Stability of carboplatin in 5% glucose solution in glass, polyethylene and polypropylene containers.

The degradation of carboplatin (3.2 mg ml-1) in 5% glucose infusion solution at 25 degrees C and protected from light was investigated. The effects of the material of the container and temperature were also studied. Solutions were prepared in 5% glucose solution and stored in glass bottles, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) containers at 40, 50 and 60 degrees C and at 25 degrees C +/- 1 degrees C. Samples were assayed by an HPLC method to determine the residual carboplatin concentration at each time of sampling. Carboplatin degradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics and no dependence on the nature of the container was found. After 1 month at 25 degrees (+/- 1 degrees)C the change in carboplatin concentration was < 2% of the initial concentration in 5% glucose. These results are in agreement with those predicted by the application of the Arrhenius equation.