Effect of gamma irradiation with subsequent storage on the bactericidal and physicochemical properties of chloramphenicol

To explore the feasibility of utilizing ionizing radiation to sterilize packaged biomedical products, the radiosensitivity of chloramphenicol antibiotic was investigated. Absorbed doses in the range of 5-25 KGy have no noticeable effect on the bactericidal and the physicochemical properties of the antibiotic in the solid dry form. The effect of storage on irradiated chloramphenicol subjected to the above mentioned doses was also investigated. The physicochemical properties of the treated antibiotic samples were studied using spectrophotometric techniques and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results suggest that radiosterilization of chloramphenicol in the dry state may prove to be technically practicable and that storage for extended periods of time has no appreciable effect on either the bactericidal or the physicochemical properties of the irradiated chloramphenicol