Menthol

Menthol: monoterpene alcohol.

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

Structure

Menthol: 2D structure drawn from the PubChem record (CID 16666).

Compound data

CAS number

2216-51-5

Formula

C₁₀H₂₀O

Molecular weight

156.27 g/mol

Type

Monoterpene alcohol

Structure and names

Identity: l-Menthol

IUPAC name: (1R,2S,5R)-5-methyl-2-propan-2-ylcyclohexan-1-ol

How Vanguard tests Menthol

Method for the $250 identity, purity and quantity test: Chromatographic assay, with detection selected for the compound, against a reference standard, with results in 3 to 5 business days.

The USP monograph covers identity by chromatographic retention time and optical rotation, assay by chromatography, related compounds by chromatography, nonvolatile residue, melting or congealing range and optical rotation. Full testing to the USP Menthol 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

Menthol (l-menthol CAS 2216-51-5; dl-menthol also covered)
Tell us the salt or form the label states, so quantity is reported on the same basis.

Questions about Menthol testing

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

No. The $250 test covers identity, purity and quantity by a chromatographic assay, with detection selected for the compound. Full testing to the USP Menthol monograph is available and quoted.

Why is menthol hard to detect by UV?

Menthol is volatile and has almost no UV absorbance, so the lab uses a detection method suited to the compound. The test also separates it from related terpenes such as menthone and isomenthol.

What is the difference between l-menthol and dl-menthol?

l-Menthol is the natural, levorotatory form, while dl-menthol is the synthetic racemic mix. Both are C10H20O and look the same by chromatography; optical rotation tells them apart.

What forms does menthol arrive in?

Usually as crystals, but also in gels, creams, oils and lozenges. Finished products need an extraction step first, so tell us the matrix when you send it.

Sources

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/16666

Identity facts from the USP monograph header for this compound.

Order

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