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In this study, a cheap, fast and simple orbital shaker-assisted fatty acid-based switchable solvent microextraction (OS-FASS-ME) procedure was developed for the extraction of amoxicillin (AMOX) in dairy products, pharmaceutical samples and wastewater prior to its spectrophotometric analysis. Fatty acid-based switchable solvents were investigated for extracting AMOX. The key factors of the OS-FASS-ME procedure were optimized using a central composite design. The linearity of OS-FASS-ME procedure was in the range 5-600 ng mL -1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.991. In five replicate experiments for 20 ng mL -1 of AMOX solution, the recovery and relative standard deviation were 95.8% and 2.2%, respectively. Limits of detection and quantification were found 1.5 ng mL -1 and 5 ng mL -1 , respectively. The accuracy, precision, robustness and selectivity of the OS-FASS-ME procedure were investigated in detail under optimum conditions. The OS-FASS-ME procedure was applied to milk, cheese, wastewater, syrups and tablets. A comparison of the results obtained from the reference method and the OS-FASS-ME method showed that the OS-FASS-ME procedure can be successfully applied to complex matrices., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This research describes an easy, rapid, and inexpensive magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) approach employing Fe 3 O 4 magnetic nanoparticles modified with cetylpyridinium chloride (Fe 3 O 4 @CPC/MNPs) for extracting amoxicillin (AMX) and doxycycline (DOX) after derivatization with 4-chloroaniline as a color reagent. The azo-coupling of AMX and DOX with the color reagent in the alkaline medium caused yellow and yellow-orange azo dyes with maximum absorption wavelengths of 435 and 438 nm, respectively. The UV-Vis spectroscopy was utilized to determine the target analyte after the extraction procedure. Good linearities (R 2  > 0.99) in the concentration ranges of 0.03-4.50 and 0.05-6.00 µg/mL were obtained for AMX and DOX, respectively. The experimental detection limits of AMX and DOX were obtained as 0.01 and 0.02 µg/mL, respectively. The developed approach was effectively applied to pre-concentrate and quantify AMX and DOX in environmental water and urine samples., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Purpose: Amoxicillin/clavulanate antibiotic combination is suitable for treating a range of infections, including some suited for Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT). The aim of the study was to evaluate shelf-life values of amoxicillin at clinical concentrations in the presence of clavulanate for use in OPAT., Methods: A stability-indicating HPLC assay was developed and validated. Kinetic studies were performed at 1 mg/mL and 15 mg/mL amoxicillin at 40-60 °C. Studies in elastomeric infusers included the pH lowered from 8.73 to 6.52 for 1 mg/mL; 8.85 to 7.69 for 7.5 mg/mL and 8.68 to 8.40 for 15 mg/mL amoxicillin plus clavulanate and stored at 2.9 °C., Results: Amoxicillin and clavulanate eluted at 5.2 and 3.0 minutes, respectively, with linear concentration relationships. Forced degradation retained base-line separation of each component in the presence of degradation products. Amoxicillin 1 mg/mL had a shelf-life of 4.85 hours at pH 6.53 and 40 °C which on extrapolation to 25 °C was 22.8 h. Clavulanate was 1.38 h at 40 °C and 4.0 h at 25 °C. Amoxicillin 15 mg/mL at pH 8.34 gave a shelf-life of 0.11 h at 40 °C and clavulanate 0.41 h. In elastomeric infusers, amoxicillin 1 mg/mL, with lowering pH from 8.73 to 6.52, improved the shelf-life at 2.9 °C from 72 to >263.8 h and similarly for clavulanate. At 7.5 mg/mL amoxicillin, lowering pH from 8.85 to 7.69 improved the shelf-life from 4.2 to 51.8 h and clavulanate from 4.2 to 48.0 h. At 15 mg/mL amoxicillin, the shelf-life values at pH 8.68 or 8.40 were 3.8 h and 1.6 h and similarly for clavulanate., Conclusion: Amoxicillin and clavulanate showed adequate stability at 2.9 °C for OPAT storage at 1 mg/mL and possibly 7.5 mg/mL, but not 15 mg/mL. Low shelf-life values at 25 °C also limit administration times., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest with respect to this study., (© 2024 Kamalpersad et al.)

Amoxicillin (AMX) is utilized in the treatment of several infectious diseases, and its concentration in wastewater has increased quite significantly over the years, posing high health hazards for humans and other living organisms. Investigations are in progress globally to eliminate AMX and other related pollutants using several methods that include adsorption, photolysis, photocatalytic degradation, photoelectrocatalytic degradation, and electrochemical conversion. AMX can be eliminated efficiently from the environment using photodegradation, either by photolysis or a photocatalytic process. Several types of semiconductor NMs have been used to eliminate AMX and other related drugs present in wastewater. This review spans the photodegradation studies conducted during the years 2018-2024 to degrade and eliminate AMX in aquatic systems. Several studies have been reported to eliminate AMX from different water streams. These studies are categorized into TiO 2 -containing and non-TiO 2 -based catalysts for better comparison. A section on photolysis is also included, showing the use of UV alone or with H 2 O 2 or PS without using any nanomaterial. A tabulated summary of both types of catalysts showing the catalysts, reaction conditions, and degradation efficiency is presented. Researchers have used a variety of reaction conditions that include radiation types (UV, solar, and visible), pH of the solution, concentration of AMX, number of nanomaterials, presence of other additives and activators such as H 2 O 2 as oxidant, and the influence of different salts like NaCl and CaCl 2 on the photodegradation efficiency. TiO 2 was the best nanomaterial found that achieved the highest degradation of AMX in ultraviolet irradiation. TiO 2 doped with other nanomaterials showed very good performance under visible light. WO 3 was also used by several investigators and found quite effective for AMX degradation. Other metal oxides used for AMX elimination were derived from molybdenum, zinc, manganese, copper, cerium, silver, etc. Some researchers have used UV and/or visible irradiation or sunlight, without using solid catalysts, in the presence of oxidants such as H 2 O 2 . A summarized description of earlier published reviews is also presented.

The escalating challenges of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric complications, driven by rising antibiotic resistance and persistent cancer risks, underscore the demand for innovative therapeutic strategies. This study addresses this urgency through the development of tailored semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPN) serving as gastroretentive matrices for amoxicillin (AMOX). They are biodegradable, absorb significant volume of simulated gastric fluid (swelling index > 360 %) and exhibit superporous microstructures, remarkable mucoadhesion, and buoyancy. The investigation includes assessment at pH 1.2 for comparative analysis with prior studies and, notably, at pH 5.0, reflecting the acidic environment in H. pylori-infected stomachs. The semi-IPN demonstrated gel-like structures, maintaining integrity throughout the 24-hour controlled release study, and disintegrating upon completing their intended function. Evaluated in gastroretentive drug delivery system performance, AMOX release at pH 1.2 and pH 5.0 over 24 h (10 %-100 %) employed experimental design methodology, elucidating dominant release mechanisms. Their mucoadhesive, buoyant, three-dimensional scaffold stability, and gastric biodegradability make them ideal for accommodating substantial AMOX quantities. Furthermore, exploring the inclusion of the potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB) vonoprazan (VONO) in AMOX-loaded formulations shows promise for precise and effective drug delivery. This innovative approach has the potential to combat H. pylori infections, thereby preventing the gastric cancer induced by this pathogen., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Pharmaceutical pollution has received considerable attention because of the harmful effects of pharmaceutical compounds on human health, even in trace amounts. Amoxicillin is one of the frequently used antibiotics that was included in the list of emerging water pollutants. Therefore, a highly selective and rapid technique for amoxicillin detection is required. In this work, a new aptamer was selected for amoxicillin and utilized for the development of a label-free electrochemical aptasensor. Aptamer selection was performed using the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment. The selected aptamer showed good specificity against other antibiotics, including the structurally related antibiotics: ampicillin and ciprofloxacin. Among the selected aptamers, Amx3 exhibited the lowest dissociation constant value of 112.9 nM. An aptasensor was developed by immobilization of thiolated Amx3 aptamer onto gold screen-printed electrodes via self-assembly, which was characterized using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The detection was realized by monitoring the change in the differential pulse voltammetry peak current in the ferro/ferricyanide redox couple upon binding of the aptasensor to amoxicillin. The aptasensor showed very good sensitivity with an ultralow limit of detection of 0.097 nM. When the aptasensor was tested using actual spiked milk samples, excellent recovery percentages were observed. The label-free electrochemical aptasensor developed herein is a promising tool for the selective and sensitive detection of amoxicillin in environmental samples., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A dual-emission ratiometric fluorescence sensor (CDs@CdTe@MIP) with a self-calibration function was successfully constructed for AMO detection. In the CDs@CdTe@MIP system, non-imprinted polymer-coated CDs and molecule-imprinted polymer-coated CdTe quantum dots were used as the reference signal and response elements, respectively. The added AMO quenched the fluorescence of the CdTe quantum dots, whereas the fluorescence intensity of the CDs remained almost unchanged. The AMO concentration was monitored using the fluorescence intensity ratio (log(I 647 /I 465 ) 0 /(I 647 /I 465 )) to reduce interference from the testing environment. The sensor with a low detection limit of 0.15 μg/L enabled detection of the AMO concentration within 6 min. The ratiometric fluorescence sensor was used to detect AMO in spiked pork samples; it exhibited a high recovery efficiency and relative standard deviation (RSD) of 97.94-103.70% and 3.77-4.37%, respectively. The proposed highly sensitive and selective platform opens avenues for sensitive, reliable, and rapid determination of pharmaceuticals in the environment and food safety monitoring using ratiometric sensors., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

