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Raja K, Suresh K, Anbalagan S, Ragini YP, Kadirvel V. Investigating the nutritional viability of marine-derived protein for sustainable future development. Food Chem 2024; 448:139087. [PMID: 38531302 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Marine-derived proteins are emerging as a pivotal resource with diverse applications in food, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnological industries. The marine environment offers many protein sources, including fish, shellfish, algae, and microbes, which garnered attention due to their nutritional composition. Evaluating their protein and amino acid profiles is essential in assessing their viability as substitutes for conventional protein sources. Continuously exploiting marine ecosystems for protein extraction has led to significant environmental impacts. The optimization of aquacultural practices and implementation of innovative practices are imperative for the sustainable production of marine-based protein. This review will discuss the different sources of marine proteins, their nutritional profile, and their associated environmental impact. It also reviews the relationship between aquaculture advancements and regulatory frameworks toward attaining sustainable practices, alongside exploring the challenges and potentials in utilizing marine sources for protein production.
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Colombo E, Luca Viganò E, Raitano G, Lombardo A, Manganaro A, Sommovigo A, Benfenati E. The VERA software: Implementation of the acute fish toxicity endpoint and its application to pharmaceutical compounds. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 358:142232. [PMID: 38714244 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
The Virtual Extensive Read-Across software (VERA) is a new tool for read-across using a global similarity score, molecular groups, and structural alerts to find clusters of similar substances; these clusters are then used to identify suitable similar substances and make an assessment for the target substance. A beta version of VERA GUI is free and available at vegahub.eu; the source code of the VERA algorithm is available on GitHub. In the past we described its use to assess carcinogenicity, a classification endpoint. The aim here is to extend the automated read-across approach to assess continuous endpoints as well. We addressed acute fish toxicity. VERA evaluation on the acute fish toxicity endpoint was done on a dataset containing general substances (pesticides, industrial products, biocides, etc.), obtaining an overall R2 of 0.68. We employed the VERA algorithm also on active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). We included a portion of the APIs in the training dataset to predict APIs, successfully achieving an overall R2 of 0.63. VERA evaluates the assessment's reliability, and we reached an R2 of 0.78 and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.44 for predictions with high reliability.
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Zuzarte M, Salgueiro L, Canhoto J. Plant Tissue Culture: Industrial Relevance and Future Directions. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38796640 DOI: 10.1007/10_2024_254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Plant tissue culture has evolved in the last decades with several types of cultures being developed to promote a more sustainable food production system. Moreover, these cultures can be applied for the production of relevant metabolites with medicinal potential, thus contributing to nutrition and healthcare. Importantly, plant micropropagation has enabled agricultural expansion and tissue culture has emerged as a promising production alternative for several plants and their metabolites in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Plant tissue cultures present several advantages over conventional propagation techniques as they are season independent, enabling a continuous supply of the plants/compounds of interest, with the guarantee of high phytosanitary quality. In addition, genetic uniformity is generally maintained, thus reducing chemical variability that can compromise safety and efficacy. Nevertheless, despite their undeniable potential, with many researchers focusing on new strategies to improve production yield in cell cultures, such as with the use of elicitors or resorting to metabolomics engineering, an effective and lucrative large-scale production has yet to be obtained. Indeed, only a few compounds with market value are produced in this regard and several limitations such as contaminations, low culture yield and production costs still need to be overcome in order to take advantage of the full potential of these techniques.
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Makarov V, Chabbert C, Koletou E, Psomopoulos F, Kurbatova N, Ramirez S, Nelson C, Natarajan P, Neupane B. Good machine learning practices: Learnings from the modern pharmaceutical discovery enterprise. Comput Biol Med 2024; 177:108632. [PMID: 38788373 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have become an integral part of the drug discovery and development value chain. Many teams in the pharmaceutical industry nevertheless report the challenges associated with the timely, cost effective and meaningful delivery of ML and AI powered solutions for their scientists. We sought to better understand what these challenges were and how to overcome them by performing an industry wide assessment of the practices in AI and Machine Learning. Here we report results of the systematic business analysis of the personas in the modern pharmaceutical discovery enterprise in relation to their work with the AI and ML technologies. We identify 23 common business problems that individuals in these roles face when they encounter AI and ML technologies at work, and describe best practices (Good Machine Learning Practices) that address these issues.
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Köksoy S. Unused, expired pharmaceuticals and their disposal practices among the general public in Burdur-Türkiye: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1303. [PMID: 38741105 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18788-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Unused pharmaceuticals are currently a public health problem. This study aimed to identify unused pharmaceuticals, research practices about the disposal methods, classify the medicines according to Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical codes (ATC) and, to determine the number of unused medicines. METHODS The study was designed as a cross-sectional study. Data were collected between April and August 2023 in Burdur-Türkiye by non-probability sampling technique (convenience method). Pharmaceuticals were classified according to ATC. Statistical Package for Social Science SPSS (V.24) package program was used for data analysis. RESULTS A total of 1120 people, 1005 in the first sample group and 115 in the second sample group, participated in the study. Findings of first sample group: A total of 4097 boxes of unused pharmaceuticals (4.7 ± 4.3 boxes/per capita) were detected. It was found that pharmaceuticals were stored in areas such as kitchens (59.1%) and refrigerators (38.6%), the reason for keeping them was reuse (41%), and the disposal practice was household garbage (81%). Paracetamol (648 boxes), Other cold preparation (303 boxes), Dexketoprofen (239 boxes), Diclofenac (218 boxes), Amoxicillin and beta-lactamase inhibitor (190 boxes) were found to be the most frequently unused pharmaceuticals. Using the unused medicines at home without consulting a physician was 94.1% (self-medication). Findings of second sample group: Of the 6189 dosage forms in 265 boxes pharmaceutical, 3132(50.6%) dosage forms were used and 3057(49.4%) were found to be unused. CONCLUSION There is a significant amount and number of unused medicines in households, and self-medication is common. Medicines are not properly disposed of and some of them expire. Public information is needed. A "drug take-back system" for unused medicines can be useful in solving this problem.
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Macchietti L, Melucci D, Menarini L, Consoli F, Zappi A. Analytical comparison between batch and continuous direct compression processes for pharmaceutical manufacturing using an innovative UV-Vis reflectance method and chemometrics. Int J Pharm 2024; 656:124090. [PMID: 38582101 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.124090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Advancements in industrial technologies and the application of quality by design (QbD) guidelines are shifting the attention of manufacturers towards innovative production techniques. In the pharmaceutical field, there is a significant focus on the implementation of continuous processes, in which the production stages are carried out continuously, without the need to interrupt the process and store the production intermediates, as in traditional batch production. Such innovative production techniques also require the development of proper analytical methods able to analyze the products in-line, while still being processed. The present study aims to compare a traditional batch manufacturing process with an alternative continuous one. To this end, a real pharmaceutical formulation was used, substituting the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) with riboflavin, at the concentration of 2 %w/w. Moreover, a direct and non-destructive analytical method based on UV-Vis reflectance spectroscopy was applied for the quantification of riboflavin in the final tablets, and compared with a traditional absorbance analysis. Good results were obtained in the comparison of both the two manufacturing processes and the two analytical methods, with R2 higher than 0.9 for all the calculated calibration models and predicted riboflavin concentrations that never significantly overcame the 15 % limits recommended by the pharmacopeia. The continuous production method demonstrated to be as reliable as the batch one, allowing to save time and money in the production step. Moreover, UV-Vis reflectance was proved to be an interesting alternative to absorption spectroscopy, which, with the proper technology, could be implemented for in-line process control.
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Eizadi-Mood N, Sanjari H, Feizi A, Yazdi R, Dorostkar A, Mahvari R, Mirmoghtadaee P, Meamar R. Clinico-epidemiological evaluation of pharmaceutical/non-pharmaceutical poisoning in a referral poisoning emergency in the Central part of Iran. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10493. [PMID: 38714819 PMCID: PMC11076496 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61411-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The pattern of poisoning varies in different societies. In this study, we investigated the clinical-epidemiological features and outcomes of poisoned patients based on the substances involved, whether pharmaceutical or non- pharmaceutical toxins. This cross-sectional study involved a retrospective chart review of all poisoned patients who presented to the poisoning emergency hospital in the center of Iran between January 2015 and December 2019. We collected data on socio-demographics, the nature of the poisoning, and the outcomes. Backward stepwise binary regression analysis was conducted to predict the mortality. Throughout the study period, 5777 patients with acute poisoning met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 3524 cases (61%) were attributed to pharmaceutical, and 2253 cases (39%) were due to non-pharmaceutical poisoning. The majority of pharmaceutical poisonings (82.9%) were intentional, whereas non-pharmaceutical poisonings accounted for 46.2% of intentional exposures (P < 0.001). Patients with non-pharmaceutical poisoning were predominantly men, older in age, and had a history of addiction compared to those with pharmaceutical poisoning (P < 0.001). In binary logistic regression analysis, patients poisoned by non-pharmaceutical substances had a significantly higher risk of mortality [Odds ratio, 3.14; (95% CI 1.39-7.10); P = 0.006] compared to those poisoned by pharmaceutical substances (P < 0.001). The pattern of poisoning differs in terms of age and gender when comparing pharmaceutical to non-pharmaceutical poisoning. Patients poisoned by non-pharmaceutical may have a worse outcome compared to those poisoned by pharmaceutical substances.
