Susceptibility of the adult house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) and 3 of its principal parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) to the GHA strain of Beauveria bassiana and 4 isolates from field-collected muscid flies

House fly (Musca domestica L.) (Diptera: Muscidae) populations can negatively impact poultry layer facilities, posing a risk to human and animal health and egg food safety. House flies quickly develop resistance to traditional chemical control methods; therefore, improved biological control may provide opportunities for improved integrated pest management (IPM) programs. Biological control methods currently used include augmentative releases of pteromalid pupal parasitoids and application of the fungal entomopathogen Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin. This study used bioassays to compare the impact of different B. bassiana strains on survival of house flies and of 3 species of filth fly parasitoids. The B. bassiana that were compared were 3 new field-collected isolates, an older field-collected isolate (L90), and a common commercially available strain (GHA). Flies and parasitoids were exposed to filter paper treated with 1.5 × 109 spores of each strain and a control. All field-isolated strains induced lower mean survival times in house flies than GHA did. The results for all species of parasitoids demonstrated less difference among the treatment groups and the control than in-house flies. Although there was some effect of B. bassiana exposure on parasitoid mortality, the expected spatial separation of parasitoids from areas of application may offer some protection. Using the most effective tested strains of B. bassiana and filth fly parasitoids jointly could be a biological component of an IPM plan for fly control in poultry facilities.

Use of a device-based remote management heart failure care pathway is associated with reduced hospitalization and improved patient outcomes: TriageHF Plus real-world evaluation

Background

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospital admission. However, prompt identification of worsening HF using implantable device data and proactive intervention may reduce hospitalizations.

The validated TriageHF algorithm in enabled ICD/CRT devices uses sensor data to risk stratify patients for HF hospitalization in the next 30 days. TriageHF Plus is a novel device-based HF care pathway (DHFP) that uses “high” risk status as the trigger for remote intervention (see Figure 1 for pathway overview). Outcomes after DHFP implementation in a clinical setting have not been examined.

Purpose

To evaluate the impact of TriageHF Plus clinical pathway on hospitalisation rates.

Methods

A prospective, multi-center evaluation comparing monthly hospitalization rates for patients enrolled in a DHFP with a concurrent standard of care (SoC) cohort and characterizing staffing resources necessary to implement the DHFP. The DHFP cohort received telephonic assessment and guideline-directed clinical care upon transition to high-risk status. Propensity scores (PS) were applied to DHFP and SoC cohorts to allow unbiased comparison. A negative binomial model was fitted to the monthly number of all-cause hospitalizations with treatment group (DHFP vs. SoC) as a covariate, using PS as weights.

Results

Between 09/11/2019 and 06/24/2021, 758 patients were included in the study (443 DHFP, 315 SoC). Proportion CRT 76%/ 89% and LVEF <50% 78%/ 66% for DHFP/ SoC, respectively.

196 high risk transmissions prompted telephone assessment, with successful contact in 182; of which, 79 (43%) identified an explanatory acute medical issue. A secondary intervention was undertaken in 44/79 (56%). High risk transmissions took on average 19 minutes per clinical assessment (initial telephone triage and 30 day follow up). The rate of hospitalizations was 58% lower in the DHFP group, compared with SoC, after PS adjustment (IRR 0.42, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.76, p=0.004), see Figure 2. Sensitivity analyses showed Covid-19 had little effect on results.

Conclusions

This is the first prospective, real-world evaluation of a device-based HF care pathway to report a reduction in hospitalizations and does so with minimal staffing time. Integrated into existing HF services, device-based remote monitoring of HF patients can improve outcomes.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): Medtronic

The Association Between Socioeconomic Status, Sex, Race / Ethnicity and In-Hospital Mortality Among Patients Hospitalized for Heart Failure