This study investigated the blocking mechanism of immobilized penicillin G acylase (PGA) during the enzymatic synthesis of amoxicillin. Laboratory observations revealed that the primary cause of clogging was the crystallization of the substrate and product on the enzyme surface. Adjusting key parameters can significantly reduce clogging and improve catalytic efficiency. Methanol can decrease enzyme activity, but isopropyl alcohol cleaners can effectively remove clogs and protect enzyme activity. These findings provide an experimental foundation for optimizing the PGA immobilization process, which is crucial for achieving high efficiency and sustainability in industrial production.

Skin injuries and defects, as a common clinical issue, still cannot be perfectly repaired at present, particularly large-scale and infected skin defects. Therefore, in this work, a drug-loaded bilayer skin scaffold was developed for repairing full-thickness skin defects. Briefly, amoxicillin (AMX) was loaded on polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofiber via electrospinning to form the antibacterial nanofiber membrane (PCL-AMX) as the outer layer of scaffold to mimic epidermis. To maintain wound wettability and promote wound healing, external human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) was loaded in sodium alginate-gelatin to form the hydrogel structure (SG-rhEGF) via 3D printing as inner layer of scaffold to mimic dermis. AMX and rhEGF were successfully loaded into the scaffold. The scaffold exhibited excellent physicochemical properties, with elongation at break and tensile modulus were 102.09 ± 6.74% and 206.83 ± 32.10 kPa, respectively; the outer layer was hydrophobic (WCA was 112.09 ± 4.67°), while the inner layer was hydrophilic (WCA was 48.87 ± 5.52°). Meanwhile, the scaffold showed excellent drug release and antibacterial characteristics. In vitro and in vivo studies indicated that the fabricated scaffold could enhance cell adhesion and proliferation, and promote skin wound healing, with favorable biocompatibility and great potential for skin regeneration and clinical application., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This study evaluated the effectiveness of using nanocomposite (NCs) of xanthan gum grafted polyacrylamide crosslinked Borax - iron oxide nanoparticle (XG-g-pAAm-CL-Borax-IONP) to remove the amoxicillin antibiotic (AMX) from an aquatic environment. To confirm the structural characteristics of the prepared XG-g-pAAm-CL-Borax-IONP NCs, unique characterization methods (XRD, FT-IR, FE-SEM, EDX, BET, TGA, Zeta, and VSM) were used. Adsorption experimental setups were performed with the influence of solution pH (4-9), the effect of adsorbent dose (0.003-0.02 g), the effect of contact time (5-45 min), and the effect of initial AMX concentration (50-400 mg/L) to achieve the most efficient adsorption conditions. Based on the Freundlich isotherm model, XG-g-pAAm-CL-Borax-IONP NCs provided the maximum AMX adsorption capacity of 1183.639 mg/g. This research on adsorption kinetics also established that the pseudo-second-order model (R 2  = 0.991) is outstanding compatibility with the experimental results. AMX adsorption on the NCs may occur through intermolecular hydrogen bonding, diffusion, and trapping into the polymer network. Even after five cycles, these NCs still displayed the best performance. Based on these results, XG-g-pAAm-CL-Borax-IONP NCs may be a viable material for the purification of AMX from contaminated water., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Orally administered amoxicillin is recommended as the first-line treatment of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABR) and given in a high-dose regimen. However, the risk of various systemic adverse reactions and low oral bioavailability are unbearable, increasing the threat of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, nasal delivery of amoxicillin can be a potential approach for effectively treating ABR locally, as well as overcoming those drawbacks. In a way to guarantee the effectiveness for local therapy in nasal cavity, the permeation and retention properties are of significant importance considerations. Accordingly, the present work aimed to investigate the characteristics with respect to the nasal applicability of the in situ gelling amoxicillin trihydrate (AMT) and further evaluate its permeability and retention properties through human nasal mucosa. The lyophilized formulations were characterized utilizing the Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD), and also evaluated for its polarity, reconstitution time, droplet size distribution, mucoadhesive properties, and ex vivo permeability and retention studies. The results confirmed that the in situ gelling AMT formulations possess adequate mucoadhesive behavior, especially the formulation containing 0.3 % of gellan gum. Substantially, the in situ gelling AMT formulations were able to retain the drug on the surface of nasal mucosa instead of permeating across the membrane; thus, suitable for treating nasal infections locally. Altogether, the in situ gelling systems demonstrates promising abilities as a delivery platform to enhance local application of AMT within the nasal cavity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: This work is aimed to formulate and evaluate Mucoadhesive Microspheres contain Amoxicillin for the effective use in the treatment of H.Pylori., Methods: Microspheres were prepared using Emulsification-cross linking technique. To this guar gum (GG) and sodium alginate (SA) was dissolved in 200 ml of water and allowed to swell for 24 h at room temperature. And separately chitosan (CH) was dissolved in 2% (v/v) glacial acetic acid and this also kept for 24 h to swell or dissolve properly. After 24 h this swelled mixture was mixed under magnetic stirrer (Remi, India) at specific stirring rate for 1 h in order to find homogeneous mass of both the gum. Then slurry of chitosan also was homogenized for half an hour. The drug, Amoxicillin (1g) was then added to the chitosan solution and mixed homogeneously., Results: The aim of the study was to formulate and evaluate microspheres, for SR of the chosen drug. The particle size of microspheres was in the range of 200-500 µ, maximum mucoadhesive property observed was 57.41% for Optimized formulation F-9, Drug release 68.52% till 8 h, and the maximum entrapment was 94.87% for F-9 formulation. The work also aims to study various parameters affecting the behavior of microspheres in oral dosage form., Conclusion: Drugs with short half life that are absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) are eliminated rapidly from the blood flow. To avoid this, the oral SR was developed as this formulation released the drug slowly into the GIT and maintained a stable drug concentration in the serum for a longer duration of time.

