Aptamer-Based Sensor for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Ofloxacin in Meat Products.

Ofloxacin (OFL) is widely used in animal husbandry and aquaculture due to its low price and broad spectrum of bacterial inhibition, etc. However, it is difficult to degrade and is retained in animal-derived food products, which are hazardous to human health. In this study, a simple and efficient method was developed for the detection of OFL residues in meat products. OFL coupled with amino magnetic beads by an amination reaction was used as a stationary phase. Aptamer AWO-06, which showed high affinity and specificity for OFL, was screened using the exponential enrichment (SELEX) technique. A fluorescent biosensor was developed by using AWO-06 as a probe and graphene oxide (GO) as a quencher. The OFL detection results could be obtained within 6 min. The linear range was observed in the range of 10-300 nM of the OFL concentration, and the limit of the detection of the sensor was 0.61 nM. Furthermore, the biosensor was stored at room temperature for more than 2 months, and its performance did not change. The developed biosensor in this study is easy to operate and rapid in response, and it is suitable for on-site detection. This study provided a novel method for the detection of OFL residues in meat products.

Photocatalytic Degradation of Quinolones by Magnetic MOFs Materials and Mechanism Study.

With the rising incidence of various diseases in China and the constant development of the pharmaceutical industry, there is a growing demand for floxacin-type antibiotics. Due to the large-scale production and high cost of waste treatment, the parent drug and its metabolites constantly enter the water environment through domestic sewage, production wastewater, and other pathways. In recent years, the pollution of the aquatic environment by floxacin has become increasingly serious, making the technology to degrade floxacin in the aquatic environment a research hotspot in the field of environmental science. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as a new type of porous material, have attracted much attention in recent years. In this paper, four photocatalytic materials, MIL-53(Fe), NH2-MIL-53(Fe), MIL-100(Fe), and g-C3N4, were synthesised and applied to the study of the removal of ofloxacin and enrofloxacin. Among them, the MIL-100(Fe) material exhibited the best photocatalytic effect. The degradation efficiency of ofloxacin reached 95.1% after 3 h under visible light, while enrofloxacin was basically completely degraded. The effects of different materials on the visible photocatalytic degradation of the floxacin were investigated. Furthermore, the photocatalytic mechanism of enrofloxacin and ofloxacin was revealed by the use of three trappers (▪O2-, h+, and ▪OH), demonstrating that the role of ▪O2- promoted the degradation effect of the materials under photocatalysis.

Ofloxacin@Doxorubicin-Epirubicin functionalized MCM-41 mesoporous silica-based nanocarriers as synergistic drug delivery tools for cancer related bacterial infections.

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MNs) emerged as new promising drug-delivery platforms capable to overcome resistance in bacteria. Dual loading of drugs on these nanocarriers, exploiting synergistic interactions between the nanoparticles and the drugs, could be considered as a way to increase the efficacy against resistant bacteria with a positive effect even at very low concentrations. Considering that patients with cancer are highly susceptible to almost any type of bacterial infections, in this work, nanocarriers mesoporous silica-based, MNs and MNs@EPI were synthetized and submitted to single and/or dual loading of antibiotics (ofloxacin - OFLO) and anticancer drugs (Doxorubicin - DOX; Epirubicin - EPI), and investigated regarding their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Formulations containing ofloxacin such as MNs-OFLO, MNs-EPI + OFLO, MNs-DOX + OFLO and MNs@EPI + OFLO, present antibacterial activity in all bacterial strains tested. All these are more effective in E.coli with MIC and MBC values for MNs-OFLO, MNs-EPI + OFLO and MNs-DOX + OFLO of around 1 and 2 µgnanomaterial/mL, corresponding to ofloxacin concentrations of 0.03, 0.02 and 0.04 µg/mL, respectively. In the cocktail formulations the conjugation of epirubicin with ofloxacin presents a more effective antibacterial activity with more than 3-fold reduction of ofloxacin concentration when comparing to the single ofloxacin system. By far, the most effective synergistic effect was obtained for the system where epirubicin was functionalized at nanoparticles surface (MNs@EPI), where a 40-fold and 33-fold reductions of ofloxacin concentration were obtained, in P. aeruginosa in comparison to the MNs-OFLO and MNs-EPI + OFLO systems, respectively. These effects are shown in all bacterial strains tested, even in strains that have acquired resistance mechanisms, such as MRSA.