BACKGROUND

The association between socioeconomic status (SES), sex, race / ethnicity and outcomes during hospitalization for heart failure (HF) has not previously been investigated.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We analyzed HF hospitalizations in the United States National Inpatient Sample between 2015 and 2017. Using a hierarchical, multivariable Poisson regression model to adjust for hospital- and patient-level factors, we assessed the association between SES, sex, and race / ethnicity and all-cause in-hospital mortality. We estimated the direct costs (USD) across SES groups. Among 4,287,478 HF hospitalizations, 40.8% were in high SES, 48.7% in female, and 70.0% in White patients. Relative to these comparators, low SES (homelessness or lowest quartile of median neighborhood income) (relative risk [RR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00-1.05) and male sex (RR 1.09, 95% CI 1.07-1.11) were associated with increased risk, whereas Black (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.76-0.81) and Hispanic (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.86-0.93) race / ethnicity were associated with a decreased risk of in-hospital mortality (5.1% of all hospitalizations). There were significant interactions between race / ethnicity and both, SES (P < .01) and sex (P = .04), such that racial/ethnic differences in outcome were more pronounced in low SES groups and in male patients. The median direct cost of admission was lower in low vs high SES groups ($9324.60 vs $10,940.40), female vs male patients ($9866.60 vs $10,217.10), and Black vs White patients ($9077.20 vs $10,019.80). The median costs increased with SES in all demographic groups primarily related to greater procedural utilization.

CONCLUSIONS

SES, sex, and race / ethnicity were independently associated with in-hospital mortality during HF hospitalization, highlighting possible care disparities. Racial/ethnic differences in outcome were more pronounced in low SES groups and in male patients.

Effectiveness of a quality improvement collaborative in reducing time to surgery for patients requiring emergency cholecystectomy

Background

Acute gallstone disease is a high‐volume emergency general surgery presentation with wide variations in the quality of care provided across the UK. This controlled cohort evaluation assessed whether participation in a quality improvement collaborative approach reduced time to surgery for patients with acute gallstone disease to fewer than 8 days from presentation, in line with national guidance.

Methods

Patients admitted to hospital with acute biliary conditions in England and Wales between 1 April 2014 and 31 December 2017 were identified from Hospital Episode Statistics data. Time series of quarterly activity were produced for the Cholecystectomy Quality Improvement Collaborative (Chole‐QuIC) and all other acute National Health Service hospitals (control group). A negative binomial regression model was used to compare the proportion of patients having surgery within 8 days in the baseline and intervention periods.

Results

Of 13 sites invited to join Chole‐QuIC, 12 participated throughout the collaborative, which ran from October 2016 to January 2018. Of 7944 admissions, 1160 patients had a cholecystectomy within 8 days of admission, a significant improvement (P < 0·050) from baseline performance. This represented a relative change of 1·56 (95 per cent c.i. 1·38 to 1·75), compared with 1·08 for the control group. At the individual site level, eight of the 12 Chole‐QuIC sites showed a significant improvement (P < 0·050), with four sites increasing their 8‐day surgery rate to over 20 per cent of all emergency admissions, well above the mean of 15·3 per cent for control hospitals.

Conclusion

A surgeon‐led quality improvement collaborative approach improved care for patients requiring emergency cholecystectomy.

Localized Epidermal Drug Delivery Induced by Supramolecular Solvent Structuring

The preferential localization of drug molecules in the epidermis of human skin is considered advantageous for a number of agents, but achieving such a delivery profile can be problematic. The aim of the present study was to assess if the manipulation of solvent supramolecular structuring in the skin could be used to promote drug residence in the epidermal tissue. Skin deposition studies showed that a 175-fold increase in the epidermal loading of a model drug diclofenac (138.65 ± 11.67 μg·cm(-2)), compared to a control (0.81 ± 0.13 μg·cm(-2)), could be achieved by colocalizing the drug with a high concentration of propylene glycol (PG) in the tissue. For such a system at 1 h postdose application, the PG flux into the skin was 9.3 mg·cm(2)·h(-1) and the PG-water ratio in the epidermis was 76:24 (v/v). At this solvent ratio infrared spectroscopy indicated that PG rich supramolecular structures, which displayed a relatively strong physical affinity for the drug, were formed. Encouraging the production of the PG-rich supermolecular structures in the epidermis by applying diclofenac to the skin using a high PG loading dose (240 μg·cm(-2)) produced an epidermal-transdermal drug distribution of 6.8:1. However, generating water-rich solvent supermolecular structures in the epidermis by applying diclofenac using a low PG loading dose (2.2 μg·cm(-2)) led to a loss of preferential epidermal localization of diclofenac in the tissue (0.7:1 epidermal-transdermal drug distribution). This change in diclofenac skin deposition profile in response to PG variations and the accompanying FTIR data supported the notion that supramolecular solvent structures could control drug accumulation in the human epidermis.

