Meropenem is a beta-lactam antibiotic that is classed among the carbapenems; it suppresses murein biosynthesis and thus the buildup of the bacterial cell wall. Dimethylamine is an important precursor in meropenem synthesis and must therefore be monitored as an impurity. Detection is performed on the Metrosep C Supp 1 - 250/4 column with subsequent conductivity detection after sequential suppression.