Synthesis and application of a unified sorbent for simultaneous preconcentration and determination of trace metal pollutants in natural waters

Synthesis and Preliminary Biological Evaluation of 177Lu-Labeled Polyhydroxamic Acid Microparticles Toward Therapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) represents an effective targeted therapeutic option for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a cancer with high mortality and poor prognosis. The aim of this study was the preparation and preliminary biological evaluation of ¹⁷⁷Lu-labeled polyhydroxamic acid (PHA) microparticles toward possible use in the therapy of HCC. Materials and Methods: PHA microparticles were synthesized starting from polyacrylamide. They were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), visual color test, and laser diffraction particle size analysis. Experimental variables such as reaction pH, amount of PHA microparticles, carrier Lu content, and incubation time were optimized for maximum uptake of ¹⁷⁷Lu on PHA microparticles. Stability of ¹⁷⁷Lu-PHA microparticles was tested in the presence of competing Fe(III) ions in solution. In vitro stability of ¹⁷⁷Lu-PHA microparticles was evaluated in 0.05 M sodium phosphate solution (pH 7.5), saline, and serum. Bioevaluation studies were performed in normal Wistar rats by intrahepatic artery injection of the ¹⁷⁷Lu-PHA microparticles. Results: Successful synthesis of PHA microparticles could be confirmed from the results of FT-IR analysis and visual color test. Laser diffraction-based particle size analysis confirmed median particle size to be 54 μm, suitable for TARE. Under the optimized conditions, >99% loading of ¹⁷⁷Lu on PHA microparticles could be achieved. Even in the presence of high concentration of Fe(III) ions, ¹⁷⁷Lu binding to PHA microparticles was stable. ¹⁷⁷Lu-PHA microparticles exhibited excellent in vitro stability in sodium phosphate solution, saline, and serum up to 5 d at 37°C. In the bioevaluation studies performed in normal Wistar rats, 92.8% ± 3.1% of ¹⁷⁷Lu-PHA microparticles were retained in the liver at 96 h postinjection without any significant leakage to other organs. Conclusion: This preliminary study demonstrates the potential of synthesized PHA microparticles as carriers of therapeutic radioisotopes such as ¹⁷⁷Lu for treatment of HCC.

Zwitterion-functionalized polymer microspheres as a sorbent for solid phase extraction of trace levels of V(V), Cr(III), As(III), Sn(IV), Sb(III) and Hg(II) prior to their determination by ICP-MS

This paper describes the preparation of zwitterion-functionalized polymer microspheres (ZPMs) and their application to simultaneous enrichment of V(V), Cr(III), As(III), Sn(IV), Sb(III) and Hg(II) from environmental water samples. The ZPMs were prepared by emulsion copolymerization of ethyl methacrylate, 2-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate and triethylene glycol dimethyl acrylate followed by modification with 1,3-propanesultone. The components were analyzed by elemental analyses as well as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and the structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The ZPMs were packed into a mini-column for on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) of the above metal ions. Following extraction with 40 mM NH₄NO₃ and 0.5 M HNO₃ solution, the ions were quantified by ICP-MS. Under the optimized conditions, the enrichment factors (from a 40 mL sample) are up to 60 for the ions V(V), As(III), Sb(III) and Hg(II), and 55 for Cr(III) and Sn(IV). The detection limits are 1.2, 3.4, 1.0, 3.7, 2.1 and 1.6 ng L^-1 for V(V), Cr(III), As(III), Sn(IV), Sb(III) and Hg(II), respectively, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) are below 5.2%. The feasibility and accuracy of the method were validated by successfully analyzing six certified reference materials as well as lake, well and river waters. Graphical abstract Zwitterion-functionalized polymer microspheres (ZPMs) were prepared and packed into a mini-column for on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) via pump 1. Then V(V), Cr(III), As(III), Sn(IV), Sb(III) and Hg(II) ions in environmental waters were eluted and submitted to ICP-MS via pump 2.

Preparation of Radioactive Skin Patches Using Polyhydroxamic Acid-Grafted Cellulose Films Toward Applications in Treatment of Superficial Tumors

The primary objective of this investigation is the development of a strategy for the synthesis of polyhydroxamic acid (PHA)-grafted cellulose film, its characterization, and evaluation of its usefulness for the preparation of ¹⁷⁷Lu skin patches for superficial brachytherapy applications. PHA-grafted cellulose films were synthesized and characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectrometer analysis and visual color test with Fe(III) solution. Uptake of ¹⁷⁷Lu on the PHA-grafted cellulose was investigated by varying the experimental conditions such as the pH of feed solution, amount of nonradioactive Lu carrier, time, and temperature of the reaction. Under the optimized conditions, >95% loading of ¹⁷⁷Lu on the PHA-cellulose film could be achieved. Autoradiography studies of ¹⁷⁷Lu-PHA-cellulose film confirmed the uniform distribution of ¹⁷⁷Lu on the surface. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis of nonradioactive Lu-PHA-cellulose film confirmed the loading of Lu on PHA-cellulose film. The utility of PHA-functionalized cellulose films for the fabrication of radioactive sources for superficial brachytherapy applications could be successfully demonstrated.

Tailored bifunctional polymer for plutonium monitoring

Monitoring of actinides with sophisticated conventional methods is affected by matrix interferences, spectral interferences, isobaric interferences, polyatomic interferences, and abundance sensitivity problems. To circumvent these limitations, a self-supported disk and membrane-supported bifunctional polymer were tailored in the present work for acidity-dependent selectivity toward Pu(IV). The bifunctional polymer was found to be better than the polymer containing either a phosphate group or a sulfonic acid group in terms of (i) higher Pu(IV) sorption efficiency at 3-4 mol L(-1) HNO3, (ii) selective preconcentration of Pu(IV) in the presence of a trivalent actinide such as Am(III), and (iii) preferential sorption of Pu(IV) in the presence of a large excess of U(VI). The bifunctional polymer was formed as a self-supported matrix by bulk polymerization and also as a 1-2 μm thin layer anchored on a microporous poly(ether sulfone) by surface grafting. The proportions of sulfonic acid and phosphate groups in both the self-supported disk and membrane-supported bifunctional polymer were found to be the same as expected from the mole proportions of monomers in polymerizing solutions used for syntheses. α radiography by a solid-state nuclear track detector indicated fairly homogeneous anchoring of the bifunctional polymer on the surface of the membrane. Pu(IV) preconcentrated on a single bifunctional bead was used for determination of the Pu isotopic composition by thermal ionization mass spectrometry. The membrane-supported bifunctional polymer was used for preconcentration and subsequent quantification of Pu(IV) by α spectrometry using the absolute efficiency at a fixed counting geometry. The analytical performance of the membrane-supported-bifunctional-polymer-based α spectrometry method was found to be highly reproducible for assay of Pu(IV) in a variety of complex samples.