This study investigated the extraction of lipids and β-carotene from microalgae using microemulsions as an alternative to current solvents. Type I and type IV microemulsions composed of 4% lecithin, sorbitan monooleate, PEG-6-caprylic glycerides, and ethyl caprate were able extract lipids from lyophilized microalgae better than hexane and ethyl caprate. HPLC quantified the extracted β-carotene, with type IV microemulsions extracting the most β-carotene at 0.137±0.074% (w/w) of the total microalgae biomass after an hour. The growth recovery of the microalgae after extraction was observed over 2 weeks. Variability in the data prevented definite conclusions about the ability of algae to grow after extraction. The type IV extractions consistently showed some signs of survival. After two weeks, a pale-green colour was observed in the 15min and 1h extractions. This study showed that microemulsions can successfully extract lipids from microalgae; future work would apply microemulsion formulations to live algal cells for in-situ extraction.

This study investigated the extraction of lipids and β-carotene from microalgae using microemulsions as an alternative to current solvents. Type I and type IV microemulsions composed of 4% lecithin, sorbitan monooleate, PEG-6-caprylic glycerides, and ethyl caprate were able extract lipids from lyophilized microalgae better than hexane and ethyl caprate. HPLC quantified the extracted β-carotene, with type IV microemulsions extracting the most β-carotene at 0.137±0.074% (w/w) of the total microalgae biomass after an hour. The growth recovery of the microalgae after extraction was observed over 2 weeks. Variability in the data prevented definite conclusions about the ability of algae to grow after extraction. The type IV extractions consistently showed some signs of survival. After two weeks, a pale-green colour was observed in the 15min and 1h extractions. This study showed that microemulsions can successfully extract lipids from microalgae; future work would apply microemulsion formulations to live algal cells for in-situ extraction.

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A novel reverse microemulsion (RM) mediated synthesis of glucose-responsive nanoparticles was developed for controlled insulin delivery. Nanoparticles were constructed using a model system comprised of dextran, poly(α-1,6 glucose), physically crosslinked with the tetrafunctional glucose-binding protein, Con A. A rapid-screening technique was used to quantify RM phase behavior in the presence of dextran, Con A and insulin. The extent of the RM existence region diminishes with increasing dextran and Con A concentrations and with increasing dextran molecular weight. Crosslinking efficiency between Con A and fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran (FITC-Dex) was found to depend on the total concentration of Con A as well as the ratio of Con A to FITC-Dex. Functionalizing dextran with higher affinity mannose ligands and increasing dextran molecular weight both improved crosslinking efficiency. The nanoparticles dissolved when dispersed in buffered saline solutions containing elevated glucose concentrations and were most responsive within the physiological range. Finally, insulin was encapsulated in select formulations and found to release preferentially at these elevated glucose concentrations. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

