Applications

The amine value is an important parameter and quality indicator to determine in chemical processes and pharmaceuticals. This Application Note presents the nonaqueous perchloric acid titration of triethanolamine.

Chemometrics is a powerful tool widely used for method development in the pharmaceutical industry. This whitepaper describes the lifecycle of multivariate models and summarizes the workflow of the development of chemometrical models according to the new USP chapter <1039>.

This white paper differentiates between methods for identification of unknowns and verification of known materials. The goal of this publication is, ultimately, to inform the user of the capabilities of the handheld Metrohm Raman Mira P system. Best practices for building robust training sets for materials verification with Mira P can also be found here.

The objective of validation of an analytical procedure is to demonstrate that it is suitable for its intended purpose. Recommendations for the validation of analytical methods can be found in ICH Guidance Q2(R1) Validation of Analytical Procedures: Text and Methodology and in USP General Chapter <1225> Validation of Compendial Procedures. The goal of this white paper is to provide some recommendations for the validation of titration methods.

With Hydranal™ NEXTGEN FA reagents, the water content in ketones can be determined quickly and reliably. Compared to other existing KF reagents for ketones on the market, the side reactions are measurably better suppressed.

A high throughput automated system was developed to determine pH of culture media using a pH module equipped with an external flow cell. A custom septum-piercing, vented needle was developed to accommodate the shape and size of the customer sample vials. For this application, both accurate and precise pH measurements were required. The data presented in this document was collected by a customer as a part of their validation process and was provided for use with their consent.

Raman spectroscopy is an advantageous analytical tool that allows for the measurement of molecular structure and identifying chemical composition of materials based on the rotational and vibrational modes of a molecule. With advanced technology and an optimized optical design, the B&W Tek BAC102 series E-grade probe can access lower frequency modes down to 65 cm-1, providing key information for applications in protein characterization, polymorph detection, and identification, along with material phase and structure determination.

The two most common mathematical representations used with handheld Raman spectroscopy as decision-making tools for spectroscopic data: Hit Quality Index (HQI) and significance level (p-value) are presented.

The raw materials whey, sorbitol, stearic acid, and calcium phosphate dihydrate dibasic all show very distinctive, unique Raman signatures, which indicates that Raman spectroscopy is the ideal technology for identification of these materials. The PCA model-based method provides reliable specificity to successfully identify these nondestructively in plastc samples bags using the NanoRam.

The NanoRam handheld Raman, with a TE-cooled spectrometer, and patented CleanLaze technology packaged in a small, touch-screen operating unit, delivers high quality raw material testing capabilities for pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Raman spectroscopy is used for material characterization by analyzing molecular or crystal symmetrical vibrations and rotations that are excited by a laser, and exhibit vibrations specific to the molecular bonds and crystal arrangements in the molecules. Raman technology is a valuable tool in distinguishing different polymorphs. Examples of portable Raman spectroscopy for identification of polymorphs and in monitoring the polymorphic transiton of citric acid and its hydrated form are presented.

Raman spectroscopy’s use for process analytics in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries continues to grow due to its nondestructive measurements, fast analysis times, and ability to do both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Spectral preprocessing algorithms are routinely applied to quantitative spectroscopic data in order to enhance spectral features while minimizing variability unrelated to the analyte in question. In this technical note we discuss the main preprocessing options pertinent to Raman spectroscopy with real applications examples, and to review the algorithms available in B&W Tek and Metrohm software so that the reader becomes comfortable applying them to build Raman quantitative models.

As the determination of the exact content of individual glycerides in fats and oils is difficult and time-consuming, several fat sum parameters or fat indices are used for the characterization and quality control of fats and oils. Fats and oils are not only essential for cooking, they are also an important ingredient in pharmaceuticals and personal care products, such as ointments and creams. Consequently, several norms and standards describe the determination of the most important quality control parameters. This Application Bulletin describes eight important analytical methods for the following fat parameters in edible oils and fats:Determination of water content in accordance with the Karl Fischer method; Oxidation stability in accordance with the Rancimat method; Iodine value; Peroxide value; Saponification value; Acid value, free fatty acids (FFA); Hydroxyl number; Traces of nickel using polarography; Special care is taken to avoid chlorinated solvents in these methods. Also, as many of the mentioned methods as possible are automated.

