Influence of degree of substitution on the host-guest inclusion complex between ionic liquid substituted β-cyclodextrins with 2,4-dichlorophenol: An electrochemical, NMR and molecular docking studies

Electroanalytical performance of a β-cyclodextrin and ionic liquid modified carbon paste electrode for the determination of verapamil in urine and pharmaceutical formulation

The analytical performance of sensitive and cost-effective electrochemical sensors based on ionic liquids (ILs) with the bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anion, [NTf2]-, and the imidazolium cation with different alkyl chain lengths for electrochemical oxidation of verapamil (VER) was investigated. 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([EMIM][NTf2]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([BMIM][NTf2]) and 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([HMIM][NTf2]) were studied as possible materials for modification of a carbon paste electrode (CPE) for trace-level determination of VER. The experimental parameters including selection of the working electrode, the pH of working media, and the amount of CPE modifiers were investigated. Among them, the [EMIM][NTf2]-CPE with 4.3 wt% of IL was selected as the most appropriate for the square wave voltammetric (SWV) determination of VER at pH 5.0. Cyclic voltammetric studies showed that the electrochemical oxidation of VER was adsorption controlled. Consequently, the square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetric (SW-AdSV) parameters were optimized with Eacc = -0.4 V and tacc = 180 s as the most suitable for accumulation of VER on the electrode surface. The electroanalytical performance of the [EMIM][NTf2]-CPE was further improved by its in situ electrochemical modification with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and the linear concentration range of VER was from 0.006 to 0.129 μg mL-1; the relative standard deviation did not exceed 0.7%, and the evaluated limit of detection in model solution was 0.002 μg mL-1. The β-CD/[EMIM][NTf2]-CPE showed adequate selectivity towards VER in the presence of inorganic ions and interferents usually found in human urine. The proposed sensor was successfully applied for VER determination in a spiked human urine sample and pharmaceutical formulation with good repeatability and recovery.

An integrated approach using ozone nanobubble and cyclodextrin inclusion complexation to enhance the removal of micropollutants

Ozone (O₃) has been widely used for the elimination of recalcitrant micropollutants in aqueous environments, due to its strong oxidation ability. However, the utilization efficiency of O₃ is constrained by its low solubility and short half-life during the treatment process. Herein, an integrated approach, using nanobubble technology and micro-environmental chemistry within cyclodextrin inclusion cavities, was studied in order to enhance the reactivity of ozonisation. Compared with traditional macrobubble aeration with O₃ in water, nanobubble aeration achieved 1.7 times higher solubility of O_3, and increased the mass transfer coefficient 4.7 times. Moreover, the addition of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) further increased the stability of O₃ through formation of an inclusion complex in its molecule-specific cavity. At a HPβCD:O₃ molar ratio of 10:1, the lifespan of O₃ reached 18 times longer than in a HPβCD-free O₃ solution. Such approach accelerated the removal efficiency of the model micropollutant, 4-chlorophenol by 6.9 times, compared with conventional macrobubble ozonation. Examination of the HPβCD inclusion complex by UV-visible spectroscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance analyses revealed that both O₃ and 4-chlorophenol entered the HPβCD cavity, and Benesi-Hildebrand plots indicated a 1:1 stoichiometry of the host and guest compounds. Additionally, molecular docking simulations were conducted in order to confirm the formation of a ternary complex of HPβCD:4-chlorophenol:O₃ and to determine the optimal inclusion mode. With these results, our study highlights the viability of the proposed integrated approach to enhance the ozonation of organic micropollutants.

Formononetin/methyl-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex incorporated into electrospun polyvinyl-alcohol nanofibers: Enhanced water solubility and oral fast-dissolving property

Improving solubility and administration route of isoflavone formononetin (FMN) are critical factors to improve its bioavailability in the oral cavity. This study fabricated fast-dissolving nanofibers containing FMN/methyl-β-cyclodextrin (FMN/Me-β-CD) inclusion complex. The solubility of FMN could be increased by approximately 50 times at 20 mM aqueous Me-β-CD. Interactions and thermodynamic parameters of the host-guest inclusion complex were studied by a fluorescence quenching method. The structure and mechanisms of the complex were further studied by molecular docking and molecular dynamics. Finally, polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) nanofibrous webs containing the FMN/Me-β-CD inclusion complex were fabricated by electrospinning. The dissolution test demonstrated that the FMN/Me-β-CD/PVA nanofibers can be dissolved in artificial saliva within approximately 2 s. This study shows the potential of Me-β-CD inclusion and electrospinning to improve solubility and administration route of isoflavones.

Evolution of dissolved organic matter during artificial groundwater recharge with effluent from underutilized WWTP and the resulting facilitated transport effect

Currently, the interaction between contaminants and dissolved organic matter (DOM) during artificial groundwater recharge (AGR) with effluent from underutilized wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is unclear. The present study investigated DOM evolution in this AGR scenario. The DOM composition in the inflow was identified to be distinct to that of the outflow due to the release of soil humic acid (HA). The soluble soil HA was then extracted and used in co-transport experiments with tetracycline (TC). The separated HA transport through the soil column exhibited high mobility with mass recovery >92.5% in the effluent. Following the mixing of injected TC and HA, the TC breakthrough in the column increased with HA concentration. TC was heavily adsorbed by the soil without the presence of HA, yet the retention ratios decreased from 63.60% to 53.30% for the HA range of 0-20 mg L^-1. An advection-dispersion-retention (ADR) numerical model was developed to effectively quantify the HA-TC co-transport, with results demonstrating the reduction in the TC attachment rate with increasing HA concentrations. Furthermore, batch adsorption experiments, kinetics and isotherms models, and FTIR spectra analysis were implemented to determine the underlying mechanism. The co-transport behavior was observed to be a function of the relative soil sorption affinity between HA and TC. The weaker sorption of the HA-coated TC compared to the separated TC consequently suggests that HA is likely to compete for available soil adsorption sites. Thus, the release of soil humus during AGR can potentially facilitate the transport of the introduced contaminants.