Date of Award

8-1997

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Chemistry

First Advisor

Dr. John L. Nappier

Second Advisor

Dr. Terry J. Gilbertson

Third Advisor

Dr. Scott A. Brown

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Premafloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic being developed by Pharmacia & Upjohn for veterinary indications. Since the parent drug and possibly metabolites will be applied to soil through the deposition of animal excreta, many regulatory agencies will require environmental assessment testing. In order to determine if 14C-premafloxacin would biodegrade in the soil, loam soil was extracted with solvents and C18 solid phase columns were used to isolate the compound after three weeks of incubation. In addition to extracting the soil, production of 14CO2 was monitored by trapping the degradation by-product in 2 N NaOH. Liquid scintillation counting of the solvent extracts and trapping solution appeared to indicate a high binding affinity between 14C-premafloxacin and the soil. This affinity can reduce the bioavailability of the drug to microorganisms thus inhibiting aerobic biodegradation. Contact with loam soil will therefore immobilize the drug and naturally occurring environmental conditions involving weak acid, base and saline solutions will not dissociate the drug from the soil.

Included in

Chemistry Commons

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