Where does one find the EP (European Pharmacopoeia) Liquid Colour Matching Standards?

EP – European Pharmacopoeia Colour Stds measured

EP – European Pharmacopoeia Colour is a visual liquid colour scale used primarily in the pharmaceutical industry. It consists of 3 primary colour standard solutions (yellow, red and blue) mixed with hydrochloric acid to make 5 standard colour solutions – B (brown), BY (brownish-yellow), Y (yellow), GY (greenish-yellow) and R (red). These 5 standard colour solutions are further diluted with hydrochloric acid (10 mg/l) at different concentrations to make 37 reference EP liquid colour standards – 9B, 7BY, 7Y, 7GY and 7R, radiating out from distilled water at the center.

Reference for EP European Pharmacopoeia Liquid Colour Standards

European Pharmacopoeia Method 2.2.2 Degree of Coloration of Liquids, European Pharmacopoeia, Strasbourg, France (1997: 15-16)

There are multiple sources for EP Colour standards (search on the Internet for “EP European Pharmacopoeia Colour Standards”), here are two suppliers that we have experience with.

Sources for EP European Pharmacopoeia Liquid Colour Standards

• Fluka Analytical of Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO 63178 USA (search on “Pharmaceutical Calibration Standards”, then select “Ph Eur Colour Standards”).

Fluka EP European Pharmacopoeia Liquid Colour Standards

The 37 EP Liquid Colour Standards from Fluka Analytical come in sets for each of the 5 standard colour solutions – B (brown), BY (brownish-yellow), Y (yellow), GY (greenish-yellow) and R (red) and comes in sets of 2 ml and 10 ml volumes

• RICCA Chemical, Arlington, TX 76094 USA

Note: that RICCA Chemical EP colour standards are ordered through Fisher Scientific (fischersci.com; search on “EP European Pharmacopoeia Colour Standards”).

RICCA Chemical can supply the 3 primary colour standard solutions (yellow, red and blue), or the 5 standard colour solutions – B (brown), BY (brownish-yellow), Y (yellow), GY (greenish-yellow) and R (red) in quantity to mix into the 37 individual EP liquid colour standards. They can also make up any of the 37 individual EP liquid colour standards and certify them.