The determination of leachable chromium from chromicized catgut sutures

Application of the British Pharmacopoeia (BP) Analytical procedure for the determination of leachable chromium to samples of catgut sutures yielded fading coloured solutions and was considered to constitute a poor basis for an analytical method. The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) method and an adaptation of the American Public Health Association (APHA) method were explored and found to give linear responses over the concentration range of interest. Both these methods were applied to a series of samples and the results obtained were different as the APHA method measures total chromium while the USP procedure determines only chromium (VI).