Polyvinyl Alcohol/Chitosan Single-Layered and Polyvinyl Alcohol/Chitosan/Eudragit RL100 Multi-layered Electrospun Nanofibers as an Ocular Matrix for the Controlled Release of Ofloxacin: an In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation.

A novel nanofiber insert was prepared with a modified electrospinning method to enhance the ocular residence time of ofloxacin (OFX) and to provide a sustained release pattern by covering hydrophilic polymers, chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (CS/PVA) nanofibers, with a hydrophobic polymer, Eudragit RL100 in layers, and by glutaraldehyde (GA) cross-linking of CS-PVA nanofibers for the treatment of infectious conjunctivitis. The morphology of the prepared nanofibers was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The average fiber diameter was found to be 123 ± 23 nm for the single electrospun nanofiber with no cross-linking (OFX-O). The single nanofibers, cross-linked for 10 h with GA (OFX-OG), had an average fiber diameter of 159 ± 30 nm. The amount of OFX released from the nanofibers was measured in vitro and in vivo using UV spectroscopy and microbial assay methods against Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. The antimicrobial efficiency of OFX formulated in cross-linked and non-cross-linked nanofibers was affirmed by observing the inhibition zones of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In vivo studies using the OFX nanofibrous inserts on a rabbit eye confirmed a sustained release pattern for up to 96 h. It was found that the cross-linking of the nanofibers by GA vapor could reduce the burst release of OFX from OFX-loaded CS/PVA in one layer and multi-layered nanofibers. In vivo results showed that the AUC0-96 for the nanofibers was 9-20-folds higher compared to the OFX solution. This study thus demonstrates the potential of the nanofiber technology is being utilized to sustained drug release in ocular drug delivery systems.

Examination of Aggregate Formation upon Simultaneous Dissolution of Methacrylic Acid Copolymer LD Enteric Coating Agent, Pharmaceutical Additives, and Zwitterionic Ingredients.

We previously showed that adhesive aggregates were formed when levofloxacin hydrate tablets and lansoprazole orally disintegrating (OD) tablets were suspended in water in the clinical context. In this study, we have clarified the factors causing aggregate formation, focusing on the role of pharmaceutical additives and electrostatic interaction. Co-suspension of enteric-coated proton pump inhibitor (PPI) esomeprazole magnesium hydrate with levofloxacin resulted in aggregate formation, whereas the non-enteric-coated PPI vonoprazan fumarate did not. A comparison of pharmaceutical additive in the two PPIs highlighted polysorbate 80 and methacrylic acid copolymer LD as candidates causing aggregation. When these pharmaceutical additives were added to levofloxacin, only methacrylic acid copolymer LD induced aggregate formation. Since levofloxacin is zwitterionic, we examined another zwitterionic ingredient, ampicillin sodium, and found that it also formed aggregates with methacrylic acid copolymer LD, while benzylpenicillin sodium, which is not zwitterionic, did not form aggregates. When we next examined a series of zwitterionic quinolone antimicrobial drugs, we found that ofloxacin, which is highly soluble, formed aggregates with lansoprazole OD tablets, whereas poorly soluble quinolone antimicrobial drugs did not form aggregates. Further, although cefepime hydrochloride and cephalexin did not form aggregates with methacrylic acid copolymer LD in tap water, aggregates were formed when a suspension of cefepime hydrochloride or cephalexin with methacrylic acid copolymer LD was adjusted to pH 7.0. Our results indicate that electrostatic interaction between zwitterionic ingredients and methacrylic acid copolymer LD can result in aggregate formation under conditions where the drug and methacrylic acid copolymer LD are both sufficiently soluble.

Designing of CuS growing on Bi2WO6 nanosheet heterostructures based on a photoelectrochemical aptasensor for detecting ofloxacin.

