Surface molecularly imprinted polymer on magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes for selective recognition and preconcentration of metformin in biological fluids prior to its sensitive chemiluminescence determination: Central composite design optimization

Enhanced Antibacterial Activity of Clindamycin Using Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanoparticles Loaded with Polyurethane Nanofibrous Scaffolds for the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris

Acne vulgaris, a prevalent skin condition, arises from an imbalance in skin flora, fostering bacterial overgrowth. Addressing this issue, clindamycin molecularly imprinted polymeric nanoparticles (Clin-MIP) loaded onto polyurethane nanofiber scaffolds were developed for acne treatment. Clin-MIP was synthesized via precipitation polymerization using methacrylic acid (MAA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), and azoisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as functional monomers, crosslinkers, and free-radical initiators, respectively. MIP characterization utilized Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) before being incorporated into polyurethane nanofibers through electrospinning. Further analysis involved FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), in vitro release studies, and an ex vivo study. Clin-MIP showed strong antibacterial activity against S. aureus, with inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of 0.39 and 6.25 μg/mL, respectively. It significantly dropped the bacterial count from 1 × 108 to 39 × 101 CFU/mL in vivo and has bactericidal activity within 180 min of incubation in vitro. The pharmacodynamic and histopathology studies revealed a significant decrease in infected animal skin inflammation, epidermal hypertrophy, and congestion upon treatment with Clin-MIP polyurethane nanofiber and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (NLRP3, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) conducive to acne healing. Consequently, the recently created Clin-MIP polyurethane nanofibrous scaffold. This innovative approach offers insight into creating materials with several uses for treating infectious wounds caused by acne.

Implications of analytical nanoscience in pharmaceutical and biomedical fields: A critical view

This review summarizes recent progress performed in the design and application of analytical tools and methodologies using nanomaterials for pharmaceutical analysis, and specifically new nanomedicines at distinct phases of development and translation from preclinical to clinical stages. Over the last 10-15 years, a growing number of studies have utilized various nanomaterials, including carbon-based, metallic nanoparticles, polymeric nanomaterials, materials based on biological molecules, and composite nanomaterials as tools for improving the analysis of pharmaceutical products. New and more complex nanomaterials are currently being explored to influence different stages of the analytical process. These materials provide unique properties to support the extraction of analytes in complex samples, increase the selectivity and efficiency of chromatographic separations, and improve the analytical properties of many sensor applications. Indeed, nanomaterials, including electrochemical detection approaches and biosensing, are expanding at a remarkable rate. Furthermore, the analytical performance of numerous approaches to determine drugs in different matrices can be significantly improved in terms of precision, detection limits, selectivity, and time of analysis. However, the quality control and metrological characterization of the currently synthesized nanomaterials still depend on the development of new and improved analytical methodologies, and the application of specific and improved instrumentation. Therefore, there is still much to explore about the properties of nanomaterials which need to be determined even more precisely and accurately.

Comparative study of molecularly imprinted polymer surface modified magnetic silica aerogel, zeolite Y, and MIL-101(Cr) for dispersive solid phase extraction of fuel ether oxygenates in drinking water

The study was performed in two phases. First, the polymerization was carried out upon three magnetized surfaces of silica aerogel, zeolite Y, and MIL-101(Cr). Then, optimal molecularly imprinted polymer and optimal extraction conditions were determined by the central composite design-response surface method. Subsequently, the validation parameters of dispersive solid-phase extraction based optimal molecularly imprinted polymer were examined for the extraction of the fuel ether oxygenates. The optimal conditions include the type of adsorbent: Zeolite-magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer, the amount of adsorbent: 40 mg, pH: 7.7, and absorption time: 24.8 min which was selected with desirability equal to 0.996. The calibration graphs were linear between 1 and 100 μg L-1, with good correlation coefficients. The limits of detection were found to be 0.64, 0. 4, and 0.34 μg L-1 for methyl tert-butyl ether, ethyl tert-butyl ether, and tert butyl formate, respectively. The method proved reliable for analyzing fuel ether oxygenates in drinking water.

