Application Finder

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was used as an analysis method for quality control of aqueous xanthan gum solutions. Quantitative models for the determination of optical density, glucose, and xanthan gum were developed, enabling fast and reliable quality control.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a linear polymer, used in a variety of medical products (e.g. eye drops). Here, the degree of alcoholysis is an important index for the water solubility, viscosity, and adhesion of the product. The degree of alcoholysis is defined as the percentage of hydroxyl functional groups compared to the total functional groups accessible in the molecule. Conventional alcoholysis determination can take up to six hours per sample. Compared to the primary method, analysis with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) only takes one minute. The following application note describes the determination of the degree of alcoholysis by NIRS.

Heparin acts as an efficient anticoagulant and, in addition to direct injection, is also used as a lock-flush solution for rinsing catheters. Vis-NIR spectroscopy can be used to determine the strength of contaminated and purified heparin. This Application Note demonstrates that heparin strength can be determined reliably with Vis-NIR spectroscopy.

Water activity is an important parameter to measure for non-sterile pharmaceutical quality and stability. The OMNIS NIR Analyzer provides this data within seconds.

This Application Note describes the utilization possibilities of a new sensor design that permits, in combination with an NIRS XDS Process Analyzer, the determination of solvent residues in a High-Shear Granulator during the drying phase. This system configuration reduces the scattering of the density distribution of the powder samples so that it is possible, directly in the process, to model the water and solvent content precisely.

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.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a popular natural remedy from the cannabis plant used in many pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic products. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD is not psychoactive, making it an appealing option for those who are looking for relief from pain and other symptoms without mind-altering effects. CBD oil is made by extracting the cannabinoid from the plant, then diluting it with a carrier oil (e.g., coconut or hemp seed oil). The standard HPLC method requires 45 minutes to perform by highly trained analysts. In contrast to the primary method, Vis-NIR spectroscopy is a cost-efficient and fast analytical solution for the determination of cannabinoid content in edible oils.

This Application Note shows how easy it is to determine water content in the pharmaceutical excipient lactose with reagent-free near-infrared spectroscopy.

Typically, cannabis potency testing is performed by HPLC, but the drawback is that it requires chemicals and it is time-consuming. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a preferred method for quantification of THC, CBD and CBG in dried cannabis because it provides results in less than a minute and does not require any chemicals.

Uniformity of dosage units must be tested for QC purposes in the pharma industry. NIRS gives results in seconds along with the quantification of APIs and excipients.

This Application Note demonstrates that a calibration model for caffeine and microcrystalline cellulose developed on the NIRS XDS Rapid Content Analyzer (RCA) is transferable to other NIRS XDS RCA. Due to the improved signal-to-noise ratio, reduced bandwidth and improved wavelength precision of the NIRS XDS, the transferability of the calibration model can be easily and efficiently performed.

This Application Note shows that visible near-infrared spectroscopy (Vis-NIRS) can be used for the quantification of Baicalin content in herbal supplements. Vis-NIRS is a good alternative to the conventional lab method (HPLC) and can save both cost and time.

This Application Note shows the potential of NIRS as a rapid (< 30 s) and nondestructive screening tool for solid dosage forms (e.g. tablets). NIRS requires neither sample preparation nor solvent use. Interferences that derive from scattering are minimized by converting to second derivative spectra.

Sulfathiazoles are sulfonamides with antibiotic effect that occur in various polymorphous forms and that are often used in veterinary medicine. This Application Note shows the differentiation between commercial and sulfathiazole form I using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) with the help of the overtone frequencies of N-H stretching vibration. Form I is the least stable polymorphous form. Crystallization and polymorphism must be monitored as part of quality controls. In this, NIRS is considerably more rapid and more reliable than conventional laboratory methods.

This Application Note shows that NIR "predictive models" are optimally suitable for the non-destructive measurement of the release profiles of active ingredients from tablets. This is in accordance with the Process Analytical Technology (PAT) initiative of the FDA. The results demonstrate how NIRS considerably reduces the work involved for release studies in the laboratory.

This Application Note presents Vis-NIR spectroscopy as a viable alternative to determine API content in cefixime tablets without sample preparation.

Two of the leading pain remedies, aspirin and acetaminophen, are compared with generic samples for content uniformity testing using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The method of standard addition is used for quantification. To reduce most of the effects that stem from particle size and packing differences, second derivative spectra are used.

This Application Note shows how, with the help of Vis-NIR spectroscopy and a special plant library, 46 different medicinal and aromatic plants, e.g., Organicum majoricum and Tilia cordata, can be conveniently identified on the basis of their spectrum. In comparison with alternative methods for the determination of plants, which are elaborate and require experienced scientists for their performance, the Vis-NIR method permits rapid and uncomplicated identification.

The purity of a recovered solvent (dichlormethane/methylene chloride) and two of its most important contaminants (methanol and water) are monitored with NIR spectroscopy.

The determination of the water content of soft contact lenses using NIR spectroscopy is described in this Application. A liquid sample kit with gold diffuse reflector was used for measuring the lenses in transflexion mode. A PLS model was developed for predicting the water content.

Well-mixed active substances for medications are indispensable in the pharmaceutical industry. This applies not only to the pharmaceutical active ingredient but also for lubricants, binding agents, explosives, oxidants and dyes. Analysis of these active ingredients is expensive; they are also only rarely analyzed as a rule. The progress of the mixing procedures can be followed conveniently with NIR spectroscopy, on the one hand using visual comparisons and on the other by means of spectral algorithms. The progress of mixing processes can be predicted in real time with the help of the spectrum when the latter is used.

Cell fermentation processes are a reliable production method for small molecules and protein-based active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The fermentation process requires monitoring of many different parameters to ensure optimal production. These quality parameters include pH, bacterial content, potency, glucose, and concentration of reducing sugars. Traditional laboratory analysis takes a significant amount of time and requires different analytical techniques to monitor these different quality parameters. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) offers a faster and more cost-efficient alternative to traditional methods for the determination of critical parameters in fermentation broths at any stage of the fermentation process.

This White Paper discusses the concept and benefits of NIR spectroscopy and outlines several real-life laboratory application examples with the use of OMNIS NIRS, the cutting-edge NIR spectrometer from Metrohm.

In the pharmaceutical industry, the fluid bed granulator/dryer is an integral point in the manufacture of powdered materials. Residual moisture must be kept within certain specifications to avoid fracturing of particles or caking (stickiness) of the bulk material. Current methods are slow and cumbersome, which can lead to damaged or degraded product. The ability to monitor the residual moisture content inline after drying is possible with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The 2060 The NIR Analyzer offers fast, reagent-free, nondestructive analysis of residual moisture of powders with a fluid bed probe specifically designed for these applications.

This Process Application Note presents a method to accurately monitor low levels of moisture in tetrahydrofuran (THF) in «real-time» safely, reliably, and optimally with a 2060 The NIR Analyzer from Metrohm Process Analytics. Due to the hazardous and hygroscopic nature of THF, a single explosion-proof inline process analyzer is the preferred solution for industries to reduce chemical treatment, improve product quality, and increase profits.

This Process Application Note provides a detailed account of the inline assessment of moisture during a pilot scale granulation process using a 2060 The NIR Analyzer.

In this note, we use a model drug, acetaminophen, to demonstrate the capability of QTRam® to quantify low concentrations of API in compressed tablets.QTRam® is a compact transmission Raman analyzer designed specifically for content uniformity analysis of pharmaceuticals in solid dosage forms.