This Bulletin describes the automatic measurement of conductivity in water samples with low electrical conductivity in accordance with USP<645>. Conductivity measurement is demonstrated on the example of ultrapure water, which is used, among other things, to produce injection solutions in the pharmaceutical sector.

The quantification of residual moisture in lyophilized pharmaceutical peptides is an important measure for quality control in the pharmaceutical industry. For development purposes, such measurements are necessary and routinely performed during stability studies and to optimize the freeze-drying process (lyophilization). Currently, Karl Fischer titration is widely used for moisture determination in routine analysis. However, this method is time consuming and destroys the sample during analysis. This Application Note shows that near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a fast, reagentless, non-destructive method to determine moisture content in lyophilized pharmaceutical products.

This application shows how to seamlessly transition from Metrohm’s NanoRam 785 to the newer MIRA P system, ensuring continuity in raw material identification (RMID).

The separation of lactose, lactobionic acid, sialic acid*, 6’-sialyllactose, and 3’-sialyllactose is shown as a proof of concept for the control of these components in fermentation process for a pharmaceutical product. The acceptance criterion of a minimum resolution of the peaks (< 1.3) is reached. The separation is achieved on a Metrosep Carb 2 - 250/4.0 column with subsequent pulsed amperometric detection.

Determination of sulfate in gentamicin sulfate using anion chromatography with conductivity detection after chemical suppression.

Kjeldahl method is used to determine the nitrogen content in organic and inorganic samples. Kjeldahl consists of three steps: digestion, distillation, and titration. During the catalytic digestion step, organic nitrogen is converted into ammonium. Sodium hydroxide is added just before the distillation step for converting ammonium into ammonia. Through steam distillation the latter is transferred into the receiver vessel containing an absorbing agent (e.g., boric acid). Finally, the separated ammonia is titrated against sulfuric acid. Protein content in samples can also be determined from the nitrogen content obtained by Kjeldahl setup. USP describes the titration method to determine nitrogen content in organic products using Kjeldahl nitrogen setup. This Application Note illustrates nitrogen determination in heparin sodium.

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid or L-ascorbic acid, is an essential nutrient involved in the repair of tissues and the enzymatic production of certain neurotransmitters. It is required for the functioning of several enzymes and immune performance, and is also an important antioxidant. This nutrient is found in many foods and is often used as a dietary supplement.USP general chapter <580> describes a titration technique to determine the assay of Vitamin C as ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, and calcium ascorbate dehydrate, or their mixture in finished dosage forms as capsules, tablets, and oral suspensions. This Application Note demonstrates the Vitamin C determination in water-soluble vitamin tablets. The methodology can also be applied for oil-soluble vitamin or mineral tablets, as well as oil- and water-soluble vitamin or mineral capsules.

This Application Note shows the automatic pH adjustment of a mixture of acetonitrile, water and amine using a Metrohm titrator.

Determination of acetate and methanesulfonate (MSA) in olsalazine using anion chromatography with conductivity detection after chemical suppression.

Eltrombopag is a pharmaceutical agent used in certain conditions of thrombocytopenia. As such it is an orphan drug. The molecule of Eltrombopag is a protonated aromatic carboxyl compound. Under ion chromatography condition (alkaline eluent), it can be deprotonated and can thus block ion exchanger sites on the column. This results in decreasing retention times over time. To avoid this, Inline Matrix Elimination is applied, where the protonated Eltrombopag is washed off the preconcentration column before injection. Nitrite is then analyzed with conductivity detection after sequential suppression.

Pamidronate is applied to treat osteoporosis by strengthening the bones. It is a bisphosphonate containing a primary amine group. Phosphite and phosphate are related compounds, which need to be quantified. USP requires the use of formic acid eluent with refractive index detection. But a standard IC procedure offers an alternative with better sensitivity. Phosphite and phosphate are analyzed with conductivity detection after sequential suppression.