To effectively remove Diazinon (DZ), Amoxicillin (AMX), and Crystal Violet (CV) from aquatic environments, a novel granular activated carbon (GAC) modified with Polyethylene glycol 600 (PEG) was created and manufactured. The chemical properties were investigated using a variety of characteristic analyses, including FT-IR, XRD, FESEM, and N2 adsorption/desorption. The effectiveness of GAC-PEG's adsorption for the removal of DZ, AMX, and CV was assessed under a variety of conditions, including a pH of 4-9 for the solution, 0.003-0.05 g doses of adsorbent, 50-400 ppm starting concentration, and a reaction time of 5-25 min. For DZ, AMX, and CV adsorption, the maximum adsorption capacity (Qmax) was 1163.933, 1163.100, and 1150.300 mg g-1, respectively. The Langmuir isotherm described all of the data from these adsorption experiments, and the pseudo-second-order well explains all-adsorption kinetics. Most contacts between molecules, electrostatic interactions, π-π interactions, hydrogen bonding, and entrapment in the modified CAG network were used to carry out the DZ, AMX, and CV adsorption on the GAC-PEG. The retrievability of the prepared adsorbent was successfully investigated in studies up to two cycles without loss of adsorption efficiency, and it was shown that it can be efficiently separated., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Choopani et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The abuse and uncontrolled discharge of antibiotics present a severe threat to environment and human health, necessitating the development of efficient and sustainable treatment technology. In this work, we employ a facile one-step electrodeposition method to prepare polyaniline/graphite oxide (PANI/GO) and samarium (Sm) co-modified Ti/PbO 2 (Ti/PbO 2 -PANI/GO-Sm) electrode for the degradation of amoxicillin (AMX). Compared with traditional Ti/PbO 2 electrode, Ti/PbO 2 -PANI/GO-Sm electrode exhibits more excellent oxygen evolution potential (2.63 V) and longer service life (56 h). In degradation experiment, under optimized conditions (50 mg L -1 AMX, 20 mA cm -2 , pH 3, 0.050 M Na 2 SO 4 , 25 °C), Ti/PbO 2 -PANI/GO-Sm electrode achieves remarkable removal efficiencies of 88.76% for AMX and 79.92% for chemical oxygen demand at 90 min. In addition, trapping experiment confirms that ·OH plays a major role in the degradation process. Based on theoretical calculation and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer results, the heterocyclic portion of AMX molecule is more susceptible to ·OH attacks. Thus, this novel electrode offers a sustainable and efficient solution to address environmental challenges posed by antibiotic-contaminated wastewater., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Antibiotics are emerging organic pollutants that have attracted huge attention owing to their abundant use and associated ecological threats. The aim of this study is to develop and use photocatalysts to degrade antibiotics, including tetracycline (TC), ciprofloxacin (CIP), and amoxicillin (AMOX). Therefore, a novel Z-scheme heterojunction composite of g-C 3 N 4 (gCN) and 3D flower-like Bi 2 WO 6 (BW) perovskite structure was designed and developed, namely Bi 2 WO 6 /g-C 3 N 4 (BW/gCN), which can degrade low-concentration of antibiotics in aquatic environments under visible light. According to the Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation and the characterization results of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FITR), Scanning electron microscopy - energy spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), this heterojunction was formed in the recombination process. Furthermore, the results of 15 wt%-BW/gCN photocatalytic experiments showed that the photodegradation rates (Rp) of TC, CIP, and AMOX were 92.4%, 90.1% and 82.3%, respectively, with good stability in three-cycle photocatalytic experiments. Finally, the quenching experiment of free radicals showed that the holes (h + ) and superoxide radicals (·O 2 - ) play a more important role than the hydroxyl radicals (·OH) in photocatalysis. In addition, a possible antibiotic degradation pathway was hypothesized on the basis of High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. In general, we have developed an effective catalyst for photocatalytic degradation of antibiotic pollutants and analyzed its photocatalytic degradation mechanism, which provides new ideas for follow-up research and expands its application in the field of antibiotic composite pollution prevention and control., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Kai Huang reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China. Kai Huang reports a relationship with Guangdong & Guangxi Cooperation Special Key Fund Project that includes: funding grants. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The quality of amoxicillin capsules, ceftriaxone for injection, and ciprofloxacin tablets was evaluated to determine whether there is any difference in quality when comparing the country of origin. This was undertaken because it has been claimed that antibiotics manufactured in Europe are of superior quality to those originating from Africa or Asia., Methods: Samples of amoxicillin capsules, ceftriaxone for injection, and ciprofloxacin tablets were collected from three randomly selected wholesale pharmacies in each city, namely Arusha, Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, Tanzania. The collected samples of collected brands were subjected to quality control testing as per their respective pharmacopoeial monographs. Amoxil 250 mg capsules (Glaxo Wellcome, Mayenne, France), Rocephin (Roche, Switzerland) and Cipro-Denk 500 (Allphamed Pharbil Arzneimittel GmbH, Gottingen, Germany) were used as reference brands for the other generic brands of amoxicillin, ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin, respectively., Results: A total of 31 brands (10 different brands of amoxicillin capsules, 9 of ceftriaxone sodium injections, and 12 of ciprofloxacin tablets) were collected from the targeted regions and subjected to quality control testing. All samples of collected brands complied with the requirements of their respective pharmacopoeial monographs., Conclusions: There was no significant difference in quality between brands of amoxicillin capsules, ceftriaxone for injection, and ciprofloxacin tablets manufactured in Africa and Asia against those manufactured in Europe in terms of compliance with the respective pharmacopoeial monographs., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.)

Solar Fenton is an important and extensively used advanced oxidation process (AOP) to degrade pharmaceutical pollutants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of simultaneous degradation of the mixed pollutants (amoxicillin, acetaminophen, and ciprofloxacin) for an aqueous solution using the solar Fenton process. Operating parameters such as pH, iron doses, H 2 O 2 doses, pollutant concentrations, and time were studied. From the experimental results, the ideal conditions were obtained for the removal of mixed pollutants such as pH 3, Fe 2+ 0.04 mM, H 2 O 2 4 mM, the concentration of the mixed pollutants 5 mg/L, solar radiation 400 W/m 2 , and time 10 min, respectively. The pseudo-first-order kinetics were utilized to investigate the degradation efficacy of the mixed pollutants. The result of the study indicates that the degradation efficiency was > 99% for the mixed pollutants. A maximum of 63% mineralization was observed, and hydroxyl radical scavenger effects were studied. The best optimal conditions were applied to assess the spiked wastewater (municipal wastewater (MWW) and hospital wastewater (HWW)). The highest elimination rates for AMX, ACET, and CIP were observed as 65%, 89%, and 85% for MWW and 76%, 92%, and 80% for HWW, respectively. The degraded by-products were detected by LC-ESI-MS in the water matrix (aqueous solution and spiked wastewater), and ECOSAR analysis was performed for the transformed products. The study concluded that the solar Fenton technique is promising and effective for the removal of mixed pollutants from the water matrix., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

This study investigates the removal of amoxicillin micropollutants (AM) from hospital wastewater using CoMoO 4 -modified graphitic carbon nitride (CMO/gCN). Consequently, CMO/gCN exhibits notable improvements in visible light absorption and electron-hole separation rates compared to unmodified gCN. Besides, CMO/gCN significantly enhances the removal efficiency of AM, attaining an impressive 96.5%, far surpassing the performance of gCN at 48.6%. Moreover, CMO/gCN showcases outstanding reusability, with AM degradation performance exceeding 70% even after undergoing six cycles of reuse. The removal mechanism of AM employing CMO/gCN involves various photoreactions of radicals (•OH, •O 2 - ) and amoxicillin molecules under light assistance. Furthermore, CMO/gCN demonstrates a noteworthy photodegradation efficiency of AM from hospital wastewater, reaching 92.8%, with a near-complete reduction in total organic carbon levels. Detailed discussions on the practical applications of the CMO/gCN photocatalyst for removal of micropollutants from hospital wastewater are provided. These findings underline the considerable potential of CMO/gCN for effectively removing various pollutants in environmental remediation strategies., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