Dispersive micro solid phase extraction of glibenclamide from plasma, urine, and wastewater using a magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer followed by its determination by a high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector

The present study describes the development of a simple and selective analytical method for dispersive micro solid phase extraction and determination of glibenclamide (GLB) using magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (MMIP) as a sorbent. MMIP was fabricated by the non-covalent method on the surface of silicated Fe3O4 and had a high affinity for glibenclamide; dual monomers, itaconic acid and allylamine, were used for this. Polymerization was achieved by the precipitation method in the presence of glibenclamide as the template and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linker. The morphology and structural properties of the MMIP were characterized by different analytical methods. To achieve maximum extraction efficiency, influencing parameters were optimized. The linearity range was 1-2000 and 12-2000 μg L-1 by high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) and UV-vis spectroscopy, respectively. The detection and quantification limits with UV-vis and HPLC-PDA analyses were 4 and 12 μg L-1 and 0.3 and 1 μg L-1, respectively. Under optimized conditions, recovery of glibenclamide spiked in plasma, human urine, and wastewater was between 89.4 and 102.9% at the concentration levels of 25, 250, and 500 μg L-1; relative standard deviations were below 3.7% by HPLC-PDA. The developed method has a favorable pre-concentration factor of 140.0. Equilibrium data and sorption isotherms fitted well with the Langmuir model. A maximum sorption capacity of 24.260 mg g-1 was acquired based on the Langmuir model. The synthesized sorbent with high selectivity was used to separate GLB from complex biological systems and wastewater before measurement with UV-vis or HPLC-PDA.

Recent advance on microextraction sampling technologies for bioanalysis

The contents of target substances in biological samples are usually at low concentration levels, and the matrix of biological samples is usually complex. Sample preparation is considered a very critical step in bioanalysis. At present, the utilization of microextraction sampling technology has gained considerable prevalence in the realm of biological analysis. The key developments in this field focus on the efficient microextraction media and the miniaturization and automation of adaptable sample preparation methods currently. In this review, the recent progress on the microextraction sampling technologies for bioanalysis has been introduced from point of view of the preparation of microextraction media and the microextraction sampling strategies. The advance on the microextraction media was reviewed in detail, mainly including the aptamer-functionalized materials, molecularly imprinted polymers, carbon-based materials, metal-organic frameworks, covalent organic frameworks, etc. The advance on the microextraction sampling technologies was summarized mainly based on in-vivo sampling, in-vitro sampling and microdialysis technologies. Moreover, the current challenges and perspective on the future trends of microextraction sampling technologies for bioanalysis were briefly discussed.

Preparation of surface molecular imprinting fluorescent sensor based on magnetic porous silica for sensitive and selective determination of catechol

A magnetic fluorescent molecularly imprinted sensor was successfully prepared and implemented to determine catechol (CT). Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized by the solvothermal technique and mesoporous Fe3O4@SiO2@mSiO2 imprinted carriers were prepared by coating nonporous and mesoporous SiO2 shells on the surface of the Fe3O4 subsequently. The magnetic surface molecularly imprinted fluorescent sensor was created after the magnetic mesoporous carriers were modified with γ-methacryloxyl propyl trimethoxy silane to introduce double bonds on the surface of the carries and the polymerization was carried out in the presence of CT and fluorescent monomers. The magnetic mesoporous carriers were modified with γ-methacryloxyl propyl trimethoxy silane and double bonds were introduced on the surface of the carriers. After CT binding with the molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), the fluorescent intensity of the molecularly imprinted polymers (Ex = 400 nm, Em = 523 nm) increased significantly. The fluorescent intensity ratio (F/F0) of the sensor demonstrated a favorable linear correlation with the concentration of CT between 5 and 50 μM with a detection limit of 0.025 μM. Furthermore, the sensor was successfully applied to determine CT in actual samples with recoveries of 96.4-105% and relative standard deviations were lower than 3.5%. The results indicated that the research of our present work provided an efficient approach for swiftly and accurately determining organic pollutant in water.

