Influence of the presence of a gel in the water phase on the electrochemical transfer of ionic forms of beta-blockers across a large water 1,2-dichloroethane interface.

The transfer of ionic species of three beta-blockers (propranolol, sotalol and timolol) has been studied by cyclic voltammetry at a macroscopic water 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCE) interface. The aqueous solution has been gellified in order to study the effect of the gel on the transport properties of the drugs. The gelling agent also stabilizes the interface overcoming mechanical instability. The standard potential and standard Gibbs energy of transfer across the interface, the partition coefficient and the diffusion coefficient of each drug were determined in the presence of a gelled interface. The diffusion coefficients were shifted relative to those obtained at normal water 1,2-DCE interfaces (free of gel).