Enzyme-based sensing on nanohybrid film coated over FTO electrode for highly sensitive detection of antibiotics.

Cefepime and Meropenem are the new class of antibiotics, which are particularly used as last potent defender or the antibiotics of the last resort against multi-resistant bacterial species. In this paper, an impedance-based electrochemical biosensor was fabricated for identifying antibiotics of last resort in the forensic samples including gastric lavage and other body fluids. The sensor was developed using platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) and electrodeposited zinc oxide- zinc hexacyanoferrate hybrid film (ZnO/ZnHCF) on the surface of a fluorine-doped glass electrode (FTO). Further, penicillinase was immobilized onto the modified electrode using penicillinase enzyme. The developed biosensor exhibits a good analytical response for the detection of antibiotics evaluated using electrochemistry studies. The linear response of the fabricated electrode was observed from 0.1 to 750 µM and the electrode limit of detection (LOD) was observed as 0.1 µM. The sensor confirms good accuracy, is highly selective, and sensitive for the target. While storing the modified electrode at 4 °C, the stability of biosensor was evaluated for 45 days, and activity loss of 30-40% was observed. The highly sensitive interface of Penicillinase@CHIT/PtNP-ZnO/ZnHCF/FTO electrode shows a promising future in forensic studies.

HILIC LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of cefepime, imipenem and meropenem.

A high performance hydrophilic interaction chromatography method combined with tandem-mass spectrometry for the quantification of cefepime, meropenem and imipenem in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid is presented. A solution of 0.5 M 3-Morpholinopropanesulfonic acid and ethylene glycol (1:1) was added to the samples before analysis to ensure stability of analytes during work up and storage. Deuterated forms of cefepime and meropenem were used as internal standards. Protein precipitation prior to injection into the LC-MS/MS system provided a fast and easy sample preparation. For online extraction, a Turboflow Cyclone-MCX column was used and the chromatographic separation was carried out on a Hypersil GOLD HILIC column. Linear calibration curves were obtained in the concentration range of 0.4-40 mg/l, 0.6-60 mg/l and 1-100 mg/l for meropenem, imipenem and cefepime, respectively. The intra- and interday imprecision and inaccuracy values were below 10 % for plasma and 13 % for cerebrospinal fluid using a calibration in plasma. The method was employed for therapeutic drug measurements in a university hospital.