A middle ear infection occurs due to the presence of several microorganisms behind the eardrum (tympanic membrane) and is very challenging to treat due to its unique location and requires a well-designed treatment. If not treated properly, the infection can result in severe symptoms and unavoidable side effects. In this study, excellent biocompatible ethyl cellulose (EC) and biodegradable polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) biopolymer were used to fabricate drug-loaded nanofiber scaffolds using an electrospinning technique to overcome antibiotic overdose and insufficient efficacy of drug release during treatment. PHB polymer was produced from Halomonas sp., and the purity of PHB was found to around be 90 %. Additionally, ciprofloxacin (CIP) and amoxicillin (AMX) are highly preferable since both drugs are highly effective against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria to treat several infections. Obtained smooth nanofibers were between 116.24 and 171.82 nm in diameter and the addition of PHB polymer and antibiotics improved the morphology of the nanofiber scaffolds. Thermal properties of the nanofiber scaffolds were tested and the highest T g temperature resulted at 229 °C. The mechanical properties of the scaffolds were tested, and the highest tensile strength resulted in 4.65 ± 6.33 MPa. Also, drug-loaded scaffolds were treated against the most common microorganisms that cause the infection, such as S.aureus, E.coli, and P.aeruginosa, and resulted in inhibition zones between 10 and 21 mm. MTT assay was performed by culturing human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAD MSCs) on the scaffolds. The morphology of the hAD MSCs' attachment was tested with SEM analysis and hAD MSCs were able to attach, spread, and live on each scaffold even on the day of 7. The cumulative drug release kinetics of CIP and AMX from drug-loaded scaffolds were analysed in phosphate-buffered saline (pH: 7.4) within different time intervals of up to 14 days using a UV spectrophotometer. Furthermore, the drug release showed that the First-Order and Korsmeyer-Peppas models were the most suitable kinetic models. Animal testing was performed on SD rats, matrix and collagen deposition occurred on days 5 and 10, which were observed using Hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining. At the highest drug concentration, a better repair effect was observed. Results were promising and showed potential for novel treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Amoxicillin, a member of the penicillin family, is primarily utilized for the treatment of various bacterial infections affecting ears, nose, throat, urinary tract, and skin. Given its widespread application in medicine, agriculture, environment, and food industry, the precise and sensitive detection of amoxicillin is important. This study introduces a novel approach to developing a sensitive and selective fluorescent aptasensor relying on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) for the specific detection of amoxicillin. The carboxyfluorescein-labeled aptamer serves as a energy donor, while MXene functions as an energy acceptor, and acting as a quencher. To achieve optimal detection efficiency, a dual optimization strategy utilizing RSM-CCD and ANN-GA was used to fine-tune experimental conditions. The fluorescence measurements revealed an expansive linear range extending from 100 to 2400 ng mL -1 , accompanied by an exceptionally low detection limit of 1.53 ng mL -1 . Additionally, it shows an excellent selectivity towards amoxicillin over other antibiotics commonly found in water matrices. The aptasensor demonstrates good stability and reproducibility; effectiveness of the aptasensor was validated by testing in real water samples. This remarkable sensitivity and broad dynamic range affirm the efficacy aptasensor in accurately detecting varying concentrations of amoxicillin in wastewater bodies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Conventional wastewater treatment processes are often unable to remove antibiotics with resistant compounds and low biological degradation. The need for advanced and sustainable technologies to remove antibiotics from water sources seems essential. In this regard, the effectiveness of a spinning disc photocatalytic reactor (SDPR) equipped with a visible light-activated Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -NH 2 @CuO/ZnO core-shell (FSNCZ CS) thin film photocatalyst was investigated for the decomposition of amoxicillin (AMX), a representative antibiotic. Various characterization techniques, such as TEM, FESEM, EDX, AFM, XRD, and UV-Vis-DRS, were employed to study the surface morphology, optoelectronic properties, and nanostructure of the FSNCZ CS. Key operating parameters such as irradiation time, pH, initial AMX concentration, rotational speed, and solution flow rate were fine-tuned for optimization. The results indicated that the highest AMX decomposition (98.7%) was attained under optimal conditions of 60 min of irradiation time, a rotational speed of 350 rpm, a solution flow rate of 0.9 L/min, pH of 5, and an initial AMX concentration of 20 mg/L. Moreover, during the 60 min irradiation time, more than 69.95% of chemical oxygen demand and 61.2% of total organic carbon were removed. After the photocatalytic decomposition of AMX, there is a substantial increase in the average oxidation state and carbon oxidation state in SDPR from 1.33 to 1.94 and 3.2, respectively. Active species tests confirmed that ·OH and ·O 2 - played a dominant role in AMX decomposition. The developed SDPR, which incorporates a reusable and robust FSNCZ CS photocatalyst, demonstrates promising potential for the decomposition of organic compounds., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Dual-emissive fluorescence probes were designed by integrating porphyrin into the frameworks of UiO-66 for ratiometric fluorescence sensing of amoxicillin (AMX). Porphyrin integrated UiO-66 showed dual emission in the blue and red region. AMX resulted in the quenching of blue fluorescence component, attributable to the charge neutralization and hydrogen bonds induced energy transfer. AMX was detected using (F 438 /F 654 ) as output signals. Two linear relationships were observed (from 10 to 1000 nM and 1 to 100 µM), with a limit of detection of 27 nM. The porphyrin integrated UiO-66 probe was used to detect AMX in practical samples. This work widens the road for the development of dual/multiple emissive fluorescence sensors for analytical applications, providing materials and theoretical supporting for food, environmental, and human safety., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the laboratory-made catalyst Ni 2 P-ZrO 2 (NPZ) in the degradation of an antibiotic in an aqueous suspension when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. The degradation of amoxicillin (AMX) was predicted using time series forecasting through the ensemble gradient boosting model. The degradation experiments were conducted utilizing two distinct photocatalyst compositions of Nickel phosphide-zirconium dioxide (NPZ) in the proportions of 1:9 and 2:8. The most effective experimental results were obtained using a natural pH, a catalyst concentration of 0.20 g/L and reaction duration of 0.5 h after testing the different catalysts. Experimental data were used for training, validating and confirming time series predictions. The use of ensemble technique highly affected the experimental findings. The model's performance was quite satisfactory in terms of correlation coefficient (94.00%), normalized mean square error (0.01) and mean square root error (0.0911) which significantly contributed to the model's accuracy. All input variables, such as pH, catalyst dose and irradiation time, had a significant impact on the degrading efficacy. The study has demonstrated that time series forecasting can be used for predicting the degradation process precisely., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Biopolymers are crucial in pharmaceuticals, particularly for controlled drug release. In this study, we loaded the broad-spectrum antibacterial drug amoxicillin into sodium alginate, a well-known biopolymer. Graphene oxide was incorporated into the composite, and the hydrogel beads were coated with chitosan for its mucoadhesive properties. Various composites were formulated by adjusting the weight percentage of graphene oxide (GO). The fabricated beads demonstrated controlled and sustained drug release, with 98 % of the loaded drug molecules released over 24 h at gastric pH. The antibacterial test using the disc diffusion technique confirmed the drug release, exhibiting greater effectiveness against the gram-positive bacterium S. aureus than the gram-negative bacterium E. coli. The drug release data were optimized using zero order, first order, Higuchi, and Korsmeyer-Peppas models. The experimental data were best fit to the Korsmeyer-Peppas model with a relatively higher correlation coefficient value. Biocompatibility was evaluated through a cell viability test using mouse fibroblast cell lines (L929). The MTT viability assay confirmed high levels of cytocompatibility, even at higher concentrations (100 μg/mL), with 98.15 % viable cells. These results highlight the potential of the fabricated beads as an effective amoxicillin drug delivery system with biomedical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The objective of this study is to investigate the efficiency of two processes for the amoxicillin removal through static (batch) adsorption and photocatalytic degradation onto the prepared samples. Three solid materials as photocatalyst and/or adsorbent were synthesized viz. nanotitanium dioxide (NT) prepared by the sol-gel method, scallop shells-based nanohydroxyapatite (NP), and nanotitanium dioxide/nanohydroxyapatite composite (NTP). The physicochemical and morphological properties of the prepared samples were tested by TGA, XRD, DRS, ATR-FTIR, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm, zeta potential, SEM, and TEM. The major operational conditions were optimized for catalyst or adsorbent mass, pH, shaking time, initial amoxicillin (AMX) concentration, power of UV lamp, and temperature. The results illuminated that NTP achieved the highest adsorption capacity (88.46 mg/g) at 20 ℃ and AMX adsorption onto all the solid materials was well applied by Langmuir, Temkin, pseudo-second order, and Elovich models. The maximum desorption percent (98%) was attained by acetone. The degradation percent of AMX reached 85.3 and 99.5% for NT and NTP, respectively, using 0.9 g/L of catalyst dosage through 90 min. AMX photodegradation onto the catalysts' surface was well fitted by Langmuir-Hinshelwood, Arrhenius, and Eyring-Polanyi models with endothermic, physical, and nonspontaneous nature of photocatalysis process. NTP acts as a promising adsorbent and photocatalyst for the antibiotics' removal in wastewater., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Antibiotics are now considered as emerging environmental pollutants due to their persistent nature and continuous exposure through irrigation with wastewater contaminated with antibiotics. The aim of present study was to assess the potential of nanoparticles for the photodegradation of antibiotics and subsequent stress alleviation via Titania oxide (TiO 2 ) application for improvement in crop productivity and quality in terms of the nutritional composition. In the first phase, different nanoparticles, TiO 2 , Zinc oxide (ZnO), and Iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ) with varying concentrations (40-60 mg L -1 ) and time-periods (1-9 days) were tested to degrade amoxicillin (Amx) and levofloxacin (Lev) @ 5 mg L -1 under the visible light. Results indicated that TiO 2 nanoparticles (50 mg L -1 ) were the most effective nanoparticles for the removal of both antibiotics with maximum degradation of 65% and 56% for Amx and Lev, respectively, on the 7th day. In the second phase, a pot experiment was conducted in which TiO 2 (50 mg L -1 ) was applied individually and along with antibiotics (5 mg L -1 ) in order to evaluate the effect of nanoparticles on stress alleviation for growth promotion of wheat exposed to antibiotics. Plant biomass was reduced by Amx (58.7%) and Lev (68.4%) significantly (p < 0.05) when compared to the control. However, co-application of TiO 2 and antibiotics improved the total iron (34.9% and 42%), carbohydrate (33% and 31%), and protein content (36% and 33%) in grains under Amx and Lev stress, respectively. The highest plant length, grain weight, and nutrient uptake were observed upon application of TiO 2 nanoparticles alone. Total iron, carbohydrates, and proteins in grains were significantly increased by 52%, 38.5%, and 40%, respectively compared to the control (with antibiotics). The findings highlight the potential of TiO 2 nanoparticles for stress alleviation, growth, and nutritional improvement under antibiotic stress upon irrigation with contaminated wastewater., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Efficiencies of direct ozonation and hydroxyl radical oxidation by Fenton process were compared, aiming to improve biotreatability of antibiotics contaminated water (tiamulin, amoxicillin and levofloxacin).  Biodegradability, COD (chemical oxygen demand) and TOC (total organic carbon) were measured before and after applying oxidative process. It was confirmed that significantly smaller molar dose of ozone (1.1 mgO3 / mgatb) against the hydrogen peroxide (17 mgH2O2 / mgatb), deliver comparable improvements of biodegradability; Tiamulin biodegraded up to 60 %, levofloxacin close to 100 %. Ozonation removed more TOC (10%, 29% and 8% for tiamulin, levofloxacin and amoxicillin, respectively) than Fenton process. This is confirming mineralization of antibiotics, not only biodegradable intermediates formation. In terms of costs, ozonation is more feasible in oxidizing complex antibiotics in water, as it targets functional groups which carry antimicrobial properties. This brings not only improved biodegradability needed for a conventional biological treatment plant, but also reduces long-term impacts of the antibiotics in the environment.

