How to Prepare a 0.2% Solution from a 500mg Powder in a 10mL Vial?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the preparation of a 0.2% solution from a 500mg powder of vancomycin in a 10mL vial. Participants explore the necessary calculations and procedures to achieve the desired concentration, while also addressing the constraints of using an 8mL container for the final solution.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express confusion about how to dilute a 5% solution (50mg/mL) to achieve a 0.2% solution, questioning the steps involved in the dilution process.
  • Others suggest that to create a 0.2% solution, one must draw a specific volume from the initial 5% solution and mix it with saline, but the exact volumes and calculations remain unclear.
  • A participant mentions a procedure used in a pharmacy for preparing a 2.5% solution, raising questions about whether similar methods could apply to achieve a 0.2% concentration.
  • Some participants discuss the implications of using the entire 500mg powder versus only a portion of it, noting that only part of the solution can be used to prepare the desired 8mL of 0.2% solution.
  • There are differing opinions on the accuracy of the dilution calculations, with some participants pointing out potential errors in the concentration resulting from the addition of saline or water.
  • A later reply highlights a specific method used by a nurse to prepare the solution, but there is disagreement about the final concentration achieved through this method.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the correct method to prepare the 0.2% solution, with multiple competing views and calculations presented throughout the discussion. Uncertainty remains regarding the accuracy of dilution calculations and the implications of using different volumes from the initial solution.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the dependence on specific definitions of percentage concentration, assumptions about the density of saline, and unresolved mathematical steps in the dilution process. The discussion also reflects varying interpretations of the procedures described in pharmacy practices.

riezer
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Hi,

Supposed you have a 500mg powder in a vial and you want to prepare a solution containing 0.2% solution. Supposed the vial can only be put 10ml.. giving a concentration of 50mg/ml in the vial or 5% solution. How do you create 0.2% out of this? Thanks.
 
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btw.. the 0.2% solution must be put in a bottle that is 8ml. Thanks..
 
Please elaborate, your description is so vague it is not clear what you can and what you can't do. And why the restrictions?
 
Borek said:
Please elaborate, your description is so vague it is not clear what you can and what you can't do. And why the restrictions?

Ok. A pharmacy wants to mix 0.2% Vancomycin for eye drop. It has a 500 mg powder vancomycin in a vial. It injects a 10 ml saline water into the vial. This makes the concentration in the vial
500mg/10 ml or 50mg/ml or 5% solution. Now to make it 0.2% solution. I wonder what is the procedure to do it. I'm just curious how they mix dilutions and stuff. Any idea how to get 0.2% out of it. Think of this as an exercise in math and chemistry. Of course we won't mix it and give it to people. I'm just curious how they did it. Thanks.
 
btw... the 8ml is because the vancomycin eye solution is put in an empty 8ml container and 0.2% solution. Don't worry. I won't actually do it and give it to people. I just want to know how the diluioins and calculations is done.
 
btw.. I know what they did is draw a few ml from the vial containing the 500mg/10ml or 50mg/ml or 5% and mix it with more parts of saline liquid into the 8ml vial to make it 0.2%. Now what must be the concentration of concentrated liquid taken from vial and taken from saline liquid?
 
Use definition of percentage concentration to find out what should be the mass of the solution so that 500mg makes 0.2% of it, assume saline liquid density to be 1g/mL.

I am moving the thread to homework section, even if it is not HW, it is clearly HW like type question.
 
Borek said:
Use definition of percentage concentration to find out what should be the mass of the solution so that 500mg makes 0.2% of it, assume saline liquid density to be 1g/mL.

I am moving the thread to homework section, even if it is not HW, it is clearly HW like type question.

From a book. I found out here's what they did to make the concentration 2.5% from 5.0%. First after putting 10ml to 500mg to create 50mg/ml. They draw 5 ml from this and then add 5 ml saline liquid which makes the concentration half or 2.5%. Now if you add 10ml to it (the other 10ml).. the concentration will be half to 1.25%. But the total volume is 20ml. So I wonder if there is some formula where one can create 0.2% to fit 8ml. Anyone?
 
I already told you how to calculate dilution.

You can't prepare 8mL of 0.2% solution using all 500mg of the sample, you have to throw away part of it. That means - for example - preparing larger volume of 0.2% solution, and taking just 8mL.
 
  • #10
what does 0.2% mean? How many grams per how many ml?

and 5%, how many grams per same amount of ml?

Think about how you can dilute the 5% in order to make it same ratio as 0.2%. If the ratio of 0.2% is for example 1:5 and the other is 1:2 (they aren't), then you would 3 more ml for each gram. Then multiply this ratio until you have the number of grams originally in the vial. So if you want 500mg, then 1g :2ml + 3ml, divide by 2 is 0.5g : 2.5ml.

This is what I think, but I'm just a student.
 
Last edited:
  • #11
jmarsiglio said:
what does 0.2% mean? How many grams per how many ml?

