Influence of surface steroid groups on sorption of salts of bile acids by mesoporous organosilicas

Regulation of enterohepatic circulation of bile acids in human body is actual task to overcome cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this work was to create biocompatible sorbents with improved sorption ability in relation to bile acids. Mesoporous organosilicas of MCM‑41 type with chemically grafted 3‑aminopropyl and steroid groups were obtained by sol‑gel condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate and functional silanes in the presence of template cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. Porous structure of synthesized organosilicas was characterized by low‑temperature nitrogen adsorption–desorption and X‑ray diffraction analysis. Formation of typical for MCM‑41 hexagonal arrangement of cylindrical mesopores was confirmed. Structural parameters of synthesized silica materials were calculated. The influence of surface steroid groups on sorption ability of organosilicas was studied on example of bile salts (sodium cholate and taurocholate) in dependence of duration of contact, acidity of medium, and equilibrium concentration. Analysis of kinetic parameters of sorption estimated by Lagergren and Ho-McKey models confirms the proceeding of pseudo-second order process. The most effective sorption of sodium cholate and taurocholate was observed at pH ~ 5 and pH ~ 2, respectively, where the ovterlapping of pH regions of 3‑aminopropyl groups protonation and bile acids dissociation takes place. Analysis of experimentally obtained isotherms by use of Freundlich, Redlich‑Peterson, and BET models was carried out. It has been found that protonated amino groups are the main sorption centers of bile acids protolytic forms by synthesized aminosilica in pH range from 1 to 8. Introduction of steroid groups in surface layer at sol-gel synthesis leads to the increase of bile salts sorption due to the cooperative interactions with formation of supramolecular structures in the surface layer of organosilica. Obtained results prove prospects of usage of organosilica sorbents with surface steroid groups for regulation of bile acids content in human body.