Amoxicillin (AMX) is a widely used antibiotic, which induces harmful effects to nature via bioaccumulation and persistence in the environment if discharged untreated into water bodies. In the current study, a novel bionanocomposite, bismuth oxyiodide-chitosan (BiOI-Ch), was synthesized by a facile precipitation method and its amoxicillin (AMX) adsorption capacity in the presence of ultrasonic waves has been explored. Multiple batch experiments were performed to achieve the optimum operational parameters for maximum adsorption of AMX and the obtained results were as follows: pH 3, 80 mg g -1 AMX concentration, 1.7 g L -1 adsorbent dose, temperature 298 K and ultrasonication time 20 min. Composite removed approximately 90% AMX from the solution under optimized conditions, while the maximal adsorption capacity was determined to be 81.01 mg g -1 . BiOI-Ch exhibited superior adsorption capacity as compared to pure BiOI (33.78 mg g -1 ). To understand the dynamics of reaction, several kinetic and isotherm models were also examined. The adsorption process obeyed pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R 2  = 0.98) and was well fitted to Freundlich isotherm (R 2  = 0.99). The addition of biowaste chitosan to non-toxic bismuth-based nanoparticles coupled with ultrasonication led to enhanced functional groups as well as surface area of the nanocomposite resulting in superior adsorption capacity, fast adsorption kinetics and improved mass transfer for the removal of AMX molecules. Thus, this study demonstrates the synergistic effect of ultrasonication in improved performance of novel BiOI-Ch for potential application in the elimination of persistent and detrimental pollutants from industrial effluent after necessary optimization for large-scale operation., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In this work, Mn-Co/GAC particle electrode was prepared by loading Mn and Co as catalysts on granular activated carbon (GAC) and used in a three-dimensional (3D) electrochemical system for mineralization of amoxicillin wastewater. Observation results by SEM, EDS and XRD confirmed that Mn and Co catalysts were successfully loaded onto GAC. The electrochemical properties were measured using an electrochemical workstation. Mn-Co/GAC had a much higher oxygen evolution potential (1.46V) than GAC (1.1V), which demonstrated that it could effectively reduce the oxygen evolution side reaction. In addition, Mn-Co/GAC had an electrochemically active surface area 1.34 times that of GAC and a much smaller mass transfer resistance than GAC, which could provide favorable conditions for the degradation of pollutants. The investigation of the influences of single operating parameters on total organic carbon (TOC) removal rate and electrical energy consumption (EEC) indicated that current density and treatment time had the greatest effect. In order to maximize TOC removal rate and minimize EEC, optimization of operating parameters was also carried out using response surface method in combination with central composite design. The optimal operating parameters were determined as current density of 5.68 mA/cm 2 , electrolyte concentration of 0.127M, particle electrode dosage of 31.14g and treatment time of 120min. Under this optimum operating condition, TOC removal rate of 85.24% and amoxicillin removal rate of 100% could be achieved with a low EEC of 0.073 kWh/g TOC. In addition, TOC removal rate and EEC were significantly improved compared to the use of bare GAC as particle electrode under the same operating conditions, demonstrating the excellent electrocatalytic ability of the new particle electrode Mn-Co/GAC. A possible mechanism of enhanced amoxicillin and TOC removal was also recommended. In summary, the 3D electrochemical method using Mn-Co/GAC particle electrodes is a suitable choice for amoxicillin wastewater treatment., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Amoxicillin (AMX) is one of the antibiotics in the penicillin category that is used in various fields. Considering the harmful effects of its remains, it is necessary to survey the ways to remove this compound. Advanced oxidation process (AOPs), specially photo-Fenton has been used for the removal of AMX. This study has been conducted based on PubMed, Google Scholar, DOAJ, Web of Science, and Scopus databases during the years 2008-2019. Some factors such as the aquatic solution, light source characteristics, iron, and H 2 O 2 concentration, AMX degradation percentage, removal of total organic carbon percentage, and AMX concentration have been surveyed to optimize the process. Studies showed that the photo-Fenton process is highly dependent on pH, and in most studies, the highest efficiency has been observed in acidic pH values. Using a more energy light source can be effective in reducing the use of catalysts and oxidizers. The combined methods of AOPs such as photo-Fenton, electro-Fenton, and photo-electro-Fenton have higher efficiency in increasing mineralization than the photon process. The use of synthetic wastewater has a higher efficiency in the degradation of AMX than in real wastewater in the photo-Fenton process, which can be due to the absence of the interfering agents in synthetic environments., (© 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

