Voltammetric methods of reboxetine analysis and the mechanism of its electrode reactions

Reboxetine (RBX) electrochemical redox behavior at hanging mercury drop (HMDE) and glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) was studied in various pH Britton-Robinson universal buffers using cyclic voltammetry and square-wave voltammetry. RBX was reduced at the HMDE and oxidized at the GCE with reversible adsorption controlled and irreversible diffusion controlled processes respectively. The anodic peak is due to the amine and the cathodic peak may correspond to oxygen protonation. An oxidation reaction mechanism is proposed. The linear relation between peak currents and RBX concentration allowed simple, sensitive, precise and inexpensive voltammetric procedures to be developed. The limit of detection was 0.04 µM RBX. The procedures were successfully applied to human urine and RBX tablet assay. Therapeutic RBX concentrations in human serum were not detected due to strong drug-protein binding. Using bovine serum albumin, the methods were used to investigate the effect of serum protein binding on RBX determination.      

The cytotoxic activities of imidazole derivatives prepared from various guanylhydrazone and phenylglyoxal monohydrate

Abstract

A series of imidazole derivatives were synthesized from two-component condensation reaction of phenylgloxal monohydrate with guanylhydrazone. They were characterized by spectroscopic and analytical techniques. The in vitro anticancer evaluation of these compounds was done on human breast cancer (MCF-7) and human liver cancer (HepG2) cell lines using the MTT assay method. Most of the newly synthesized compounds displayed cytotoxic activity against these cancerous cells. In fact, compounds 3a, 3e, and 3?h exhibited more cytotoxic activities than the positive control drugs, fluro-5, and irinocam, against the MCF-7 cell line. Almost all the compounds, except for three, 3b, 3d, and 3f, gave more cytotoxic results than cisplatin. Therefore, these compounds could be considered for further development as anticancer drug candidates.     

Butyl methacrylate based monoliths with different cross‐linking agents using DMF‐aqueous buffer as porogen

A simple porogen containing only DMF and aqueous buffer was used for synthesis of monolithic stationary media for CEC). Butyl methacrylate (BMA)‐based capillary monoliths were obtained using proposed porogen together with acrylic/methacrylic cross‐linking agents with different alkyl chain lengths. For this purpose, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, butanediol dimethacrylate and hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA) were used. The monoliths with better electrochromatographic separation performance were obtained when the acrylic cross‐linking agent with the longest alkyl chain length (i.e. HDDA) was used with the proposed porogen. The electrochromatographic separation of alkylbenzenes, phenols and benzoic acids were sucessfully performed in CEC particularly using poly(BMA‐co‐HDDA) monolithic stationary phase with the column efficiency up to 270 000 plates/m.     

Investigation of radiocesium biokinetics in Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum)

This study was carried out to better understand the biokinetics of radiocesium in clams living in sediment. The accumulation and depuration kinetics of ¹³⁴Cs were investigated in the Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) under controlled laboratory conditions. The concentration factor was found to be 3.0 for ¹³⁴Cs in the whole body; however, the concentration factor in the soft part of the clams (12) was significantly higher than those in the whole body and shell (0.80). The depuration kinetics of the radionuclide were described by a two-component exponential model for the whole body. The biological half-lives in the fast and slow components were found to be 0.63 and 22.1 days, respectively. The depuration kinetics for ¹³⁴Cs in the soft parts were described by a single-component exponential model with a resultant the biological half-life of 18.0 days.     

Reversible Immobilization of Urease by Using Bacterial Cellulose Nanofibers

In this work, bacterial cellulose nanofibers were produced by using the Gluconacetobacter hansenii HE1 strain. These nanofibers were derivatized with dye affinity ligand Reactive Green 5, and these newly synthesized dye-attached nanofibers were used for affinity adsorption of urease. Reactive Green 5-attached nanofibers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, SEM, and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analysis. Some adsorption conditions which significantly affect the adsorption efficiency were investigated. The maximum urease adsorption capacity was found to be 240 mg/g nanofiber in pH 6.0 and at room temperature. Dye-free plain nanofibers also used for studying nonspecific urease adsorption onto plain nanofibers and nonspecific adsorption were found to be negligible (3.5 mg/g nanofiber). Prepared dye-attached nanofibers can be used in five successive adsorption/desorption steps without any decrease in their urease adsorption capacity. The desorption rate of the adsorbed urease was found to be 98.9 %. The activity of the urease was also investigated, and it was found that free and desorbed urease from the dye-attached nanofibers showed similar specific activity.     

Investigation of metal activation of a partially purified polyphenol oxidase enzyme electrode

Biosensors can be developed using different biological materials and immobilization technologies. Enzymes are generally used in biosensor construction, and some enzymes need metal ions or small organic molecules as a cofactor for their activation. Polyphenol oxidases can be activated by several metal ions such as Cu²⁺, Mg²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Ni²⁺. In this study, a new measurement method has been developed that is based on the metal ion activation of the polyphenol oxidase enzyme used in the biosensor preparation, especially to determine the concentration of Mg²⁺ ions. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) (EC 1.10.3.1) was partially purified from potato (Solanum tuberosum) by using (NH₄)₂SO₄ precipitation, dialysis, and lyophylization processes. As a result of this processes, approximately 30-fold purification was achieved for PPO. For construction of the biosensor, the enzyme was immobilized on the dissolved oxygen probe membrane using gelatin and glutaraldehyde (2.5%). Using the biosensor, we obtained responses for catechol in the absence and presence of Mg²⁺ ions. Differences between the biosensor responses were related to the concentration of Mg²⁺ ions. The biosensor response depends linearly on concentration of Mg²⁺ ions between 0.05 and 7.5?mM. In the optimization studies, phosphate buffer (pH 7.0, 50?mM) and 35°C were determined to be the optimum conditions. This project will be a novel biosensor study and it might bring a new term, ‘activation based biosensor’ into the biosensor area.     

