Study on continuous (254 nm) and pulsed UV (266 and 355 nm) lights on BVD virus inactivation and its effects on biological properties of fetal bovine serum

Both continuous UV lights and pulsed UV lasers have potentials to inactivate known and emerging viruses. Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), from the Pestivirus genus, is known to be a common viral contamination in (fetal) bovine serum (FBS). Also, BVDV has been used in the blood product industry as a surrogate for Hepatitis C virus (HCV), due to its similarity in structure and genome. Germicidal UV lamp with the wavelength of 254 nm and Nd:YAG laser (pulsed UV laser) in its third and fourth harmonic with the wavelengths of 355 and 266 nm, respectively, were used. BVDV suspended in PBS or FBS were exposed to different intensities and doses and then reduction in BVDV titer were calculated. To complete inactivation of BVDV suspended in PBS and PBS containing 5% FBS, 1.6 (t = 30 min) and 3.2 (t = 60 min) J/cm² were used. The minimum doses for inactivation of BVDV suspended in PBS with the 355 and 266 nm of pulsed UV laser were 352 and 92.25 J/cm². Also, the minimum doses for inactivation of BVDV suspended in FBS with 355 and 266 nm wavelengths of pulsed UV laser were 704 and 127 J/cm². To evaluate the irradiated FBS quality to support cell culture growth, FBS was treated with the dose of 190.5 J/cm² and 266 nm pulsed UV laser and was used to grow Vero cells, in comparison with a control group. The viability of cells in two groups was identical and the statistical evaluation showed no significant difference in 12 passages.     

14C-labelled propoxur metabolic studies on Anopheles Stephensi from the south coast of Iran

¹⁴C-Propoxur (Baygon^®) was synthesized through the reaction of o-isopropoxyphenol with methyl isocyanate –¹⁴C. The product was isolated chromatographically on Florisil and crystallized from carbon tetrachloride. The purity and structure were confirmed using infrared spectra, melting point, co-chromatography on Florisil column, and silica-gel G thin layer chromatography. The purity was found to be at least 99%. The rate of absorption and other characteristics of¹⁴C-propoxur resistance inAnopheles Stephensi from the south coast ot Iran was investigated. The mortality of strain adults was 100% after a one hour exposure when 1 ppm¹⁴C-propoxur was used. Moreover, the mortality was not changed when a lower concentration (5 ppm) was used. On the other hand, the absorbance of¹⁴C-propoxur in several strains ofA. Stephensi has been determined. The identity and TLC characteristics of products formed after 1 and 2 hours exposure, respectively, to¹⁴C-propoxur have also been investigated.     

Fabrication of an ion-selective electrode for determination of propylhexedrine

Electrodes of both conventional and micro-sizes were based on the use of propylhexedrine-reineckate as the ion-exchanger in a plastic membrane. The electrodes exhibited Nernstian response towards propylhexedrine (PX) over the concentration range 10^–6–10^–2 M and had life spans of up to 2 days continuous work. The working pH range was 2.3–8. Investigation of diverseions reveals good selectivity for propylhexedrine over several inorganic cations, amines, aminoacids, sugars and some pharmaceutical compounds. The electrode was applied for determination of the drug in urine with 99.1% recovery and 0.15–0.31% relative standard deviation.     

Acetylacetone-formaldehyde reagent for the spectrophotometric determination of some sulfa drugs in pure and dosage forms

A new simple and sensitive spectrophotometric procedure for the determination of sulfacetamide sodium (I), sulfadiazine (II), sulfadimidine (III) and sulfathiazole (IV) is based on the reaction of the drug with acetylacetone-formaldehyde reagent to give a yellow product having _max at 400 nm. Optimization of the reaction conditions has been investigated. A linear correlation was obtained between absorbance at _max and the concentration. The Beer's law limits of I, II, III and IV are 4–80, 4–72, 4–60 and 4–80 g/ml, respectively. For more accurate results, Ringbom optimum concentration ranges were evaluated to be 6–76, 8–66, 6–56 and 8–75 g/ml for I, II, III and IV, respectively. The molar absorptivities and Sandell sensitivities for all sulfa drugs under consideration were evaluated. Relative standard deviations of 0.98, 1.07, 0.86 and 0.79% were obtained for I, II, III and IV, respectively. The method has been compared to the official method and found to be simple, accurate (t-test) and reproducible (F-test). The developed procedures were applied for bulk sulfa drugs and some of their dosage forms without interferences from additive and common prescribed drugs.     

