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

The adsolubilization of chloroquin (CQ) by complexes of zeolites with hexadecyl-, tetradecyl-, and do decyltrimethylammonium bromides was determined by spectrophotometry. The zeolites used were P-type zeolite (ZP) with a sodium counterion and X-type zeolites with sodium (NX) or calcium (CX) counterions. ZP adsorbed CQ without surfactant, but the ZP surfactant complexes enhanced the adsorption of CQ. Without surfactant, NX and CX did not adsorb CQ, but the surfactant complexes induced the adsorption of CQ. Since the surfactants and CQ were cationic under the experimental conditions, the enhanced CQ incorporation was ascribed to the adsolubilization of CQ by the zeolite/surfactant complexes. The NaCl concentration in the eluant controlled the rate of CQ elution from the complexes. The examination of the surfactant elution proved that the elution of CQ was dependent on the residual surfactant content of the zeolite/surfactant complexes. Sodium chloride affected the release of both surfactant and CQ from the complexes.