γ-Irradiation effects on the thermal decomposition behaviour and IR absorption spectra of piperacillin

Abstract

The thermal decomposition behaviour of unirradiated and pre-γ-irradiated piperacillin (pipril) as a semi-synthetic penicillin antibiotic has been studied in the temperature range of (273–1072 K). The decomposition was found to proceed through three major steps both for unirradiated and γ-irradiated samples. Neither appearance nor disappearance of new bands in the IR spectrum of piperacillin was recorded as a result of γ-irradiation but only a decrease in the intensity of most bands was observed. A degradation mechanism was suggested to explain the bond rupture and the decrease in the intensities of IR bands of γ-irradiated piperacillin.

Keywords:

• Thermal decomposition
• IR spectra
• γ-irradiation
• Piperacillin