Development of new phosphated cellulose for application as an efficient biomaterial for the incorporation/release of amitriptyline

• Phosphated cellulose was synthesized.
• Adsorption experiments with amitriptyline were conducted.
• Adsorbents used: pure cellulose and phosphated cellulose.
• Variables used in adsorption: time, pH, concentration, temperature and ionic strength.
• Variables used in the desorption: pH and time.

In the last years has increased the study about the using of natural biopolymers and theirs derivatives in the removal (adsorption/incorporation) of contaminats of medium aqueous, and theirs utilization in the desorption (release) de drugs. However, there not in the literature studies about the utilization of the cellulose and cellulose phosphate in the adsorption (incorporation)/desorption (release) of the drug amitriptyline (AMI). Therefore, in this study was accomplished the synthesized of the phosphated cellulose (PC) through the reaction of pure cellulose (C) with sodium trimetaphosphate (P) under-reflux, for 4 h and at 393 K. The efficiency of the reaction was observed by XRD, TG/DTG, 31P NMR and EDS. The adsorption study for the AMI in aqueous medium was carried out by varying the time, pH, concentration, temperature and ionic strength. The results showed that the PC showed a greater adsorption capacity of AMI than pure cellulose, presenting an increase of about 102.72% in the adsorption capacity of the drug by cellulose after the phosphating reaction. In desorption of drug from the surface of biomaterials was performed by varying the pH and time, where it was observed that PC showed a maximum release of 40.98% ± 0.31% at pH 7.