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Leane M, Pitt K, Reynolds G, Tantuccio A, Moreton C, Crean A, Kleinebudde P, Carlin B, Gamble J, Gamlen M, Stone E, Kuentz M, Gururajan B, Khimyak YZ, Van Snick B, Andersen S, Misic Z, Peter S, Sheehan S. Ten years of the manufacturing classification system: a review of literature applications and an extension of the framework to continuous manufacture. Pharm Dev Technol 2024:1-20. [PMID: 38618690 DOI: 10.1080/10837450.2024.2342953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
The MCS initiative was first introduced in 2013. Since then, two MCS papers have been published: the first proposing a structured approach to consider the impact of drug substance physical properties on manufacturability and the second outlining real world examples of MCS principles. By 2023, both publications had been extensively cited by over 240 publications. This article firstly reviews this citing work and considers how the MCS concepts have been received and are being applied. Secondly, we will extend the MCS framework to continuous manufacture. The review structure follows the flow of drug product development focussing first on optimisation of API properties. The exploitation of links between API particle properties and manufacturability using large datasets seems particularly promising. Subsequently, applications of the MCS for formulation design include a detailed look at the impact of percolation threshold, the role of excipients and how other classification systems can be of assistance. The final review section focusses on manufacturing process development, covering the impact of strain rate sensitivity and modelling applications. The second part of the paper focuses on continuous processing proposing a parallel MCS framework alongside the existing batch manufacturing guidance. Specifically, we propose that continuous direct compression can accommodate a wider range of API properties compared to its batch equivalent.
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Kang Z, Duan L, Zahmatkesh S. Optimizing removal of antiretroviral drugs from tertiary wastewater using chlorination and AI-based prediction with response surface methodology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 934:172931. [PMID: 38703847 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Chemical and pharmaceutical chemicals found in water sources create substantial risks to human health and the environment. The presence of pharmaceutical contaminants in water can cause antibiotic resistance development, toxicity to aquatic organisms, and endocrine disruption. Hence, the elimination of chemicals and other contaminants from wastewater prior to its release is a burgeoning concern in the domains of engineering and science. The use of treatment technologies in wastewater treatment plants can remove pharmaceutical contaminants through the oxidation process. However, many traditional wastewater treatment plants lack the advanced monitoring tools required to detect low concentrations of pharmaceuticals. Without the ability to detect these compounds, it's challenging to treat them effectively. The goal of this study was to use Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) algorithms to model and improve how Nevirapine and Efavirenz break down in different chlorination conditions. The RSM analysis revealed statistically significant models (F-values: Nevirapine, pH-t: 108.15, T-t: 76.55, ICC-t: 110.84), indicating a strong correlation between operational parameters (pH, temperature, and initial chlorine concentration) and degradation behavior. The ANN model accurately predicted the degradation of both Nevirapine and Efavirenz under various chlorination conditions, as confirmed by analyzing actual-predicted graphs, residual plots, and Mean Squared Error (MSE) values. The ANN model using ICC-t achieved the highest MOD value of 31.31 % for Nevirapine. The ANN model based on ICC-t yielded a maximum MOD value of 16.06 % for Efavirenz. These findings provide valuable insights into optimizing chlorination processes for better removal of these pharmaceutical contaminants from water.
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Ray S, Luke J, Kreitzer N. Patient-centered mild traumatic brain injury interventions in the emergency department. Am J Emerg Med 2024; 79:183-191. [PMID: 38460465 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2024.02.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in 2.5 million emergency department (ED) visits per year in the US, with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) accounting for 90% of cases. There is considerable evidence that many experience chronic symptoms months to years later. This population is rarely represented in interventional studies. Management of adult mTBI in the ED has remained unchanged, without consensus of therapeutic options. The aim of this review was to synthesize existing literature of patient-centered ED treatments for adults who sustain an mTBI, and to identify practices that may offer promise. METHODS A systematic review was conducted using the PubMed and Cochrane databases, while following PRISMA guidelines. Studies describing pediatric patients, moderate to severe TBI, or interventions outside the ED were excluded. Two reviewers independently performed title and abstract screening. A third blinded reviewer resolved discrepancies. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was employed to assess the methodological quality of the studies. RESULTS Our search strategy generated 1002 unique titles. 95 articles were selected for full-text screening. The 26 articles chosen for full analysis were grouped into one of the following intervention categories: (1) predictive models for Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS), (2) discharge instructions, (3) pharmaceutical treatment, (4) clinical protocols, and (5) functional assessment. Studies that implemented a predictive PCS model successfully identified patients at highest risk for PCS. Trials implementing discharge related interventions found the use of video discharge instructions, encouragement of daily light exercise or bed rest, and text messaging did not significantly reduce mTBI symptoms. The use of electronic clinical practice guidelines (eCPG) and longer leaves of absence from work following injury reduced symptoms. Ondansetron was shown to reduce nausea in mTBI patients. Studies implementing ED Observation Units found significant declines in inpatient admissions and length of hospital stay. The use of tablet-based tasks was found to be superior to many standard cognitive assessments. CONCLUSION Validated instruments are available to aid clinicians in identifying patients at risk for PCS or serious cognitive impairment. EDOU management and evidence-based modifications to discharge instructions may improve mTBI outcomes. Additional research is needed to establish the therapeutic value of medications and lifestyle changes for the treatment of mTBI in the ED.
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Vogler S. Tackling medicine shortages during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: Compilation of governmental policy measures and developments in 38 countries. Health Policy 2024; 143:105030. [PMID: 38484475 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2024.105030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
In response to increasing shortages of medicines, governments have implemented legislative and non-legislative policy measures. This study aimed to map these policies across high-income countries in Europe and beyond as of 2023 and to analyse developments in governmental approaches since the beginning of the pandemic. Information was collated from 38 countries (33 European countries, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel and Saudi Arabia) based on a survey conducted with public authorities involved in the Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement Information (PPRI) network in 2023. 34 countries requested pharmaceutical companies to notify national registers of upcoming shortages and 20 countries obliged manufacturers and/or wholesalers to stock supply reserves of critically needed medicines. Further common measures included export bans for defined medicines (18 countries), regulatory measures to facilitate import and use of alternative medicines (35 countries) and multi-stakeholder coordination (28 countries). While the legislation of 26 countries allows imposing sanctions, particularly for non-compliance to reporting requirements, fines were rather rarely imposed. Since 2022, at least 18 countries provided financial incentives, usually in the form of price increases of some off-patent medicines. Overall, several policies to address medicine shortages were taken in recent years, in some countries as part of a comprehensive package (e.g., Australia, Germany). Further initiatives to secure medicine supply in a sustainable manner were being prepared or discussed.
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Wang W, Nie M, Yan C, Yuan Y, Xu A, Ding M, Wang P, Ju M. Effect of pyrolysis temperature and molecular weight on characterization of biochar derived dissolved organic matter from invasive plant and binding behavior with the selected pharmaceuticals. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 348:123867. [PMID: 38556151 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
A comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of biochar released-dissolved organic matter (BDOM) derived from an invasive plant and its impact on the binding behavior of pharmaceuticals is essential for the application of biochar, yet has received less attention. In this study, the binding behavior of BDOM pyrolyzed at 300-700 °C with sulfathiazole, acetaminophen, chloramphenicol (CAP), and carbamazepine (CMZ) was investigated based on a multi-analytical approach. Generally, the pyrolysis temperature exhibited a more significant impact on the spectral properties of BDOM and pharmaceutical binding behavior than those of the molecular weight. With increased pyrolysis temperature, the dissolved organic carbon decreased while the proportion of the protein-like substance increased. The highest binding capacity towards the drugs was observed for the BDOM pyrolyzed at 500 °C with the molecular weight larger than 0.3 kDa. Moreover, the protein-like substance exhibited higher susceptive and released preferentially during the dialysis process and also showed more sensitivity and bound precedingly with the pharmaceuticals. The active binding points were the aliphatic C-OH, amide II N-H, carboxyl CO, and phenolic-OH on the tryptophan-like substance. Furthermore, the binding affinity of the BDOM pyrolyzed at 500 °C was relatively high with the stability constant (logKM) of 4.51 ± 0.52.
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Surís X, Pueyo-Sánchez MJ, Ricart A, Naranjo A, Casanova T, Gómez-Vaquero C, Duaso E, Cancio-Trujillo JM, Sánchez-Martín J, Pérez-Mitru A. [Cost-effectiveness analysis of fracture liaison services in Catalonia]. J Healthc Qual Res 2024:S2603-6479(24)00023-X. [PMID: 38614935 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhqr.2024.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the cost-effectiveness of Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) compared to the standard of care for secondary prevention of fragility fractures form the perspective of the Catalan Health Service. METHODS Cost-utility assessment through a Markov model that simulated disease progression of a patients' cohort candidates to initiate antiosteoporotic treatment after a fragility fracture. A time horizon of 10 years and a 6-month duration per cycle was established. Clinical, economics and quality of life parameters were obtained from the literature and derived from four Catalan FLS. The Catalan Health Service perspective was adopted, considering direct health costs expressed in 2022 euros. A 3% discount rate was applied on costs and outcomes. Uncertainty was assessed through multiple sensitivity analyses. RESULTS Compared to the standard of care, FLS would promote antiosteoporotic initiation and persistence, reducing the incidence and mortality associated with subsequent fragility fractures. This incremental clinical benefit was estimated at 0.055 years and 0.112 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) per patient. A higher cost (€1,073.79 per patient) was estimated, resulting into an incremental cost-utility ratio of €9,602.72 per QALYs gained. The sensitivity analyses performed were consistent, corroborating the robustness and conservative approach of the base-case. CONCLUSIONS The introduction of FLS for the secondary prevention of FF would represent a cost-effective strategy from the Catalan Health Service perspective.