Effect of presence of 18-crown-6 on the response of 1-pyrrolidine dicarbodithioate-based lead selective electrode

The lipophilic ammonium salt of 1-pyrrolidine dicarbodithioic acid (PCDT)[I] was introduced as a selective ionophore for a sensitive Pb-ion selective electrode. Also, the effect of immobilization of 18-crown-6 (CW), into the above membrane, on the electrode performance was discussed. The slope of the PCDT-based [I] electrode was (26–30 mV decade⁻¹), while it was (29-30 mV decade⁻¹) for (PCDT+CW)-based [II] electrode according to the doping time. The linear concentration ranges were (1×10⁻⁶–1×10⁻¹ M) and (5×10⁻⁵–1×10⁻¹ M) for electrode types [I] and [II] after one-day doping. The working pH ranges were (5.0–10.0) and (7.0–10.0) for electrode types [I] and [II], respectively. Most of the common cations were tested for the evaluation of the electrode selectivity with correlation to the ionic radii of the tested cations. Among them only Na⁺, Ag⁺ and Fe³⁺ were the real interference. Application of using the electrode for the determination of lead in lubrication oil samples was performed with RSD (0.86–1.03%). The obtained results were compared to those of an atomic absorption spectrophotometric method.     

Phosphorated calix[6]arene derivatives as an ionophore for atropine-selective membrane electrodes

37,40-bis-[(diethoxy-thiophosphoryl)oxy]-5,11,17, 23,29,35-hexakis(1,1 -dimethyl-ethyl)-calix[6]arene-8,39,41,42-tetrol; 37,38,39,40,41-pentakis-(di-ethoxythiophosphoryl)-oxy]-5,11,17,23,29,35-hexakis (1,1-dimethylethyl)-calix[6]-arene-42-ol; and 37-[(diethoxythiophosphoryl)oxy]-5,11,17,23,29,35-hexakis-(1,1dimethylethyl)-calix[6]arene-38,39,40, 41,42-pentol were introduced as neutral ionophores for atropine-selective electrodes. Practical Nernstian responses were found (54.3, 49.1, and 50.8 mV/decade) for polyvinyl chloride membrane electrodes incorporating these compounds. They exhibited practical linear ranges of 1.9 x 10(-6)-7.9 x 10(-3), 7.9 x 10(-6)-7.9 x 10(-3), and 6.3 x 10(-6)-7.9 x 10(-3) M, respectively. The optimum pH range was 2.5-8.5. The selectivity coefficient values were estimated and interpreted. The electrode performance was correlated to the calixarene structure. Then, the electrode was applied to an actual analysis of pharmaceutical atropine preparations. The recovery values of 18.7 microg/mL-5.5193 mg/mL atropine sulfate were 97.5-99.1%. The corresponding relative standard deviation values ranged between 0.39-0.72% for 5 determinations. The first electrode was applied successfully for analyzing atropine sulfate in injection solution and eye drops.     

Uranium adsorption from a liquid waste using thermally and chemically modified bentonite

In this work, uranium adsorption from aqueous (waste) solution onto thermal and chemical modified bentonite (TCMB) has been studied. The relevant factors affecting uranium adsorption onto our TCMB adsorbent were studied. These factors involved contact time, initial uranium concentrations, pH, adsorption temperature, foreign ion and the effect adsorbent (TCMB) amount using synthetic solution. The theoretical capacity of TCMB adsorbent is about 29 mg/g TCMB. The optimum adsorption conditions were choiced. Uranium elution from the loaded TCMB adsorbent has been carried out using CH₃COONa as an effective eluent. Uranium adsorption from Gattar liquid waste by TCMB adsorbent was carried out in columns. The low uranium adsorption efficiency (37.5 % of the theoretical capacity of TCMB) may be due to the adsorption competition between uranium and difference foreign ion present in the solution (as iron). More than 92 % of the loaded uranium amount on the TCMB adsorbent has been eluted using CH₃COONa as an efficient eluent.     

Atropine-selective membrane electrodes and relative selectivity concept

TFPB was introduced as a charged ionophore for atropine selective electrodes. Typical Nernstian responses were found (57.78, 58.95 and 58.41 mV/decade) for PVC-membrane electrodes incorporating NPOE, DOS, and DDP as plasticizers. They exhibited practical linear ranges of 9.1 x 10(-3) - 10(-6), 9.1 x 10(-3) - 10(-6) and 9.1 x 10(-3) - 10(-7) M, respectively. It works in the sub-micro scale of atropine concentrations. The optimum pH-range was 3.18 - 8.97. The selectivity coefficient values were estimated for different organic and inorganic cations. They were interpreted by using the "Relative Selectivity Concept", which was introduced for the first time. The new concept was applied for comparing the selectivity properties of previously reported electrodes. The effect of the presence of ephedrine, caffeine, glucose, Na(+), Ca(2+), and Mg(2+) on the calibration graphs of the electrodes was studied.