Liquid Paraffin Monograph

Definition
Mixture of liquid saturated hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum.
 Characters
• Appearance: Clear, colourless or slightly yellow, oily liquid.
• Solubility: Practically insoluble in water and in ethanol (96 per cent). Soluble in ether.
• Relative density: 0.820 to 0.880.
• Viscosity: 35 mPa·s to 100 mPa·s at 40 °C.
• Refractive index: 1.460 to 1.480.
• Distillation range: 160 °C to 370 °C. The distillate below 250 °C does not exceed 0.5 per cent V/V and the
distillate below 300 °C does not exceed 2.0 per cent V/V.
• Total hydrocarbon content: minimum 99.0 per cent V/V.
 Identification
First identification: A. Examine the chromatogram obtained in the test for hydrocarbon distribution.
Second identification: B. Heat 10 mL with 0.5 g of potassium nitrate in a test tube. A vigorous reaction occurs
with ignition of the mixture.
 Tests
Acidity or alkalinity: To 10 mL add 10 mL of water and 0.1 mL of phenolphthalein solution R1. Not more than 0.2
mL of 0.01 M sodium hydroxide is required to change the colour of the indicator to pink.
Oxidising substances: Shake 1.0 mL with a solution containing 0.1 g of potassium iodide R and 0.5 mL of starch
solution R. No blue colour develops.
Total sulfur: Not more than 0.03 per cent m/m, determined by the method prescribed in the monograph for liquid
paraffin (1864).
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Not more than 0.01 per cent m/m.
Hydrocarbon distribution: Carry out the test according to the method described in the benzene (1.1.1.a) to
establish the hydrocarbon type, and comply with the distribution given in the table below:
 Hydrocarbon Distribution
Retention time (minutes) Proportion (per cent V/V)
n-heptane < C11 Min. 65
n-undecane > C11 to C16 10 to 35
n-hexadecane > C16 to C21 5 to 15
n-heneicosane > C21 Max. 5
 Remaining Tests and Storage
Sulphated ash: Not more than 0.01 per cent m/m.
Water: Not more than 0.5 per cent m/m, determined by the semi-micro
determination of water. Use xylene R as the solvent.
Storage: Liquid paraffin should be kept in well-filled containers, protected from
light, at a temperature not exceeding 25 °C.
Labelling: The label states the nominal viscosity in millipascal seconds or
centistokes.
Assay: Introduce about 5 mL into a tared centrifuge tube and centrifuge. Decant
the supernatant liquid and place the tube with the deposit in an oven. Dry at
100-105 °C, cool and weigh. The difference between the mass after drying and
the mass of the empty tube represents the non-volatile matter. The content of
non-volatile matter is not more than 0.05 per cent m/m.
 Label
The label states the nominal viscosity in millipascal seconds or centistokes.
Ph Eur