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Milliken RL, Quinten T, Andersen SK, Lamprou DA. Application of 3D printing in early phase development of pharmaceutical solid dosage forms. Int J Pharm 2024; 653:123902. [PMID: 38360287 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.123902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Three-dimensional printing (3DP) is an emerging technology, offering the possibility for the development of dose-customized, effective, and safe solid oral dosage forms (SODFs). Although 3DP has great potential, it does come with certain limitations, and the traditional drug manufacturing platforms remain the industry standard. The consensus appears to be that 3DP technology is expected to benefit personalized medicine the most, but that it is unlikely to replace conventional manufacturing for mass production. The 3DP method, on the other hand, could prove well-suited for producing small batches as an adaptive manufacturing technique for enabling adaptive clinical trial design for early clinical studies. The purpose of this review is to discuss recent advancements in 3DP technologies for SODFs and to focus on the applications for SODFs in the early clinical development stages, including a discussion of current regulatory challenges and quality controls.
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Lichtenberg FR. Has pharmaceutical innovation reduced the average cost of U.S. health care episodes? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT 2024; 24:1-31. [PMID: 37940731 DOI: 10.1007/s10754-023-09363-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
A number of authors have argued that technological innovation has increased U.S. health care spending. We investigate the impact that pharmaceutical innovation had on the average cost of U.S. health care episodes during the period 2000-2014, using data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis' Health Care Satellite Account and other sources. We analyze the relationship across approximately 200 diseases between the growth in the number of drugs that have been approved to treat the disease and the subsequent growth in the mean amount spent per episode of care, controlling for the growth in the number of episodes and other factors. Our estimates indicate that mean episode cost is not significantly related to the number of drugs ever approved 0-4 years before, but it is significantly inversely related to the number of drugs ever approved 5-20 years before. This delay is consistent with the fact (which we document) that utilization of a drug is relatively low during the first few years after it was approved, and that some drugs may have to be consumed for several years to have their maximum impact on treatment cost. Our estimates of the effect of pharmaceutical innovation on the average cost of health care episodes are quite insensitive to the weights used and to whether we control for 3 covariates. Our most conservative estimates imply that the drugs approved during 1986-1999 reduced mean episode cost by 4.7%, and that the drugs approved during 1996-2009 reduced mean episode cost by 2.1%. If drug approvals did not affect the number of episodes, the drugs approved during 1986-1999 would have reduced 2014 medical expenditure by about $93 billion. However, drug approvals may have affected the number, as well as the average cost, of episodes. We also estimate models of hospital utilization. The number of hospital days is significantly inversely related to the number of drugs ever approved 10-19 years before, controlling for the number of disease episodes. Our estimates imply that the drugs approved during 1984-1997 reduced the number of hospital days by 10.5%. The hospital cost reduction was larger than expenditure on the drugs.
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Faraji M, Sharifi T, Mohammad-Pour S, Javan-Noughabi J, Aboutorabi A, Yousefi S, Jakovljevic M. Out-of-pocket pharmaceutical expenditure and its determinants among Iranian households with elderly members: a double-hurdle model. COST EFFECTIVENESS AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION 2024; 22:15. [PMID: 38373969 PMCID: PMC10877920 DOI: 10.1186/s12962-024-00521-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The population of older adults continues to grow in Iran, with pharmaceutical costs as a leading driver of household health-related costs. The present study was conducted to estimate the out-of-pocket pharmaceutical expenditure and its socioeconomic predictors among households with the elderly in Iran. METHOD This study is a secondary analysis using 2019 national household expenditure and income survey data in Iran. The sample size was 9381 households with at least one member older than 65. The double-hurdle model in STATA 16 was used to examine the association between independent variables and households' out-of-pocket pharmaceutical expenditures. RESULTS The mean out-of-pocket pharmaceutical expenditures for each household with elderly member was $8065 per year. There was a positive association between the (female) gender of the household head, urban residence, employment status, insurance expenditure and a higher level of education of the head of the household with the out-of-pocket pharmaceutical expenditures (P < 0.05). The income of elderly households did not affect these expenditures (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study showed that the socioeconomic characteristics of elderly families not only influenced their decision to enter the medicine market, but also the rate of medicine purchase. It is helpful to manage and control the pharmaceutical costs among the elderly.
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Castillo NA, James WR, Santos RO, Rezek R, Cerveny D, Boucek RE, Adams AJ, Goldberg T, Campbell L, Perez AU, Schmitter-Soto JJ, Lewis JP, Fick J, Brodin T, Rehage JS. Understanding pharmaceutical exposure and the potential for effects in marine biota: A survey of bonefish (Albula vulpes) across the Caribbean Basin. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 349:140949. [PMID: 38096990 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Most research on pharmaceutical presence in the environment to date has focused on smaller scale assessments of freshwater and riverine systems, relying mainly on assays of water samples, while studies in marine ecosystems and of exposed biota are sparse. This study investigated the pharmaceutical burden in bonefish (Albula vulpes), an important recreational and artisanal fishery, to quantify pharmaceutical exposure throughout the Caribbean Basin. We sampled 74 bonefish from five regions, and analyzed them for 102 pharmaceuticals. We assessed the influence of sampling region on the number of pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical assemblage, and risk of pharmacological effects. To evaluate the risk of pharmacological effects at the scale of the individual, we proposed a metric based on the human therapeutic plasma concentration (HTPC), comparing measured concentrations to a threshold of 1/3 the HTPC for each pharmaceutical. Every bonefish had at least one pharmaceutical, with an average of 4.9 and a maximum of 16 pharmaceuticals in one individual. At least one pharmaceutical was detected in exceedance of the 1/3 HTPC threshold in 39% of bonefish, with an average of 0.6 and a maximum of 11 pharmaceuticals exceeding in a Key West individual. The number of pharmaceuticals (49 detected in total) differed across regions, but the risk of pharmacological effects did not (23 pharmaceuticals exceeded the 1/3 HTPC threshold). The most common pharmaceuticals were venlafaxine (43 bonefish), atenolol (36), naloxone (27), codeine (27), and trimethoprim (24). Findings suggest that pharmaceutical detections and concentration may be independent, emphasizing the need to monitor risk to biota regardless of exposure diversity, and to focus on risk quantified at the individual level. This study supports the widespread presence of pharmaceuticals in marine systems and shows the utility of applying the HTPC to assess the potential for pharmacological effects, and thus quantify impact of exposure at large spatial scales.
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Fan S, Xu H, Zhang Q, Xu A, Geissen SU, Lebedev AT, Zhang Y. Kinetic constants and transformation products of ornidazole during ozonation. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 349:140783. [PMID: 38043618 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Ornidazole (ONZ), a nitroimidazole antibiotic detected in water bodies, may negatively impact the aquatic ecosystem. Its reaction kinetics during ozonation which is a feasible and applicable technology to control the contamination of emerging contaminants, however, has not been reported in literature. In this study, we measured the apparent second-order kinetic constant of ONZ with ozone molecules via the excessive ozone method and the competing method which led to an average value of 103.8 ± 2.7 M-1 s-1 at pH 7. The apparent second-order kinetic constant of ONZ with HO• was calculated to be 4.65 × 109 M-1 s-1 with the concept of Rct measured via para-chlorobenzoic acid as a probe. The transformation products (TPs) of ONZ during ozonation at pH 3 and pH 11 were separately analyzed with HPLC-MS/MS and some unique products were found at pH 11, reflecting the influence of HO•. The toxicity of individual TPs was predicted with the tool of T.E.S.T. It was found that 62% of 21 identified TPs could be more toxic than ONZ in terms of at least one acute toxicity endpoint, including chlorinated amines and N-oxides. The analysis with a respirometer further revealed that the toxicity of mixing TPs generated at HO• rich conditions was slightly lower than O3 dominated conditions. In general, this study provides the basic kinetic data for designing ozonation processes to eliminate ONZ and the important reference for understanding the toxicity evolution of ONZ during ozonation.
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Wu R, Sin EYY, Zhang K, Xu S, Ruan Y, Mak YL, Yung YK, Sun SWC, Yang R, Lam PKS. Medicating the coast in a metropolitan city: Enantiomeric profiles and joint probabilistic risk assessment of antidepressants and antihistamines. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 184:108434. [PMID: 38237506 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals are receiving increasing attention as emerging contaminants in the aquatic environment. Herein, we investigated the occurrence of 11 antidepressants, 6 antihistamines and 4 metabolites in treated wastewater effluents, rivers, stormwater, and seawater in Hong Kong, with special focus on chirality. The average levels of ∑pharmaceuticals ranged from 0.525 to 1070 ng/L in all samples and the total annual mass load of target pharmaceuticals in the marine environment of Hong Kong was 756 kg/y. Antihistamines accounted for >80 % of ∑pharmaceuticals, with diphenhydramine and fexofenadine being predominant. The occurrence and enantiomeric profiles of brompheniramine and promethazine sulfoxide were reported in global natural waters for the first time. Among chiral pharmaceuticals, mirtazapine and fexofenadine exhibited R-preference, while others mostly exhibited S-preference, implying that the ecological risks derived from achiral data for chiral pharmaceuticals may be biased. The joint probabilistic risk assessment of fluoxetine revealed that R-fluoxetine and rac-fluoxetine presented different ecological risks from that of S-fluoxetine; Such assessment also revealed that target pharmaceuticals posed only minimal to low risks, except that diphenhydramine posed an intermediate risk. As estimated, 10 % aquatic species will be affected when the environmental level of diphenhydramine exceeds 7.40 ng/L, which was seen in 46.9 % samples. Collectively, this study highlights further investigations on the enantioselectivity of chiral pharmaceuticals, particularly on environmental behavior and ecotoxicity using local aquatic species as target organisms.
