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A Simple Reagent‐Free Spectrophotometric Assay for Monitoring Metronidazole Therapy in Aquarium Water
Author(s) -
Webb D. Harry,
Marrero Cynthia,
Ellis Helen,
Merriwether Lea,
Dove Alistair D. M.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of aquatic animal health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.507
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1548-8667
pISSN - 0899-7659
DOI - 10.1080/08997659.2013.788583
Subject(s) - metronidazole , nitroimidazole , absorbance , biology , reagent , chromatography , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , medicine , antibiotics , pathology
A reagent‐free spectrophotometric assay was developed to measure the concentration of metronidazole (a 5‐nitroimidazole) in both freshwater and seawater matrices. This assay is simple, repeatable, sensitive, and precise and is ideal for use when a rapid, selective test to determine metronidazole concentration in aqueous matrices is necessary. The assay was practically tested on a South American fishes display during treatment with metronidazole for an outbreak of the flagellated parasite Spironucleus in a mixed cichlid (family Cichlidae) and tetra (family Characidae) community. The assay clearly illustrated the course of treatment for the system during a real clinical application. The assay is not without limitations, as interferences can occur from other drugs in the matrix with similar absorbance spectra. Nonetheless, this type of assay illustrates the potential for use of native absorbance assays in aqueous matrices for this and other therapeutic compounds. Received November 29, 2012; accepted March 17, 2013