Determination of Copper(II) Through Anodic Stripping Voltammetry in Tartrate Buffer Using an Antimony Film Screen-printed Carbon Electrode

The voltammetric performance of an in situ plated antimony film screen-printed carbon electrode in hydrochloric acid, acetate buffer, and tartrate buffer was evaluated for the detection of copper(II) with differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. The tartrate buffer was superior, providing high sensitivity and good separation of copper and antimony stripping peaks. The analytical conditions for the determination of copper(II) were optimized. The detection limit was estimated to be 0.14?µg?L^?1 copper(II) and the relative standard deviation for 2.5?µg?L^?1 copper(II) was 3%. The applicability of the method was illustrated by the analysis of soil conditioner samples.     

Melatonin/Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes: A Review

Melatonin (MLT) is involved in many functions of the human body, mainly in sleeping-related disorders. It also has anti-oxidant potential and has been proven very effective in the treatment of seasonal affective disorders (SAD), which afflict some people during short winter days. Melatonin has been implicated in a range of other conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and other neurological conditions, and in certain cancers. Its poor solubility in water leads to an insufficient absorption that led scientists to investigate MLT inclusion in cyclodextrins (CDs), as inclusion of drugs in CDs is a way of increasing the solubility of many lipophilic moieties with poor water solubility. The aim of this review is to gather all the key findings on MLT/CD complexes. The literature appraisal concluded that MLT inclusion leads to a 1:1 complex with the majority of CDs and increases the solubility of the hormone. The interactions of MLT with CDs can be studied by a variety of techniques, such as NMR, FT-IR, XRD and DCS. More importantly, the in vivo experiments showed an increase in the uptake of MLT when included in a CD.