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Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Extraction and Characterization of Surfactants from Atmospheric Aerosols
Published on: April 21, 2017
Synthesis and characterization of cationic surfactants and their interactions with drug and metal complexes
Kalsoom Akhter1, Kaleem Ullah1, Rabia Talat1
1Department of Chemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
Abstract:
Two new cationic surfactants, n-hexadecyl-3-methylpyridinium bromide and n-heptadecyl-3-methylpyridinium bromide have been synthesized and characterized in solid state by FT-IR, and in solution by 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. The values of critical micelle concentration (CMC) were determined by UV-visible spectroscopy and conductometry. Interaction of synthesized surfactants with two anionic drugs, i.e., diclofenac sodium {[2-(2, 6-Dichloroanilino) phenyl] acetic acid} and ketoprofen [(RS)-2-(3-benzoylphenyl) propionic acid] was studied by UV-visible spectroscopy. Binding constant (K), Gibb's free energy (ΔG) and number of drug molecules (n) per micelle were also calculated. These synthesized surfactants were proved to be efficient in increasing the solubility and bioavailability of drug molecules. In order to check the carrier efficiency of synthesized surfactants against bioactive coordinate, on complexes, interaction of recently reported bioactive zinc complexes was tested with synthesized cationic surfactants by conductometric measurements. Mole fractions (Xcmc) and Gibbs free energy (ΔGcmc) values were also calculated. Both surfactants were further screened for anti-fungal and anti-bacterial activities.
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