ZIF-based boronic acid modified molecular imprinted polymers in combination with silver nanoparticles/glutathione coated graphene oxide adsorbent for the selective enrichment of ellagic acid

This study focuses on the extraction of ellagic acid (EA), a valued phenolic compound, from agricultural waste chestnut shell samples. A novel approach is introduced using a combination of boronic acid-modified molecularly imprinted polymer (ZIF@B@MIP) and a nanocomposite of graphene oxide-coated silver nanoparticles (GO@Ag@GSH) to enhance EA enrichment. ZIF@B@MIP precisely captured EA through boronate affinity-based molecular imprinting recognition. ZIF@B@MIP employs boronate affinity-based molecular imprinting recognition to precisely capture EA, while GO@Ag@GSH provides ample adsorption sites. The synergistic effect of ZIF@B@MIP and GO@Ag@GSH demonstrates excellent enrichment capability and selectivity for EA. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is employed for sensitive EA detection, achieving a maximum adsorption capacity of 46.25 mg g-1 and an imprinting factor of 3.01. The adsorption capacity to different structural analogue was investigated, and the selectivity coefficient was used to evaluate the selectivity, and its value was 1.16-3.01. The method successfully enriches EA in chestnut shell samples with a recovery rate of 95.6 %-110.1 %. This research presents an innovative approach for effective phenolic components enrichment from natural resources for pharmaceutical and biochemical applications.

Carbonized polymer dots derived from metformin and L-arginine for tumor cell membrane- and mitochondria-dual targeting therapy

Metformin has demonstrated antitumor potential in clinical studies; however, achieving optimal antitumor effects requires administering an extremely safe medication dose. To enhance the efficacy and reduce dosage requirements, we propose the creation of large-molecule drugs through the combination of small-molecule drugs. In this study, we developed novel polymer dots, referred to as MA-dots, with sizes of approximately 5 nm, featuring dual targeting capabilities for tumor cell membranes and mitochondria. MA-dots were synthesized using metformin and L-arginine via a rapid microwave-assisted method. Notably, the resulting MA-dots (with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 93.60 μg mL-1) exhibited more than a 12-fold increase in antitumor activity compared to the raw metformin material (IC50 = 1159.00 μg mL-1) over a 24-hour period. In addition, our MA-dots outperformed most metformin-derived nanodrugs in terms of antitumor efficacy. Furthermore, oral gavage treatment with MA-dots led to the suppression of A549 (lung cancer cell lines) tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistic investigations revealed that MA-dots bound to the large neutral amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) proteins, which are overexpressed in malignant tumor cell membranes. Moreover, these MA-dots accumulated within the mitochondria, leading to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial damage, and disruption of energy metabolism by modulating the 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in tumor cells. This cascade of events triggers cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. In summary, this study presented a rapid method for fabricating a novel nanoderivative, MA-dots, capable of both tumor targeting and exerting tumor-suppressive effects.

A green QuEChERS syringe filter based micro-solid phase extraction using hydrophobic natural deep eutectic solvent as immobilized sorbent for simultaneous analysis of five anti-diabetic drugs by HPLC-UV

BACKGROUND

Here, it has been discussed about creating a specific and sustainable analytical technique for monitoring anti-diabetic drugs in order to accurately determine the dosage in patients and reduce side effects, remove them from wastewater (as emerging contaminants), and ultimately abate pharmaceutical pollutants in the environment.

RESULTS

In this research, a green and reproducible Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged Safe (QuEChERS) method based on syringe filter based micro-solid phase extraction (SF-μSPE) coupled with HPLC-UV using a green sorbent was developed and optimized for the extraction of five anti-diabetic drugs from wastewater, serum, and plasma real samples. A novel green sorbent composed of a liquid mixture of thymol: menthol ([Thy]:[Men], 1:1) hydrophobic natural deep eutectic solvent (HNADES) and curcumin (Cur) immobilized into the non-toxic and biodegradable polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) electrospun nanofibers' mat was synthesized simply via cheap equipment. Cur was added to enhance the hydrophobicity and functionality of the sorbent. The immobilization process was performed by soaking the mat in the liquid mixture for a specific duration. The correct synthesis and experimental molar ratio of the HNADES components were confirmed by ATR-FTIR and NMR (1H and 13C) spectroscopy. The prepared green sorbent (Cur-HNADES/PVA) was characterized using ATR-FTIR, FE-SEM, EDX/EDX mapping analysis, and water contact angle (WCA) measurement, and it exhibited satisfactory adsorption capacity for the target analytes.

