Using computer tools for the evaluation of biodegradability, toxicity, and activity on the AT1 receptor of degradation products identified in the removal of valsartan by using photo-electro-Fenton process

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2021-05, Vol.28 (19), p.23984-23994
• Main Authors: Espinosa-Barrera, Paula Andrea, Delgado-Vargas, Carlos Andrés, Martínez-Pachón, Diana, Moncayo-Lasso, Alejandro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Advanced Oxidation/Reduction Technologies: An Perspective from Iberoamerican Countries; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Binding sites; Biodegradability; Biodegradation; Biotransformation; Degradation; Degradation products; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental effects; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Lipophilicity; Mathematical analysis; Molecular dynamics; Oxidation; Oxygen demand; Physiology; Toxicity; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-11949-9

This work deals with the theoretical approach of biodegradability, lipophilicity, and physiological activity of VAL and four degradation products (DPs) detected after 20 min of the photo-electro-Fenton (PEF) process. The biodegradability calculation, taking into account the change in the theoretical oxygen demand, showed that the four DPs had a more negative value than VAL, indicating that they are more susceptible to oxidation. However, these results do not imply more accessible biotransformation pathways than VAL, as observed using the EAWAG-BBD program, through which neutral biotransformation pathway prediction for VAL and DPs was made. Subsequently, by calculating the theoretical lipophilicity of the molecules (log P ), the theoretical toxicity of the DPs was proposed, where the DPs had log P values between 1 and 3, lower values than those of VAL (log P = 4), indicating that DPs could be less toxic than the original compound (VAL). Both results suggest that VAL degradation (by photo-electro-Fenton process proposed) yields a positive effect on the environment. Finally, when molecular dynamic simulations were carried out, it was observed that DP1, DP2, and DP3 maintained similar interactions to those of VAL with the binding site of the AT1R. DP4 did not show any interaction. These results indicated that, despite the presence of DPs, generated after 20 min of the treatment, they could not exert a physiological activity in any organism the same way that does VAL.