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Lin YS, Hsiao FY, Cheng SH. Long-term effects of the global budget program and periodic price adjustment on antibacterial agents: A nationwide decomposition analysis between 2001 and 2016. Am J Infect Control 2024:S0196-6553(24)00051-8. [PMID: 38272312 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2024.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown that financial strategies are beneficial for improving the appropriate use of antibiotics within a limited period of time. Long-term effects have rarely been explored. METHODS This study evaluated the changes in expenditure and prescription patterns of antibacterial agents under the global budget (GB) program and drug price adjustment of a National Health Insurance scheme. Two structural methods, that is, the Laspeyres method and Fisher's Ideal Index decomposition method, were used to illustrate the impacts of price, volume, and drug change. RESULTS During the first 5 years of the GB program (ie, 2001-2006), the expenses of antibacterial agents increased by 54.1%, while the volume decreased by 11% to 21.3%. Therapeutic choice was the predominant cause of expense growth. In the second and third 5-year periods (ie, 2006-2011 and 2011-2016), the driving force of therapeutic choice gradually decreased. The antibacterial expense remained stable with a slight increase in prescription volume. Periodic price adjustment contributed steadily to cost containment, by 21.9% to 39.9%. CONCLUSIONS The GB program led to a remarkable increase in antibacterial expenses mainly attributed to therapeutic choice, especially in the early stage. In contrast, periodic price adjustment, provided steady benefits to pharmaceutical budget control without a noticeable increase in drug volume.
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Narsai K, Masekela FB, Leufkens HGM, Mantel-Teeuwisse AK. Outer packaging labelling of medicines in Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries: comparative analysis of requirements and transition terms for harmonisation. BMC Health Serv Res 2024; 24:111. [PMID: 38245720 PMCID: PMC10799382 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-024-10585-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted an urgent need for harmonised requirements for the regulation of medicines. To fully implement harmonised medicines regulations across Africa, common technical standards of medicine regulations are needed. One such technical standard is the labelling of medicines on outer packaging. In this study, we compared outer packaging labelling requirements and transition terms for harmonization for countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. METHODS Data on legislation and/or regulatory guidelines for medicine outer packaging labelling from National Medicines Regulatory Authorities (NMRAs) were obtained for countries in the SADC region (n = 16) by February 2023. A detailed comparative content analysis was conducted to determine alignment with the requirements of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) harmonised labelling guidelines to assess readiness levels of each country to transition to the SADC harmonised labelling guideline for outer packaging of medicines. RESULTS Content analysis showed at least 11 out of 16 countries require national legal reform to transition to the SADC harmonised labelling guideline. In all cases where countries specified labelling requirements for outer packaging of medicines, these were stipulated in national medicines legislation. CONCLUSION Even though there is a high level of alignment across the countries in terms of national labelling requirements, most countries in the SADC region would still require national legislative reform to transition to regional harmonised labelling requirements and then ultimately to continental requirements of the African Medicines Agency (AMA).
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Yan C, Wang X, Nie M, Mo X, Ding M, Chen J, Yang Y. Characteristics of microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter and its binding with pharmaceuticals unveiled by fluorescence spectroscopy and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168190. [PMID: 37918754 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics were an extensively detected pollutant in the environment, but microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter (MP-DOM) has received less attention, much less its impact on the binding behavior of pollutants (e.g., pharmaceuticals). In this study, DOM derived from two typical MPs, i.e., polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene (PS) was generated by UV irradiation (a widely used way for MPs' aging treatment) and characterized by multiple spectroscopic techniques and methods. Chloramphenicol (CAP) and carbamazepine (CBZ) were selected to investigate the binding mechanism between MP-DOM and pharmaceuticals. After UV irradiation, the concentration of the dissolved organic carbon, colored DOM, and carboxyl/carbonyl groups of MP-DOM increased. Moreover, the humic-like substance released preceding and more under UV irradiation. Furthermore, the protein-like substances on PET-DOM and the humic-like substances on PS-DOM were positively correlated to the binding capacity to the pharmaceuticals, respectively. 2D-COS results revealed that the fluorescent materials having more oxygen-containing functional groups for MP-DOM preferentially interacted with the pharmaceuticals. Overall, the higher fluorescence quenching was related to the protein-like substance, CBZ, and PET-DOM as compared to the humic-like substance, CAP, and PS-DOM. It was verified by the relatively high binding ability (logKM) for them (the protein-like substance: 5.15; CBZ: 4.61; PET: 4.48). This study first proved the environmental reactivity of MP-DOM to the pharmaceuticals highlighting the significance of the spectral properties for the binding behavior of MP-DOM with pharmaceuticals and the competitive sorption role of MP-DOM to the pollutants in the natural environment.
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Yu X, Wang Y, Watson P, Yang X, Liu H. Application of passive sampling device for exploring the occurrence, distribution, and risk of pharmaceuticals and pesticides in surface water. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168393. [PMID: 37963530 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals and pesticides are compounds of high concern in surface waters around the world. However, few studies have used passive sampling methods to screen and detect these compounds in natural waters. In this study, a self-developed passive sampler was employed to measure pharmaceuticals and pesticides in the rivers of Nanjing, China. A total of 41 pharmaceuticals and 11 pesticides were detected, among which antibiotic and insecticide were the predominant classes, respectively. Valproic acid, caffeine and triclosan from the pharmaceuticals, and isoprocarb and imidacloprid from the pesticides were found frequently with high concentrations. At most sampling sites, the concentration ratios of caffeine versus carbamazepine exceeded 10, and even above 50, indicating relatively poor efficiency of wastewater treatment, or possibly the direct discharge of raw sewage, or other unknown source of pollution. It was found that the concentrations and ecological risks in the northern area of Yangtze River were higher than those in the southern area of Yangtze River, implying that economic development and population density were not the main contributors to the discovered pollution. The total concentration of pharmaceuticals and pesticides in Qinhuai River increased gradually with the direction of water flow, demonstrating the success of water diversion project in flushing and scouring pollutants.
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Sarig O. Pharmaceutical demand response to utilization management. JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS 2024; 93:102830. [PMID: 38113754 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2023.102830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Prescription drug insurance increasingly imposes prior authorization (requiring providers to request coverage before claim approval) to manage utilization. Prior authorization has been criticized because of its administrative burden on providers. The primary alternative to managing utilization is imposing out-of-pocket (OOP) payment to incentivize beneficiaries to seek lower-cost care, effectively providing beneficiaries with partial insurance. Would beneficiaries prefer indirectly paying for prior authorization through higher premiums; or would they prefer prior authorization was replaced by higher OOP costs? This tradeoff depends on how much OOP costs could be displaced by prior authorization, which depends on their relative impact on demand. I estimate the effect of prior authorization and OOP costs on pharmaceutical demand in Medicare Part D, addressing endogeneity caused by unobserved drug quality and selection into plans. Despite criticism of prior authorization, I find that Medicare beneficiaries would prefer higher premiums to pay for prior authorization, over higher OOP costs.
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Miura E. Use of Mean Kinetic Temperature for Pharmaceuticals in Japan and Stability Monitoring in the 21st Century. Ther Innov Regul Sci 2024; 58:184-191. [PMID: 37891389 DOI: 10.1007/s43441-023-00584-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The guidelines of the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH), which was established in 1990 to streamline and standardize drug-approval review standards across Japan, the United States, and Europe. The ICH guidelines were established approximately 30 years ago, and, since then, temperatures have risen owing to global warming. Therefore, I verified whether the ICH guidelines correspond to the latest climate by using the Arrhenius equation, which is the basis for the ICH guidelines. METHODS This study used an excerpt of the test conditions described in the ICH guidelines to calculate the mean kinetic temperature (MKT) for major Japanese cities based on temperature data from 1991 to 2020 (measured by the Japan Meteorological Agency). RESULTS The study confirmed that the temperature conditions prescribed by the ICH guidelines for long-term storage tests were satisfied (see Fig. 1). Additionally, as drugs can be exposed to temperatures outside the specified range during distribution from the manufacturer to the final customer, data logs/loggers were utilized to calculate the MKT using the temperature history during transportation and storage.