Redesigning 3D-printed flow cells is reported used for heat transfer based detection of biomolecules from a flow-through system to an addition-type measurement cell. The aim of this study is to assess the performance of this new measurement design and critically analyse the influence of material properties and 3D printing approach on thermal analysis. Particular attention is paid to reduce the time to stabilisation, the sample volume in order to make the technique suitable for clinical applications, and improving the sensitivity of the platform by decreasing the noise and interference of air bubbles. The three different approaches that were studied included a filament polylactic acid cell using only fused filament fabrication (FFF), a resin cell printed using stereolitography (SLA), and finally a design made of copper, which was manufactured by combining metal injection moulding (MIM) with fused filament fabrication (FFF). Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modelling was undertaken using ANSYS Fluent V18.1 to provide insight into the flow of heat within the measurement cell, facilitating optimisation of the system and theoretical response speed.It was shown that the measurement cells using SLA had the lowest noise (~ 0.6%) and shortest measurement time (15 min), whereas measurement cells produced using other approaches had lower specificity or suffered from voiding issues. Finally, we assessed the potential of these new designs for detection of biomolecules and amoxicillin, a commonly used beta lactam antibiotic, to demonstrate the proof of concept. It can be concluded that the resin addition-type measurement cells produced with SLA are an interesting affordable alternative, which were able to detect amoxicillin with high sensitivity and have great promise for clinical applications due to the disposable nature of the measurement cells in addition to small sample volumes., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

In the management of cystic fibrosis, treatments against Staphylococcus aureus and Haemophilus influenzae such as amoxicillin or cotrimoxazole have to be prescribed and the antibiotherapy's efficacy may be linked to the concentration that reaches the infected site. As cystic fibrosis patients present disturbed pharmacokinetics parameters, drug monitoring would be relevant to assess the lung distribution of antibiotics and to optimize dosing regimens. In this context, the aim of the study was to develop and validate HPLC-based methods for the determination of both antibiotics in bronchial sputum from cystic fibrosis patients, in order to assess the distribution of the drugs into the lungs. Plasma proteins were precipitated by acetonitrile and amoxicillin concentrations in sputum were determined by HPLC coupled with tandem-mass spectrometry. Following liquid extraction with ethyl acetate, cotrimoxazole was quantified by HPLC using ultraviolet detection. Both methods were rapid, specific, accurate and reproducible. The method was applied to patient samples. In three treated patients, concentrations of amoxicillin in sputum were similar and below the lower limit of quantification (0.1 μg/g) and in six patients, sputum concentrations up to 11.1 and 6.4 μg/g were measured for sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, respectively., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

In this work, for the first time, a new magnetic cadmium-based MOFs (Fe 3 O 4 @Cd-MOF) was successfully synthesized in a green way and then modified with chitosan (CS) in the microsphere form (Fe 3 O 4 @Cd-MOF@CS). The obtained materials were fully characterized by several techniques. In the following, the efficiency of Fe 3 O 4 @Cd-MOF@CS was explored for the removal of amoxicillin (AMX). The outcome of the adsorption study showed that the removal efficiency is affected by CS and reaches its optimum at pH 8 and contact time of 240 min. Under optimized conditions, over 75% of AMX was removed. The kinetic and the isotherm of the adsorption were fit with the pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir adsorption isotherm respectively. Eventually, the maximum adsorption capacity was obtained ~103.09 mg/g. Interestingly, these findings convince that the newly prepared Fe 3 O 4 @Cd-MOF@CS could be proposed as a promising magnetically separable adsorbent for antibiotic contaminants removal from the aqueous solution., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study deals with the preparation of temperature-sensitive chitosan/hydroxypropyl cellulose-graft-polyacrylamide (CS/HPC-g-PAAm) blend microspheres as a controlled drug release system. For this purpose, HPC-g-PAAm copolymers of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) with acrylamide (AAm) were synthesized using cerium (IV) ammonium nitrate as initiator. The HPC-g-PAAm copolymers were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), elemental analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Lower critical solution temperatures (LCST) of the synthesized copolymers were determined. Temperature-sensitive blend microspheres of HPC-g-PAAm and chitosan were prepared by emulsion cross-linking method using glutaraldehyde (GA) as a cross-linker in the hydrochloric acid catalyst (HCl) and they were used to achieve controlled release of amoxicillin trihydrate (AMX), an antibiotic drug. The microspheres were characterized by DSC, X-ray diffraction (X-RD), and FTIR spectroscopy. In addition, surfaces of empty and drug-loaded microspheres were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of variables such as CS/HPC-g-PAAm ratio, drug/polymer ratio, amount of cross-linker, and reaction time of grafting on AMX release were investigated at three different pH environments (1.2, 6.8, 7.4) at 25 °C, 37 °C, and 50 °C. The release results showed that the microspheres had temperature sensitivity and the AMX release was slightly more controlled by especially increasing graft yield (%)., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Based on the adsorption performance of a porous nanocomposite with limestone (LS), activated carbon (AC) and sodium alginate (SG), a unique, multifunctional LS-AC-SG nanocomposite absorbent was designed and prepared for extracting antibiotics and drugs from aqueous solutions. The composite exhibited the following advantages: quick and simple to prepare, multifunctionality and high efficiency. Amoxicillin (AMX) and diclofenac (DCF) were chosen as the conventional antibiotic and the drug, respectively. The prepared nanocomposite's physicochemical characteristics were calculated through numerous characterization methods. The structure of the surface was made up of interconnected pores that can easily confine pollutants. The surface area was measured to be 27.85 m 2 /g through BET analysis. The results show that the maximum absorption capacity of amoxicillin and diclofenac was 99.6% and 98.4%, respectively, at a contact time of 40 min. The maximum removal of amoxicillin and diclofenac was reached at pH = 2. Adsorption analysis revealed that adsorption isotherm and kinetic data matched the pseudo-first-order kinetic and the Langmuir isotherm models. The results imply that the synthesized nanocomposites have the capacity to remove amoxicillin (AMX) and diclofenac (DCF) from aqueous solutions.

Antibiotics are commonly reported as being substandard or falsified in low- to middle-income countries, having potential to contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance and drug-resistant infections. Amoxicillin, used to treat a number of infections and listed by the WHO as an essential medicine, presented as a good drug candidate for this study. We aimed to measure the prevalence of substandard and falsified amoxicillin oral products (tablets, capsules, and suspensions) in the National Capital District of Papua New Guinea (PNG). These oral products were surveyed in 2018 and 2019 from retail pharmacies, private and public health facilities, and the Area Medical Store, representing more than 90% of licensed medicine outlets. The product packaging was visually inspected, and the samples were analyzed for amoxicillin content using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography method. Although no falsified products were identified, 15% of the 190 products analyzed contained substandard amounts of amoxicillin. Quality varied with the dosage form (P = 0.002), with capsules exhibiting the lowest incidence of substandard content (4% in 2019) and tablets collected in 2018 experiencing the highest failure rate (50%). Suspension (40%) quality was compromised by failure to achieve homogeneity on reconstitution. A higher incidence of substandard content (P = 0.002) was associated with one major retail group. Routine testing of medicines by resource-poor countries is often unachievable, leading to the circulation of poor quality drugs, which is a global public health concern. Our study highlighted that substandard amoxicillin oral products are indeed prevalent in the NCD of PNG.

