Second-, third- and fourth-generation quinolones: Ecotoxicity effects on Daphnia and Ceriodaphnia species.

We conducted the first complete toxicological study of six quinolones, including acute, chronic, and recovery assays on Daphnia magna and Ceriodaphnia dubia. The assayed quinolones were second-generation ciprofloxacin (CIP), norfloxacin (NOR), enrofloxacin (ENR), and marbofloxacin (MAR); third-generation levofloxacin (LEV), and fourth-generation moxifloxacin (MOX). The median lethal concentrations (LC50) obtained for both species by acute ecotoxicity assay ranged from 14 to 73 mg L-1 and from 3 to 23 mg L-1 at 48 and 72 h, respectively; while the median effective concentration (EC50) ranged from 4 to 28 mg L-1 in the chronic ecotoxicity assays. C. dubia surviving the chronic exposure assay was monitored in recovery assays free of quinolones. A fluorometric method was used to confirm that there was no significant loss of quinolone concentrations during the acute assays. We also used this method to show that quinolone concentrations fell below 80% of the nominal value after 9-11 d if exposure solutions were not renewed. This study on the ecotoxicological and chemical behavior of quinolones in two cladoceran species fills a data gap about how these emerging contaminants affect nontarget aquatic organisms and how long they persist in the environment.

Magneto immunofluorescence assay for diagnosis of celiac disease.

A magneto immunofluorescence assay for the detection of anti-transglutaminase antibodies (ATG2) in celiac disease was developed. The ATG2 were recognized by transglutaminase enzyme immobilized on the magnetic beads and then the immunological reaction was revealed by antibodies labeled with peroxidase. The fluorescent response of the enzymatic reaction with o-phenylenediamine and H2O2 as substrates was correlated with anti-transglutaminase titer, showing EC50 and LOD values of 1:11,600 and 1:74,500 of antibody titers, respectively. A total number of 29 sera samples from clinically confirmed cases of celiac disease and 19 negative control samples were tested by the novel magneto immunofluorescence assay. The data were submitted to the receiver-operating characteristic plot (ROC) analysis which indicated that 8.1 U was the most effective cut-off value to discriminate correctly between celiac and non-celiac patients. The immunofluorescence assay exhibited a sensitivity of 96.6%, a specificity of 89.5% and an efficiency 93.8% compared with the commercial optical ELISA kit.

Electrochemical magneto immunosensor for the detection of anti-TG2 antibody in celiac disease.

An electrochemical magneto immunosensor for the detection of anti-transglutaminase antibodies (ATG2) in celiac disease was developed. The immunological reaction is performed on magnetic beads (MBs) as a solid support in which the transglutaminase enzyme (TG2) is covalently immobilized (TG2-MB) and then ATG2 were revealed by an antibody labeled with peroxidase. The electrochemical response of the enzymatic reaction with o-phenilendiamine and H2O2 as substrates by square wave voltammetry was correlated with the ATG2. Graphite-epoxi composite cylindrical electrodes and screen printed electrodes were used as transducers in the immunosensor. A total number of 29 sera from clinically confirmed cases of celiac disease and 19 negative control sera were tested by the electrochemical magneto immunosensor. The data were submitted to the receiver-operating characteristic plot (ROC) analysis which indicated that 16.95 units was the most effective cut-off value (COV) to discriminate correctly between celiac and non-celiac patients. Using this point for prediction, sensitivity was found to be 100%, while specificity was 84%.

Enzymatic electrochemical detection coupled to multivariate calibration for the determination of phenolic compounds in environmental samples.

An approach based on the electrochemical detection of the horseradish peroxidase enzymatic reaction by means of square wave voltammetry was developed for the determination of phenolic compounds in environmental samples. First, a systematic optimization procedure of three factors involved in the enzymatic reaction was carried out using response surface methodology through a central composite design. Second, the enzymatic electrochemical detection coupled with a multivariate calibration method based in the partial least-squares technique was optimized for the determination of a mixture of five phenolic compounds, i.e. phenol, p-aminophenol, p-chlorophenol, hydroquinone and pyrocatechol. The calibration and validation sets were built and assessed. In the calibration model, the LODs for phenolic compounds oscillated from 0.6 to 1.4 × 10(-6) mol L(-1). Recoveries for prediction samples were higher than 85%. These compounds were analyzed simultaneously in spiked samples and in water samples collected close to tanneries and landfills.

Biotin determination in food supplements by an electrochemical magneto biosensor.

An electrochemical magneto biosensor for the rapid determination of biotin in food samples is reported. The affinity reaction was performed on streptavidin-modified magnetic microbeads as a solid support in a direct competitive format. The biotinylated horseradish peroxidase enzyme (biotin-HRP) competes with free biotin in the sample for the binding sites of streptavidin on the magnetic microbeads. The modified magnetic beads were then easily captured by a magneto graphite-epoxy composite electrode and the electrochemical signal was based on the enzymatic activity of the HRP enzyme under the addition of H(2)O(2) as the substrate and o-phenilendiamine as cosubstrate. The response was electrochemically detected by square wave voltammetry. The limit of detection was 8.4×10(-8) mol L(--1) of biotin (20 µg L(--1)) with a dynamic range from 0.94 to 2.4×10(-7) mol L(--1). Biotin-fortified commercial dietary supplement and infant formula samples were evaluated obtaining good performances in the results. Total time of analysis was 40 min per 20 assays.

Evaluation of seven cosubstrates in the quantification of horseradish peroxidase enzyme by square wave voltammetry.

The electrochemical detection for horseradish peroxidase-cosubstrate-H(2)O(2) systems was optimized. o-Phenilendiamine, phenol, hydroquinone, pyrocatechol, p-chlorophenol, p-aminophenol and 3,3'-5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine were evaluated as cosubstrates of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme. Therefore, the reaction time, the addition sequence of the substrates, the cosubstrate:H(2)O(2) ratio and the electrochemical techniques were elected by one-factor optimization assays while the buffer pH, the enzymatic activity and cosubstrate and H(2)O(2) concentrations for each system were selected simultaneously by response surface methodology. Then, the calibration curves for seven horseradish peroxidase-cosubstrate-H(2)O(2) systems were built and the analytic parameters were analyzed. o-Phenilendiamine was selected as the best cosubstrate for the HRP enzyme. For this system the reaction time of 60s, the phosphate buffer pH 6.0, and the concentrations of 2.5×10(-4)molL(-1) o-phenilendiamine and of 1.25×10(-4)molL(-1) H(2)O(2) were chosen as the optimal conditions. In these conditions, the calibration curve of horseradish peroxidase by square wave voltammetry showed a linearity range from 9.5×10(-11) to 1.9×10(-8)molL(-1) and the limit of detection of 3.8×10(-11)molL(-1) with RSD% of 0.03% (n=3).

Enhanced application of square wave voltammetry with glassy carbon electrode coupled to multivariate calibration tools for the determination of B(6) and B(12) vitamins in pharmaceutical preparations.

Vitamins B(6) (VB(6)) and B(12) (VB(12)) were simultaneously determined in pharmaceutical preparations by using square wave voltametry (SWV) together with artificial neural networks (ANNs). Supporting electrolyte solution, pH and voltametric technique were optimised. The calibration set was built with several artificial samples containing both active ingredients and excipients. Deviations from linearity were observed for both analytes. It is probably due to interactions among the electro active components and competition by the electrode surface, fact that supports the use of ANNs. Recoveries when analysing a nine sample validation set, of 100.2 and 96.4 were calculated for VB(6) and VB(12), respectively. Commercial samples were analysed with reasonably good results considering the complexity of the mixture studied.