Identification and Separation of Pharmaceutical Drugs: A Study on Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen

This project focused on the identification of an over-the-counter pharmaceutical, Advil Dual Action, which contains 250 mg of acetaminophen and 125 mg of ibuprofen per tablet. Acetaminophen functions as an analgesic and antipyretic, while ibuprofen is classified as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). The goal of the study was to confirm the identity of an unknown drug sample suspected to be Advil Dual Action by separating its active ingredients through liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) and analyzing them using multiple analytical techniques. The work explored the solubility profiles of both compounds, as well as the influence of pH changes on their separation efficiency. Experimental procedures were selected to meet the Scientific Working Group for the Analysis of Seized Drugs (SWGDRUG) recommendations for compound identification. The findings demonstrate a systematic approach that can be used by students and early-career toxicologists to better understand pharmaceutical separation and analysis.