Abstract
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), a derivative of 4-aminoquinolone, is prescribed as an antimalarial prevention drug and to treat diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Recently, Coronavirus (COVID-19) treatment was authorized by national and international medical organizations by chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in certain hospitalized patients. However, it is considered as an unproven hypothesis for treating COVID-19 which even itself must be investigated. Consequently, the high risk of natural water contamination due to the large production and utilization of HCQ is a key issue to overcome urgently. In fact, in Brazil, the COVID-19 kit (hydroxychloroquine and/or ivermectin) has been indicated as pre-treatment, and consequently, several people have used these drugs, for longer periods, converting them in emerging water pollutants when these are excreted and released to aquatic environments. For this reason, the development of tools for monitoring HCQ concentration in water and the treatment of polluted effluents is needed to minimize its hazardous effects. Then, in this study, an electrochemical measuring device for its environmental application on HCQ control was developed. A raw cork–graphite electrochemical sensor was prepared and a simple differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) method was used for the quantitative determination of HCQ. Results indicated that the electrochemical device exhibited a clear current response, allowing one to quantify the analyte in the 5–65 µM range. The effectiveness of the electrochemical sensor was tested in different water matrices (in synthetic and real) and lower HCQ concentrations were detected. When comparing electrochemical determinations and spectrophotometric measurements, no significant differences were observed (mean accuracy 3.0%), highlighting the potential use of this sensor in different environmental applications.
Highlights
COVID-19 is caused by a new strain of the coronavirus, which is associated with the same family of viruses as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and some types of the common cold [1]
In Brazil, hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin are included in COVID-19 kits, as a pre-treatment option
Based on its effectiveness as an electrochemical sensor when it is combined with graphite, we propose a cork–graphite composite electrode for detecting HCQ in water matrices
Summary
COVID-19 is caused by a new strain of the coronavirus, which is associated with the same family of viruses as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and some types of the common cold [1]. As of May 19, 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused more than 3.4 million deaths worldwide [2], and to date, no drug has been proven to target this virus. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has received remarkable attention as a treatment option for COVID-19 In Brazil, hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin are included in COVID-19 kits, as a pre-treatment option. No scientific results support the effectiveness of these drugs in preventing COVID-19 infection or as a treatment option. Several people have taken these drugs over a protracted period and the subsequent environmental release of these drugs has resulted in their classification as emerging water pollutants [5,6]
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