In-house validation for analytical methods and quality control for risk evaluation of chlordecone in food

Chlordecone was used until 1993 as a pesticide in the banana plantation of Martinique and Guadeloupe (French Antilles) against the root borer. This organochlorine pesticide was lipophilic, remnant, and toxic for human beings with both acute and chronic effects. Chlordecone was strongly absorbed and stored in soil and weakly decomposed in environment. Surveys conducted in 2001 revealed its presence in soil, rivers, and domestic food products. Local food (fruits and vegetables, cattle, poultry, and fish) was growing on soils, widely contaminated by chlordecone, used in the past as banana plantations. In 2003, French Administration asked for a risk evaluation for the Antilles population. The French Agency for Food Safety, proposed a Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake of 0.0005?mg?kg^?1?b.w.?day^?1, and an Acute Reference Dose of 0.01?mg?kg^?1?b.w.?day^?1, based on a toxicological risk assessment. The French National Reference Laboratory for pesticides has carried out two analytical methods, one for food of animal origin and another for food of fruit and vegetable origin. These methods were validated in the reference laboratory and dispatched to 13 laboratories for a proficiency test before the launch of two studies on Martinique and Guadeloupe food. About 900 samples from Martinique were sent to the network of laboratories for analysis of chlordecone. Performance parameters obtained through the proficiency test were briefly reported. The quality control test proposed in this study was discussed to shed light on the true variability achievable by intra-laboratory and inter-laboratory analysis. The limits of conventional quality-control procedures were discussed, and a process was proposed in order to get better confidence in analytical results.     

Development of a Diamond Nanoparticles-based Nanosensor for Detection and Determination of Antiviral Drug Favipiravir

This study developed a nanosensor for the detection and determination of favipiravir, a presumed drug that has potential therapeutic efficacy in treating COVID-19 patients, from tablets and serum samples. This nanosensor was obtained by adding the optimum amount of diamond nanoparticles into carbon paste. For the determination of favipiravir adsorptive stripping differential pulse (AdSDPV) and adsorptive stripping square wave voltammetry (AdSSWV) were used. Limit of detection values were found as 4.83×10⁻⁹ M and 2.44×10⁻⁷ M for bulk and 5.18×10⁻⁸ M and 4.38×10⁻⁸ M for serum samples using AdSDPV and AdSSWV, respectively. Recovery studies made of the tablet and serum produced satisfactory results.     

Nafion-graphene composite film modified glassy carbon electrode for voltammetric determination of p-aminophenol

A Nafion-graphene (Nafion-GR) nanocomposite film modified glassy carbon electrode was fabricated by a simple drop-casting method, and used in the electrochemical detection of p-aminophenol (4-AP). Owing to the large surface area, good conductivity of GR and good affinity of Nafion, the sensor exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of 4-AP. The electrochemical behaviors of 4-AP on Nafion/GR film modified glassy carbon electrodes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. A calibration curve is constructed in the same matrix, urine, as the unknown samples to be analyzed. The Nafion-GR film modified electrode was linearly dependent on the 4-AP concentration and the linear analytical curve was obtained in the ranges of 0.5–200 μM with differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and the detection limit was 0.051 μM. The Nafion-graphene nanocomposite modified electrode exhibited good reusability than pure graphene modified GCE. This procedure can be used for the determination of p-aminophenol in the presence of its degradation products and paracetamol. Finally, the proposed method was successfully used to determine p-aminophenol in local tap water samples in urine samples and pharmaceutical preparations.     

Novel anhydrous proton conducting copolymers of 1‐vinyl‐1,2,4‐triazole and diisopropyl‐p‐vinylbenzyl phosphonate

Phosphonic acid functional polymers are currently of interest because of their high proton conductivity in humidified and anhydrous systems. In addition, heterocyclic compounds are used in anhydrous proton conducting polymer membranes. In that study, a new copolymer based on 1‐vinyl‐1,2,4‐triazole (VTri) and diisopropyl‐p‐vinylbenzyl phosphonate (VBP) was synthesized, and their thermal, chemical, and proton conducting properties were investigated. The copolymers were synthesized by free radical copolymerization of the corresponding monomers at several monomer feed ratios to obtain P(VTri‐co‐VBP) copolymers. The copolymer samples were then hydrolyzed to produce poly(vinyl triazole‐co‐vinyl phosphonic acid) copolymers. The composition of the copolymers was determined by elemental analysis. The copolymerization and hydrolysis reactions were verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ion exchange capacity measurements. Thermogravimetry analysis indicates that the copolymers are thermally stable up to 300°C. In order to increase the proton conductivity, the copolymers were doped with H₃PO₄ at several stoichometric ratios. The proton conductivity increases with triazole and phosphoric acid content. In the absence of humidity, the copolymer electrolyte, P(VTri‐co‐VBPA)1:0.5 X = 2, showed a proton conductivity of 0.005 S/cm at 150°C. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.