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Biju A, Ivantsova E, Souders CL, English C, Avidan L, Martyniuk CJ. Exposure to the pharmaceutical buspirone alters locomotor activity, anxiety-related behaviors, and transcripts related to serotonin signaling in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). Neurotoxicol Teratol 2024; 101:107318. [PMID: 38176600 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2023.107318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Buspirone is a pharmaceutical used to treat general anxiety disorder by acting on the dopaminergic and serotoninergic system. Buspirone, like many human pharmaceuticals, has been detected in municipal wastewater; however, the environmental exposure risks are unknown for this psychoactive compound. We studied the effects of buspirone on the behavior of zebrafish, focusing on locomotor and anxiolytic behavior. We also measured transcripts associated with oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, and serotonin signaling to identify potential mechanisms underlying the behavioral changes. Concentrations ranged from environmentally relevant (nM) to physiologically active concentrations typical of human pharmaceuticals (μM). Buspirone treatment did not impact survival, nor did it induce deformities in zebrafish treated for 7 days up to 10 μM. There was a positive relationship between locomotor activity and buspirone concentration in dark periods of the visual motor response test. In the light-dark preference test, both the average time per visit to the dark zone and the percent cumulative duration in the dark zone were increased by 1 μM buspirone. Transcript levels of ache, manf, and mbp were decreased in larvae, while the expression of gap43 was increased following exposure to buspirone, indicating potential neurotoxic effects. There was also reduced expression of serotonin-related genes encoding receptors, transporters, and biosynthesis enzymes (i.e., 5ht1aa, sertb, and tph1a). These data increase understanding of the behavioral and molecular responses in zebrafish following waterborne exposure to neuroactive pharmaceuticals like buspirone.
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Huszarik M, Roodt AP, Wernicke T, Chávez F, Metz A, Link M, Lima-Fernandes E, Schulz R, Entling MH. Increased bat hunting at polluted streams suggests chemical exposure rather than prey shortage. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167080. [PMID: 37722422 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Streams and their riparian areas are important habitats and foraging sites for bats feeding on emergent aquatic insects. Chemical pollutants entering freshwater streams from agricultural and wastewater sources have been shown to alter aquatic insect emergence, yet little is known about how this impacts insectivorous bats in riparian areas. In this study, we investigate the relationships between the presence of wastewater effluent, in-stream pesticide toxicity, the number of emergent and flying aquatic insects, and the activity and hunting behaviour of bats at 14 streams in southwestern Germany. Stream sites were located in riparian forests, sheltered from direct exposure to pollutants from agricultural and urban areas. We focused on three bat species associated with riparian areas: Myotis daubentonii, M. cf. brandtii, and Pipistrellus pipistrellus. We found that streams with higher pesticide toxicity and more frequent detection of wastewater also tended to be warmer and have higher nutrient and lower oxygen concentrations. We did not observe a reduction of insect emergence, bat activity or hunting rates in association with pesticide toxicity and wastewater detections. Instead, the activity and hunting rates of Myotis spp. were higher at more polluted sites. The observed increase in bat hunting at more polluted streams suggests that instead of reduced prey availability, chemical pollution at the levels measured in the present study could expose bats to pollutants transported from the stream by emergent aquatic insects.
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Duarte DJ, Zillien C, Kox M, Oldenkamp R, van der Zaan B, Roex E, Ragas AMJ. Characterization of urban sources of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistance genes in a Dutch sewer catchment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167439. [PMID: 37774886 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
A one year study was conducted in the city of Nijmegen, The Netherlands, to characterize various urban sources of antibiotics and antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) in wastewater within a single sewer catchment. Prevalence of ermB, tet(W), sul1, sul2, intl1, and 16S rRNA gene was determined at 10 locations within the city. Sampling locations included a nursing home, a student residence, a hospital and an industrial area, among others. Wastewater concentrations of 23 antibiotics were measured using passive sampling. Additionally, excreted loads of 22 antibiotics were estimated based on ambulatory prescription and clinical usage data. Genes sul1 and intl1 were most abundant across most locations. Ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin together contributed over 92 % of the total estimated antibiotic selective pressure at all sampling points. The present study highlights the prominent role that hospitals can have in the prevalence and proliferation of ARGs in urban wastewater. Furthermore, results suggest that even short-term changes in the therapeutic regimen prescribed in hospitals may translate into shifting ARG abundance patterns in hospital wastewater. The methods applied present an opportunity to identify emission hotspots and prioritize intervention options to limit ARG spread from urban wastewater to the environment.
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Dai H, Wang C, Yu W, Han J. Tracing COVID-19 drugs in the environment: Are we focusing on the right environmental compartment? ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 339:122732. [PMID: 37838316 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to over 770 million confirmed cases, straining public healthcare systems and necessitating extensive and prolonged use of synthetic chemical drugs around the globe for medical treatment and symptom relief. Concerns have arisen regarding the massive release of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and their metabolites into the environment, particularly through domestic sewage. While discussions surrounding this issue have primarily centered on their discharge into aquatic environments, particularly through treated effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), one often overlooked aspect is the terrestrial environment as a significant receptor of pharmaceutical-laden waste. This occurs through the disposal of sewage sludge, for instance, by applying biosolids to land or non-compliant disposal of sewage sludge, in addition to the routine disposal of expired and unused medications in municipal solid wastes. In this article, we surveyed sixteen approved pharmaceuticals for treating COVID-19 and bacterial co-infections, along with their primary metabolites. For this, we delved into their physiochemical properties, ecological toxicities, environmental persistence, and fate within municipal WWTPs. Emphasis was given on lipophilic substances with log Kow >3.0, which are more likely to be found in sewage sludge at significant factions (25.2%-75.0%) of their inputs in raw sewage and subsequently enter the terrestrial environment through land application of biosolids, e.g., 43% in the United States and as high as 96% in Ireland or non-compliant practices of sewage sludge disposal in developing communities, such as open dumping and land application without prior anaerobic digestion. The available evidence underscores the importance of adequately treating and disposing of sewage sludge before its final disposal or land application in an epidemic or pandemic scenario, as mismanaged sewage sludge could be a significant vector for releasing pharmaceutical compounds and their metabolites into the terrestrial environment.
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Rafiq A, Capolupo M, Addesse G, Valbonesi P, Fabbri E. Antidepressants and their metabolites primarily affect lysosomal functions in the marine mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166078. [PMID: 37574064 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Antidepressants widely occur as emerging contaminants in marine coastal waters, with concentrations reported in the low ng/L range. Although at relatively lower levels with respect to other pharmaceuticals, antidepressants - fluoxetine (FLX) in particular - have attracted attention because of their striking effects exerted at low doses on marine invertebrates. In this study, the effects of four antidepressants including FLX, sertraline (SER), and citalopram, as members of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class, and venlafaxine (VEN) as a member of the serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) class, were evaluated in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. In addition, the effects of two main metabolites of FLX and VEN, i.e., norfluoxetine (NFL) and O-desmethylvenlafaxine (ODV) respectively, were compared to those of the parent compounds. Eight concentrations of each drug (0.5-500 ng/L range) were tested on the early life stage endpoints of gamete fertilization and larval development at 48 h post fertilization (hpf). Egg fertilization was reduced by all compounds, except for VEN. Larval development at 48 hpf was affected by all SSRIs, but not by SNRIs. The above effects were significant but never exceeded 20 % of control values. Adult mussels were exposed in vivo for 7 days to environmental concentrations of the drugs (0.5, 5, and 10 ng/L) and a battery of eight biomarkers was assessed. Antidepressants primarily targeted lysosomal functions, decreasing haemocyte lysosome membrane stability (up to 70 % reduction) and increasing of the lysosome/cytosol ratio (up to 220 %), neutral lipid (up to 230 %), and lipofuscin (up to 440 %) accumulation in digestive gland. Only SER and NFL significantly affected catalase and glutathione-S-transferase activities in gills and digestive gland. NFL and ODV, were effective and sometimes more active than the parent compounds. All compounds impaired mussel health status, as indicated by the low to high stress levels assigned using the Mussel Expert System.
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Felisardo RJA, Brillas E, Romanholo Ferreira LF, Cavalcanti EB, Garcia-Segura S. Degradation of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin in urine by electrochemical oxidation with a DSA anode. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 344:140407. [PMID: 37838029 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is a commonly prescribed fluoroquinolone antibiotic that, even after uptake, remains unmetabolized to a significant extent-over 70%. Unmetabolized CIP is excreted through both urine and feces. This persistent compound manages to evade removal in municipal wastewater facilities, leading to its substantial accumulation in aquatic environments. This accumulation raises concerns about potential risks to the health of various living organisms. Herein, we present a study on the remediation of CIP in synthetic urine by electrochemical oxidation in an undivided cell with a DSA (Ti/IrO2) anode and a stainless-steel cathode. Physisorbed hydroxyl radical formed at the anode surface from water discharge and free chlorine generated from Cl- oxidation were the main oxidizing agents. The effect of pH and current density (j) on CIP degradation was examined, and its total removal was easily achieved at pH ≥ 7.0 and j ≥ 60 mA cm-2 due to the action of free chlorine. The CIP decay always followed a pseudo-first-order kinetics. The components of the synthetic urine were also oxidized. The main nitrogenated species released was NH3. A very small concentration of free chlorine was quantified at the end of the treatment, thus demonstrating the good performance of electrochemical oxidation and its effectiveness to destroy all the organic pollutants. The present study demonstrates the simultaneous oxidation of the organic components of urine during CIP degradation, thus showing a unique perspective for its electrochemical oxidation that enhances the environmental remediation strategies.
