Sample Homework Problem 1

A nurse was suspected of drug diversion (taking drug from a vial (tubex) and replacing its contents with saline solution). An agent submitted the questioned tubex labeled "50 mg/mL meperidine" for forensic analysis. The drug chemist consulted a drug reference that gives the absorptivity of meperidine (M.W. = 247.3 g/mol) as 0.85 L/(g cm) at 257 nm in aqueous acid. The chemist diluted 0.100 mL of the vial contents to 10.0 mL with 0.5 M H2SO4. After mixing the solution, the sample was placed in a 1 cm cuvette and the UV/Vis spectrum was recorded. The chemist noted the spectrum was qualitatively similar to the reference spectrum of meperidine and the absorbance was 0.090 at 257 nm. Calculate the expected absorbance of a similarly diluted 50 mg/mL solution and compare this value to the actual absorbance measured. Does the questioned tubex contain the correct amount of drug? Has the drug been diverted?

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