Quantitative Determination of Essential and Trace Elements in Multimineral Pharmaceutical Formulations Using ICP-OES

Abstract

This study employed Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to quantitatively determine essential and trace element concentrations in ten commercially available multimineral pharmaceutical formulations collected from Hyderabad City, Pakistan. The samples, including Calwait, Calzee-D, Cecon, Clax-plus, Fefolvit, Maxbe-Z, Mediton, Minervit, Osnate-D, and Surbex-Z, were homogenized and subjected to wet acid digestion using nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide prior to analysis. The ICP-OES technique successfully generated comprehensive multi-elemental profiles, quantifying calcium, copper, iron, potassium, sodium, magnesium, and zinc across wide concentration ranges. Calcium emerged as the most abundant element, with concentrations varying from 5.776 to 5840 micrograms per gram, while several formulations exhibited distinctive profiles rich in iron and copper, indicating specific hematological applications. Importantly, toxic heavy metals were not detected in any sample, confirming compliance with safety standards. The findings demonstrate that ICP-OES is a robust, reliable, and efficient analytical tool for pharmaceutical quality control, ensuring both nutritional adequacy and consumer safety.