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Pharmaceutical Identification and Purification: Evaluating International Publications in Reference to Pharmaceutical Substance Identification

Booth Id:
CHEM034

Category:
Chemistry

Year:
2018

Finalist Names:
Timothy, Zoe (School: Susquenita High School)

Abstract:
This experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the international protocols set forth by the World Health Organization regarding the protocols to identify pharmaceutical substances. Additionally, further testing was conducted in order to evaluate the same set of pharmaceuticals identified for potential contaminants by the same set of WHO protocols. This information is relevant on account of the potential side effects to the health of any person that consumes the pharmaceuticals. Not only is the identity vital to ingestion, so are contaminants that may harmfully interact with other medications or the body as a whole. After grinding down the different substances to be tested, the substances were evaluated by each of the eight identification tests chosen, ten times per test. Each trial was evaluated for any qualitative reactions, used to determine whether the results were indicative of a positive identification reaction. These results were used to determine whether the primary pharmaceutical ingredient has been properly identified by the WHO identification test, and, if there was more than one positive identification for a substance identification test, then it is important to recognize that either the identification reactions were unable to differentiate certain substances or that the product tested was contaminated prior to testing.