Surfactant-modified zeolites as a drug carrier and the release of chloroquin

The adsolubilization of chloroquin (CQ) by complexes of zeolites with hexad ecyl-, tetradecyl-, and do decyltrimethylammonium bromides was determined b y spectrophotometry. The zeolites used were P-type zeolite (ZP) with a sodi um counterion and X-type zeolites with sodium (NX) or calcium (CX) counteri ons. ZP adsorbed CQ without surfactant, but the ZP surfactant complexes enh anced the adsorption of CQ. Without surfactant, NX and CX did not adsorb CQ , but the surfactant complexes induced the adsorption of CQ. Since the surf actants and CQ were cationic under the experimental conditions, the enhance d CQ incorporation was ascribed to the adsolubilization of CQ by the zeolit e/surfactant complexes. The NaCl concentration in the eluant controlled the rate of CQ elution from the complexes. The examination of the surfactant e lution proved that the elution of CQ was dependent on the residual surfacta nt content of the zeolite/surfactant complexes. Sodium chloride affected th e release of both surfactant and CQ from the complexes.