title: [The effect of the gas permeability of plastics on the stability of thiomersal. Part 49: Contributions to problems concerning the use of plastic receptacles for liquid pharmaceuticals (author's transl)].
abstract: Our studies have shown that the considerable losses of Thiomersal contained in low-density polyethylene bottles are not attributable, as suggested in the literature, to a sorption of this preserving agent. Intact Thiomersal is not sorbed by low-density polyethylene; on the contrary, the good permeability of this packing material to gas, especially oxygen, accelerates the degradation of Thiomersal. Furthermore, the ethylmercury resulting from this degradation is able to permeate through low-density polyethylene by which a displacement of the reaction equilibrium takes place in favour of the degradation products, and the degradation of Thiomersal is accelerated. The mechanism of the degradation of Thiomersal in the presence of oxygen was elucidated.
mesh_terms: D004349:Drug Packaging; D004355:Drug Stability; D005035:Ethylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D005740:Gases; D010539:Permeability; D010969:Plastics; D013849:Thimerosal / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005035:Ethylmercury Compounds; D005740:Gases; D010969:Plastics; D013849:Thimerosal
vernacular_title: Einfluss der Gaspermeabilität von Kunststoffen auf die Stabilität des Thiomersals. 49. Mitteilung: Beiträge zur Problematik des Einsatzes von Kunststoffbehältern für flüssige Arzneizubereitungen.