PARAMETERS

USP 27

p.2754 & 2844

STANDARD

RESULTS

REMARKS

Description

Yellowish or tan to white, coarse to fine powder. Is practically odourless and has a mucilaginous taste.

Solubility

Soluble in water at about 80? forming a viscous, clear to slightly opalescent solution that flows readily. Disperses in water more readily if first moistened with alcohol, with glycerin, or a saturated solution of sucrose in water. Not more than 30 mL of water is required to dissolve 1 g at a temperature of 80?/p>

Identification

A: A solution (I in 50) prepared by heating a uniform dispersion in a hot water bath to 80? (Solution A) becomes more viscous upon cooling and may form a gel.

B: To 10 mL of Solution A, while still hot, add 4 drops of potassium chloride solution (1 in 10), mix, and cool. A short-textured (?rittle? gel indicates a carrageenan of a predominately kappa type; a compliant (?lastic? gel indicates a predominately iota type. If the solution does not gel, the carrageenan is of the predominately lambda type.

C: Dilute a portion of Solution with 4 parts of water, and 2 to 3 drops of methylene blue TS: a blue, stringy precipitate is formed

D: Obtain IR absorption spectra on the gelling and non-gelling fractions of the specimen.

Viscosity

<911>

Microbial limits

<61>

Loss on drying

<731>

Acid-insoluble matter

Total ash

<561> : not more than 35.0%

Arsenic

<211> : 3 ppm

Lead

<251> : 0.001%

Heavy metals

Method II <231> : 0.004%