Bi2WO6 (BW) was compounded with different contents of copper sulfide (CuS) by a two-step procedure. The chemical composition and morphology of the materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results of photoelectrochemical (PEC) tests showed that CuS can improve the PEC performance of semiconductor materials and it has the best performance when the CuS mass fraction is 5%. Therefore, CuS/BW-5% nanocomposite has been constructed as ofloxacin (OFL) drug PEC aptasensors by binding of aptamer receptors. The PEC aptasensor based on CuS/BW-5% has a linear relationship for OFL of 1-12,000 nM and a determination limit of 0.35 nM. Since the photoelectron potential generated by CuS/BW-5% heterojunction reduces the combination of photogenerated electrons and holes CuS/BW-5% has a better photoelectrocatalytic performance. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of a photoelectrochemical aptasensor based on CuS/Bi2WO6 for the determination of OFL.

Simultaneous voltammetric sensing of levodopa, piroxicam, ofloxacin and methocarbamol using a carbon paste electrode modified with graphite oxide and ß-cyclodextrin.

A carbon paste electrode (CPE) was modified with graphite oxide (GrO) and ß-cyclodextrin (CD) to obtain a sensor for simultaneous voltammetric determination of levodopa (LD), piroxicam (PRX), ofloxacin (OFX) and methocarbamol (MCB). The morphology, structure and electrochemical properties of the functionalized GrO were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, contact angle measurements and cyclic voltammetry. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the sensor is capable of detecting LD, PRX, OFX and MCB by square wave voltammetry (SWV) at working potentials of +0.40, +0.60, +1.03 and + 1.27 V (versus Ag/AgCl), respectively. Response is linear from 1.0 to 20 µM for LD, from 1.0 to 15 µM for PRX, from 1.0 to 20 µM for OFX, and from 1.0 to 50 µM for MCB. The respective limits of detection are 65, 105, 89 and 400 nM. The method was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of LD, PRX, OFX and MCB in (spiked) real river water and synthetic urine samples, and the results were in agreement with those obtained using a spectrophotometric method, with recoveries close to 100%. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of a novel electroanalytical method employing a carbon paste electrode modified with graphite oxide and ß-cyclodextrin for the simultaneous determination of levodopa, piroxicam, ofloxacin and methocarbamol in urine and river water samples by square wave voltammetry.

Co-Amorphous Formation of High-Dose Zwitterionic Compounds with Amino Acids To Improve Solubility and Enable Parenteral Delivery.

Solubilization of parenteral drugs is a high unmet need in both preclinical and clinical drug development. Recently, co-amorphous drug formulation has emerged as a new strategy to solubilize orally dosed drugs. The aim of the present study is to explore the feasibility of using the co-amorphous strategy to enable the dosing of parenteral zwitterionic drugs at a high concentration. A new screening procedure was established with solubility as the indicator for co-amorphous co-former selection, and lyophilization was established as the method for co-amorphous formulation preparation. Various amino acids were screened, and tryptophan was found to be the most powerful in improving the solubility of ofloxacin when lyophilized with ofloxacin at a 1:1 weight ratio, with more than 10 times solubility increase. X-ray powder diffraction showed complete amorphization of both components, and an elevated Tg compared with the theoretical value was observed in differential scanning calorimetry. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking were possibly involved in the formation of a co-amorphous system in the solid state. Further solution-state characterization revealed the involvement of ionic interactions and π-π stacking in maintaining a high concentration of ofloxacin in solution. Furthermore, co-amorphous ofloxacin/tryptophan at 1:1 weight ratio was both physically and chemically stable for at least 2 months at 40 °C/75% RH. Lastly, the same screening procedure was validated with two more zwitterionic compounds, showing its promise as a routine screening methodology to solubilize and enable the parenteral delivery of zwitterionic compounds.

Enantioselective degradation of ofloxacin and levofloxacin by the bacterial strains Labrys portucalensis F11 and Rhodococcus sp. FP1.

