Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Integrated with a Surface Acoustic Wave Technique for Detection of Sulfamethizole.

The synergistic effect of combining molecular imprinting and surface acoustic wave (SAW) technologies for the selective and label-free detection of sulfamethizole as a model antibiotic in aqueous environment was demonstrated. A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for sulfamethizole (SMZ) selective recognition was prepared in the form of a homogeneous thin film on the sensing surfaces of SAW chip by oxidative electropolymerization of m-phenylenediamine (mPD) in the presence of SMZ, acting as a template. Special attention was paid to the rational selection of the functional monomer using computational and spectroscopic approaches. SMZ template incorporation and its subsequent release from the polymer was supported by IR microscopic measurements. Precise control of the thicknesses of the SMZ-MIP and respective nonimprinted reference films (NIP) was achieved by correlating the electrical charge dosage during electrodeposition with spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements in order to ensure accurate interpretation of label-free responses originating from the MIP modified sensor. The fabricated SMZ-MIP films were characterized in terms of their binding affinity and selectivity toward the target by analyzing the binding kinetics recorded using the SAW system. The SMZ-MIPs had SMZ binding capacity approximately more than eight times higher than the respective NIP and were able to discriminate among structurally similar molecules, i.e., sulfanilamide and sulfadimethoxine. The presented approach for the facile integration of a sulfonamide antibiotic-sensing layer with SAW technology allowed observing the real-time binding events of the target molecule at nanomolar concentration levels and could be potentially suitable for cost-effective fabrication of a multianalyte chemosensor for analysis of hazardous pollutants in an aqueous environment.

Furoic and mefenamic acids as new matrices for matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-(MALDI)-mass spectrometry.

The present study introduces two novel organic matrices for matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) for the analysis of small molecules. The first matrix is "2-amino-4,5-diphenylfuran-3-carboxylic acid" (also called furoic acid, FA) which was synthesized and then characterized by ultraviolet (UV), infrared (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance NMR ((1)H and (13)C) and mass spectrometry. The compound has organic semiconductor properties and exhibits intense UV-absorption which is suitable for the UV-MALDI laser (N2 laser, 337 nm). The second matrix is mefenamic acid (MA). The two matrices can be successfully applied for various classes of compounds including adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP, 0.5 µL(10.0 nmol)), spectinomycin (spect, 0.5 µL(14.0 nmol)), glutathione (GSH, 0.5 µL(9.0 nmol)), sulfamethazole (SMT, 0.5 µL(2.0 nmol)) and mixture of peptides gramicidin D (GD, 0.5µL (9.0 nmol)). The two matrices can effectively absorb the laser energy, resulting in excellent desorption/ionization of small molecules. The new matrices offer a significant enhancement of ionization, less fragmentation, few interferences, nice reproducibility, and excellent stability under vacuum. Theoretical calculations of the physical parameters demonstrated increase in polarizability, molar volume and refractivity than the conventional organic matrices which can effectively enhance the proton transfer reactions between the matrices with the analyte molecules. While the reduction in density, surface tension and index of refraction can enhance homogeneity between the two new matrices with the analytes. Due to the sublimation energy of mefenamic acid is (1.2 times) higher than that of the DHB, it is more stable to be used in the vacuum.

Removal of sulfadiazine, sulfamethizole, sulfamethoxazole, and sulfathiazole from aqueous solution by ozonation.

The removal of sulfadiazine, sulfamethizole, sulfamethoxazole, and sulfathiazole from aqueous solution by ozonation was studied. The study was conducted experimentally in a semi-batch reactor under different experimental conditions, i.e., varying influent ozone gas concentration, bicarbonate ion concentration, and pH. The results of the study indicated that ozonation could be used to effectively remove the sulfonamides from water. The sulfonamides exhibited moderate reactivity towards aqueous ozone, k(O)(3) >2 x 10(4) M(-1)s(-1) at pH of 2 and 22 degrees C. The mol of ozone absorbed by the solution per mol of sulfonamides removed varied in the range of 5.5-12.0 with lower ranges representing ozone absorption by the solution at the beginning of the ozonation process whereas higher ratios correspond to >99.9% removal of the target sulfonamides. The removal rate of the sulfonamides improved with bicarbonate ion concentration up to 8mM but further increase in bicarbonate ion decreased removal efficiency. It was also observed that increasing the pH from 2.0 to 10.0 resulted in enhanced removal of the sulfonamides.

