A CHROMATOGRAPHIC QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURE BASED ON HPLC FOR 5-HYDROXYMETHYLFURFURAL IN AUTOCLAVED D-GLUCOSE INFUSION FLUIDS

A specific quantitative chromatographic assay method is described for 5-hydroxymethylfurfuraldehyde (5HMF) in degraded D-glucose solutions incorporating an internal standard. Comparison is made between the chromatographic method and the official direct ultraviolet absorption measurements at 284 nm for solutions of D-glucose degraded to different extents. Hospital samples of autoclaved Dextrose Injection, 5% w/v, are also examined by both methods and it is demonstrated that quite different results can be obtained depending upon the conditions of measurement. It is demonstrated that the direct absorption method does not provide an adequate limit test for compounds related to 5HMF.