SIGNIFICANCE

Under optimal conditions (pH = 6.0, adsorption cycle = 3, sample volume = 5.0 mL, desorption cycle = 1, type and volume of elution = 80:20 %v/v MeOH/ACN and 500.0 μL), the method was validated in terms of specificity, linear dynamic ranges (LDRs = 0.1-2000.0 μg L-1 and 0.1-1800.0 μg L-1), limits of detection (LODs = 0.03-0.09 μg L-1), and precision (within-day RSDs% = 0.32-1.45% and between-day RSDs% = 0.59-2.03%). Evaluation of the greenness aspects of the proposed method was accomplished using the Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI) and Analytical GREEnness (AGREE) approaches. It is noteworthy that the conducted research represents the first report of the synthesis and application of this novel and green sorbent for the determination of anti-diabetic drugs in the mentioned real samples.

An electrochemical sensor based on synergistic enhancement effects between nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes and copper ions for ultrasensitive determination of anti-diabetic metformin

Metformin (MET) is the primary medicine for type II diabetes, which produces carcinogenic byproducts during chlorine disinfection, so the detection of MET in aqueous environment is crucial. In this work, an electrochemical sensor based on nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNT) has been constructed for ultrasensitive determination of MET in the presence of Cu(II) ions. The excellent conductivity and rich π-conjugated structure of NCNT facilitate the electron transfer rate of fabricated sensor and benefit the adsorption of cation ions. Cu(II) ions can chelate with MET to form MET-Cu(II) complex, which are easily accumulated on the surface of NCNT through cation-π interaction. Attributing to the synergistic enhancement effects of NCNT and Cu(II) ions, the fabricated sensor exhibits excellent analytical performances with a low detection limit of 9.6 nmol L^-1, high sensitivity of 64.97 A mol^-1 cm^-2 and wide linear range of 0.3-10 μmol L^-1. The sensing system has been successfully applied for rapid (20 s) and selective determination of MET in real water samples with satisfactory recoveries (90.2 %-108.8 %). This study provides a robust strategy for MET detection in aqueous environment and holds great promise for rapid risk assessment and early warning of MET.

A facile approach for grafting ion imprinted polymer onto magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes for selective removal and preconcentration of cadmium in food and wastewater samples prior to atomic spectrometric determination

A 3D Fe₃O₄@MWCNT-CdIIP was synthesized by the oxidizing surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with carboxylic acid end groups and its subsequent termination with an ion imprinted polymer. An artificial neural network manifests better predictability than the central composite design methodology for optimising the adsorption procedure. The adsorption capacity was 109 mg g^-1 (2.5 times more than non-imprinted polymer) under optimized conditions (pH; 5.6, time; 15 min, concentration; 800 μg mL^-1 temperature; 25 °C), which was in accord with Toth isotherm. Fractal-like pseudo-second-order kinetics was found reasonably fast, with 66 % adsorption in 5 min. Solid phase extraction coupled Flame atomic absorption spectrometry method provides selective recognition towards Cd(II), with limit of detection; 1.13 µg/L, limit of quantification; 3.21 µg/L after preconcentration (preconcentration factor; 50) and good robustness. The developed method was applied for Cd(II) determination in food (tea, coffee, bread, tobacco, radish, spinach), water and wastewater (>99 % removal as well). Cd(II) loaded IIP was further utilized to remove anionic dyes with >95 % removal.

Three-dimensional ordered macroporous imprinted polymer for bisphenol A recognition

A novel kind of three-dimensional ordered macroporous molecular imprinted polymer (3DOM MIP) was prepared and studied. Monodisperse silica microspheres were used to form silica crystal template via simple centrifuge. In the presence of template molecule, acrylamide and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate were co-polymerized in the interstices of crystal template bisphenol A (BPA). Hydrofluoric acid were employed to etch silica crystal and the mixed solvent of methanol with acetic acid were employed to extract template molecule. The results of SEM and FTIR confirmed the successful synthesis of 3DOM MIP. The obtained 3DOM MIP exhibited a rapid adsorption kinetics and a specific adsorption capacities toward template molecule because of the small size of MIP wall, which possessed much more effective imprinted cavies. Meanwhile, 3DOM MIP could selective recognized BPA from its structural analogues.

