Reports of unprecedented levels of inhaler testing productivity are fuelling interest in a range of labour saving devices offered by Copley Scientific, says the company
These devices are designed for use with cascade impactors: instruments that the pharmaceutical industry is required to use for routine testing of all inhaled products.
Cascade impaction is a labour-intensive process.
When using manual analysis, achieving a maximum of just five to eight tests per day is typical.
Recent work suggests that semi-automation significantly improves this throughput, with as much as a four-fold increase in productivity.
At the same time, reduced manual handling and operator input gives enhanced reproducibility.
Widely recognised as experts in the field of inhaler product testing, Copley Scientific supplies a broad range of labour-saving devices, supporting both the Next Generation Pharmaceutical Impactor (NGI) and the Andersen Cascade Impactor (ACI).
For example, the novel, fully integrated Andersen and NGI sample recovery systems (A-SRS and N-SRS respectively) manufactured by MSP in the USA, automate and accelerate the entire sample recovery process, reducing work-up times to around ten minutes.
Induction port and preseparator rinsers, the 'Gentle Rocker' and the NGI Assistant, individually semi-automate specific parts of the procedure.
Highly sophisticated in design, but straightforward to use, the A-SRS and N-SRS provide rapid and efficient sample recovery.
Analyst-to-analyst variability is eliminated.
The disassembled impactor, including the induction port, pre-separator (A-SRS only) and mouthpiece adaptor, is simply loaded onto the sample recovery bed (HPLC vials are collected for off-line analysis once recovery is complete).
Solvent is circulated around the system in closed liquid loops, driven by high precision pumps.
The result is fast and efficient sample dissolution and extraction.
