A gas-chromatographic determination of the ppb levels of volatile halogenated hydrocarbons in water for injections.

Some volatile halogenated hydrocarbons have been found in commercial large volume parenterals (LVPs) prepared from untreated or treated (disinfected) water. To monitor the presence of volatile halogenated hydrocarbons in the source water and also in the water for injections, a low cost and sufficiently simple procedure has been developed, specifically for the following components: 1,1,1 trichloroethane, 1,1,2 trichloroethylene, 1,1,2,2 tetrachloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, dichlorobromomethane and dibromochloromethane. A Head-space technique coupled with ECD-gaschromatography was used. The procedure is thoroughly discussed in the article, including the results of a ring test for a preliminary validation of this method.