Fluoroquinolones are a class of antibiotics widely prescribed in both human and veterinary medicine of high environmental concern and characterized as environmental micropollutants due to their ecotoxicity and persistence and antibacterial resistance potential. Ofloxacin and levofloxacin are chiral fluoroquinolones commercialized as racemate and in enantiomerically pure form, respectively. Since the pharmacological properties and toxicity of the enantiomers may be very different, understanding the stereochemistry of these compounds should be a priority in environmental monitoring. This work presents the biodegradation of racemic ofloxacin and its (S)-enantiomer levofloxacin by the bacterial strains Labrys portucalensis F11 and Rhodococcus sp. FP1 at a laboratory-scale microcosm following the removal and the behavior of the enantiomers. Strain F11 could degrade both antibiotics almost completely when acetate was supplied regularly to the cultures. Enrichment of the (R)-enantiomer was observed in FP1 and F11 cultures supplied with ofloxacin. Racemization was observed in the biodegradation of the pure (S)-ofloxacin (levofloxacin) by strain F11, which was confirmed by liquid chromatography - exact mass spectrometry. Biodegradation of ofloxacin at 450 µg L-1 by both bacterial strains expressed good linear fits (R2 > 0.98) according to the Rayleigh equation. The enantiomeric enrichment factors were comprised between - 22.5% to - 9.1%, and - 18.7% to - 9.0% in the biodegradation of ofloxacin by strains F11 and FP1, respectively, with no significant differences for the two bacteria under the same conditions. This is the first time that enantioselective biodegradation of ofloxacin and levofloxacin by single bacteria is reported.

Dibasic Derivatives of Phenylcarbamic Acid against Mycobacterial Strains: Old Drugs and New Tricks?

In order to provide a more detailed view on the structure⁻antimycobacterial activity relationship (SAR) of phenylcarbamic acid derivatives containing two centers of protonation, 1-[2-[({[2-/3-(alkoxy)phenyl]amino}carbonyl)oxy]-3-(dipropylammonio)propyl]pyrrolidinium oxalates (1a⁻d)/dichlorides (1e⁻h) as well as 1-[2-[({[2-/3-(alkoxy)phenyl]amino}carbonyl)oxy]-3-(di-propylammonio)propyl]azepanium oxalates (1i⁻l)/dichlorides (1m⁻p; alkoxy = butoxy to heptyloxy) were physicochemically characterized by estimation of their surface tension (γ; Traube's stalagmometric method), electronic features (log ε; UV/Vis spectrophotometry) and lipophilic properties (log kw; isocratic RP-HPLC) as well. The experimental log kw dataset was studied together with computational logarithms of partition coefficients (log P) generated by various methods based mainly on atomic or combined atomic and fragmental principles. Similarities and differences between the experimental and in silico lipophilicity descriptors were analyzed by unscaled principal component analysis (PCA). The in vitro activity of compounds 1a⁻p was inspected against Mycobacterium tuberculosis CNCTC My 331/88 (identical with H37Rv and ATCC 2794, respectively), M. tuberculosis H37Ra ATCC 25177, M. kansasii CNCTC My 235/80 (identical with ATCC 12478), the M. kansasii 6509/96 clinical isolate, M. kansasii DSM 44162, M. avium CNCTC My 330/80 (identical with ATCC 25291), M. smegmatis ATCC 700084 and M. marinum CAMP 5644, respectively. In vitro susceptibility of the mycobacteria to reference drugs isoniazid, ethambutol, ofloxacin or ciprofloxacin was tested as well. A very unique aspect of the research was that many compounds from the set 1a⁻p were highly efficient almost against all tested mycobacteria. The most promising derivatives showed MIC values varied from 1.9 µM to 8 µM, which were lower compared to those of used standards, especially if concerning ability to fight M. tuberculosis H37Ra ATCC 25177, M. kansasii DSM 44162 or M. avium CNCTC My 330/80. Current in vitro biological assays and systematic SAR studies based on PCA approach as well as fitting procedures, which were supported by relevant statistical descriptors, proved that the compounds 1a⁻p represented a very promising molecular framework for development of 'non-traditional' but effective antimycobacterial agents.

Simultaneous quantification of antofloxacin and its major metabolite in human urine by HPLC-MS/MS, and its application to a pharmacokinetic study.

