Influence of ionizing radiation on the antimicrobial activity of the antibiotics sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim.

The response of the antimicrobial compounds sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and trimethoprim (TMP) - individually and in mixtures - to ionizing radiation was investigated using laboratory prepared mixtures and a commercial pharmaceutical formulation. The residual antibacterial activity of the solutions was monitored using Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli test strains. Based on antibacterial activity, SMX was more susceptible to ionizing radiation as compared to TMP. The antibacterial activity of SMX and TMP was completely eliminated at 0.2 kGy and 0.8 kGy, respectively. However, when SMX and TMP were in a mixture, the dose required to eliminate the antibacterial activity was 10 kGy, implying a synergistic antibacterial activity when these are present in mixtures. Only when the antibiotic concentration was below the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of TMP (i.e., 2 µmol dm-3) did the antibacterial activity of the SMX and TMP mixture disappear. These results imply that the synergistic antimicrobial activity of antimicrobial compounds in pharmaceutical waste streams is a strong possibility. Therefore, antimicrobial activity assays should be included when evaluating the use of ionizing radiation technology for the remediation of pharmaceutical or municipal waste streams.

Radiolytic degradation of gallic acid and its derivatives in aqueous solution.

Polyphenols, like gallic acid (GA) released in the environment in larger amount, by inducing some unwanted oxidations, may constitute environmental hazard: their concentration in wastewater should be controlled. Radiolytic degradation of GA was investigated by pulse radiolysis and final product techniques in dilute aqueous solution. Subsidiary measurements were made with 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid (TMBA) and 3,4,5-trihydroxy methylbenzoate (MGA). The hydroxyl radical and hydrogen atom intermediates of water radiolysis react with the solute molecules yielding cyclohexadienyl radicals. The radicals formed in GA and MGA solutions in acid/base catalyzed water elimination decay to phenoxyl radicals. This reaction is not observed in TMBA solution. The hydrated electron intermediate of water decomposition adds to the carbonyl oxygen, the anion thus formed protonates on the ring forming cyclohexadienyl radical or on the carbonyl group forming carbonyl centred radical. The GA intermediates formed during reaction with primary water radicals in presence of oxygen transform to non-aromatic molecules, e.g., to aliphatic carboxylic acids.

Degradation of H-acid and its derivative in aqueous solution by ionising radiation.

The mechanism of high-energy radiation induced degradation of H-acid (4-amino-5-hydroxynaphthalene-2,7-disulphonic acid, (I)) and its derivative, 4-hydroxynaphthalene-2,7-disulphonic acid (II) (central parts of a large number of azo dyes), was investigated in aqueous solutions. These compounds can be efficiently destroyed by the (*)OH and hydrated electron intermediates produced during water radiolysis. As the first step of degradation mainly cyclohexadienyl-type radicals form, however, with I H-atom elimination from the NH(2) group is also observed yielding anilino-type radicals. Both the cyclohexadienyl and the anilino-type radicals decay on the millisecond timescale. In the (*)OH reactions as stable products hydroxylated molecules and quinone-type compounds form. These molecules by further decomposition of the ring structure transform to open chain molecules. In the case of hydrated electron, the primarily formed products have absorption spectra shifted to the low-wavelength region indicating the destruction of at least one of the aromatic rings.