Analysis of antifouling agents after regulation of tributyltin compounds in Korea.

Diverse new antifouling agents are being used as replacements for the organotin compounds that are currently being banned. A comprehensive study on Korea's major seaports was conducted between 2006 and 2009 to assess the concentrations of butyltin compounds and new antifouling agents (chlorothalonil, dichlofluanid, Irgarol 1051). The constituents of the pollution due to antifouling agents in major seaports on the Korean peninsula are shifting from butyltin compounds to new antifouling agents. Also, the distribution of traditional butyltin compounds has centered on the east and west coasts, and the new antifouling agents have polluted the south and east coasts. With the results of this study, our lab was able to identify key locations within Korea where focused pollution control of antifouling agents is necessary.

Electrochemical characterization of a single-walled carbon nanotube electrode for detection of glucose.

We developed glucose biosensing electrodes using single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) films on flexible, transparent poly(ethylene terephthalate). The homogeneous SWCNT films were fabricated by a vacuum filtration method, and the averaged resistivity and transparency of the fabricated flexible SWCNT films were 400 Omega sq(-1) and 80%, respectively. The glucose sensing electrodes were constructed by encapsulating glucose oxidase (GOx) by Nafion binder into the SWCNT film, and the variation in current response as a function of enzyme loading amount, Nafion thickness were investigated. 30 mg mL(-1) GOx and 2% Nafion was optimal for the detection of glucose. When ferrocene monocarboxylic acid (FMCA) was introduced as diffusional electron mediator, the current responses toward glucose of the Nafion/GOx/SWCNT electrodes in glucose solution containing FMCA were dramatically improved, and the developed sensor was independent of oxygen. In the application of GOx immobilized SWCNT films for glucose detection, a linear electrical response was observed for concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 3.0 mM, and the detection limit and the sensitivity were assessed to be 97 microM and 9.32 microA mM(-1) cm(-2), respectively. Moreover, according to the Lineweaver-Burk plot, the apparent Michaelis-Menten constant was calculated to be 23.8 mM, and the current responses did not interfere with coexisting electroactive species, indicating that Nafion is an effective permselective polymer barrier.

Identification of novel acetylenic alcohols and a new dihydrothiopyranone from the tropical sponge Reniochalina sp.

Two new acetylenic alcohols (1-2) and a new dihydrothiopyranone (3) were isolated from the tropical sponge Reniochalina sp. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic and chemical methods to be (3R)-hydroxyoctatriacont-(4E)-en-1-yne (1), 5-hydroxyheptatriacont-(3Z)-en-1-yne (2) and 2-hexadecyl-2,3-dihydrothiopyran-4-one (3). The acetylenic alcohol (1) exhibited significant growth inhibitory effect against human tumor cell lines.

Quantitative structure-activity relationship of spirosuccinimide type aldose reductase inhibitors diminishing sorbitol accumulation in vivo.

Racemate physicochemical descriptors are employed to probe the quantitative structure-activity relationship of spirosuccinimide type aldose reductase inhibitors and the in vivo inhibitory activity of sorbitol accumulation. The in vivo activity data include the percent inhibition and ED50 assay results on the literature. The derived QSAR equations show that the hydrophobic character of aldose reductase inhibitor is the major contributing factor to enhance in vivo activity. As the hydrophobicity of compounds is related to both the membrane permeability and the binding affinity to the aldose reductase, its contribution to the pharmacokinetic behavior is further scrutinized by evaluating pKa and the Caco-2 cell permeability. The high correlation between ED50 and the Caco-2 cell permeability of in vitro active compounds indicates that the membrane permeability is essential for in vivo efficacy.