Determination of mercury-containing pharmaceuticals by vapor phase atomic absorption spectroscopy

A procedure was developed for the determination of mercurials of pharmaceutical interest. Protic acid cleavage of the compound was followed by reduction of the resulting mercuric ion and vapor phase atomic absorption spectroscopy. This procedure was applied to 11 different mercurial compounds in various pharmaceutical preparations and offers excellent sensitivity with respect to presently used compendial assays. Comparative analytical data between this procedure and compendial methodology are presented.