Reference solution
Dissolve 20 mg of
USP Sulfanilamide RS and 20 mg of sulfanilic acid in 10 mL of ammonium hydroxide, and dilute with methanol to 100 mL. Transfer 2.0 mL of the solution to a 50-mL volumetric flask, add 10 mL of ammonium hydroxide, dilute with methanol to volume, and mix.
Procedure
Apply 10 µL of the
Standard solution, 25 µL of the
Reference solution, and 10 µL of the
Test solution to a suitable thin-layer chromatographic plate (see
Chromatography 621) coated with a 0.25-mm layer of chromatographic silica gel. Allow the spots to dry, and develop the chromatogram in a solvent system consisting of a mixture of alcohol,
n-heptane, chloroform, and glacial acetic acid (25:25:25:7) until the solvent front has moved about three-fourths of the length of the plate. Remove the plate from the chamber, and allow it to air-dry. Spray the plate with a solution prepared by dissolving 0.10 g of
p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde in 1 mL of hydrochloric acid and diluting with alcohol to 100 mL. Sulfamethoxazole produces a spot at about
RF 0.7, sulfanilamide at about
RF 0.5, and sulfanilic acid at about
RF 0.1. Any spots produced by sulfanilamide or sulfanilic acid from the
Test solution do not exceed in size or intensity similar spots, occurring at the respective
RF values, produced by sulfanilamide or sulfanilic acid from the
Reference preparation (0.2%).