Aramid-wrapped CNT hybrid sol–gel sorbent for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

This work describes the preparation of an analytical microextraction sorbent using a simple and versatile sol–gel hybrid composite, i.e., aramid oligomers wrapping multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) covalently bonded to a porous silica network.

Biomedical Applications of Carbon Nanomaterials: Fullerenes, Quantum Dots, Nanotubes, Nanofibers, and Graphene

Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) have received tremendous interest in the area of nanotechnology due to their unique properties and flexible dimensional structure. CNMs have excellent electrical, thermal, and optical properties that make them promising materials for drug delivery, bioimaging, biosensing, and tissue engineering applications. Currently, there are many types of CNMs, such as quantum dots, nanotubes, nanosheets, and nanoribbons; and there are many others in development that promise exciting applications in the future. The surface functionalization of CNMs modifies their chemical and physical properties, which enhances their drug loading/release capacity, their ability to target drug delivery to specific sites, and their dispersibility and suitability in biological systems. Thus, CNMs have been effectively used in different biomedical systems. This review explores the unique physical, chemical, and biological properties that allow CNMs to improve on the state of the art materials currently used in different biomedical applications. The discussion also embraces the emerging biomedical applications of CNMs, including targeted drug delivery, medical implants, tissue engineering, wound healing, biosensing, bioimaging, vaccination, and photodynamic therapy.

Highly effective pre-concentration of thymol and carvacrol using nano-sized magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer based on experimental design optimization and their trace determination in summer savoury, Origanum majorana and Origanum vulgare extracts

To ascertain thymol and carvacrol in pharmaceutical syrups, a valid and effective magnetic molecular imprinted polymer dispersive solid phase microextraction (MMIP-DSPME) process was developed in this study, which was in combination with a high performance liquid chromatography-ultra violet (HPLC-UV) technique for the assessment of thymol and carvacrol separation and pre-concentration. Contact time, eluent kind and volume, pH, the mass of the MMIP were all taken into consideration as key factors. Design expert and multi-objective response surface methodology (RSM) were used to optimize these variables. The mass of the MMIP, sample pH, eluent kind, time of sorption, the volume of eluent, and time of elution were 10 mg, 6, acetonitrile, 28 min, 200 µL, and 5.5 min, respectively, for the maximum extraction recovery of the analytes. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.042 ng mL^-1 at the optimal conditions, while the value for the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.140 ng mL^-1. At the optimized conditions for thymol and carvacrol, the suggested MMIP sorbent had sorption capacities of 64.1 and 72.6 mg g^-1, respectively. Furthermore, for triplicate measurements, the linear dynamic range (LDR) was 0.40-5000 ng mL^-1, and the method's accuracy (RSD %) was 6.26%. The saturation magnetization for the MMIP was 19.0 emu g^-1 obtained by VSM, allowing the sorbent to be separated quickly. The sorption experiments confirmed the large sorption capacity of the MMIP for thymol and carvacrol, as well as its homogeneous binding sites. The extraction recovery for thymol and carvacrol was 96.9-103.8% and 96.6-105.4%, respectively, at all spiked amounts (20, 100, 200, and 500 ng mL^-1). The findings of seven desorption-regeneration cycles using MMIP demonstrated the high stability of the sorbent. The MMIP revealed a particular behavior of sorption for thymol and carvacrol, implying a selective, simple, effective, and flexible analytical method.

The Use of Computational Methods for the Development of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers

Recent years have witnessed a dramatic increase in the use of theoretical and computational approaches in the study and development of molecular imprinting systems. These tools are being used to either improve understanding of the mechanisms underlying the function of molecular imprinting systems or for the design of new systems. Here, we present an overview of the literature describing the application of theoretical and computational techniques to the different stages of the molecular imprinting process (pre-polymerization mixture, polymerization process and ligand-molecularly imprinted polymer rebinding), along with an analysis of trends within and the current status of this aspect of the molecular imprinting field.

