Electrochemical Sensor Based on Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and N-Doped TiO2 Nanoparticles for Voltametric Simultaneous Determination of Benserazide and Levodopa.

An electrochemical sensor for simultaneous determination of Benserazide (BEZ) and levodopa (L-dopa) was successfully developed using a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with multi-walled carbon nanotube and nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles (GCE/MWCNT/N-TiO2). Cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry were employed to investigate the electrochemical behavior of different working electrodes and analytes. In comparison with unmodified GCE, the modified electrode exhibited better electrocatalytic activity towards BEZ and L-dopa and was efficient in providing a satisfactory separation for oxidation peaks, with a potential difference of 140 mV clearly allows the simultaneous determination of these compounds. Under the optimized conditions, linear ranges of 2.0-20.0 and 2.0-70.0 µmol L-1 were obtained for BEZ and L-dopa, respectively, with a limit of detection of 1.6 µmol L-1 for BEZ and 2.0 µmol L-1 for L-dopa. The method was applied in simultaneous determination of the analytes in pharmaceutical samples, and the accuracy was attested by comparison with HPLC-DAD as the reference method, with a relative error lower than 4.0%.

Covalent TiO(2)/pectin microspheres with Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles for magnetic field-modulated drug delivery.

Covalent TiO(2)-co-pectin microspheres containing Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles were developed through an ultrasound-induced crosslinking/polymerization reaction between the glycidyl methacrylate from vinyl groups in TiO(2) and in pectin. ζ-potentials became less negative in the nanostructured microspheres, caused by the presence of both inorganic particles in the negatively charged pectin. The nanostructured pectin microspheres showed an amoxicillin release rate slower than that of pure pectin microspheres. The proposed microspheres were found to be a sustained release system of amoxicillin in the acid medium. Furthermore, the antibiotic release may be modulated by exposition of the microspheres to a remote magnetic field. In practical terms, the nanostructured microspheres could deliver a larger proportion of their initial load to specific site of action. The cytotoxic concentrations for 50% of VERO cells (CC(50)), calculated as the concentration required to reduce cell viability by 50% after 72h of incubation, for pectin-only microspheres and nanostructured pectin microspheres were 217.7±6.5 and 121.5±4.9µgmL(-1), respectively. The obtained CC(50) values indicated acceptable cytotoxic levels for an incubation period of 72h, showing that the pectin microspheres have a great pharmacological potential for uses in biological environments, even after the introduction of both Fe(3)O(4) and TiO(2).

Solid-state radical grafting reaction of glycidyl methacrylate and poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) in supercritical carbon dioxide: surface morphology and adhesion.

Solid-state radical grafting of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) (PMP) was performed using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO(2)) impregnation technology. The polymer films were firstly impregnated in the scCO(2) phase with the GMA using benzoyl peroxide as thermal initiator. The grafting degree and surface morphology of the samples may be controlled by the following factors: time, temperature, and pressure of impregnation. A 2(3) factorial design to evaluate the main and interaction effects of such factors on the grafting of the PMP by GMA (grafting response) was elaborated from FTIR data. The superior and inferior limits of the levels were defined on basis of a P-x-y diagram for binary system CO(2)+GMA that provided the location of the transition curves of such a system. Better grafting response was obtained for pressure of 130 bar, temperature of 70°C and time of 7h. The PMP-g-GMA films exhibited a thermal profile similar to that of the unmodified polymer. Adhesion characteristics of polymer films are dependent on grafting degree of GMA.

Smart hollow microspheres of chondroitin sulfate conjugates and magnetite nanoparticles for magnetic vector.

Smart hollow microspheres composed of vinyled-chondroitin sulfate conjugates (CSπ) and magnetite nanoparticles were obtained by the intermediate of a multiple emulsion in absence of a surfactant, attributable to stabilizing properties of the CS. It was formed an oil-water multiple emulsion in which the CS played a role as an anionic stabilizer for magnetite nanoparticles via complexation. Iron oxides were bonded to the microspheres by the formation of a complex of Fe(3+) ions on the crystalline phase with oxygen atoms at the carboxyl groups without their magnetic properties being affected. The average crystal size of embedded magnetite nanoparticles was approximately 16.5nm, indicative of a good dispersion in microspheres. Furthermore, the introduction of iron oxides resulted in microspheres with a higher diameter and a narrower particle size distribution.