ESR Studies on Characteristic Chemical Effects of Some Irradiated Antibiotics

MOST of the characteristic chemical effects of the irradiated solid drugs are not accurately detected by the conventional tests such as ultra violet spectro-photometry and melting point technique. Sterilization using gamma irradiation is a desirable alternative for the thermo-sensitive drugs. Antibiotics samples were -irradiated at room temperature with doses ranging from 2 kGy up to 25 kGy. Electron Spine Resonance (ESR) measurements were applied on four types of antibiotics; Amoxycillin, Ampicillin, Dalacin and Spiramycin (AMX, AMP, DAL and SPI). ESR results exhibited the impact of irradiation and storage parameters on the nature and concentration of the trapped radicals. The radical concentration is directly proportional to the ESR peak height signal also depending on the absorbed dose delivered to the antibiotic samples. The obtained information about the irradiated radiolytic products was found to verify the radical mechanisms. This information may be used to detect an irradiation treatment on such pharmaceuticals.