Istituto di Chimica Analitica, Università degli Studi di Roma, Rome Italy
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Camerino, Camerino (MC) Italy
Abstract:
The potassium and sodium salts of some penicillins and cephalosporins were analyzed by thermoanalytical techniques (TG, DTG and DSC); in particular, those antibiotics whose thermal decomposition in oxygen occurs too quickly. The analyses were carried out in atmospheres of static air and oxygen, with and without the addition of ammonium sulphate or ammonium persulphate. It is possible to evaluate the purity of these antibiotics from the resultant sodium or potassium sulphate residue. Better results in terms of accuracy and precision were obtained by the addition of ammonium sulphate or persulphate to the analyzed compounds.