Background: Incoherent use of antibiotics has led toward resistance in MRSA, becoming multidrug-resistant with a high rate of virulence in the community and hospital settings., Objective: Synergistic anti-MRSA activity was investigated in this study for hybrid material composite spheres of amoxicillin, Ag nanoparticles, and chitosan, which were prepared by one-step synthesis method, and various characterizations were performed., Methods: Antimicrobial-susceptibility assay on MRSA was achieved by disc diffusion and agar dilution techniques, while agar well diffusion was used for hybrid composite spheres. The in vitro and cytotoxicity studies were conducted on the skin abrasion mouse model and MTT assay on RD cell, respectively., Results: All isolates showed resistance to the tested antibiotics except vancomycin. MIC against MRSA showed high resistance with amoxicillin from 4 to 128 mg L -1 . The mean diameter of chitosan spheres and Ag nanoparticles was 02 mm and 277 nm, respectively. Morphology of spheres was uneven, varied, porous, and irregular in SEM, and Ag nanoparticles presence and formation was also seen in the micrograph. No substantial interface among drug, nanoparticles, and polymer was found in XRD, and IR showed characteristic peaks of all compounds in the formulation. The in vitro assay showed augmented anti-MRSA activity with amoxicillin loaded hybrid composite spheres (22-29 mm). A significant reduction in microbial burden (~6.5 log 10 CFU mL -1 ) was seen in vivo with loaded hybrid composite spheres formulation. The MTT assay indicated no potential cytotoxicity with hybrid composite spheres., Conclusion: The synergistic effect of Amoxycillin in the current study predicts a promising hybrid formulation with enhanced anti-MRSA activity., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the leading causes of several gastroduodenal diseases, such as gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. In fact, H. pylori eradication provides a preventive effect against the incidence of gastric cancer. Amoxicillin is a commonly used antibiotic for H. pylori eradication. However, due to its easy degradation by gastric acid, it is necessary to administer it in a large dosage and to combine it with other antibiotics. This complexity and the strong side effects of H. pylori eradication therapy often lead to treatment failure. In this study, the chitosan/poly (acrylic acid) particles co-loaded with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and amoxicillin (SPIO/AMO@PAA/CHI) are used as drug nano-carriers for H. pylori eradication therapy. In vitro and in vivo results show that the designed SPIO/AMO@PAA/CHI nanoparticles are biocompatible and could retain the biofilm inhibition and the bactericidal effect of amoxicillin against H. pylori . Moreover, the mucoadhesive property of chitosan allows SPIO/AMO@PAA/CHI nanoparticles to adhere to the gastric mucus layer and rapidly pass through the mucus layer after exposure to a magnetic field. When PAA is added, it competes with amoxicillin for chitosan, so that amoxicillin is quickly and continuously released between the mucus layer and the gastric epithelium and directly acts on H. pylori . Consequently, the use of this nano-carrier can extend the drug residence time in the stomach, reducing the drug dose and treatment period of H. pylori eradication therapy.

Introduction: Controlling the drug release from the dosage form at a definite rate is the main challenge for a successful oral controlled-release drug delivery system. In this study, mini-tablets (MTs) and lipid/polymer nanoparticles (LPNs) of lipid polymer and chitosan in different ratios were designed to encapsulate and control the release time of Amoxicillin (AMX)., Methods: Physical characteristics and in vitro release profiles of both MT and LPN formulations were studied. Antimicrobial activity and oral pharmacokinetics of the optimum MT and LPN formulations in comparison to market tablet were studied in rats., Results: All designed formulations of AMX as MTs and LPNs showed accepted characteristics. MT-6 (Compritol/Chitosan 1:1) showed the greatest retardation among all prepared minitablet preparations, releasing about 79.5% of AMX over 8 h. In contrast, LPN-11 (AMX: Cr 1:3/Chitosan 1 mg/mL) had the slowest drug release, revealing the sustained release of 80.9% within 8 h. The MIC of both optimized tablet formula (MT-6) and LPNs formula (LPN-11) was around two-fold lower than the control against H. pylori . The C max of MT-6 and LPN11 were non significantly different compared with the marketed AMX product. While the bioavailability experiment proved that the relative bioavailability of the AMX was 1.85 and 1.8 after the oral use of LPN11 and MT-6, respectively, compared to the market tablet., Conclusion: The results verified that both controlled-release mini-tablets and lipid/polymer nanoparticles can be used for sustaining the release and hence improve the bioavailability of amoxicillin., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2020 Gaber et al.)

A simplistic approach is presented for the synthesis of ultrasonically fabricated graphene oxide functionalized with polyaniline and N-[3-(Trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine. The synthesized nanocomposite was then employed for the facile, green, ultrasound-assisted, magnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction of amoxicillin, ampicillin, and penicillin G in milk samples and infant formula prior to high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet determination. The designed nanocomposites were comprehensively characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In order to achieve the best extraction efficiencies, the influential parameters including pH, amount of magnetic sorbent, type and volume of elution solvent, extraction time, sample volume, and desorption time were assessed. At the optimum conditions, linear ranges of 2.5-1000 (μg L -1 ) for ampicillin and penicillin G and a linear range of 2.5-750 (μg L -1 ) were obtained for amoxicillin at optimum conditions. Moreover, the limits of detection (S/N = 3) of 0.5, 0.8, and 0.9 (μg L -1 ) were obtained for amoxicillin, ampicillin, and penicillin G, respectively. The precision (relative standard deviations (%)) values of 3.1, 2.6, and 2.5 at the concentration of 50 μg L -1 for seven replicates were obtained for ampicillin, amoxicillin, and penicillin G, respectively. The efficiencies of ≤ 96% and relative standard deviations of less than 3.1% were also obtained thereby confirming the high potential of the synthesized nanocomposites for simultaneous preconcentration and separation of the β-lactam antibiotics in complex matrixes. Graphical Abstract.

Herein, we design inflammation-responsive nanocapsules containing two antibiotics. The releases are programmed to be triggered under conditions occurring at the different stages of wound healing. The nanocapsules exhibit excellent antibacterial activities against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Incorporation of small amounts of nanocapsules in hydrogels leads to efficient antibacterial wound dressings.

The synthesis of structurally new haptens and the development of suitable antigens are essential for boosting the sensitivity of drug allergy diagnostic testing. Unprecedented structural antigens for benzylpenicillin and amoxicillin are characterised and evaluated in a cohort of 70 subjects with a turnkey solution based on consumer electronics.

In this work, a pH-sensitive carboxymethylcellulose based bio-nanocomposite hydrogel beads with different content of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) as a nanoparticle was prepared (CMC/LDH(Cu/Al)). EDX spectroscopy was used to confirm the successful composition of LDH(Cu/Al) with CMC and its presence in the hydrogel matrix. The prepared CMC/LDH(Cu/Al) bio-nanocomposite hydrogel bead characterized by XRD, FT-IR, and SEM analysis. The swelling results showed the pH-sensitive properties for all of the prepared CMC/LDH(Cu/Al). Amoxicillin (AMX) as a model of the antibiotic drug was selected to study the ability of the prepared systems as an oral drug delivery vehicle. The obtained results showed that the CMC/LDH(Cu/Al 7.5) bio-nanocomposite hydrogel bead has a good performance compared to the other prepared bio-nanocomposites. MTT assay approved the safety of this bio-nanocomposite hydrogel bead against HUVEC cells. Consistent with the obtained results, the prepared hydrogel beads could be potentially proposed as an efficient safe drug carrier for AMX oral delivery., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Various materials and approaches have been used to reduce the mesh-induced inflammatory response and modify the mesh with tissue-matched mechanical properties, aiming to improve the repair of abdominal wall defects., Materials and Methods: In this study, we fabricated a polycaprolactone (PCL)/silk fibroin (SF) mesh integrated with amoxicillin (AMX)-incorporating multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) via electrospinning, grafting and crosslinking, developing a sustainable antibiotic and flexible mesh. AMX was loaded into the hollow tubular MWCNTs by physical adsorption, and a nanofibrous structure was constructed by electrospinning PCL and SF (40:60 w/w). The AMX@MWCNTs were then chemically grafted onto the surfaces of the PCL/SF nanofibers by treating with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide/ N -hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS) solution for simultaneous crosslinking and coating. The incorporation of AMX into the MWCNTs (AMX@MWCNTs) and the integration of the AMX@MWCNTs with the PCL/SF nanofibers were characterized. Then, the functional mesh was fabricated and fully evaluated in terms of antibacterial activity, mechanical properties and host response., Results: Our results demonstrated that the PCL/SF nanofibrous structure was fabricated successfully by electrospinning. After integrating with AMX@MWCNT by grafting and crosslinking, the functional mesh showed undeformed structure, modified surface hydrophilicity and biocompatible interfaces, abdominal wall-matched mechanical properties, and a sustained-release antibiotic profile in E. coli growth inhibition compared to those of PCL/SF mesh in vitro. In a rat model with subcutaneous implantation, the functional mesh incited less mesh-induced inflammatory and foreign body responses than PCL/SF mesh within 14 days. The histological analysis revealed less infiltration of granulocytes and macrophages during this period, resulting in the loosely packed collagen deposition on the functional mesh and prominent collagen incorporation., Discussion: Therefore, this designed PCL/SF-AMX@MWCNT nanofibrous mesh, functionalized with antibacterial and tissue-matched mechanical properties, provides a promising alternative for the repair of abdominal wall defects., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2020 Liu et al.)

