Abstract:
OBJECTIVE To establish a high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry(HPLC-Q-TOF/MS) method for the analysis of degradation impurities in cefepime hydrochloride for injection.
METHODS Chromatographic separation was performed on an Inertsil ODS-3 column (4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm) with 0.1% formic acid-water solution (adjust pH to 5.0 with ammonia solution) and acetonitrile as mobile phase by gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL∙min−1. The structure of impurities was identified by MS and MS/MS information obtained using an electrospray ionization (ESI) source in positive ion mode.
RESULTS The established method could effectively separate impurities in cefepime hydrochloride for injection. Eight major degradation impurities in drug were identified, and degradation pathways of cefepime was proposed.
CONCLUSION The HPLC-Q-TOF/MS method can be used to analyze impurities in cefepime hydrochloride for injection, and the results can provide reference for manufacture, transport, storage, quality control and clinical use of cefepime hydrochloride for injection.