Assay
Cool an accurately weighed Inhalation Aerosol container for 10 minutes in a bath consisting of a mixture of acetone and solid carbon dioxide. Cut the valve from the aerosol container and allow the container to warm to room temperature. When most of the propellants have evaporated, transfer the residue in the container to a 250-mL separator with the aid of 30 mL of chloroform and 50 mL of 0.01 N hydrochloric acid. Reserve the valve and the empty container. Shake the separator for 1 minute and allow the phases to separate. Transfer the chloroform phase to a second 250-mL separator and the aqueous phase to a 250-mL volumetric flask. Wash the chloroform phase with two 50-mL portions of 0.01 N hydrochloric acid, add the washings to the 250-mL volumetric flask, dilute with 0.01 N hydrochloric acid to volume, and mix. Transfer an accurately measured volume of this stock solution, equivalent to about 10 mg of metaproterenol sulfate, to a 100-mL volumetric flask, dilute with 0.01 N hydrochloric acid to volume, and mix. Dissolve an accurately weighed quantity of
USP Metaproterenol Sulfate RS in 0.01 N hydrochloric acid, and dilute quantitatively and stepwise with the same solvent to obtain a Standard solution having a known concentration of about 100 µg per mL. Concomitantly determine the absorbances of both solutions at the wavelength of maximum absorbance at about 276 nm, with a suitable spectrophotometer, using 0.01 N hydrochloric acid as the blank. Rinse the empty aerosol container and the valve with water and dry them at 105
for 10 minutes, allow to cool, and weigh. Subtract the weight thus obtained from the original weight of the Inhalation Aerosol container to obtain the weight of the Inhalation Aerosol taken. Calculate the quantity, in mg, of metaproterenol sulfate [(C
11H
17NO
3)
2·H
2SO
4] in each mL of the Inhalation Aerosol taken by the formula:
25(C / V)(d / W)(AU / AS),
in which
C is the concentration, in µg per mL, of
USP Metaproterenol Sulfate RS in the Standard solution,
V is the volume, in mL, of stock solution taken,
W is the weight, in g, of the Inhalation Aerosol taken, and
AU and
AS are the absorbances of the solution from the Inhalation Aerosol and the Standard solution, respectively. [The density,
d, is determined as follows: Weigh a known volume (
v) of the Inhalation Aerosol in a suitable 5-mL gas-tight syringe equipped with a linear valve. Calibrate the volume of the syringe by filling to the 5-mL mark with dichlorotetrafluoroethane withdrawn from a plastic-coated glass vial sealed with a neoprene multiple-dose rubber stopper and an aluminum seal, using 1.456 g per mL as the density of the calibrating liquid. Maintain the dichlorotetrafluoroethane, the Inhalation Aerosol sample, and the syringe (protected from becoming wet) at 25
in a water bath. Obtain the sample, equivalent to the same volume as that obtained during the sampling procedure, from the Inhalation Aerosol by means of a sampling device consisting of a replaceable rubber septum engaged in the plate threads at one end of a threaded fitting, the opposite end of which contains a sharpened tube capable of puncturing the aerosol container, and a rubber gasket around the tube to prevent leakage of the container contents after puncture.
* Calculate the density taken by the formula:
w / v,
in which
w is the weight of the volume,
v, of the Inhalation Aerosol taken.]