title: Application of electrolysis to inactivation of antibacterials in clinical use.
abstract: Contamination of surface water by antibacterial pharmaceuticals (antibacterials) from clinical settings may affect aquatic organisms, plants growth, and environmental floral bacteria. One of the methods to decrease the contamination is inactivation of antibacterials before being discharged to the sewage system. Recently, we reported the novel method based on electrolysis for detoxifying wastewater containing antineoplastics. In the present study, to clarify whether the electrolysis method is applicable to the inactivation of antibacterials, we electrolyzed solutions of 10 groups of individual antibacterials including amikacin sulfate (AMK) and a mixture (MIX) of some commercial antibacterials commonly prescribed at hospitals, and measured their antibacterial activities. AMK was inactivated in its antibacterial activities and its concentration decreased by electrolysis in a time-dependent manner. Eighty to ninety-nine percent of almost all antibacterials and MIX were inactivated within 6h of electrolysis. Additionally, cytotoxicity was not detected in any of the electrolyzed solutions of antibacterials and MIX by the Molt-4-based cytotoxicity test.
authors: Project Team for Medical Application of Electrolysis (Nakano Project), Central Research Center, Osaka Medical College, Takatsuki-shi, Osaka, Japan. tnakano@art.osaka-med.ac.jp
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Nakano
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Hirose
authors: Toyohide
authors: T
authors: Kobayashi
authors: Naoki
authors: N
authors: Hiro
authors: Fumitake
authors: F
authors: Kondo
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Tamai
authors: Kazuhiko
authors: K
authors: Tanaka
authors: Kouichi
authors: K
authors: Sano
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004572:Electrolysis; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012722:Sewage