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Nordin AH, Ngadi N, Ilyas RA, Abd Latif NAF, Nordin ML, Mohd Syukri MS, Nabgan W, Paiman SH. Green surface functionalization of chitosan with spent tea waste extract for the development of an efficient adsorbent for aspirin removal. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:125048-125065. [PMID: 36795217 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-25816-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates the feasibility of spent tea waste extract (STWE) as a green modifying agent for the modification of chitosan adsorbent towards aspirin removal. Response surface methodology based on Box-Behnken design was employed to find the optimal synthesis parameters (chitosan dosage, spent tea waste concentration, and impregnation time) for aspirin removal. The results revealed that the optimum conditions for preparing chitotea with 84.65% aspirin removal were 2.89 g of chitosan, 18.95 mg/mL of STWE, and 20.72 h of impregnation time. The surface chemistry and characteristics of chitosan were successfully altered and improved by STWE, as evidenced by FESEM, EDX, BET, and FTIR analysis. The adsorption data were best fitted to pseudo 2nd order, followed by chemisorption mechanisms. The maximum adsorption capacity of chitotea was 157.24 mg/g, as fitted by Langmuir, which is impressive for a green adsorbent with a simple synthesis method. Thermodynamic studies demonstrated the endothermic nature of aspirin adsorption onto chitotea.
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Masuda-Herrera M, Rosen HT, Burild A, Broschard T, Bell T, Graham J, Griffin T, Hillegass J, Leavitt P, Huta B, Parris P, Bruen U, Cruz M, Bercu J. Harmonisation of read-across methodology for drug substance extractables and leachables (E&Ls). Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2023; 145:105494. [PMID: 37748702 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2023.105494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Health-based exposure limits (HBELs) are derived for leachables from polymeric components that interact with the drug substance which exceed a safety concern threshold (SCT). However, given the nature of leachables, there is not always chemical-specific toxicology data. Read-across methodology specific to extractables and leachables (E&Ls) was developed based on survey data collected from 11 pharmaceutical companies and methodology used in other industries. One additional challenge for E&L read-across is most toxicology data is from the oral route of administration, whereas the parenteral route is very common for the leachable HBEL derivation. A conservative framework was developed to estimate oral bioavailability and the corresponding oral to parenteral extrapolation factor using physical chemical data. When this conservative framework was tested against 73 compounds with oral bioavailability data, it was found that the predicted bioavailability based on physico-chemical properties was conservatively greater than or equal to the experimental bioavailability 79% of the time. In conclusion, an E&L read-across methodology has been developed to provide a consistent, health protective framework for deriving HBELs when toxicology data is limited.
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Kumari S, Sharma V, Soni S, Sharma A, Thakur A, Kumar S, Dhama K, Sharma AK, Bhatia SK. Layered double hydroxides and their tailored hybrids/composites: Progressive trends for delivery of natural/synthetic-drug/cosmetic biomolecules. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 238:117171. [PMID: 37734578 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are well-known and important class of hydrotalcite-type anionic clays (HTs) materials that are cost-effective with additional advantages of facile synthesis, composition, tenability, and reusability. These convincing characteristics are liable for their applications in various fields related to energy, environment, catalysis, biomedical, and biotechnology. HTs/LDHs are generally synthesized from low cost abundantly available chemical precursors through the aqueous synthetic pathways under mild reaction conditions. These materials can be termed green materials based on their non-toxic nature, availability of precursors, facile and low-cost production using aqueous medium conditions with less hazardous effluents. Diverse and fascinating characteristics have been attributed to HTs/LDHs like anion exchange ability, surface basicity, biocompatibility, controlled release of the anion specific area, porosity, easy surface modification, and pH dependent biodegradability. Hence, HTs/LDHs and their modified and/or functionalized nanohybrids/nanocomposites are reported as the potential drug delivery carriers with a capability to stabilize the susceptible bioactive molecules, may enhance the solubility of poorly soluble drugs along with controlled drug/bioactive molecule release and delivery. These clay and bioactive hybrid materials have good biocompatibility, less cytotoxicity, and better site-targeting with improved cellular uptake than that of free parent biomolecules. These lamellar solids of micro/nanostructure are compatible, host-guest materials and able to fabricate with drugs/cosmeceutical/bio- or synthetic polymers without any change in their molecular structure and reactivity along with improvement in their stabilities. Other important features are facile synthesis, basicity, high stability with easy storage, and efficient administration with low bio-toxicity. This study enlightens the applications of HTs/LDHs along with their hybrids/composites in the field of drug/cosmeceutical/gene delivery systems of natural/synthetic biomolecules.
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Barat EC, Arrii MLE, Soubieux-Bourbon A, Daouphars M, Varin R, Tilleul PR. Cost effectiveness of using trastuzumab biosimilars compared to trastuzumab original drugs to treat breast cancer in a hospital setting. Breast 2023; 72:103588. [PMID: 37857129 PMCID: PMC10587754 DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2023.103588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Subcutaneous (SC) drug administration, such as the Herceptin® in an oncology day hospital reduces the administration time of trastuzumab. In the context of combination therapy administration, this time-saving may be called into question. The challenge posed by the deployment of much less expensive IV biosimilar forms raises questions about the cost-effectiveness of SC administration. METHODS Using data from a french Diagnostic Related Groups regarding prescriptions of intravenous Herceptin® (HIV), Herceptin® biosimilar IV (BSIV), and Herceptin® subcutaneous (HSC), we conducted two simulations. This simulation involved replacing all HSC with BSIV in combination therapy administration (Simulation 1) and subsequently substituting IV forms with SC forms only when prescribed as monotherapy (Simulation 2). A cost-benefit analysis was conducted based on these two simulations, from the hospital's perspective, for Normandy's population over a 1-year timeframe. RESULTS In Simulation 1, there was an average cost-saving of €12 per patient per year, but it resulted in a loss of 10140 min, equivalent to 10 min per patient per year when compared to the current situation. Simulation 2 yielded average cost-savings for the hospital amounting to €51 per patient per year, along with a time-saving of 67 min per patient per year compared to the current situation. CONCLUSIONS The development of a program aimed at optimizing the prescription of Trastuzumab holds the potential to deliver significant cost-savings to hospitals while enhancing the quality of service provided to the patients. This optimization involves using H SC in monotherapy and BS IV in combination therapy administration.
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Shen Y, Xiao Y, Edkins RM, Youngs TGA, Hughes TL, Tellam J, Edkins K. Elucidating the hydrotropism behaviour of aqueous caffeine and sodium benzoate solution through NMR and neutron total scattering analysis. Int J Pharm 2023; 647:123520. [PMID: 37858637 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Hydrotropism is a convenient way to increase the solubility of drugs by up to several orders of magnitude, and even though it has been researched for decades with both experimental and simulation methods, its mechanism is still unknown. Here, we use caffeine/sodium benzoate (CAF-SB) as model system to explore the behaviour of caffeine solubility enhancement in water through NMR spectroscopy and neutron total scattering. 1H NMR shows strong interaction between caffeine and sodium benzoate in water. Neutron total scattering combined with empirical potential structure refinement, a systematic method to study the solution structure, reveals π-stacking between caffeine and the benzoate anion as well as Coulombic interactions with the sodium cation. The strongest hydrogen bond interaction in the system is between benzoate and water, which help dissolve CAF-SB complex and increase the solubility of CAF in water. Besides, the stronger interaction between CAF and water and the distortion of water structure are further mechanisms of the CAF solubility enhancement. It is likely that the variety of mechanisms for hydrotropism shown in this system can be found for other hydrotropes, and NMR spectroscopy and neutron total scattering can be used as complementary techniques to generate a holistic picture of hydrotropic solutions.
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Katare AK, Tabassum A, Sharma AK, Sharma S. Treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater through activated sludge process-a critical review. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:1466. [PMID: 37957309 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11967-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of pharmaceutical compounds in water is a rising issue in the environment. These drugs in the waste may be toxic to aquatic organisms and humans as they disrupt the endocrine system, cause genotoxicity, etc. Several techniques were used for the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater, such as physical, chemical, physiochemical, and biological processes like adsorption, chemical coagulation, and activated sludge processes, but these techniques possess several merits and demerits, such as higher installation and operation costs. This technique is used to remove color and turbidity; reduce biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total suspended solids (TSS) to permissible limits for reuse of effluent; and prevent diseases caused by pharmaceutical wastewater. This review focuses on the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater containing drugs like antibiotics, depressants, and hormones, with the activated sludge process having several advantages like good quality effluent and low installation costs.
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Waters LJ, Whiteley J, Small W, Mellor S. Determining suitable surfactant concentration ranges to avoid protein unfolding in pharmaceutical formulations using UV analysis. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21712. [PMID: 37954313 PMCID: PMC10632529 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein stability is fundamental to maintain pharmaceutical efficacy in the nascent field of biologics. One particular property that is essential for therapeutic effect is retention of the folded 3-dimensional conformation, i.e. once unfolding has occurred the biologic is often rendered inactive. In this work we propose a modified form of a recently published UV spectroscopic method that identifies protein unfolding. In this study we determine concentration limits to avoid protein unfolding of two model surfactants, namely polysorbate 20 and polysorbate 80, by correlating surfactant concentration with percentage 'unfolded' for three model proteins. For each scenario two distinct regions were observed, firstly surfactant concentrations at which no unfolding had occurred, followed by a second region whereby unfolding steadily increased with surfactant concentration. In general for the combinations analysed in this study, this second region began to appear around ten times below the critical micellar concentration of each surfactant, regardless of the protein or polysorbate chosen. It is therefore proposed that this adapted method could be used by researchers in the early stages of formulation development as a convenient and simple screening tool to confirm the 'onset of unfolding' concentration for protein-surfactant formulations, thus helping to optimise surfactant concentration selection in pharmaceutical formulations to maintain the benefits of surfactants yet avoid inadvertent unfolding.
