Adsorption characteristics of certain antibiotics to veegum and activated charcoal

Adsorption of streptomycin sulphate and neomycin sulphate to veegum and activated charcoal in water or buffered solution was studied. Both antibiotics demonstrated a significant reduction in their activity, particularly in water. The activity of streptomycin sulphate decreased in the following order: veegum in water greater than activated charcoal in water greater than veegum in buffer greater than activated charcoal in buffer and their calculated adsorption coefficients were 111 X 10(-3), 57 X 10(-3), 33 X 10(-3) and 25 X 10(-3) (respectively), while neomycin sulphate was affected in the following decreasing order: activated charcoal in water greater than activated charcoal in buffer greater than veegum in water greater than veegum in buffer. The calculated adsorption coefficients were 64 X 10(-3), 47 X 10(-3), 34 X 10(-3) and 26 X 10(-3) (respectively). The mechanism of adsorption was discussed.