Solidified floating organic droplet microextraction coupled with HPLC for rapid determination of trans, trans muconic acid in benzene biomonitoring

Benzene is one of the carcinogenic compounds in the work environments. Exposure assessment of benzene through biological monitoring is an acceptable way to accurately measure the real exposure in order to conducting the health risk assessment, but it is always complicated, laborious, time consuming and costly process. A new sensitive, simple, fast and environmental friendly method was developed for the determination of urinary metabolite of benzene, trans trans muconic acid (t,t-MA) by dispersive liquid-liquid micro extraction based on solidification of floating organic droplet coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography with ultra violet detector. Central composite design methodology was utilized to evaluate the effective factors on the extraction output of the target metabolite. The calibration curve was plotted in the concentration ranges of 0.02-5 µg mL^-1. The precision and accuracy of the method were assayed via the relative standard deviation (RSD%) and relative recovery (RR%) using spiked samples with three replications. The RR% and RSD% of the optimized method were 86.9-91.3% and 4.3-6.3% respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) of the method was 0.006 µg mL^-1. The level of t,t-MA in real samples was ranged from 0.54 to 1.64 mg/g creatinine. We demonstrated that t,t-MA can be extracted and determined by an inexpensive, simple and fast method.

Highly selective removal and recovery of Ni(II) from aqueous solution using magnetic ion-imprinted chitosan nanoparticles

Nickel (Ni) is one of the most common heavy metals. In this study, nano-sized magnetic ion-imprinted polymers (MIIPs) were synthesized using chitosan as the functional monomer, and used for selective adsorption and recovery of Ni(II) from solutions. The results showed MIIPs possessed high sorption selectivity for Ni(II), and the change in pH (5.0-9.0) exerted insignificant influence on the ion adsorption, allowing almost complete elution and recovery of adsorbed Ni(II) ions by using 0.5% EDTA-Na solution. Moreover, the sorption capacity of the recycled MIIPs decreased by only about 10% after 15 adsorption-desorption cycles. The time required for establishing the adsorption equilibrium was less than 1 h. The sorption process was predominant and endothermic, and could be well described by both Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Therefore, the synthesized MIIPs was a suitable adsorbent for highly selective, fast and efficient removal and recovery of low-concentration Ni(II) ions from wastewaters.

Application of magnetic nanomaterials in bioanalysis

The importance of magnetic nanomaterials and magnetic hybrid materials, which are classified as new generation materials, in analytical applications is increasingly understood, and research on the adaptation of these materials to analytical methods has gained momentum. Development of sample preparation techniques and sensor systems using magnetic nanomaterials for the analysis of inorganic, organic and biomolecules in biological samples, which are among the samples that analytical chemists work on most, are among the priority issues. Therefore in this review, we focused on the use of magnetic nanomaterials for the bioanalytical applications including inorganic and organic species and biomolecules in different biological samples such as primarily blood, serum, plasma, tissue extracts, urine and milk. We summarized recent progresses, prevailing techniques, applied formats, and future trends in sample preparation-analysis methods and sensors based on magnetic nanomaterials (Mag-NMs). First, we provided a brief introduction of magnetic nanomaterials, especially their magnetic properties that can be utilized for bioanalytical applications. Second, we discussed the synthesis of these Mag-NMs. Third, we reviewed recent advances in bioanalytical applications of the Mag-NMs in different formats. Finally, recently literature studies on the relevance of Mag-NMs for bioanalysis applications were presented.

Counterfeit formulations: analytical perspective on anorectics

Purpose

This paper examines the scope of anorectics in counterfeit weight-reducing formulations and provides insight into the present state of research in determining such adulterants. Analytical techniques utilised in profiling adulterants found in slimming products, including limitations and mitigation steps of these conventional methods are also discussed. The current legal status of the anorectics and analogues routinely encountered in non-prescription slimming formulations is also explored.

Methods

All reviewed literature was extracted from Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases using relevant search terms, such as, ‘counterfeit drugs’, ‘weight loss drugs’, ‘weight-reducing drugs’, ‘slimming drugs’, ‘anorectic agents’, and ‘counterfeit anorexics’. Legislation related to anorectics was obtained from the portals of various government and international agencies.

Results

Anorectics frequently profiled in counterfeit slimming formulations are mostly amphetamine derivatives or its analogues. Five routinely reported pharmacological classes of adulterants, namely anxiolytics, diuretics, antidepressants, laxatives, and stimulants, are mainly utilised as coadjuvants in fake weigh-reducing formulations to increase bioavailability or to minimise anticipated side effects. Liquid and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometric detectors are predominantly used techniques for anorectic analysis due to the possibility of obtaining detailed information of adulterants. However, interference from the complex sample matrices of these fake products limits the accuracy of these methods and requires robust sample preparation methods for enhanced sensitivity and selectivity. The most common anorectics found in counterfeit slimming medicines are either completely banned or available by prescription only, in many countries.