A potentiometric and UV spectrophotometric investigation on Mn 2+ -ampicillin and Mn 2+ -amoxicillin systems in NaCl aqueous solution is reported. The potentiometric measurements were carried out under different conditions of temperature (15 ≤ t /°C ≤ 37). The obtained speciation pattern includes two species for both the investigated systems. More in detail, for system containing ampicillin MLH and ML species, for that containing amoxicillin, MLH 2 and MLH ones. The spectrophotometric findings have fully confirmed the results obtained by potentiometry for both the systems, in terms of speciation models as well as the stability constants of the formed species. Enthalpy change values were calculated via the dependence of formation constants of the species on temperature. The sequestering ability of ampicillin and amoxicillin towards Mn 2+ was also evaluated under different conditions of pH and temperature via pL 0.5 empirical parameter (i.e., cologarithm of the ligand concentration required to sequester 50% of the metal ion present in traces).

A high sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate based on the Ag dendrite in a T-type microfluidic device was constructed by a simple and rapid strategy. According to the simulated results by COMSOL Multiphysics, the microfluidic-SERS sensor was fabricated by simultaneously introducing into 40 mmol·L -1 silver nitrate solution and 0.2 mol·L -1 sodium nitrate solution for about 15 min with the flow velocity at 20 µL·min -1 at room temperature, respectively. The analytical performance of this sensor was investigated with different concentrations of amoxicillin aqueous solution, and the detection limit was up to 1.0 ng·mL -1 . And the semi-quantitation was obtained from the relationship between the Raman intensity and the logarithm of the amoxicillin concentration. This method can be employed to fabricate high sensitive microfluidic-SERS sensors as well as realize many lab-on-a-chip applications with the integration of other microfluidic networks., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The first step in the development of Helicobacter pylori pathogenicity is the receptor-mediated adhesion to the gastric epithelium. Inhibition of outer membrane proteins of H. pylori (e.g. BabA) by antiadhesive drugs will contribute to reduced recolonization and infection. Pectin from apple inhibits the BabA and LPS-mediated adhesion of H. pylori to human stomach cells. Pectin-coated liposomes with encapsulated amoxicillin were characterized for polydispersity, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, stability, and amoxicillin release. Coated liposomes did not influence the viability of AGS and HT29-MTX cells up to 100 μg/mL but exert cytotoxicity against H. pylori at 10 μg/mL. Pectin-coating of liposomes provoked direct interaction and subsequent binding of the particles to surface structures of H. pylori, and interaction with mucus from porcine stomach and mucus secreted by HT29-MTX cells. Laser scanning microscopy of H. pylori and AGS cells together with liposomes indicated co-aggregation. The mucoadhesive effect seems interesting as stomach cells are covered by a mucus layer. H. pylori is able to penetrate and cross the mucin rapidly to reach pH-neutral epithelium to escape the acidic environment, followed by interaction with epithelial cells. In summary, all experimental evidence is consistent with a specific interaction of pectin-coated liposomes with mucins and surface structures of H. pylori. As the coated liposomes show mucoadhesion to the negatively charged mucins, docking to stomach mucin, mucus penetration, and recognition of and adhesion to H. pylori, they can be considered a novel type of multifunctional drug carriers for local antibiotic therapy against H. pylori. KEY POINTS: • Smart, multifunctional mucoadhesive liposomes • Specific targeting against BabA/LPS of Helicobacter pylori • Inhibition of bacterial adhesion of H. pylori to human host cells • Release of antibiotic cargo.

Treatment of diabetic, chronic, and full-thickness wounds is a challenge as these injuries usually lead to infections that cause delayed and inappropriate healing. Therefore, fabrication of skin scaffolds with prolonged antibacterial properties are of great interest. Due to this demand, bilayered nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated based on polycaprolactone and gelatin. The top layer of these scaffolds contained amoxicillin as a model drug and the bottom layer was loaded with zinc oxide nanoparticles to accelerate wound healing. Several characterization techniques including FTIR, SEM, swelling, tensile test, in vitro degradation, drug release, antibacterial activity, and MTT assay were used to assess physical, mechanical, and biological properties of produced nanofibers. SEM results demonstrated that bilayered scaffolds have smooth bead-free microstructures while in vitro release test showed that samples have a sustained release for amoxicillin up to 144 h (tested time). Disk diffusion assessment confirmed the potency of scaffolds for hindering bacterial growth while results of cytotoxicity evaluation revealed that scaffolds could effectively accelerate cell proliferation. Finally, in vivo tests on full-thickness rat models revealed that fabricated nanofibers accelerate wound contraction, increase collagen deposition and angiogenesis, and prevent scar formation. Altogether, results showed that fabricated scaffolds are promising candidates for treatment of full-thickness wounds., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Antibiotics are among the most counterfeited anti-infectious medicines in developing countries. Amoxicillin is one of the commonly prescribed, affordable, and easily accessible antibiotic in Kenya. It is a broad-spectrum antibiotic hence commonly used in chemotherapy. This study sought to determine the quality and identify the various brands of amoxicillin and its combination amoxicillin/clavulanic acid marketed in Nairobi County. Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya, gateway for imports and exports, and the headquarters to most of the pharmaceutical distributors. Ten wards in Nairobi County representing different socioeconomic settings were purposively sampled for the study. A detailed questionnaire was used to collect background data on brands of amoxicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in the market. A total of 106 different brands were found in the market: 85 were imports while 21 were locally manufactured. Fifty-three samples were analyzed with reference to the United States Pharmacopoeia. Amoxicillin and clavulanic acid contents for oral suspensions were determined immediately after reconstitution and 7 days thereafter to determine their stability during the prescription period. On day seven, 23.1% (3 out of 13) of amoxicillin and 66.7% (8 out of 12) amoxicillin/clavulanic acid oral suspensions presented levels below recommended limits. Uniformity of weight for amoxicillin capsules noted 13.6% (3 out of 22) failure rate, while amoxicillin/clavulanic acid tablets complied. Potency determination for all amoxicillin capsules analyzed were within required limits, but amoxicillin/clavulanic acid tablets showed 33.3% (2 out of 6) noncompliance. For amoxicillin capsule and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid tablet dissolution tests, there was 10.5% (2 out of 19) and 50% (2 out of 4) noncompliance, respectively. Overall, 37.7% of the drugs analyzed failed to comply with the Pharmacopoeia. These results highlight the presence of poor-quality amoxicillin formulations in Nairobi County, affirming the need for regular postmarket surveillance to inform on the situation of antibiotic quality in the Kenyan market., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding publication of this manuscript whatsoever., (Copyright © 2020 Lilian C. Koech et al.)

The trace amount of antibiotics in water can be enriched in the human body through the food chain, leading to extremely harmful effects on people's health. Therefore, it is urgent to develop new methods to detect trace pollutants in various aquatic phase. An analytical method utilizing the synergistic effect between the sensing strategy and catalytic material with high electron transfer capacity can be used to detect trace antibiotics. In this paper, an ultrasensitive impedimetric aptasensor was fabricated by the synergy between functionalized materials (TiO 2 -g-C 3 N 4 ) and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). Due to the formation of the 'Au-S' bond between the thiol-aptamer and Au NPs, amoxicillin and the aptamer can be specifically recognized on the modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE), and the impedance signal increased rapidly. Meanwhile, the Box-Behnken Design (BBD) strategy was used to reduce the random error of the experiment, so that the prepared aptasensor has the highest sensitivity to the detection of amoxicillin. Under optimized conditions, the sensor successfully achieved the detection of amoxicillin in the ultra-low detection range (0.5-3 nM) and reached the ultra-low detection limit (0.2 nM). The detection strategy has good selectivity, reproducibility, and stability, and thus has good potential to detect amoxicillin in actual wastewater., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)