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Ashraf W, Parvez SH, Khanuja M. Synthesis of highly efficient novel two-step spatial 2D photocatalyst material WS 2/ZnIn 2S 4 for degradation/reduction of various toxic pollutants. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 236:116715. [PMID: 37481055 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
In this article, we report the synthesis, characterization of novel biofriendly 2D/2D heterostructure WS2/ZnIn2S4 material in which 2D WS2 nanosheets are uniformly distributed spatially onto the spherically arranged 2D leaves of ZnIn2S4. We then studied the in-depth photocatalytic degradation activity of this novel nanocomposite and its pristine component materials on cationic dye: malachite green, anionic dye: congo red and reduction of heavy metal: chromium(VI) and the degradation efficiency of composite material was also tested on rhodamine-B, methylene blue, methyl orange dyes and acetaminophen/paracetamol drug. Form factor, structure factor and shape factor analysis has been carried out using X-ray diffractometry (XRD). Bond vibrations, functional groups and phonon vibration mode analysis has been done based on Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Morphological and compositional analysis has been done using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Surface area and pore size/distribution was characterized using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda Model. Degradation pathways and intermediate products are proposed using the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposite WS2/ZnIn2S4 is compared with pristine ZnIn2S4 and pristine WS2, which shows more than 50% enhancement in both efficiency and rate of degradation/reduction for all the pollutants. A scavenger study was carried out to get insight of primary and secondary reactive oxygen species (ROS) taking part in degradation. Exciton lifetime, surface charge and stability, and flat band positions were studied based on time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) also known as time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL), zeta potential, and Mott-Schottky respectively. Rate kinetics study was performed to analyze the physical and chemical behaviour of the nanocomposite with pollutants in consideration. Results show ∼100%, ∼90%, and ∼95% degradation efficiency by the heterostructure for malachite green (MG), congo red (CR), and reduction of heavy metal chromium (Cr(VI)) respectively within 5 min, which is a huge improvement as compared to pristine WS2 and pristine ZnIn2S4, both of which show the efficiencies of only ∼25% to∼75% in all the cases.
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Chandrashekar K, Chatterjee A, Shah MP. Paracetamol mineralization strategy in laboratory scale using Aspergillus niger KCAC. Int Microbiol 2023:10.1007/s10123-023-00439-w. [PMID: 37878229 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-023-00439-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of drug resistance, caused due the presence of pharmaceutical contaminant in the environment, highlights the critical need for pharmaceutical drugs management. Pharmaceutical drugs are sourced in wastewater as pharmaceutical industrial effluents, antibiotic misuse, and inappropriate disposal of expired pharmaceuticals, eventually ending up in sewage deposition. In this work, we aimed to degrade paracetamol (APAP) through the mycoremediation approach in laboratory scale. The isolated paracetamol degradation fungal strain, identified as Aspergillus niger KCAC efficiently degraded the drug into non-toxic metabolites. The results demonstrated that 99.6% degradation rate was achieved by Aspergillus niger KCAC. Unique, low-cost, eco-friendly bioformulation of the fungal isolate was prepared during the study using used vegetable cooking oil as substrate. The bioformulation showed extended shelf-life and can be used in future for large-scale application. Thus, this detailed investigation on paracetamol biodegradation may be useful in developing a wastewater treatment system effective against paracetamol-contaminated wastewater.
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Jones-Salkey O, Nicusan AL, Windows-Yule CRK, Ingram A, Werner D, Clifford S, Reynolds GK. Application of Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT) for the evaluation of powder behaviour in an incline linear blender for Continuous Direct Compression (CDC). Int J Pharm 2023; 645:123361. [PMID: 37673280 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT) is a non-invasive measurement technique which offers the ability to track the motion of individual particles with high temporal and spatial resolution, and thus build up an understanding of the bulk behaviour of a system from its microscopic (particle level) dynamics. Using this measurement technique, we have developed a series of novel metrics to better understand the behaviours of powders during the steady-state operation of a continuous blender system. Results are presented concerning the response of particle motion to processing parameters (mixing blade configuration and RPM), quantifying the motion in terms of predicted mixing performance. It was found that both increasing rpm and increasing hold-up mass (by selecting fewer transport blades and more mixing blades) provided improved mixing conditions. Interestingly, under specific conditions, there is evidence of convection-like mixing occurring at the interface of the transport and mixing region. This suggests the existence of a potential 'folding region' whereby powder is transported up the barrel (and away from the powder bulk bed) before being reconstituted back into the bulk mass. The results also provide valuable experimental data for the development, calibration and validation of future Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations.
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Sun H, Zhang L, Dong D, Zhang W, Guo Z. Freezing degradation of the anticonvulsant oxcarbazepine by bromate in water ice under sunlight irradiation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 894:165014. [PMID: 37343881 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Ice plays a crucial role in contaminant transformation in seasonally ice-covered waters. In this study, the characteristics and mechanisms of an emerging contaminant oxcarbazepine (OXC) degradation by a disinfection by-product bromate ( [Formula: see text] ) in ice were explored via combined experiments and theoretical calculations. Results showed that 74.0 % and 86.4 % of OXC was degraded by [Formula: see text] in ice after 140 min in dark and 120 min under solar irradiation, respectively, while the reaction was negligible in water. The oxidation-reduction potential of [Formula: see text] solution at 1000 μmol L-1 was 56.9 % higher than that at 50 μmol L-1. The oxidation-reduction potential of [Formula: see text] solution at pH 2 was 14.8 %-109.5 % higher than those at other pH values. Enhanced OXC degradation by [Formula: see text] in ice could be attributed to increased [Formula: see text] oxidation capacity resulting from locally elevated [Formula: see text] and H+ concentrations. Hypobromous acid (HOBr), •OH, and Br• generated by direct photolysis under solar irradiation further promoted the OXC degradation in ice. Br• formed by the direct photolysis of accumulated HOBr under solar irradiation caused the generation of bromine-containing degradation products. Bromine-containing degradation products possessed higher potential toxicities, which could contribute to increase the secondary pollution of water environment.
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Zhang Q, Demeestere K, De Schamphelaere KAC. Water brownness regulates the bioavailability of a fluoroquinolone antibiotic: UV-absorbance as a predictor of ciprofloxacin ecotoxicity. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 334:122209. [PMID: 37454719 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is a powerful regulator of the ecotoxicity of ciprofloxacin (CIP), a widely applied fluoroquinolone antibiotic. In this study, we investigated the impact of DOC from a variety of sources on CIP bioavailability, using a cyanobacteria growth inhibition test with Microcystis aeruginosa. We analyzed the impact from two perspectives: (1) DOC concentration, and (2) water brownness, defined in this work as the light absorbance of DOC solutions. The toxicity tests were conducted with (1) unprocessed freshwater DOC in the naturally occurring state, (2) DOC extracted from a freshwater stream (Schwarzbach stream, Küchelscheid, Belgium), and (3) the commercial DOC product Suwannee River organic matter. Across all DOC sources investigated, a strong negative correlation was observed between CIP ecotoxicity and light absorbance at four wavelengths across the ultraviolet-visible range (e.g., A350), whereas CIP ecotoxicity correlated poorly with the DOC concentration. In addition, the interactions between CIP and DOC were modelled as a CIP-DOC binding process to allow the quantification of the inhibitory effects of DOC on CIP toxicity via binding constants (Kd,CIPx, with x being the ionic charge + or +/-, L g-1). Processed DOC sources showed higher binding potency than most of the unprocessed DOC sources, suggesting that toxicity tests employing only processed DOC potentially overestimates the impact of DOC in natural environments. Nonetheless, the light absorption coefficient (i.e., ε350) appeared a reliable predictor of the Kd,CIP+/- (and thus of the potential of the DOC source to reduce ecotoxicity of CIP) of both processed and unprocessed DOC. The relationship can be further incorporated into model simulations to estimate CIP bioavailability in dynamic environments. It is concluded that the brownness of water is a better predictor of the impact of DOC on CIP bioavailability than the DOC concentration itself.
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Costello J, Barras M, Foot H, Cottrell N. The impact of hospital-based post-discharge pharmacist medication review on patient clinical outcomes: A systematic review. EXPLORATORY RESEARCH IN CLINICAL AND SOCIAL PHARMACY 2023; 11:100305. [PMID: 37655116 PMCID: PMC10466898 DOI: 10.1016/j.rcsop.2023.100305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Clinical pharmacists have been shown to identify and resolve medication related problems post-discharge, however the impact on patient clinical outcomes is unclear. Aims To undertake a systematic review to identify, critically appraise and present the evidence on post-discharge hospital clinics that provide clinical pharmacist medication review; report the patient clinical outcomes measured; and describe the activities of the clinical pharmacist. Methods Published studies evaluating a patient clinical outcome following a post-discharge hospital clinic pharmacy service were included. All studies needed a comparative design (intervention vs control or comparator). Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycnINFO, Web of Science, IPA and APAIS-Health databases were searched to identify studies. The type of clinic and the clinical pharmacist activities were linked to patient clinical outcomes. Results Fifty-seven studies were included in the final analysis, 14 randomised controlled trials and 43 non-randomised studies. Three key clinic types were identified: post-discharge pharmacist review alone, inpatient care plus post-discharge review and post-discharge collaborative clinics. The three main outcome metrics identified were hospital readmission and/or representation, adverse events and improved disease state metrics. There was often a mix of these outcomes reported as primary and secondary outcomes. High heterogeneity of interventions and clinical pharmacist activities reported meant it was difficult to link clinical pharmacist activities with the outcomes reported. Conclusions A post-discharge clinic pharmacist may improve patient clinical outcomes such as hospital readmission and representation rates. Future research needs to provide a clearer description of the clinical pharmacist activities provided in both arms of comparative studies.