Conclusions

Slimming formulations doped with anorectic cocktails to boost their weight-reducing efficacy are not uncommon. Liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry remains the gold standard for counterfeit drug analysis, and requires improved preconcentration methods for rapid and quantitative identification of specific chemical constituents. Extensive method development and validation, targeted at refining existing techniques while developing new ones, is expected to improve the analytical profiling of counterfeit anorectics significantly.

Miniaturized vortex assisted-dispersive molecularly imprinted polymer micro-solid phase extraction and HPLC-MS/MS for assessing trace aflatoxins in cultured fish

A dispersive micro-solid phase extraction approach using a molecularly imprinted polymer as an adsorbent has been developed for pre-concentrating aflatoxins from cultured fish. Aflatoxins were first isolated from fish muscle and liver by an ultrasound assisted extraction procedure using a 60 : 40 acetonitrile/0.1 M KH2PO4 aqueous buffer (pH 6.0) mixture. Polymeric adsorbent beads were synthesized using 5,7-dimethoxycoumarin as a dummy template, methacrylic acid as a functional monomer, divinylbenzene as a crosslinker, and 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator. Parameters affecting the steps of extraction procedure, including the sample (fish extract) pH, adsorption stirring speed and time, desorption stirring speed and time, elution solvent ratio, and polymer capacity, were investigated and optimized. The limit of detection was found to vary from 0.29 to 0.61 μg kg-1 for the several aflatoxins. The proposed method was shown to be accurate and precise. Intraday and inter-day relative standard deviations were lower than 20%, and intraday and inter-day analytical recoveries were within the 80-100% range. The prepared adsorbent in the dispersive micro-solid phase extraction format was re-usable, and the pre-concentration procedure was found to be simple, rapid and highly selective and sensitive to identify/quantify AFs in fish.

Direct extraction and detection of malachite green from marine sediments by magnetic nano-sized imprinted polymer coupled with spectrophotometric analysis

This research describes the application of magnetic molecularly imprinted nano-sized polymers (MMIPs) for the selective extraction and fast detection of malachite green (MG) from marine sediment samples followed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The novel material was prepared by surface imprinting using methacrylic acid as the functional monomer for fixing the template molecules. The polymers obtained at each step were thoroughly studied by transmission electron microscopy, FTIR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Simultaneously, the adsorption performances of the resulting nanoparticles were analysed in detail and an excellent affinity with the MG was revealed. Further, the main parameters of magnetic molecular imprinted solid-phase extraction (MMIP-SPE) were screened via multivariate optimization methods. The magnetic nanoparticles were used as special adsorbents to directly extract MG from crude marine sediment extracts. The developed method exhibits satisfactory recoveries from the spiked samples, ranging from 80.40 to 92.96% with an RSD of less than 5.18% (n = 3).

Preparation and characterization of molecularly imprinted polymers based on β-cyclodextrin-stabilized Pickering emulsion polymerization for selective recognition of erythromycin from river water and milk

Molecularly imprinted polymers were prepared via β-cyclodextrin-stabilized oil-in-water Pickering emulsion polymerization for selective recognition and adsorption of erythromycin. The synthesized molecularly imprinted polymers were spherical in shape, with diameters ranging from 20 to 40 µm. The molecularly imprinted polymers showed high adsorption capacity (87.08 mg/g) and adsorption isotherm data fitted well with Langmuir model. Adsorption kinetics study demonstrated that the molecularly imprinted polymers acted in a fast adsorption kinetic pattern and the adsorption features of molecularly imprinted polymers followed a pseudo-first-order model. Adsorption selectivity analysis revealed that molecularly imprinted polymers had a much better specificity for erythromycin than that for spiramycin or amoxicillin, and the relative selectivity coefficient values on the bases of spiramycin and amoxicillin were 3.97 and 3.86, respectively. The Molecularly imprinted polymers also showed a satisfactory reusability after four times of regeneration. In addition, molecularly imprinted polymers exhibited good adsorption capacities for erythromycin under complicated environment, that is, river water and milk. These results proved that the as-prepared molecularly imprinted polymers is a potent absorbent for selective recognition of erythromycin, and therefore it may be a promising candidate for practical applications, such as wastewater treatment and detection of erythromycin residues in food.