When you see any eye ointment or other drops. You can always see the concentration. 0.2% is 2mg/ml. 5% is 50mg/ml. To convert from mg/ml to percent.. simply move one decimal to the left.

and 5%, how many grams per same amount of ml?

To convert from percent to mg/ml. Simply move one decimal to the right. So 5% is 50mg/ml.

Now 0.2% is 2mg/ml. Without using the powder but just injecting initial 10ml to the 500mg vial. The challenge is how do you make 0.2% solution that is 8ml by mixing with salt liquid and of course not using the whole 10ml of the vial (Borek saying to discard it or leave it as it is).

Think about how you can dilute the 5% in order to make it same ratio as 0.2%. If the ratio of 0.2% is for example 1:5 and the other is 1:2 (they aren't), then you would 3 more ml for each gram. Then multiply this ratio until you have the number of grams originally in the vial. So if you want 500mg, then 1g :2ml + 3ml, divide by 2 is 0.5g : 2.5ml.

This is what I think, but I'm just a student.[/QUOTE]
 
  • #12
My response was meant to help you find the answer...
I could show you but I'm not sure if that's allowed.
 
  • #13
jmarsiglio said:
I could show you but I'm not sure if that's allowed.

It is not - see forum rules.
 
  • #14
Borek said:
It is not - see forum rules.


Don't forget the question is not really for a homework.
 
  • #15
riezer said:
Don't forget the question is not really for a homework.

Doesn't matter. We can't tell if it is HW or not (and you would be surprised to know how often people lie about it), so all such questions are treated exactly the same way.
 
  • #16
Of course this is not a homework. What kinds of homework ask for formula. Anyway. According to the book "Blepheritis and Conjunctivitis: Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment":

"Vancomycin

Add 10ml sterile water (without preservative) to 500mg of vancomycin dry powder to form a 5.0% solution of 50mg/ml. To prepare a 25mg/ml concentration (2.5%), take 5 ml of 50mg/ml solution and add 5 ml of sterile water."

Anyway. You guys are saying the above instruction doesn't really produce 2.5% concentration?
 
  • #17
riezer said:
Of course this is not a homework. What kinds of homework ask for formula.

You would be surprised.

Add 10ml sterile water (without preservative) to 500mg of vancomycin dry powder to form a 5.0% solution of 50mg/ml. To prepare a 25mg/ml concentration (2.5%), take 5 ml of 50mg/ml solution and add 5 ml of sterile water."

Anyway. You guys are saying the above instruction doesn't really produce 2.5% concentration?

Close to 2.5%, but not exactly. Just plug and chug into the percentage definition. If you add 10 mL of water to 50 mg of substance, total mass is not 10 g, more like 10.5 g, so the concentration is not 5%, but

\frac {5 g}{10.5 g} * 100 \% = 4.76 \%

This error carries through the next step of the dilution.

In fact the value will be even different, as density of water is not exactly 1 g/mL, more like 0.99823 g/mL at 20 °C.
 
  • #18
Borek said:
You would be surprised.



Close to 2.5%, but not exactly. Just plug and chug into the percentage definition. If you add 10 mL of water to 50 mg of substance, total mass is not 10 g, more like 10.5 g, so the concentration is not 5%, but

\frac {5 g}{10.5 g} * 100 \% = 4.76 \%

This error carries through the next step of the dilution.

In fact the value will be even different, as density of water is not exactly 1 g/mL, more like 0.99823 g/mL at 20 °C.

I finally talked to the nurse who prepared the vancomycin solution. She said she put 10ml into the 500mg vancomycin power vial, then she draws 2ml and add 8ml distilled water to a small empty container. So since there is initial 50mg/ml in the original vial. 2ml equals 100mg so since she added 8ml and put this in an empty container.. then it's 100mg/8ml... which is equivalent to 12.5mg/ml or 1.25% solution (since 50mg/ml is equal to 5% solution). Right?
 
  • #19
riezer said:
I finally talked to the nurse who prepared the vancomycin solution. She said she put 10ml into the 500mg vancomycin power vial, then she draws 2ml

Which means 8 mL are either stored for later or thrown away.

and add 8ml distilled water to a small empty container. So since there is initial 50mg/ml in the original vial. 2ml equals 100mg so since she added 8ml and put this in an empty container.. then it's 100mg/8ml...

No, it is not 100 mg/8mL. She adds 8 mL to 2 mL, so the final volume is not 8 mL.
 
  • #20
Borek said:
Which means 8 mL are either stored for later or thrown away.

Yes, I have the remaining 8ml stored in a vial kept in ref in case we need to prepare more in the future.



No, it is not 100 mg/8mL. She adds 8 mL to 2 mL, so the final volume is not 8 mL.

Your LHC physics knowledge really comes handy. So it's 100mg/10mL or 10mg/ml or 1% solution, or 0.99998888% as you said earlier?

Maybe this is like a particle that can't be pushed to c in the LHC but close to c like 99.999888% the speed of light. Isn't it.
 

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