Ratio spectra derivative and mean centering as green analytical techniques for simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid and folic acid in pharmaceutical formulations, for-ferro tablets

Background and objective: The reliability and efficacy of multivitamin pharmaceutical products containing ascorbic acid and folic acid vary due to differences in manufacturing processes and ingredient selection. This research paper presents the development and validation of derivative spectrophotometric and mean-centering methods for the simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid and folic acid both in their pure form and in pharmaceutical formulations. Furthermore, an assessment of the environmental impact of the proposed methods is conducted utilizing the analytical procedure index as a measure of its "greenness" profile. Methods: Analytical procedures that are simple, accurate, and environmentally friendly were devised to concurrently determine the levels of ascorbic acid and folic acid. These methods include the ratio derivative and mean-centering spectrophotometric techniques, ensuring precise measurements of both substances. Results: The ratio derivative and mean-centering spectrophotometric techniques for the determination of ascorbic acid and folic acid showed a measurable amplitude and substantial linearity. The ratio spectra derivative, at the amplitude 247.2 nm (1DD 247.2) and 270 nm (1DD 270) ascorbic acid showed linearity from (0.5-15.0 μg/mL) and (0.5-15.0μg/mL) with a detection limit of (0.17 μg/mL) and (0.298 μg/mL), respectively, while folic acid displayed observable amplitude at 314.4 nm (1DD 314.4) with linearity (2.0-15.0μg/mL) and a detection limit of (0.37 μg/mL). The mean-centering method for ascorbic acid and folic acid illustrated assessable peak-to-baseline (356.8 nm) and (346 nm) with the linearity of (0.5-12.0μg/mL) and (2.0-15.0μg/mL), and a detection limit of (0.15 μg/mL) and (0.49 μg/mL), respectively. Conclusion: The proposed methods were effectively utilized for the simultaneous quantification of both ascorbic acid and folic acid in laboratory-prepared synthetic mixtures as well as pharmaceutical formulations with reasonable levels of precision, accuracy, and recovery.