This study presents a high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of antofloxacinin and its main metabolite - N-demethylated metabolite (N-DM) - in human urine. Ornidazole was used as the internal standard. This was a clinical urine recovery study, in which 10 healthy Chinese volunteers were intravenously administered a single 200 mg dose of antofloxacin hydrochloride. Compounds were extracted by albumen precipitation, after which samples were isocratically eluted using a Poroshell 120 SB-C18 column, and were analysed using HPLC-MS/MS under electronic spray ionization positive ion mode. The method was successfully applied in a urine pharmacokinetic study of antofloxacinin, with a detection range of 0.02/0.01 to 200/100 µg/mL (for antofioxacin/N-DM).The average percentages of antofioxacin/N-DM measured in urinary excretion frp, 10 volunteers were 54.9 ± 5.7/8.2 ± 2.5% in 120 h duration.

Storage stability of serum formulations containing ofloxacin for autologous serum eardrop therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The storage stability of serum formulations containing ofloxacin for autologous serum eardrop therapy was evaluated for microbiological quality and component stability. METHODS: Sterile serum formulations were prepared by mixing human serum and ofloxacin otic solution (1:1, v/v). To simulate eardrop contamination with external ear surface substances, prepared serum formulations were contaminated with a cotton swab that was rubbed sufficiently on the human external ear. Formulations were stored at 4 °C or room temperature in the dark. Colony forming units (CFUs), ofloxacin, and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) concentrations in the stored serum formulations were determined. RESULTS: The growth of microorganisms derived from the external ear was not detected in serum formulations after storage for 14 days, regardless of temperature. However, microbial growth was detected in serum formulations stored without ofloxacin, indicating that this is necessary for storage. In addition, concentrations of ofloxacin and bFGF did not decrease over 14 days, indicating that ofloxacin and bFGF in serum formulations are stable for this time period. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that the efficacy and safety of serum formulations used as a therapy for perforated eardrums are stable and safe for at least 14 days.

In vivo and in vitro taste masking of ofloxacin and sustained release by forming interpenetrating polymer network beads.

Drug-resin complexes (DRCs) of ofloxacin and ion-exchange resins (IERs) were prepared in different ratios of drug/IERs, that is, 1:1, 1:2 and 1:4 (w/w) and investigated for taste masking by in vivo and in vitro release studies. Human volunteers graded AD1:4 (DRC) as tasteless with an average value of 0.3 ± 0.03 and in vitro study showed that AD 1:4 released only 1.70 ± 0.86% of drug at salivary pH within 30s. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), powder X-ray diffraction (P-XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies of AD 1:4 showed the change in the morphology of the drug, that is, from crystalline phase to amorphous phase during complex formation. The release of drug from AD 1:4 was completed within 30 min at gastric pH 1.2 and to extend the release time of drug at gastric pH, it was entrapped with different biopolymers, such as sodium alginate (SA) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (SCMC), in the presence of ferric chloride and glutaraldehyde (GA) to form interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) beads. FTIR studies revealed that IPN beads were crosslinked with Fe3+ and GA. The release of drug at gastric and intestinal pH was 14.53 ± 1.52% and 65.86 ± 1.29%, respectively, for a contact time of 10 h. The kinetics release study shows fickian diffusion for ionically crosslinked beads and zero-order release for GA crosslinking beads.

STUDY OF OFLOXACIN ENANTIOMERS DISSOLUTION FROM SELECTED SOLID DOSAGE FORMS USING HIGH PERFORMANCE CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS METHOD.

The commercially available coated tablets containing either racemic form of ofloxacin (Tarivid 200 mg, OfloHexal 200 mg and Ofloxacin-Ratiopharm 200 mg) or only levofloxacin S-(-)-isomer (Tavanic 250 mg) were examined. The aim of our study was to establish the kinetics of dissolution rate process of ofloxacin optical isomers (S-(-) and R-(+)-ofloxacin) from solid oral dosage forms using flow-through cell method (USP 4 method). The concentrations of analytes (racemic ofloxacin and its enantiomers) in the samples of tablet extracts as well as in dissolution media (0.1 M/L HCl and phosphate buffer pH 6.8) were determined by validated high performance capillary electrophoresis method. The fraction of the average dose of the individual optical isomers of ofloxacin released from the examined tablets was calculated. In the case of the OfloHexal, Ofloxacin-Ratiopharm and Tavanic it was found to be around 100% for both S-(-) and R-(+)-ofloxacin in 0.1 M/L HCI after 30 min of dissolution test. The fraction of the average dose for the Tarivid tablets was approximately 50% at the same time. A similar results were observed for the Ofloxacin-Ratiopharm and Tavanic tablets examined in phosphate buffer (average fraction about 100% after 30 min), while in the case of Tarivid and OfloHexal the averige fraction of the dose determined in a buffer pH 6.8 was 14% and 44%, respectively. There were not found any differences in the kinetics of dissolution of the S-(-)-ofloxacin and R-(+)-ofloxacin isomers within the same formulation. However, statistically significant differences were found in the dissolution of ofloxacin enantiomers between different preparations.

