of lung surfactants by serum proteins and in designing efficient protocols of surfactant preparation and administration.     

The kinetics of the dissolution of monoclinic pyrrhotite in aqueous acidic solutions

Using the rotating disc method, the rates of dissolution of natural monoclinic pyrrhotite, FeS_1.14, in oxygen-free aqueous solutionsS([H⁺]=0.1, [Na⁺]=0.9, [ClO ₄ ^– ]=1.0 mol kg^–1) were determined. In the temperature range 40–90 °C the dissolution reaction occurs under kinetic control; the activation energy being 14±1 kcal mol^–1 (50±5 kJ mol^–1).

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Die Kinetik der Auflösung von monoklinem Pyrrhotin in sauren wäßrigen Lösungen

Zusammenfassung Die Auflösungsgeschwindigkeit von natürlichem monoklinen Pyrrhotin, FeS_1.14, wurde in sauerstofffreien LösungenS([H⁺]=0.1, [Na⁺]=0.9, [ClO ₄ ^– ]=1.0 mol kg^–1) mit Hilfe der Methode der rotierenden Scheibe bestimmt. Im Temperaturbereich von 40–90° erfolgt die Auflösungsreaktion kinetisch kontrolliert, wobei eine Aktivierungsenergie von 14±1 kcal mol^–1 (59±5 kJ mol^–1) gefunden wurde.

     

Effect of pH on the interfacial adsorption activity of pulmonary surfactant

The effect of pH on the interfacial adsorption activity of pulmonary surfactant was examined. Measurements of the surface tension were made in a Wilhelmy-like surface microbalance specially designed to assay small volumes of hypophase in thermostatically controlled conditions. Alkaline pH caused a significant decrease of the surface activity of both pulmonary surfactant and a lipid extract from surfactant (LES) (containing all of the lipids and surfactant protein-B (SP-B) and surfactant protein-C (SP-C) hydrophobic surfactant proteins, but lacking surfactant protein-A). The pK calculated from the change of surface activity versus pH was 9.18±0.26 and 9.27±0.31 for pulmonary surfactant and LES, respectively. The results from this study support the idea that electrostatic interactions between basic residues of SP-B and SP-C and negatively charged surfactant phospholipids could be important for the interfacial adsorption activity of pulmonary surfactant.     

Simultaneous determination of solubility, dissolution and dilution enthalpies of a substance from a single calorimetric experiment

The thermodynamics of dissolution in water of a set of substances has been studied calorimetrically. The examined substances were: potassium chloride, (glycyl-glycyl)diketopiperazine, (alanyl-alanyl)diketopiperazine, (leucyl-glycyl)diketopiperazine. They were chosen on the basis of their solubilities, going from a highly soluble electrolyte to the sparingly soluble diketopiperazines. It is shown that, using a commercially available calorimeter, it is possible to perform in a single calorimetric experiment the simultaneous determination of all thermodynamic parameters characterizing dissolution of a substance in a given solvent, i.e. solubility, dissolution enthalpy and dilution enthalpy. The solubility values in water obtained through the proposed method are in good agreement with those reported in the literature and obtained by other techniques.     

Voltammetric Determination of Phosphate in Brazilian Biodiesel Using Two Different Electrodes

The presence of contaminants, such as phosphate, in biodiesel, has several drawbacks for instance: current engines perform poorly, fuel tanks deteriorate, catalytic conversion is damaged, and particles emission is increased. Therefore, biodiesel quality control is extremely important for biodiesel acceptance and commercialization worldwide. In this context, a bare glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and another chemically modified electrode with iron hexacyanoferrate (Prussian Blue – PB) were developed for determination of phosphate in biodiesel. The LODs of 6.44 and 1.19 mg kg^?1, and LOQs of 21.43 and 3.97 mg kg^?1 were obtained for the bare GCE and the PB‐modified GCE, respectively. The methodology was employed for analysis of Brazilian biodiesel samples, and it led to satisfactory results, demonstrating its potential application for biodiesel quality control. Additionally, recovery and interference tests were conducted, which revealed that the developed methods are suitable for analysis of phosphate in biodiesel samples.     

Constant composition dissolution of mixed phases. II. Selective dissolution of calcium phosphates

Characterization of the dissolution kinetics of individual synthetic and biological calcium phosphates is of considerable importance since these phases often coexist in biological minerals. The constant composition method has been used to study the dissolution kinetics of a series of synthetic calcium phosphates, brushite (DCPD), beta-tricalcium phosphate (TCP), octacalcium phosphate (OCP), hydroxyapatite (HAP), and carbonated apatite (CAP) in the presence and absence of citric acid, as a function of pH and thermodynamic driving force. While citric acid markedly accelerates the dissolution of TCP, HAP dissolution is significantly inhibited. Moreover, this additive has almost no influence on the dissolution of DCPD, OCP, and CAP. Dual constant composition dissolution studies of mixed calcium phosphates in the presence of citric acid have also been made. Another factor, pH, also plays an important role in the dissolution of these calcium phosphates. In suspensions of calcium phosphate mixtures, specific phases can be selectively dissolved by changing experimental parameters such as pH and the presence of rate modifiers. This result has important applications for the dissolution control of dental hard tissues such as dentin, enamel, and calculus.     

