TLC method assisted by digital images for analysis of ivermectin-based product.

Background: Ivermectin (IVE) is an antiparasitic sold in the form of tablets, pastes, and injectable solutions. Neither the literature nor the official compendiums present an environmentally friendly method for analyzing the final IVE product by thin layer chromatography (TLC) assisted by digital images. This combination strengthens the advantages of cost, handling, time, execution and process optimization. Items, which the green and clean analytical chemistry values, and the National Environmental Methods Index (NEMI), Eco-Scale Assessment (ESA), Analytical GREEnness Metric (AGREE) and Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI) tools measure.

Objective: The objective of this work is to develop and validate an eco-efficient, fast, economical and easy-to-perform method for analysis of IVE injectable solution by TLC assisted by digital images.

Method: Silica gel plate, microsyringe and ethyl acetate: ethanol (13:2, v/v) as mobile phase were used in the method. The pixels were analyzed by Image J software after the spots were photographed under UV light.

Results: The method was selective when comparing standard and sample, indicative of stability by forced degradation test, linear (100-900 µg/mL), precise (RSD < 2%), accurate and rugged to modifications in the analytical process. The method was able to quantify commercial products, showing an average content of 98.95%. The greenness of the developed method presented NEMI with 4 green quadrants, ESA and AGREE with a score of 83 and 0.61, respectively, and GAPI predominantly green and yellow.

Conclusions: The method was selective, indicative of stability, linear, precise, accurate, rugged and green, by NEMI, ESA, AGREE and GAPI, to quantify IVE in injectable solution. Additionally, it combined the advantages of TLC and digital image analysis.

Highlights: The work shows a TLC method assisted by digital images for analysis of ivermectin-based product.