UV-Fenton degradation of diclofenac, sulpiride, sulfamethoxazole and sulfisomidine: Degradation mechanisms, transformation products, toxicity evolution and effect of real water matrix.

Four common refractory pharmaceuticals, diclofenac (DF), sulpiride (SP), sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and sulfisomidine (SIM) were detected in the Disc Tubular Reverse Osmosis (DTRO) concentrates with higher concentrations ranging from 0.85 to 11.57 µg/L from the local landfill. The effect of complex matrix of DTRO concentrates on the UV-Fenton degradation kinetics of DF, SP, SMX and SIM and their transformation products (TPs) were studied. All the four pharmaceuticals could be degraded more efficiently in the ultrapure water than that in the DTRO-concentrate matrix, which also had a significant negative effect on the kinetic constants of the degradation. Twenty-two out of forty-nine TPs were newly identified by HPLC-QTOF-MS and their peak-area evolution was presented. The main degradation pathways for four pharmaceuticals were identified. When assessing cytotoxicity by using HepG2 cells, there appeared to be an obvious toxicity-increase region for each of SP, SMX and SIM. Eleven TPs were identified as the potential toxicity-increase causing TPs by combination of the QSAR prediction, HepG2 cytotoxicity assessment and peak-area evolution of TPs. Therefore, UV-Fenton process was a promising method for the refractory pharmaceutical degradation even in the complex water matrix and choosing appropriate reaction parameters for the UV-Fenton could eliminate the cytotoxicity of the TPs.

Supramolecular aggregates formed by sulfadiazine and sulfisomidine inclusion complexes with α- and ß-cyclodextrins.

Sulfadiazine (SDA) and sulfisomidine (SFM) inclusion complexes with two cyclodextrins (α-CD and ß-CD) are studied in aqueous as well as in solid state. The inclusion complexes are characterized by UV-visible, fluorescence, time correlated single photon counting, FTIR, DSC, PXRD and (1)H NMR techniques. The self assembled SDA/CD and SFM/CD inclusion complexes form different types of nano and microstructures. The self assembled nanoparticle morphologies are studied using SEM and TEM techniques. SDA/α-CD complex is formed hierarchal morphology, SDA/ß-CD and SFM/ß-CD complexes form the nanosheet self assembly. However, SFM/α-CD complex forms nanoporous sheet self assembly. van der Waals, hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interaction play a vital role in the self assembling process.

Identification of the 'wrong' active pharmaceutical ingredient in a counterfeit Halfan drug product using accurate mass electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry, accurate mass tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Methodology is presented for identifying an unknown active (pharmaceutical) ingredient (AI) in a counterfeit drug product. A range of mass spectrometric techniques, i.e., accurate mass mass spectrometry, tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS), has been employed to determine the AI in a counterfeit Halfan suspension, an antimalarial drug. In particular, use of LockSpray accurate mass MS/MS allowed identification of parts of the molecule from fragments, hence limiting the number of possible elemental compositions for the nominal mass of 278 found for the AI in the counterfeit product. The analysis of the isotope pattern observed for the protonated molecule further reduced the number of possible elemental compositions. A literature search for readily commercially available compounds of molecular formula C(12)H(14)N(4)O(2)S suggested that the AI was either sulfamethazine or sulfisomidine. An LC/MS separation of those two compounds and reference MS/MS spectra obtained for sulfamethazine and sulfisomidine led to the conclusion that the AI in the counterfeit Halfan suspension is sulfamethazine, which is an antibacterial agent.