LECTURE 6

VOLUMETRIC CALCULATIONS

Munamba PT. NC PHARM CALC 1

 Milliequivalents, millimoles and milliosmoles

• Milliequivalent (mEq) is used in the United states, while in the international

system Molar concentrations (mmol/L or mol/L) are used throughout the
world.

• Under normal conditions blood plasma contains 154 mEq of cations and an
equal number of anions
• Milliequivalent is the amount, in milligram, of a solute equal to 1/1000 of its
gram equivalent weight
mg  Valence
mEq 
Atomic, molecular or formula weight

mEq  Atomic, molecular or formula weight

mg 
Valence

Munamba PT. NC 2
 Milliequivalents, millimoles and milliosmoles
• What is the concentration, in mg/ml, of a solution containing 2 mEq of
potassium chloride (KCl) per milliliter?
• M.Wt. of KCl = 74.5
• Equivalent weight of KCl = 74.5

1
1 mEq of KCl   74.5 g  0.0745 g  74.5 mg
1000
• 2 mEq of KCl = 74.5 X 2 = 149 mg/ml

• OR
mEq  Atomic, molecular or formula weight
mg 
Valence

2 (mEq / ml )  74.5
• mg / ml   149 mg / ml
1
Munamba PT. NC PHARM CALC 3
 Milliequivalents, millimoles and milliosmoles
• What is the concentration, in g/ml, of a solution containing 4 mEq of calcium
chloride (CaCl2.2H2O) per milliliter?
• M.Wt. of CaCl2.2H2O = 147
• Equivalent weight of CaCl2.2H2O = 147/2 = 73.5

1
1 mEq of CaCl2 .2H 2 O   73.5 g  0.0735 g
1000
• 4 mEq of CaCl2.2H2O = 0.0735 g X 4 = 0.294 g/ml

• OR
mEq  Atomic, molecular or formula weight
mg 
Valence
4 (mEq / ml ) 147 294
mg / ml   294 mg / ml   0.294 g / ml
• 2 1000
Munamba PT. NC PHARM CALC 4
 Milliequivalents, millimoles and milliosmoles
• Millimoles (mmol) used by SI to express electrolyte concentrations in millimoles per
liter (mmol/L).
• For monovalent species, the numeric values of the milliequivalent and millimole are
identical
• Millimole is the amount, in milligram, of a solute equal to 1/1000 of its gram
molecular weight. A mole is the molecular weight of a substance in grams.
• Example
• How many millimoles of monobasic sodium phosphate (m.w. 138) are present in 100 g
of the substance?
• 1 mole = 138 g
• 1 mole 138 g
• X mole 100 g X = 0.725 mole = 725 mmol
• How many milligrams would 1 mmol of monobasic sodium phosphate weigh?
• 1 mole = 138 g so 1 mmol = 138 mg

Munamba PT. NC PHARM CALC 5

 Milliequivalents, millimoles and milliosmoles
• Osmolarity
• U.S. P. states the knowledge of osmolar concentration of parenteral fluids is
essential.
• This information indicates to the practitioner whether this solution is hypo-osmotic,
iso-osmotic or hyper-osmotic with regard to biologic fluids and membranes.
• The unit used to measure osmotic concentration is the milliosmole (mOsmol)

• Osmotic pressure is proportional to the total number of particles in solution.

• For nonelectrolytes (e.g. dextrose), a 1 mmol represents 1 mOsmol

• For electrolytes, the total number of particles in solution depends on the degree of
dissociation of the substance
• 1 mmol of NaCl (Na+ + Cl-) represnts 2 mOsmol, 1 mmol CaCl2 represents 3
mOsmol, and 1 mmol of sodium citrate (Na3 C6H5O7) represents 4 mOsmol (3 Na +
C6H5O7) of total particles.
Weight of subs tan ce g / L 
mOsmol / L   Number of species 1000
Molecular Weight
Munamba PT. NC PHARM CALC 6
 Milliequivalents, millimoles and milliosmoles
• Example
• Calculate the ideal osmolarity of 0.9 % NaCl injection?
9g/L
mOsmol / L   2 1000  308 mOsmol / L
58.5 g
• Because of bonding forces, however, n is slightly less than 2 for solutions of sodium
chloride at this concentration, and the actual measured osmolarity is about 286
mOsml/L
• A distinction should be madebetween the terms osmolarity and osmolality
• Osmolarity is the milliosmoles of solute per liter of solution.
• Osmolality is the milliosmoles of solute per kilogram of solvent.

• Normal serum osmolality is considered within the range of 275 to 300 mOsmol/kg.
• Osmometers are commercially available for use in the laboratory to measure
osmolality
• Abnormal blood osmolality can occur with shock, trauma, burns, electrolyte
imbalance, hyperglycemia or renal failure
Munamba PT. NC PHARM CALC 7
 Milliequivalents, millimoles and milliosmoles
• Example: How many a) millimoles, b) milliequivalents, and c) milliosmols of
calcium chloride (CaCl2. 2H2O – m.w. 147) are represented in 147 ml of a 10 % w/v
calcium chloride solution?
• 10 g 100 ml
• X 147 X = 147 x 10/100= 14.7 g = 14700 mg
• 1 mmol = molecular weight in grams / 1000 = 147/1000 = 0.147 g = 147 mg
• 1 mmol 147 mg
• X mmol 14700 mg X = 14700/147 = 100 mmol
mg
• OR mmol  mmol= 14700/147 = 100 mmol
molecular weight
mg  Valence
mEq 
• Atomic, molecular or formula weight = 14700 x 2/ 147 = 200

Weight of subs tan ce g / L 

• mOsmol / L   Number of species  1000
Molecular Weight  g 

Weight of subs tan ce mg 

• mOsmol   Number of species = 14700 X 3/147 = 300
Molecular Weight

Munamba PT. NC PHARM CALC 8