The neutral [Cu(II) - streptomycin .4 H2O] complex is prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, TGA, IR, electronic and ESR spectra. The bonding between Cu(II) and streptomycin is found to take place through a Cu-O bond. The indirect estimation of streptomycin sulfate by atomic absorption spectroscopy is affected by the addition of an excess of cupric ions in slightly alkaline medium; the unreacted copper is separated as insoluble carbonate. The concentration of streptomycin in its product with copper is then indirectly determined from a pre-drawn caliberation curve for standard copper sulfate solutions.