Dental care products often contain sodium fluoride as an active ingredient. Manufacturers use the United States Pharmacopeia and National Formulary (USP-NF) Monograph «Sodium Fluoride» to quantify sodium fluoride and its anionic contaminants chloride and acetate in these products. The validated USP method proposes ion chromatography (IC) with suppressed conductivity detection to carry out the fluoride assay as well as the impurity determination in a single chromatogram.

Within the scope of the modernization of USP, chloride and sulfate are determined as impurities in potassium hydrogen carbonate (bicarbonate). USP41 monograph for potassium bicarbonate does not check for chloride and sulfate. Applying ion chromatography with conductivity detection after sequential suppression allows quantifying these impurities.

In severe cases of cyanide poisoning, sodium nitrite is used along with sodium thiosulfate for treatment. This Application Note describes the nitrite ion chromatography assay with the Metrosep A Supp 4 column and suppressed conductivity detection. This column equivalency study was in cooperation with the USP according to the USP General Chapter <621>.

Nitrosamine formation can be avoided by controlling the nitrite concentration in pharmaceutical products and processes. To monitor nitrosamine formation, sensitive analytical methods such as ion chromatography for the determination of nitrite in pharmaceutical products and substances are essential.

Determination of nickel, zinc, iron(II), and manganese in lithium bromide using cation chromatography with UV/VIS detection (520 nm) after post-column reaction.

Accurate determination of Fe(II) and Fe(III) in water is crucial for many industries. Cathodic sweeping voltammetry (CSV) offers a robust, cost-effective solution.

The pharmaceutical industry is very likely more comprehensively regulated that any other branch of industry. It therefore requires analytic methods that meet the requirements of regulations while at the same time being practical. This applies in particular for large sample quantities, such as are encountered with incoming goods inspections, for example. It is here that particularly rapid and simple analysis methods are called for which make routine analyses simpler and more efficient. This White Paper describes some of the most important regulations in the pharmaceutical analysis and shows how Vis-NIR spectroscopy can solve analytic problems in the pharmaceutical industry in accordance with regulations.

This White Paper will walk you through the selection process of ion chromatography as the best analytical tool in the product development of a cell-based gene therapy.

The analytical challenge treated by the present work consists in detecting sub-ppb concentrations of low-molecular-weight amines in the presence of strongly retained cationic drugs by using ion chromatography (IC) with upstream inline coupled-column matrix elimination (CCME). In contrast to direct-injection IC, where the late elution of strongly retained drugs requires eluents with added acetonitrile, the CCME technique uses two preconcentration columns in series. In an «inverse matrix elimination step, cationic drug and target amines are trapped on a high-capacity and a very-high-capacity preconcentration column, respectively. During amine determination, a rinsing solution flushes the drug to waste. This significantly shortens the analysis time and improves sensitivity as well as selectivity. Besides the determination of monomethylamine in Nebivolol hydrochloride discussed here, the CCME technique is a promising tool for detecting further low-molecular-weight amines in a wide range of drugs.

A new Raman system design is presented that expands the applicability of Raman to See Through diffusely scattering media such as opaque packaging materials, as well as to measure the Raman spectrum and identify thermolabile, photolabile, or heterogeneous samples.

Although the process of building, validating and using a method is well-defined through software, the robustness of the method is dependent on proper practice of sampling, validation, and method maintenance. In this document, we will detail the recommended practices for using the multivariate method with NanoRam-1064. These practices are recommended for end users who are in the pharmaceutical environment, and can expand to other industries as well. This document aims to serve as a general reference for NanoRam-1064 users who would like to build an SOP for method development, validation and implementation.

This Application Note shows the rapid, non-destructive identification of isopropyl alcohol from two manufacturers using Raman spectroscopy following the creation of a suitable library. The measurements with the hand-held Raman spectrometer Mira M-1 require no sample preparation and provide immediate results that identify the samples unambiguously.

Karl Fischer titration can be used to determine the water content in N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Special solvent mixtures can be used to prevent unwanted side reactions in the Karl Fischer titration. The water content of N-acetyl-L-cysteine can thus be determined quickly and accurately, as is shown in this Application Note.

Gentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic and is composed of a number of related gentamicins. It is applied for several types of infections. For the determination of the major components, USP asks for chromatographic separation with pulsed amperometric detection using a gold working electrode. A post-column addition of NaOH is performed prior to the detection.

Sulfonamides are drugs used to treat allergies and cough. They also have some antifungal and antimalarial activities. USP<451> describes nitrite titration method for the determination of numerous pharmacopeial sulfonamide drugs and their dosage forms as well as of other pharmacopeial drugs with, for example, hydrazide (e.g., in isoniazid) and amine ester groups (e.g., in procaine) or amide derivatives of amino acids.Here, for illustrating the analysis of the latter, the assay of the diagnostic agent aminohippuric acid is described.

This Application Note demonstrates square wave voltammetry for sensitive, reproducible quantification of paracetamol using a screen-printed electrode and INTELLO.

In the course of USP column equivalency tests, the Metrosep A Supp 3 - 250/4.0 is applied for the assay of citric acid/citrate and phosphate according to USP general Chapter <345>. This report shows that the Metrosep A Supp 3 - 250/4.0 column is equivalent to packing L61 required in USP general Chapter <345>.

Ion chromatography (IC) with suppressed conductivity detection has been approved by the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) as a validated method to quantify the monofluorophosphate (MFP) content in sodium monofluorophosphate. This Application Note shows that all acceptance criteria for the USP Monograph «Sodium Monofluorophosphate» are fulfilled and the procedure was approved as a validated USP method.

Titrants are normally bought ready to use. However, it is necessary to determine the accurate concentration of your titrant solution on a regular basis using a primary standard. To correct the mentioned variation, a so-called «titer factor» is applied. The titer can be easily and quickly assessed by using the Metrohm brand of autotitrators. Predefined calculation formulas implemented in Metrohm titrators or software, respectively, as well as the automatic storage of the titer factor, makes standardization a simple task.

This Metrohm White Paper shows the requirements demanded of the pharmaceutical industry by the FDA with respect to software products. Implementation examples of the regulations formulated by the FDA in 21 CFR Part 11 are presented using Vision Air Pharma Software.Key words: electronic signatures, audit trails, user management, documentation

Ion chromatography is a flexible technique with a large selection of intended uses in the pharmaceutical industry. – A few development trends and the latest advances are displayed here.

Norms and Standards 21 CFR Part 11 is the FDA rule relating to the use of electronic records and electronic signatures.Recognizing the increasing impact of electronic media on critical data in regulated environments, the FDA met with members of the pharmaceutical industry in the early 1990s. The pharmaceutical industry and the FDA were interested in how they could accommodate paperless record systems and ensure the reliability, trustworthiness, and integrity of electronic records.

Ion measurement can be conducted in several different ways, e.g., ion chromatography (IC), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), or atom absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Each of these are well-established, widely used methods in analytical laboratories. However, the initial costs are relatively high. In contrast, ion measurement by the use of an ion-selective electrode (ISE) is a promising alternative to these costly techniques. This White Paper explains the challenges which may be encountered when applying standard addition or direct measurement, and how to overcome them in order for analysts to gain more confidence with this type of analysis.

Analytical Instrument Qualification (AIQ) according to the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) ensures that instruments perform as intended and users may have confidence in data quality. As the Pharma industry adopts handheld Raman instruments for incoming materials identification and verification, producers of such systems must provide suitable calibration and validation routines. Upon completion of these tests, end users are assured that all measurements are in accordance with agreed standards at Metrohm Raman, we have sophisticated AIQ routines in place to confirm the quality of your results.

This white paper summarizes the steps involved in converting an existing manual titration procedure to semi-automated or automated titration procedures. It discusses topics such as selecting the right electrode and titration mode. For a better understanding, the discussion topics are illustrated with three examples.

The USP and FDA started to modernize several monographs and General Chapters. In many cases, IC-focused methods have replaced older, wet chemistry procedures. Learn more about the USP modernization initiative and the advantages of ion chromatography in this white paper.