Physical basis for the ofloxacin-induced acceleration of lysozyme aggregation and polymorphism in amyloid fibrils.

Aggregation of globular proteins is an intractable problem which generally originates from partially folded structures. The partially folded structures first collapse non-specifically and then reorganize into amyloid-like fibrils via one or more oligomeric intermediates. The fibrils and their on/off pathway intermediates may be toxic to cells and form toxic deposits in different human organs. To understand the basis of origins of the aggregation diseases, it is vital to study in details the conformational properties of the amyloidogenic partially folded structures of the protein. In this work, we examined the effects of ofloxacin, a synthetic fluoroquinolone compound on the fibrillar aggregation of hen egg-white lysozyme. Using two aggregation conditions (4M GuHCl at pH 7.0 and 37 °C; and pH 1.7 at 65 °C) and a number of biophysical techniques, we illustrate that ofloxacin accelerates fibril formation of lysozyme by binding to partially folded structures and modulating their secondary, tertiary structures and surface hydrophobicity. We also demonstrate that Ofloxacin-induced fibrils show polymorphism of morphology, tinctorial properties and hydrophobic surface exposure. This study will assist in understanding the determinant of fibril formation and it also indicates that caution should be exercised in the use of ofloxacin in patients susceptible to various aggregation diseases.

Pharmacokinetic study of ofloxacin enantiomers in Pagrosomus major by chiral HPLC.

(S)-(-)-Ofloxacin and (R)-(+)-ofloxacin concentrations in the plasma of Pagrosomus major after drug treatment were detected by chiral high-performance liquid chromatography, and various pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated from these data. The elimination half-life of (S)-(-)-ofloxacin was significantly shorter than that of the (R)-(+) enantiomer. (S)-(-)-Ofloxacin also had a significantly lower maximum plasma concentration, area under the concentration-time curve from zero to infinity, and mean residence time than (R)-(+)-ofloxacin. However, the apparent volume of distribution and total body clearance of (S)-(-)-ofloxacin were greater than those of (R)-(+)-ofloxacin. The ratio of the (S)-(-)- to (R)-(+)-ofloxacin plasma concentration was always <1.0. Together, these data suggest that (S)-(-)-ofloxacin was preferentially excreted and (R)-(+)-ofloxacin was preferentially absorbed. Although the difference in pharmacokinetic parameters was small, the metabolic behavior of the ofloxacin enantiomers in P. major was enantioselective.

Synthesis and Characterization of Magnetic Molecularly Imprinted Polymer for the Enrichment of Ofloxacin Enantiomers in Fish Samples.

A new method for the isolation and enrichment of ofloxacin enantiomers from fish samples was developed using magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIPs). These polymers can be easily collected and rapidly separated using an external magnetic field, and also exhibit a high specific recognition for ofloxacin enantiomers. The preparation of amino-functionalized MMIPs was carried out via suspension polymerization and a ring-opening reaction using rac-ofloxacin as a template, ethylenediamine as an active group, glycidyl methacrylate and methyl methacrylate as functional monomers, divinylbenzene as a cross-linker, and Fe3O4 nanoparticles as magnetic cores. The characteristics of the MMIPs were assessed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) measurements. Furthermore, the adsorption properties were determined using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The conditions for use of these MMIPs as magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) sorbents, including pH, adsorption time, desorption time, and eluent, were investigated in detail. An extraction method using MMIPs coupled with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed for the determination of ofloxacin enantiomers in fish samples. The limits of quantitation (LOQ) for the developed method were 0.059 and 0.067 µg∙mL(-1) for levofloxacin and dextrofloxacin, respectively. The recovery of ofloxacin enantiomers ranged from 79.2% ± 5.6% to 84.4% ± 4.6% and ofloxacin enantiomers had good linear relationships within the concentration range of 0.25-5.0 µg∙mL(-1) (R² > 0.999). The obtained results demonstrate that MSPE-HPLC is a promising approach for preconcentration, purification, and simultaneous separation of ofloxacin enantiomers in biomatrix samples.