Dispersive solid-phase extraction of buprenorphine from biological fluids using metal-organic frameworks and its determination by ultra-performance liquid chromatography

In this work, various types of metal-organic frameworks were synthesized, and their affinities toward buprenorphine were evaluated using dispersive solid-phase extraction. The extracted buprenorphine was determined by ultra high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection system. The highest extraction recovery was observed by employing zeolitic imidazole framework-67. Then, a facile and fast extraction method was designed for the extraction and purification of the target drug. Optimization of the extraction method was carried out by the design of experiment approach. A linearity range of 1-1000 μg/L with the limit of detection of 0.15 μg/L and relative standard deviations (50 μg/L, n = 5) of 3.4% was obtained for standard sample analysis. Under optimized experimental and instrumental conditions, the relative recoveries were in the range of 95 to 111%. Eventually, zeolitic imidazole framework-67 was successfully employed for the extraction and determination of buprenorphine in the biological fluids with satisfactory results.

Use of iron mining tailings from dams for carbon nanotubes synthesis in fluidized bed for 17α-ethinylestradiol removal

This work reports the use of an iron ore tailings from waste dam as a catalyst and support for carbon nanotubes synthesis and their application in the adsorption of the 17α-ethinylestradiol hormone. The synthesis was carried out by Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) in a Fluidized Bed system using: ethylene at temperatures of 500, 600 and 700 °C, and acetonitrile at 500, 600, 700, 800 and 900 °C. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results showed that the two higher temperatures in each case favored the formation of nanostructures like carbon nanotubes (CNTs), with good yields. The ethylene source generated classic tubular structures of multiple walls. On the other hand, acetonitrile provided the formation of tubes with less organization, known as bamboo like. This morphology was caused by the insertion of nitrogen into the graphite structure (doping), which originates from the carbon source. The adsorptive capacity of the materials for 17α-Ethinylestradiol removal ranging from 9.2 mg g^-1 to 22.3 mg g^-1. The kinetic and adsorption isotherm studies were also performed for the systems. As for kinetics, all of them presented pseudo-second order behavior. In relation to the type of isotherm, the systems showed Freundlich behavior, that is, the adsorption occurs in multiple layers. Finally, it was concluded that the use of an iron ore tail as a catalyst in the production of CNTs by CVD is feasible. The materials synthesized still had good adsorptive capacity for an emerging contaminant, thus this study allowed the investigation of two environmental problems.

Ionic imprinted polymer solid-phase extraction for inorganic arsenic selective pre-concentration in fishery products before high-performance liquid chromatography - inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry speciation

Low levels of inorganic arsenic [As(III) and As(V)] in fishery products have been selectively isolated from fish extracts (1.0 g of wet fish samples pre-treated with 10 mL of 1:1 methanol/water under sonication at 25 °C for 30 min) by ionic imprinted polymer (IIPs) based solid phase extraction procedure (on-column mode). The selective adsorbent was synthesized using sodium (meta) arsenite as a template, 1-vinyl imidazole as a functional monomer, divinylbenzene as a cross-linker, and 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator. Optimized pre-concentration conditions imply fish extract (10 mL) pH adjustment at 8.5 before loading (flow rate of 0.25 mL min^-1), and elution with ultrapure water (2 mL) at 0.50 mL min^-1. A pre-concentration factor of 50 was finally obtained after evaporation to dryness (N₂ stream) and re-dissolution in 0.2 mL of ultrapure water before HPLC-ICP-MS. Synthesized material was found to pre-concentrate inorganic arsenic species; whereas organic arsenic compounds, mainly arsenobetaine (the major organoarsenic compound in fish/seafood products), were not found to interact with the adsorbent. The developed selective method gave limits of quantification of 1.05 and 1.31 µg kg^-1 for As (III) and As (V), respectively, and good precision [relative standard deviations lower than 12% in fish extracts spiked at several As (III) and As (V) levels]. The proposed method was finally applied to the selective determination of As (III) and As (V) species in several fishery products.