Acetaminophen (paracetamol)

Acetaminophen: analgesic and antipyretic (para-aminophenol derivative).

Acetaminophen testing at Vanguard Laboratory: identity, purity and quantity $250 per sample, with results in 3 to 5 business days.

Structure

Acetaminophen: 2D structure drawn from the PubChem record (CID 1983).

Compound data

CAS number

103-90-2

Formula

C₈H₉NO₂

Molecular weight

151.16 g/mol

Type

Analgesic and antipyretic (para-aminophenol derivative)

Structure and names

Identity: Acetaminophen

IUPAC name: N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)acetamide

How Vanguard tests Acetaminophen

Method for the $250 identity, purity and quantity test: HPLC-UV purity and assay, LC-MS identity, against a reference standard, with results in 3 to 5 business days.

The USP monograph covers identity by HPLC retention time and UV spectrum, assay by HPLC, and organic impurities by HPLC. Full testing to the USP Acetaminophen monograph is available and quoted.

What's reported

Purity, as percent of total peak area
Quantity, against the label claim
Identity, reported as match or no match against the reference standard
With monograph testing (quoted): the monograph’s tests against its limits

Tests and prices

Purity and quantity

$250

Chromatographic purity and mg per unit by the method matched to the compound, identity against a reference standard. 1 unit.

Raw powder purity

$200

Chromatographic purity on bulk powder. 50 mg.

Add-on tests

Add-on test	Price
Identity and impurities
FTIR identity	$90
CHNS elemental analysis (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur)	$125
Chiral purity (where a chiral method exists; new methods quoted)	$250
Water, solvents and salt form
Water content by Karl Fischer	$60
Residual solvents	$150
Counterions: chloride, acetate and TFA	$70
Assay
Assay, % w/w (with raw powder purity; $250 together)	+$50
Metals and conformity
Heavy metals: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury and lead	$150
Conformity: purity and quantity on more units from the same lot	$100 per extra unit
Microbiology (injectables)
Endotoxin	$210
Sterility or bioburden	$150
Container closure integrity (CCI)	$50
Screening
Fentanyl screen	$50

10% off for 10 or more samples.

Need something else? Other tests are available on request.

Sample amount and turnaround

Purity and quantity is $250 per sample (1 unit) and raw powder purity is $200 for 50 mg, with results in 3 to 5 business days. Send the material sealed and labeled, with the label claim and the form it contains.

Salts, forms and compendial references

Acetaminophen (CAS 103-90-2)
Tell us the salt or form the label states, so quantity is reported on the same basis.

Questions about Acetaminophen testing

Is the $250 test the same as USP monograph testing?

No. The $250 test covers identity, purity and quantity by HPLC-UV for purity and assay, with LC-MS to confirm identity. Full testing to the USP Acetaminophen monograph is available and quoted.

Is acetaminophen the same compound as paracetamol?

Yes. Acetaminophen is the US name and paracetamol is the international name for the same molecule, so a sample labeled either way is tested the same way.

What degradation product is looked for in acetaminophen?

The main hydrolysis product is 4-aminophenol, which forms with moisture and heat. It appears as a separate peak from acetaminophen in the HPLC purity profile.

Can acetaminophen be tested in tablets or capsules?

Yes. Tablets and capsules are extracted and the acetaminophen content is reported per unit or per gram along with the purity result.

Sources

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/1983

Identity facts from the USP monograph header for this compound.

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