Adsorptive removal of PPCPs by biomorphic HAP templated from cotton.

Biomorphic nano-hydroxyapatite (HAP) was fabricated by a co-precipitation method using cotton as bio-templates and employed in adsorptive removal of ofloxacin (OFL) and triclosan (TCS) that are two representative pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). The surface area and porosity, crystal phase, functional group, morphology and micro-structure of the synthesized HAP were characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm, X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron macroscopic and transmission electron microscopy. The effects of initial pH, ionic strength, initial concentration, contact time and temperature on the removal of PPCPs were studied in a batch experiment. The adsorption of OFL and TCS was rapid and almost accomplished within 50 min. Kinetic studies indicated that the adsorption process of OFL and TCS followed the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models, respectively. The Freundlich isotherm described the OFL adsorption process well but the adsorption of TCS fitted the Langmuir isotherm better. Thermodynamics and isotherm parameters suggested that both OFL and TCS adsorption were feasible and spontaneous. Hydrogen bond and Lewis acid-base reaction may be the dominating adsorption mechanism of OFL and TCS, respectively. Compared to other adsorbents, biomorphic HAP is environmentally friendly and has the advantages of high adsorption capacity, exhibiting potential application for PPCPs removal.

Removal of ofloxacin antibiotic using heterogeneous Fenton process over modified alginate beads.

The aim of this work is to study the heterogeneous oxidative degradation of ofloxacin antibiotic using a composite material prepared from sodium alginate and cyclohexane dinitrilo tetraacetic acid (CDTA). The characterization tests indicated the successful incorporation of metal chelator and iron. It was also demonstrated that the synthesized beads are mesoporous. The influence of several experimental parameters (i.e.: H2O2 dose, working temperature, beads loading and initial drug concentration) on the process performances was evaluated. The reaction temperature significantly affects the drug conversion efficiency. It was also observed that the synthesized material was efficient toward the target antibiotic degradation in the presence of small quantities of hydrogen peroxide. Under optimum conditions (0.05 g of granules, initial drug concentration=10mg/L, 25µL of 10mmol/L H2O2), conducted in a batch reaction, 94% degradation of ofloxacin was reached. The results also indicate that the composite material showed a reasonable stability; a relatively low decrease of activity after four successive runs (only 9%) and a negligible iron leaching (0.8%) have been observed. The synthesized composite material offered interesting advantages in terms of simplicity, good stability, ease of recovery from the liquid medium after use and its efficiency in the presence of low quantities of oxidant. It constitutes a good candidate in the water treatment area.

Photocatalytic degradation of ofloxacin and evaluation of the residual antimicrobial activity.

Ofloxacin is an antimicrobial agent frequently found in significant concentrations in wastewater and surface water. Its continuous introduction into the environment is a potential risk to non-target organisms or to human health. In this study, ofloxacin degradation by UV/TiO2 and UV/TiO2/H2O2, antimicrobial activity (E. coli) of samples subjected to these processes, and by-products formed were evaluated. For UV/TiO2, the degradation efficiency was 89.3% in 60 min of reaction when 128 mg L(-1) TiO2 were used. The addition of 1.68 mmol L(-1) hydrogen peroxide increased degradation to 97.8%. For UV/TiO2, increasing the catalyst concentration from 4 to 128 mg L(-1) led to an increase in degradation efficiency. For both processes, the antimicrobial activity was considerably reduced throughout the reaction time. The structures of two by-products are presented: m/z 291 (9-fluoro-3-methyl-10-(methyleneamino)-7-oxo-2,3-dihydro-7H-[1,4]oxazino[2,3,4-ij]quinoline-6-carboxylic acid) and m/z 157 ((Z)-2-formyl-3-((2-oxoethyl)imino)propanoic acid).