Estimation of Abraham solvation equation coefficients for hydrogen bond formation from Abraham solvation parameters for solute acidity and basicity

Recent advances for estimating environmental properties for small molecules from chromatographic measurements and the solvation parameter model

The transfer of neutral compounds between immiscible phases in chromatographic or environmental systems can be described by six solute properties (solute descriptors) using the solvation parameter model. The solute descriptors are size (McGowan's characteristic volume), V, excess molar refraction, E, dipolarity/polarizability, S, hydrogen-bond acidity and basicity, A and B, and the gas-liquid partition constant on n-hexadecane at 298.15 K, L. V and E for liquids are accessible by calculation but the other descriptors and E for solids are determined experimentally by chromatographic, liquid-liquid partition, and solubility measurements. These solute descriptors are available for several thousand compounds in the Abraham solute descriptor databases and for several hundred compounds in the WSU experimental solute descriptor database. In the first part of this review, we highlight features important in defining each descriptor, their experimental determination, compare descriptor quality for the two organized descriptor databases, and methods for estimating Abraham solute descriptors. In the second part we focus on recent applications of the solvation parameter model to characterize environmental systems and its use for the identification of surrogate chromatographic models for estimating environmental properties.

Applications of polyparameter linear free energy relationships in environmental chemistry

Partitioning behavior of organic chemicals has tremendous influences on their environmental distribution, reaction rates, bioaccumulation, and toxic effects. Polyparameter linear free energy relationships (PP-LFERs) have been proven to be useful to characterize the equilibrium partitioning of organic chemicals in various environmental and technical partitioning systems and predict the respective partition coefficients. Over the past decade, PP-LFER solute descriptors for numerous environmentally relevant organic chemicals and system parameters for environmentally important partitioning systems have been determined, extending substantially the applicability of the PP-LFER approaches. However, the information needed for the use of PP-LFERs including descriptors and parameters is scattered over a large number of publications. In this work, we review the state of the art of the PP-LFER approaches in environmental chemical applications. The solute descriptors and system parameters reported in the literature and the availability of their database are summarized, and their calibration and prediction methods are overviewed. We also describe tips and pitfalls associated with the use of the PP-LFER approaches and identify research needs to improve further the usefulness of PP-LFERs for environmental chemistry.

Biotransformation model of neutral and weakly polar organic compounds in fish incorporating internal partitioning

A model for whole-body in vivo biotransformation of neutral and weakly polar organic chemicals in fish is presented. It considers internal chemical partitioning and uses Abraham solvation parameters as reactivity descriptors. It assumes that only chemicals freely dissolved in the body fluid may bind with enzymes and subsequently undergo biotransformation reactions. Consequently, the whole-body biotransformation rate of a chemical is retarded by the extent of its distribution in different biological compartments. Using a randomly generated training set (n = 64), the biotransformation model is found to be: log (HLφfish ) = 2.2 (±0.3)B - 2.1 (±0.2)V - 0.6 (±0.3) (root mean square error of prediction [RMSE] = 0.71), where HL is the whole-body biotransformation half-life in days, φfish is the freely dissolved fraction in body fluid, and B and V are the chemical's H-bond acceptance capacity and molecular volume. Abraham-type linear free energy equations were also developed for lipid-water (Klipidw ) and protein-water (Kprotw ) partition coefficients needed for the computation of φfish from independent determinations. These were found to be 1) log Klipidw  = 0.77E - 1.10S - 0.47A - 3.52B + 3.37V + 0.84 (in Lwat /kglipid ; n = 248, RMSE = 0.57) and 2) log Kprotw  = 0.74E - 0.37S - 0.13A - 1.37B + 1.06V - 0.88 (in Lwat /kgprot ; n = 69, RMSE = 0.38), where E, S, and A quantify dispersive/polarization, dipolar, and H-bond-donating interactions, respectively. The biotransformation model performs well in the validation of HL (n = 424, RMSE = 0.71). The predicted rate constants do not exceed the transport limit due to circulatory flow. Furthermore, the model adequately captures variation in biotransformation rate between chemicals with varying log octanol-water partitioning coefficient, B, and V and exhibits high degree of independence from the choice of training chemicals. The present study suggests a new framework for modeling chemical reactivity in biological systems.