Polocaine is a local anesthetic administered by injection. A 50-mL, multidose vial is available containing 100 mg of mepivacaine hydrochloride. What is the percent concentration of the solution?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The percent concentration of a solution is calculated by the formula (mass of solute/volume of solution) * 100. Here, we have 100 mg of mepivacaine hydrochloride in 50 mL of solution. First, convert mg to g (since percent concentration is typically g/100mL), which gives 0.1 g in 50 mL. To find the concentration per 100 mL (to match the percent concentration definition), we double the volume to get 100 mL, which would also double the mass of the solute to 0.2 g. Therefore, the concentration is 0.2 g per 100 mL, or 0.2%.

Polocaine Is a Local Anesthetic Administered by Injection