Electrochemical dissolution of CrIII and CrIV oxides

Oxidative dissolution of Cr oxides can be easily performed using voltammetry of immobilised microparticles. A combined procedure based on the dependence of current on time and potential (chronoamperometry with potential jumps) is suitable for the determination of the sensitivity of the dissolution rate to electrochemical potential. Applying this procedure, it was found that the rate determining step is preceded by two-electron oxidation in the solid phase that probably proceeds as a reversible equilibration between surface sites of Cr^III, Cr^IV and Cr^V. Voltammetry is sensitive to the phase composition, and so the voltammetric peak potentials obtained under the same conditions increase in the order LaCrO₃<CrO₂<Me^IICr₂O₄<α-Cr₂O₃. The influence of Fe- and Ni-for-Fe substitution on dissolution reactivity is also discussed. Received: 20 February 1998 / Accepted: 31 March 1998     

Reactivity at the mineral-water interface: dissolution and inhibition

The reactivity of the mineral-water interface is often interpreted with the help of models used in electrochemistry, in solution coordination chemistry and in crystallography. Progress in understanding mechanisms of growth and dissolution of crystals and the inhibition of these processes depends on a better integration of these models. It is shown that dissolution can be explained in terms of a ligand exchange process; simplified rate laws for proton- and ligand-protonated dissolution rates, being related to surface bound protons and ligands, respectively, can be derived. Further refinement in interpreting surface reactivity comes from an appreciation of the molecular structures at the mineral water interface; here significant advances have been made by X-ray absorption spectroscopy, especially EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure spectroscopy), which permit distinction to be made between outer-sphere and inner-sphere surface complexes, and in many cases to determine the structure of the surface species at different crystallographic planes (e.g., bi-nuclear or mono-nuclear linkage of ligands on metal ions to surface metal centers). Such information coupled with solution-chemical studies on the extent of adsorption can provide new insight into the mechanisms of dissolution reactions and their inhibition and surface poisoning. A few experimental results are given to exemplify the factors that enhance and inhibit the non-reductive (EDTA) and reductive dissolution (by H₂S) of Fe(III)(hydr)oxides. Binuclear surface complexes by multivalent cations and by oxoanions, such as phosphate, arsenate and borate, are believed to be efficient inhibitors for oxide dissolution because they form bi- or multinuclear innersphere surface complexes that can bridge two or more metal centers in the surface lattice; the simultaneous removal of such bi- or multinuclear surface complexes from the surface is energetically unfavorable. Proton and ligand promoted dissolution reactions and their inhibition by oxoanions and bi- or multinuclear surface complexes are not only relevant in geochemistry (weathering, soil-formation, transfer of elements and pollutants) but also in metallic corrosion, formation and breakdown of passive oxide films.     

Classical Food Quality Attributes and the Metabolic Profile of Cambuci,a Native Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest Fruit

The cambuci is a native Brazilian fruit from the Atlantic Forest biome. A soft and astringent pulp, a green color, and a sweet aroma are its main characteristics. Classical food quality attributes (fresh fruit mass, fruit height, diameters, total soluble solid, titratable acidity, and ratio) and the metabolic profile from ten accessions from three different locations were analyzed herein by analytical methods (refractometry and neutralization titration) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Concerning sugar content, sucrose was the predominant compound, with glucose and fructose alternating in second, depending on the accession. Citric acid was the most relevant acid, followed by shikimic and quinic acids in quite variable amounts. These three main acids vary in amounts for each accession. Ascorbic acid content emerges as an important quality attribute and makes this fruit nutritionally attractive, due to values comparable to those contained in citric fruits. The main amino acids identified in cambuci were glutamic acid individually or in comprising the tripeptide glutathione (glutamic acid, cysteine, glycine). The quality diversity of the evaluated accessions suggests the potentiality of cambuci use in future breeding programs.     

EIS analysis on the anodic dissolution kinetics of pure iron in a highly alkaline solution

The anodic dissolution kinetics of pure iron in a highly alkaline solution was systematically studied by EIS. A model based on its reaction mechanism was proposed, which can well explain the characteristics of EIS. From the model, it was found that the Fe(III) oxide covered on the iron surface was firstly electrochemically oxidized to an adsorbed Fe(V) intermediate, the latter then converted to the final Fe(VI) product and the initial Fe(III) reactant through a disproportionating reaction. The kinetic constants of each step as well as the covering densities of the Fe(III) reactant and the Fe(V) intermediate at different potentials were calculated from the EIS model.