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Švecová H, Vojs Staňová A, Klement A, Kodešová R, Grabic R. LC-HRMS method for study of pharmaceutical uptake in plants: effect of pH under aeroponic condition. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:96219-96230. [PMID: 37566327 PMCID: PMC10482775 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29035-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Global climate changes cause water scarcity in many regions, and the sustainable use of recycled water appears crucial, especially in agriculture. However, potentially hazardous compounds such as pharmaceuticals can enter the food chain and pose severe risks. This paper aims to study the presence of selected pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) and their metabolites in crops grown in aeroponic conditions and evaluate the potential of PhAC plant uptake. A solvent extraction with an acidified mixture of acetonitrile and water followed by LC-HRMS was developed and validated for quantifying nine pharmaceuticals and their nine metabolites in three plants. We aimed for a robust method with a wide linear range because an extensive concentration range in different matrices was expected. The developed method proved rapid and reliable determination of selected pharmaceuticals in plants in the wide concentration range of 10 to 20,000 ng g-1 and limit of detection range 0.4 to 9.0 ng g-1. The developed method was used to study the uptake and translocation of pharmaceuticals and their metabolites in plant tissues from an aeroponic experiment at three different pH levels. Carbamazepine accumulated more in the leaves of spinach than in arugula. On the other hand, sulfamethoxazole and clindamycin evinced higher accumulation in roots than in leaves, comparable in both plants. The expected effect of pH on plants' uptake was not significant.
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Ivantsova E, Martyniuk CJ. A synthesis on the sub-lethal toxicity of atenolol, a beta-blocker, in teleost fish. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2023; 102:104236. [PMID: 37481051 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2023.104236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Blood pressure medications like atenolol are detected in aquatic ecosystems. The objectives here were to (1) map the global presence of atenolol in surface water and sewage; (2) present current knowledge regarding removal efficiency and degradation of atenolol; (3) identify biological endpoints sensitive to exposure; (4) reveal molecular biomarkers that may be useful for exposure studies in fish; (5) determine whether toxicology studies are within environmental relevance. In fish, atenolol exposure affects endocrine and immune systems, metabolism, and epigenetics. Fewer than half of all studies measuring biological responses use environmentally-relevant concentrations. Heart rate appeared most sensitive to atenolol exposure relative to other endpoints. Data are lacking for behavioral responses to atenolol. Molecular biomarkers for atenolol may include those associated with acute kidney injury, cholestasis, and hypertriglyceridemia. Head kidney and liver may therefore be useful for detecting atenolol-induced effects. This review synthesizes knowledge regarding atenolol-induced toxicity in fish.
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Manghnani PN, Schenck L, Khan SA, Doyle PS. Templated Reactive Crystallization of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient in Hydrogel Microparticles Enabling Robust Drug Product Processing. J Pharm Sci 2023; 112:2115-2123. [PMID: 37160228 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2023.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Commercialization of most promising active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is impeded either by poor bioavailability or challenging physical properties leading to costly manufacture. Bioavailability of ionizable hydrophobic APIs can be enhanced by its conversion to salt form. While salt form of the API presents higher solution concentration than the non-ionized form, poor physical properties resulting from particle anisotropy or non-ideal morphology (needles) and particle size distribution not meeting dissolution rate targets can still inhibit its commercial translation. In this regard, API physical properties can be improved through addition of non-active components (excipients or carriers) during API manufacture. In this work, a facile method to perform reactive crystallization of an API salt in presence of the microporous environment of a hydrogel microparticle is presented. Specifically, the reaction between acidic antiretroviral API, raltegravir and base potassium hydroxide is performed in the presence of polyethylene glycol diacrylamide hydrogel microparticles. In this bottom-up approach, the spherical template hydrogel microparticles for the reaction lead to monodisperse composites loaded with inherently micronized raltegravir-potassium crystals, thus improving API physical properties without hampering bioavailability. Overall, this technique provides a novel approach to reactive crystallization while maintaining the API polymorph and crystallinity.
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de Faria LV, do Nascimento SFL, Villafuerte LM, Semaan FS, Pacheco WF, Dornellas RM. 3D printed graphite-based electrode coupled with batch injection analysis: An affordable high-throughput strategy for atorvastatin determination. Talanta 2023; 265:124873. [PMID: 37390670 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.124873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
This work integrated a lab-made conductive graphite/polylactic acid (Grp/PLA, 40:60% w/w) filament into a 3D pen to print customized electrodes (cylindrical design). Thermogravimetric analysis validated the incorporation of graphite into the PLA matrix, while Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy images indicated a graphitic structure with the presence of defects and highly porous, respectively. The electrochemical features of the 3D-printed Gpt/PLA electrode were systematically compared to that achieved using commercial carbon black/polylactic acid (CB/PLA, from Protopasta®) filament. The 3D printed Gpt/PLA electrode "in the native form" provided lower charge transfer resistance (Rct = 880 Ω) and a more kinetically favored reaction (K0 = 1.48 × 10-3 cm s-1) compared to the 3D printed CB/PLA electrode (chemically/electrochemically treated). Moreover, a method by batch injection analysis with amperometric detection (BIA-AD) was developed to determine atorvastatin (ATR) in pharmaceutical and water samples. Using the 3D printed Gpt/PLA electrode, a wider linear range (1-200 μmol L-1), sensitivity (3-times higher), and lower detection limit (LOD = 0.13 μmol L-1) were achieved when compared to the CB/PLA electrode. Repeatability studies (n = 15, RSD <7.3%) attested to the precision of the electrochemical measurements, and recovery percentages between 83 and 108% confirmed the accuracy of the method. Remarkably, this is the first time that ATR has been determined by the BIA-AD system and a low-cost 3D-printed device. This approach is promising to be implemented in research laboratories for quality control of pharmaceuticals and can also be useful for on-site environmental analysis.
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Sun H, Zhang L, Wang L, Dong D, Li Y, Guo Z. Enhanced freezing-induced carbamazepine degradation by bromate under solar irradiation via the formation of hypobromous acid and hydroxyl radical. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 457:131793. [PMID: 37302190 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Ice is a crucial medium in cold regions and plays an important role in the transformation of pollutants. When waters receiving treated wastewater freeze in cold regions during winter, the emerging contaminant carbamazepine (CBZ) and the disinfection by-product bromate ( [Formula: see text] ) can coexist in ice. However, their interaction in ice remains poorly understood. Here, CBZ degradation by [Formula: see text] in ice was investigated via a simulation experiment. Results showed that 96% of CBZ was degraded by [Formula: see text] after 90 min in ice in dark, while the degradation was negligible in water. The time required for nearly 100% CBZ degradation by [Formula: see text] in ice under solar irradiation was 22.2% shorter than in dark. The production of hypobromous acid (HOBr) was responsible for the gradually accelerated CBZ degradation rate in ice. The HOBr generation time in ice under solar irradiation was 50% shorter than in dark. The formation of HOBr and hydroxyl radical by the direct photolysis of [Formula: see text] under solar irradiation enhanced the CBZ degradation in ice. CBZ was mainly degraded by deamidation, decarbonylation, decarboxylation, hydroxylation, molecular rearrangement, and oxidation reactions. Furthermore, 18.5% of degradation products exhibited lower toxicity than their parent CBZ. This work can provide new insights into the environmental behaviors and fate of emerging contaminants in cold regions.
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Zhai M, Fu B, Zhai Y, Wang W, Maroney A, Keller AA, Wang H, Chovelon JM. Simultaneous removal of pharmaceuticals and heavy metals from aqueous phase via adsorptive strategy: A critical review. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 236:119924. [PMID: 37030197 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The coexistence of pharmaceuticals and heavy metals is regarded as a serious threat to aquatic environments. Adsorbents have been widely applied to the simultaneous removal of pharmaceuticals and metals from aqueous phase. Through a comprehensive review, behaviors that promote, inhibit, or have no effect on simultaneous adsorption of pharmaceuticals and heavy metals were found to depend on the system of contaminants and adsorbents and their environmental conditions, such as: characteristics of adsorbent and pollutant, temperature, pH, inorganic ions, and natural organic matter. Bridging and competition effects are the main reasons for promoting and inhibiting adsorption in coexisting systems, respectively. The promotion is more significant in neutral or alkaline conditions. After simultaneous adsorption, a solvent elution approach was most commonly used for regeneration of saturated adsorbents. To conclude, this work could help to sort out the theoretical knowledge in this field, and may provide new insights into the prevention and control of pharmaceuticals and heavy metals coexisting in wastewater.
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