Cross-contamination in Porcelain Mortars

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Materials Science

Background:

• Porcelain mortars and pestles are widely used for small-scale drug comminution.
• Concerns exist regarding drug residue removal and cross-contamination from rough mortar surfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify residual drug amounts on porcelain versus plastic mortars after washing.
• To compare the quality of suspension ointments prepared using both mortar types.

Main Methods:

• Salicylic acid residue on porcelain and plastic mortars was measured after various washing procedures.
• Particle size and homogeneity of suspension ointments were assessed.

Main Results:

• Significant drug residues (in the mg range) remained on porcelain mortars, indicating inadequate cleaning.
• No drug traces were detected on plastic mortars.
• Both porcelain and plastic mortars yielded comparable suspension ointment quality.

Conclusions:

• Standard rinsing procedures are insufficient for effectively cleaning porcelain mortars.
• Plastic mortars present a superior option for minimizing drug cross-contamination.
• Both materials are suitable for preparing semisolid suspensions.