[Determination of residual sulfonamides in meat by high performance liquid chromatography with solid-phase extraction].

A method was developed for determining residual sulfonamides (SAs) such as sulfamethazine (SM2), sulfamonomethoxine (SMM), sulfamethiazole (SMZ), sulfadimethoxine (SDM) and sulfaquinoxaline (SQ) in pork and chicken using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a photodiode array detector. The samples were extracted with ethyl acetate. An NH2 column was used for clean up. For the HPLC determination, an Intersil ODS-2 column was used with a mixture of methanol-acetonitrile-water-acetic acid (2: 2: 9: 0.2, v/v) as the mobile phase. The detection limits (S/N = 3) were 3 microg/kg for SM2, SMM and SMZ, and 7 microg/kg for SDM and SQ. The quantitation limits (S/N = 10) were 10 microg/kg for SM2, SMM and SMZ, and 25 microg/kg for SDM and SQ. The linear ranges were 30 - 5 000 microg/L for SM2, SMM and SMZ, and 60 - 5 000 microg/L for SDM and SQ. The recoveries were between 73.2% and 97.3% with the relative standard deviations between 2.5% and 11.6% originated from the spiked level of 50 microg/kg.

Effect of the interaction of drug-beta-cyclodextrin complex with bile salts on the drug absorption from rat small intestinal lumen.

This investigation was concerned with the change of the bioavailability of a drug owing to the interaction of the drug-beta-cyclodextrin complex with bile salts in rat intestinal lumen. The absorption of sulfamethizole (SMZ) from rat intestinal lumen after administration of SMZ-beta-cyclodextrin complex was determined by a closed-loop method in the presence or absence of bile. The blood level of SMZ after administration of SMZ-beta-cyclodextrin complex was significantly decreased in comparison with that after administration of SMZ alone in bile duct-ligated rats. On the other hand, the blood level of SMZ after SMZ-beta-cyclodextrin administration in intact rats (bile duct non-ligated) or on the addition of sodium cholate was similar to the level in the case of SMZ alone. Thus, bile salts were found to act as a competing agent in the gastrointestinal tract.

Bioavailability of sulfonamide suspensions I: Dissolution profiles of sulfamethizole using paddle method.

A comparative bioavailability study was performed using two commercially available, chemically equivalent brands of sulfamethizole suspension. One gram of each suspension was administered to 12 different subjects following a completely randomized crossover design. Serum levels and derived pharmacokinetic parameters were compared statistically. There were no significant differences in the extent of sulfamethizole absorption from the two suspensions as evidenced by the area under the serum level--time curves. Significant differences (p less than 0.05) in the mean serum levels at 0.5 and 0.75 hr and differences in Cmax and tmax indicated that the absorption rate differed for the two products. In vitro tests including particle-size analysis and dissolution studies were performed. The size--frequency distribution of particles in the suspensions was studied using a resistance particle counter. The dissolution characteristics of the two products were studied using the Food and Drug Administration's paddle method and the spin-filter apparatus. Suspension A had a significantly greater amount of drug dissolved at 15 and 30 min using either method. It also had a greater percentage of particles at the smaller size range, indicating that the greater dissolution rate may be related directly to the decreased particle size. A comparison of the in vivo and in vitro results demonstrated a definite rank-order correlation between the dissolution performance of the two suspensions and the in vivo parameters reflecting the absorption rate. Suspension A had a greater amount of drug dissolved at 15 and 30 min and resulted in higher serum levels at 0.5 and 0.75 hr, a higher Cmax, and a shorter tmax.