Oxidation of Some Antibiotics Using Different Oxidants in Various Media : A Kinetic and Mechanistic Investigation

Abstract

The thesis consists of 6 chapters: Chapter I includes an introduction to the concepts of the chemical kinetics, reaction mechanisms and oxidation-reduction reactions with literature survey on the properties, uses and previous studies of the redox kinetics of antibiotics and oxidizing agents in different media. Chapter II includes the experimental details of this thesis which deals with the preparation of different solutions, absorption spectra of antibiotics and oxidizing agents and the methods of determination of their concentrations, description of the kinetic measurements as well as the techniques and apparatus used. . Chapter III concerns the kinetics and mechanism of oxidative degradation of four antibiotics by permanganate ion in alkaline medium. Chapter IV deals with the kinetics and mechanism of oxidative degradation of ampicillin and flucloxacillin by hexacyanoferrate(III) in alkaline medium Chapter V investigates the kinetics and mechanisms of oxidative degradation of neomycin and streptomycin by cerium(IV) in different acidic media. Chapter VI deals with the kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of flucloxacillin antibiotic by different oxidants in sulfuric acid solution.