The stability of cefotaxime and metronidazole in i.v. admixture at 8 degrees C was studied. The commercially available injectable formulation of cefotaxime sodium 1 g was diluted to 5 mL with 0.9% sodium chloride injection and added to metronidazole injection 500 mg/100 mL. A 2-mL sample was removed and diluted to 100 mL with water. Thirty 1-mL portions were transferred to glass vials and refrigerated at 8 degrees C. At 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 hours after the admixture was prepared, the vials were removed, placed in a refrigerated autosampler, and assayed for cefotaxime and metronidazole concentrations by stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography. Over the 72-hour study period, the concentration of cefotaxime remaining at all assay times was 95.91-101.13% of the initial concentration. The concentration of metronidazole remaining at each assay time was 93.08-102.19% of the initial concentration. Cefotaxime sodium 10 mg/mL and metronidazole 5 mg/mL were stable for 72 hours at 8 degrees C in an i.v. admixture prepared from commercially available injectable formulations.