Crystalline TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrolysis of titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TTIP) in the Aerosol OT (AOT)¡Ðcyclohexane microemulsion at controlled temperature. The influence of various reaction conditions, such as mixing energy ( ), [AOT] concentration (W), [TTIP] concentration (R), temperature (T), and aging (t) on the particle size were investigated. The nano-TiO2 particles were characterized for specific surface area (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, BET) in addition to X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray spectroscopy (XPS) as to determine the particle size, crystalline state, chemical composition, surface charge, and binding energy. The photocatalytic activity was assessed using methylene blue as probe. Results showed that the particle size was in the range from 13.7 to 31.4 nm based on BET measurements. The size of the particle grows with mixing energy until log ( ) = 2.02; further increase in mixing rate caused particle breakup. In micelle solution, the particle size decreased with increase in W. In true solution the particle size increased with W. However, increase in R increased the particle size which reached a maximum value at a critical value of log R = -0.26, then decreased upon further increase in R. The activation energy (Ea) was calculated using Arrenhius plot and a value of -5.96 and -2.17 kJ mol-1 was obtained. Results of particle size analysis from XRD and BET were consistent with each other. Crystalline pattern was proved to be anatase. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activity appeared to optimum with particle size between 22.0-25.1 nm and best crystalline pattern. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) synthesized using the thermal hydrolysis method in our laboratory was used as the photocatalyst in this study to degrade low concentration phenol in aqueous solution. A 150 mL batch reactor was used to carry out the degradation of 0.385 mM phenol solution (pH = 6.5) in room temperature (25 oC) with 0.5 g L-1 TiO2 and irradiated with 10.8 mW cm-2 light intensity for 8 hours. Major intermediate products include hydroquinone (HQ) with the highest quantity followed by catechol (CA), p-benzoquinone (BQ), resorcinol (RES); tri-hydroquinone (THQ) is the secondary intermediate. The by-products consist of 6 organic acids including the six-carbon trans, trans-muconic acid (t,t-MA), the four-carbon maleic acid (MA), the three-carbon propionic acid (PA), the two-carbon oxalic acid (OA) and acetic acid (AA) as well as the one-carbon formic acid (FA). Among these acids, oxalic acid is the most abundant followed by formic acid; the six-carbon t,t-MA is one of the by-products with a lagged formation period. The pathway of intermediate product formation was mathematically calculated and simulated using first-order reaction kinetics models. The reaction rate constants were statistically calculated using functions provided in Microsoft Excel 2003; the simulated results show that the predicted and measured concentrations of the reactant and products in samples collected at various times are consistent.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:28:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-05-02Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:36:54Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 assumpcao_jucv_me_arafcf.pdf: 678214 bytes, checksum: 9acfe9078c5e33e1edcaa979ba032dca (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / Neste estudo investigou-se o perfil farmacocinético da DOX administrada na forma de microemulsão lipídica, em dose única i.v (6 mg/kg), a ratos Wistar (n=12; 250 g) e comparou-se ao perfil farmacocinético da doxorrubicina administrada na forma de cloridrato em solução aquosa. Ainda, avaliou-se a atividade da CKMb nos dois grupos de animais antes e após a administração das formulações com o objetivo de evidenciar a cardiotoxicidade do produto. Para a avaliação do perfil farmacocinético foram colhidas amostras seriadas de sangue (0 – 16 h) através de cânulas previamente implantadas na veia femoral, e para a avaliação da atividade de CKMb foram colhidas amostras de sangue nos tempos zero, 1 h e 12 h após a administração das formulações. Para a determinação da doxorrubicina em amostras de sangue e nas formulações, desenvolveu- se e validou-se um método analítico por HPLC com detecção por fluorescência (exc= 480 nm; em= 560 nm), empregando-se coluna Xterra (C18, 5 µm, 3,9 x 150 mm) e fase móvel composta por 25% de acetonitrila e 75% de água na presença de ácido fórmico (0,1%) e de solução de amônia 25% (0,1%), pH 3,0 , com fluxo de 0,8 mL/min, em modo gradiente. Para as determinações da atividade da CKMb utilizou-se o kit labtest. O método analítico desenvolvido demonstrou limites de confiança adequados para a sua aplicação na determinação da DOX em formulações e em amostras de plasma para a avaliação do seu perfil farmacocinético. Os parâmetros farmacocinéticos que apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas (p<0,05, Mann-Whitney) entre a microemulsão e solução aquosa, apresentados como média (IC 95), foram respectivamente: Vd (L/kg) = 38,23 (24,94 – 51,50) vs 68,85 (55,69 – 82,00); tss (h) = 45,33 ( 39,45 – 58,20) vs 33,23 ( 27,7 – 38,75); β(h-1 )= 0,0014 (0,00072 – 0,00208) vs 0,00078... / The present study investigated the DOX pharmacokinetic profile when administered as a lipid microemulsion in a single dose (6 mg/kg, IV) to Wistar rats (n=12; 250g) and compared it to the pharmacokinetic profile of doxorubicin administered as hydrochloride in aqueous solution. With the purpose of demonstrating the cardiotoxicity of the product it also evaluated the CKMB activity in both animal groups before and after administration of the formulations. Serial blood samples were obtained (0 – 16h) through cannulas previously implanted into the femoral vein to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile. To evaluate the CKMB activity, blood samples were collected after the formulation was administered at times zero, 1h and 12h. An analytical method by HPLC with fluorescence detection (exc= 480 nm; em= 560 nm) was developed and validated for the determination of doxorubicin in blood samples and in the formulations. The column used as stationary phase was Xterra  (C18, 5 µm, 3.9 x 150 mm) and the mobile phase was composed of 25% of acetonitrile and 75% of water in presence of formic acid (0.1%) and ammonia solution 25% (0.1%), pH 3.0 at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min, gradient mode. The developed method demonstrated appropriate safety limits to its use in determining doxorubicin in formulations and in plasma samples, and therefore to evaluate the DOX pharmacokinetic profile. For the determination of CKMB activity it was used the Labtest. The pharmacokinetic parameters that showed statistically significant differences (p<0.05, Mann-Whitney) between the microemulsion and the aqueous solution, presented as medians (IC 95), were respectively: Vd (L/kg) = 38.23 (24.94 – 51.50) vs 68.85 (55.69 – 82.00); tss (h) = 45.33 (39.45 – 58.20) vs 33.23 ( 27.70 – 38.75); β(h-1 )= 0.0014 (0.00072 – 0.00208) vs 0.00078 ( 0.0004386 – 0.001076) and t1/2 (h) = 9.24 (5.31 – 13.17) vs 16.51 ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has great potential for design of next generation point-of-care (POC) diagnostic devices. However, its practical application in medical diagnosis is limited due to high cost of SERS substrates. The goal for this thesis was to develop affordable SERS substrates, and demonstrate their efficacy in the detection and assay of a Raman probe and diabetes biomarkers, using 514nm and 1064nm Raman spectrometers. Rapid and less energy intensive methods were optimised for manufacturing three categories of SERS substrates: 1) chemically roughened silver (Ag) metal, 2) Ag and gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs) prepared using microemulsions, and 3) Ag and Au NPs’ coated insoluble electrospun membranes. Immersion of Ag metal for 30 seconds in ammonia (NH4OH), followed by 10 seconds in nitric acid (HNO3) produced optimum roughened Ag metal SERS substrates. For synthesis of gold (Au) and Ag NPs, microemulsion compositions were varied, and the use of sodium borohydrate (NaBH4) produced the desired larger sizes and anisotropic shapes of the NPs. Nanostructured planar SERS structures based on insoluble electrospun membranes, were prepared by covalently binding Au or Ag NPs, on electrospun poly acrylic acid-ethylene glycol (PAA-EG) fibres. Ag metal SERS substrates provided the best SERS enhancement for the Raman probe molecule, 4-methylbenzenethiol (MBT), with a detection limit of 1aM, using 514nm Raman spectrometer. The Ag metal SERS substrates were then used to demonstrate proof-of-concept for the use of SERS for assay of diabetes biomarkers. The higher laser intensity of 106nm Raman caused burning of the dry NPs’ incorporated SERS substrates; but the thermally conductivity of solid Ag in Ag metal SERS substrate allowed SERS detection of 1nM MBT. To conclude, chemically roughened Ag metal SERS substrates proved cost effective and robust for quantitative SERS detection of MBT and diabetes biomarkers both with 514nm and 1064nm Raman spectrometers.

