Direct and indirect methods for the determination of vitamin K3 using differential pulse polarography and application to pharmaceuticals

Two methods for the determination of vitamin K3 have been developed. Vitamin K3 in its oxidized form is determined by direct and indirect methods. Its standard solution was prepared by the indirect method using Ti(III) as reducing agent. For this purpose vitamin K3 (menadion) in a clinical injection solution, which is in its hydroquinone form in the presence of sulfite, is oxidized with oxygen. In 0.2 M HAc and 0.02 M HCl electrolyte vitamin K3 and Ti(IV) have reduction peaks at − 0.58 V at − 0.82 V respectively. The reaction between Ti(III) and vitamin takes place quantitatively in a medium of 0.2 M HAc and 0.002 M HCl. After the reduction, the reaction product Ti(IV) is followed from its polarographic peak at about − 0.82 V. The most important result in this work is that, with this method vitamin K3 can be standardized and after standardization this solution can be used for the direct determination in routine analysis with a very simple and fast method, using only the peak at − 0.71 V in 0.2 M HAc medium. Both direct and indirect methods have been used for the determination of Vitamin K3 in a clinical injection solution. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 1.5 × 10− 6 M and in both methods the detection limit found was 7 × 10− 7 M.