Probing the Use of Homemade Carbon Fiber Microsensor for Quantifying Caffeine in Soft Beverages

In the development of electrochemical sensors, carbon micro-structured or micro-materials have been widely used as supports/modifiers to improve the performance of bare electrodes. In the case of carbon fibers (CFs), these carbonaceous materials have received extensive attention and their use has been proposed in a variety of fields. However, to the best of our knowledge, no attempts for electroanalytical determination of caffeine with CF microelectrode (µE) have been reported in the literature. Therefore, a homemade CF-µE was fabricated, characterized, and used to determine caffeine in soft beverage samples. From the electrochemical characterization of the CF-µE in K₃Fe(CN)₆ 10 mmol L^-1 plus KCl 100 mmol L^-1, a radius of about 6 µm was estimated, registering a sigmoidal voltammetric profile that distinguishes a µE indicating that the mass-transport conditions were improved. Voltammetric analysis of the electrochemical response of caffeine at the CF-µE clearly showed that no effects were attained due to the mass transport in solution. Differential pulse voltammetric analysis using the CF-µE was able to determine the detection sensitivity, concentration range (0.3 to 4.5 µmol L^-1), limit of detection (0.13 μmol L^-1) and linear relationship (I (µA) = (11.6 ± 0.09) × 10^-3 [caffeine, μmol L^-1] - (0.37 ± 0.24) × 10^-3), aiming at the quantification applicability in concentration quality-control for the beverages industry. When the homemade CF-µE was used to quantify the caffeine concentration in the soft beverage samples, the values obtained were satisfactory in comparison with the concentrations reported in the literature. Additionally, the concentrations were analytically determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These results show that these electrodes may be an alternative to the development of new and portable reliable analytical tools at low cost with high efficiency.

In vitro-in vivo availability of metformin hydrochloride-PLGA nanoparticles in diabetic rats in a periodontal disease experimental model

CONTEXT

Metformin is an important oral anti-hyperglycemic used in diabetes. Polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) has been widely used due to its reliability in controlling the release of drugs.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluates the in vitro-in vivo availability of metformin hydrochloride-loaded polylactic-co-glycolic acid.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In vitro metformin release (Met-free or PLGA + Met-12.5 mg/mL per 360 min) was evaluated using static Franz vertical diffusion cells. The in vivo study was performed with two control groups (validation bioanalytical method) and two experimental groups of diabetic male Wistar rats treated with PLGA + Met 10 mg/kg or Met 100 mg/kg by oral gavage. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (40 mg/kg) through the penile vein. Blood samples were collected 0.5, 1, 4, 7, 10, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 72 h and analysed by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).

RESULTS

PLGA + Met 10 mg/kg was released in the in vitro assay suggesting a parabolic diffusion kinetic model (K -0.0619^-0.5h) with a 100% release profile in 10 h by controlled diffusion. The in vivo assay showed the apparent volume of distribution Vz/F (PLGA + Met 10 mg/kg, 40971.8 mL/kg vs. Met 100 mg/kg, 2174.58 mL/kg) and mean residence time MRTinf (PLGA + Met 10 mg/kg, 37.66 h vs. Met 100 mg/kg, 3.34 h).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The formulation modifies pharmacokinetics parameters such as apparent distribution volume and mean residence time. The PLGA + Met 10 mg/kg had a slower elimination rate compared to Met 100 mg/kg in diabetic rats in a periodontal disease experimental model.

Electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs) as alternative treatment techniques for carwash wastewater reclamation

Electrochemical advanced oxidation processes such as electrooxidation (EO), electrooxidation with hydrogen peroxide generation (EO-H₂O₂) and electro-Fenton process (EF) have been investigated as alternative treatment techniques for complete removal of anionic surfactants and organic matters from real carwash wastewater. The electrochemical processes were performed with acidified real carwash wastewater using boron doped anode and carbon felt cathode. In all cases, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency was always increased with rise in applied current and complete organic matter decay was achieved at applied current of 500 mA or above after 6 h of electrolysis. Faster and higher COD decay was observed with EF compared to either EO or EO-H₂O₂ treatment, at all currents and electrolysis time. Besides, complete degradation of anionic surfactants - the major organic content of the wastewater could be achieved at all applied currents studied irrespective of the process used, indicating the efficacy of processes for total remediation of real carwash wastewater. The short-chain carboxylic acids formed as the final organic byproducts were identified and quantified by ion-exclusion chromatography. More so, lower energy consumption and higher current efficiency were achieved with EF compared to EO-H₂O₂. Electrochemical treatment was found to be a powerful technology for the complete abatement of organic matter in carwash wastewater for possible reuse.

Electrochemical advanced oxidation processes as decentralized water treatment technologies to remediate domestic washing machine effluents

Water scarcity is one of the major concerns worldwide. In order to secure this appreciated natural resource, management and development of water treatment technologies are mandatory. One feasible alternative is the consideration of water recycling/reuse at the household scale. Here, the treatment of actual washing machine effluent by electrochemical advanced oxidation processes was considered. Electrochemical oxidation and electro-Fenton technologies can be applied as decentralized small-scale water treatment devices. Therefore, efficient decolorization and total organic abatement have been followed. The results demonstrate the promising performance of solar photoelectro-Fenton process, where complete color and organic removal was attained after 240 min of treatment under optimum conditions by applying a current density of 66.6 mA cm^-2. Thus, electrochemical technologies emerge as promising water-sustainable approaches.