The Department of Chemical Engineering and Department of Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez used the MarqMetrix® All-In-One and Proximal BallProbe® to understand and control blend uniformity in a stream sampler in line.
Summary
The Department of Chemical Engineering and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez have successfully implemented process Raman spectroscopy to monitor blend uniformity in a stream sampler in line, as described in a paper published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics. The researchers used the MarqMetrix All-In-One and Proximal BallProbe to understand and control blend uniformity, which is a crucial aspect of pharmaceutical manufacturing as it affects the quality and efficacy of the final product.
Traditionally, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has been used to monitor low drug concentrations in poor flowability powder blends in a stream sampler. However, this study demonstrates that Raman spectroscopy is an excellent substitute for NIR due to its ease of sampling, modeling, and accuracy. A calibration model was applied using Partial Least Squares Regression (PLS-R) to quantify caffeine concentration from 1.50 to 4.50% w/w, which showed excellent prediction performance.
The study also highlights the ease of implementing Raman spectroscopy in line to monitor blend uniformity. This is a significant advantage as it provides real-time data, allowing for immediate adjustments to be made, rather than having to wait for samples to be taken off-line and analyzed in a laboratory. The ability to monitor blend uniformity in real-time not only improves the efficiency of the manufacturing process but also ensures that the final product meets the required quality standards.
Study At-A-Glance
1. The MarqMetrix All-In-One and Proximal BallProbe was used to control blend uniformity in line in a stream sampler
2. The ease of sampling, modeling and accuracy of the Raman data demonstrates that Raman is an excellent substitute for NIR
3. The study demonstrates how easily Raman can be applied to monitor blend uniformity in line
Experiment set up with the MarqMetrix Proximal BallProbe for in line monitoring of blend uniformity. Image courtesy of the departments of Chemical Engineering, and Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez.
Results
In conclusion, the successful implementation of Raman spectroscopy to monitor blend uniformity in line is a significant step forward in the field of pharmaceutical manufacturing. The ease of sampling, modeling, and accuracy of Raman data makes it an excellent substitute for NIR without the need to understand many of the physical system variables. The study demonstrates how easily Raman can be applied to monitor blend uniformity in line, providing real-time data for immediate adjustments to be made, ultimately improving the quality and efficacy of the final product.
For more information on Raman’s capabilities for pharma, please click here.
A special thank you to the departments of Chemical Engineering, and Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. Read the full paper here.