No / A microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) method has been developed and validated for the determination of 4-hydroxybenzoates and their impurities. These materials are commonly known as parabens and are widely used as preservatives in foods, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The method was shown to be selective and quantitative for the methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl esters of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. An internal standard, 4-hydroxyacetophenone, was employed to improve injection precision and detector linearity. In addition, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, the major degradent, could also be monitored at the 0.1% (m/m) level. The method was successfully validated for assay and detection of the impurities in 4-hydroxybenzoic acid methyl ester and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid propyl ester samples and for the determination of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid methyl ester in a liquid pharmaceutical formulation. The determination of paraben content by MEEKC in a liquid sample was consistent with HPLC analysis. This work is the first reported validated MEEKC method and shows that the methodology can be successfully implemented into routine quality control testing.

No / A sensitive and rapid oil-in-water (O/W) microemulsion high performance liquid chromatography (MELC) method has been developed. The water-in-oil (w/o) microemulsion was used as a mobile phase in the determination of salbutamol in aqueous solutions. In addition, the influence of operating parameters on the separation performance was examined. The samples were injected into C18, (250mmx4.6mm) analytical columns maintained at 25(o)C with a flow rate 1 ml/min. The mobile phase was 95.5% v/v aqueous orthophosphate buffer 20 mM (adjusted to pH 3 with orthophosphoric acid), 0.5% ethyl acetate, 1.5% Brij35, and 2.5% 1-butanol, all w/w. The salbutamol and internal standard peaks were detected by fluorescence detection at the excitation and emission wavelengths of 267 and 313 nm respectively. The method had an accuracy of > 97.78% and the calibration curve was linear (r2 = 0.99) over salbutamol concentrations ranging from 25 to 500 ng/mL. The intra-day and inter-day precisions (CV %) were <1.6 and <1.8, respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) were 9.61ng/ml and 29.13ng/ml, respectively. The method reported is simple, precise and accurate, and has the capacity to be used for determination of salbutamol in the pharmaceutical preparation.