Daniel A. Batistoni

Biodistribution of a carborane-containing porphyrin as a targeting agent for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy of oral cancer in the hamster cheek pouch

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a bimodal cancer treatment based on the selective accumulation of 10B in tumors and concurrent irradiation with thermalized neutrons. The short-range, high-LET radiation produced by the capture of neutrons by 10B could potentially control tumor while sparing normal tissue if the boron compound targets tumor selectively within the treatment volume. In previous studies, we proposed and validated the hamster cheek pouch model of oral cancer for BNCT studies, proved that absolute and relative uptake of the clinically employed boron compound boronophenylalanine (BPA) would be potentially therapeutic in this model and provided evidence of the efficacy of in vivo BPA-mediated BNCT to control hamster oral mucosa tumors with virtually no damage to normal tissue. We herein present the biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of a lipophilic, carborane-containing tetraphenylporphyrin (CuTCPH) in the hamster oral cancer model. CuTCPH is a novel, non-toxic compound that may be advantageous in terms of selective and absolute delivery of boron to tumor tissues. For potentially effective BNCT, tumor boron concentrations from a new agent should be greater than 30 ppm and tumor/blood and tumor/normal tissue boron concentration ratios should be greater than 5/1 without causing significant toxicity. We administered CuTCPH intraperitoneally (i.p.) as a single dose of 32 microg/g body weight (b.w.) (10 microg B/g b.w.) or as four doses of 32 microg/g b.w. over 2 days. Blood (Bl) and tissues were sampled at 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h in the single-dose protocol and at 1-4 days after the last injection in the multidose protocol. The tissues sampled were tumor (T), precancerous tissue surrounding tumor, normal pouch (N), skin, tongue, cheek and palate mucosa, liver, spleen, parotid gland and brain. The maximum mean B ratios for the single-dose protocol were T/N: 9.2/1 (12h) and T/Bl: 18.1/1 (72 h). The B value peaked to 20.7+/-18.5 ppm in tumor at 24h. The multidose protocol maximum mean ratios were T/N: 11.9/1 (3 days) and T/Bl: 235/1 (4 days). Absolute boron concentration in tumor reached a maximum value of 116 ppm and a mean value of 71.5+/-48.3 ppm at 3 days. The fact that absolute and relative B values markedly exceeded the BNCT therapeutic threshold with no apparent toxicity may confer on this compound a therapeutic advantage. CuTCPH-mediated BNCT would be potentially useful for the treatment of oral cancer in an experimental model.

Assessment of acid media effects on the determination of tin by hydride generation-inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

Abstract The effect of several inorganic (nitric, sulfuric and hydrochloric) and organic (acetic, mercaptoacetic and tartaric) acids on the continuous hydride generation determination of tin by ICP-OES was evaluated. The study was aimed to optimize the efficiency of hydride generation as well as the reduction of interference caused by the presence of concomitant elements. Employing reduction with sodium tetrahydroborate, the highest sensitivity was observed with 2.5 M acetic acid. Effects of signal depression produced by transition and hydride-forming elements were less pronounced with acetic and mercaptoacetic acids. Additionally, sensitivity was found to be less dependent on concentration variations for organic acid media. A significant increase in sensitivity was obtained by hydride generation at temperatures above 20 °C. The limit of detection calculated for optimized conditions in acetic acid was 0.1 ng ml−1. Method repeatability was in the 3.1–4.5% R.S.D. range. The accuracy of this method was tested by analysis of a soil certified reference material (GBW 07405).

Simplified determination of lipophilic metabolites of nonylphenol ethoxylates: method development and application in aqueous samples from Buenos Aires, Argentina

In the present work we have developed an analytical methodology for the determination of nonylphenol (NP) and nonylphenol mono- and di-ethoxylates (NP1EO and NP2EO) in water samples. The applicability of this methodology was proved by means of the analysis of environmentally relevant aqueous samples from Buenos Aires. This constitutes a starting point for a rigorous assessment of the incidence of NPnEO surfactants in Argentina, as only very few, qualitative or semi-quantitative data on the occurrence of these compounds in local systems were available up to this time. Enrichment of the analytes was carried out by solid-phase extraction on a C-18 sorbent, followed by elution with ethyl acetate. Normal-phase high performance liquid chromatography on an amino-silica column and fluorescence detection at excitation-emission wavelengths of 230-300 nm were employed for separation and quantification of the analytes. Confirmation of peak assignment in selected real samples was performed by off-line coupling HPLC with GC-MS analysis. A non-polar GC capillary column was used, and a characteristic peak pattern was obtained for the alkyl chain isomers of each ethoxylated homologue and NP. GC-MS analyses yielded in all cases purity levels higher than 80% for the HPLC collected fractions. The elevated concentrations found for the estrogenic metabolites of NPnEO are in accordance with an unrestricted use of this class of non-ionic surfactants in the country.

Matrix effects in the analysis of biological matrices by axial view inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

Abstract We are reporting observations of positive and negative variations of emission line intensities during the determination of boron and titanium in biological matrices by axial view inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry with segmented charge-coupled device detection. The study included the testing of several elements (yttrium, palladium and platinum) and analytical wavelengths for internal standardization, aiming to compensate for variations in signal recovery due to matrix interferences. Human albumin was chosen as principal matrix component to assess the effect of variable chemical and instrumental operating conditions on boron response. A parametric study was performed by considering the application of two different nebulizer–aerosol chamber systems, the effect of plasma operating conditions on analyte and internal standard signals and the influence of common blood plasma electrolytes, added as salts of alkaline or alkaline earth elements. The pneumatic injection systems tested were a standard cross-flow nebulizer with a Scott type spray chamber and a concentric Meinhard type device coupled to a glass cyclonic spray chamber. The change from standard (i.e. medium RF power and relatively high aerosol carrier gas flow rate) to robust (i.e. higher RF power and lower carrier gas flow rate) conditions contributed to large, non-correlated variations in boron intensities and in some of the analyte/internal standard ratios. Significant memory effects were observed for injection of boron solutions prepared with boric acid and containing small amounts of acid, but those effects were negligible when the boron carrier compound was boronophenylalanyne. The injection of titanium solutions did not produce analyte carry-over effects. When internal standards were employed, a less effective signal compensation was consistently observed for boron at higher albumin concentrations when the difference in energies of the lines was between 4.5 and 6 eV. This effect was enhanced for some line pairs when robust conditions are employed. Differences in the response between nebulizers were minor, with a slight advantage in sensitivity for the cross-flow/Scott system. Yttrium was found to be useful for signal compensation in the determination of boron and titanium in blood and human plasma provided that the equivalent concentration of albumin in the nebulized sample dilutions was kept below 0.2% w/v. Simultaneous measurement of a reference strontium line was found to be useful as an additional verification of the response of yttrium as internal standard.