Controlling granule size through breakage in a novel reverse-phase wet granulation process: the effect of impeller speed and binder liquid viscosity

The feasibility of a novel reverse-phase wet granulation process has been established previously highlighting several potential advantages over the conventional wet granulation process and making recommendations for further development of the approach. The feasibility study showed that in the reverse-phase process granule formation proceeds via a controlled breakage mechanism. Consequently, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of impeller speeds and binder liquid viscosity on the size distribution and intragranular porosity of granules using this novel process. Impeller tip speed was found to have different effects on the granules produced by a conventional as opposed to a reverse-phase granulation process. For the conventional process, an increase in impeller speed from 1.57 to 3.14 ms(-1) had minimal effect on granule size distribution. However, a further increase in impeller tip speed to 3.93 and 4.71 ms(-1) resulted in a decrease in intragranular porosity and a corresponding increase in mean granule size. In contrast when the reverse-phase process was used, an increase in impeller speed from 1.57 to 4.71 ms(-1) resulted in increased granule breakage and a decrease in the mean granule size. This was postulated to be due to the fact that the granulation process begins with fully saturated pores. Under these conditions further consolidation of granules at increased impeller tip speeds is limited and rebound or breakage occurs. Based on these results and analysis of the modified capillary number the conventional process appears to be driven by viscous forces whereas the reverse-phase process appears to be driven by capillary forces. Additionally, in the reverse-phase process a critical impeller speed, represented by the equilibrium between centrifugal and gravitational forces, appears to represent the point above which breakage of large wet agglomerates and mechanical dispersion of binder liquid take place. In contrast the conventional process appears to be difficult to control due to variations in granule consolidation, which depends upon experimental variables. Such variations meant increased impeller tip speed both decreased and increased granule size. The reverse-phase process appears to offer simple control over granule porosity and size through manipulation of the impeller speed and further evaluation of the approach is warranted.

Bile Salt- and Lysophosphatidylcholine-induced Membrane Damage in Human Erythrocytes

The interaction of bile salts and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) with membranes has implications both in understanding the aetiology of a number of gastrointestinal disorders, including gastritis, gastric ulcers and colonic cancer, and in enhancing drug absorption by various epithelia. The membrane toxicity of nine bile salts (the sodium (S) salts of chenodeoxycholate (CDC), deoxycholate (DC) and cholate (C) and their glycine (G) and taurine (T) conjugates) and LPC was determined using erythrocyte haemolysis as a model parameter. Washed human erythrocytes were incubated for 15–60 min at 20°C with media buffered at pH 8, 7 and 6. Bile salt toxicity was shown to be a function of type, concentration, pH and contact time with the membrane. At pH 7 toxicity decreased in the order LPC &gt; unconjugated dihydroxy salts (SDC and SCDC) &gt; conjugated deoxycholates (SGDC and STDC) &gt; conjugated chenodeoxycholates (SGCDC and STCDC) &gt; unconjugated trihydroxy salt (SC) &gt; conjugated trihydroxy salts (SGC and STC). Incubation with equimolar combinations of bile salts (SDC + SCDC; STCDC + SGDC; SDC + STDC) indicated that the resultant damage was an additive function of the damage induced by the individual bile salts.

Further characterization of a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus paracasei HL32

AIMS

Purification, identification and partial characterization of bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus paracasei HL32. It has been shown to have activity against Porphyromonas sp.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The purification of bacteriocin consisting of gel exclusion followed by anion exchange chromatography produced a single band upon an electrophoresis gel with a molecular weight corresponding to 56 kDa. The isolated protein contained 171 amino acids and the first 151 were sequenced. The bacteriocin contained a high percentage of cationic amino acids near the N-terminus, hydrophobic amino acids in the central region (Leu, Ile, Val, Phe, Trp and Gly) and hydrophilic residues (Ser, Asn and Gln) at the C-terminus. This structure did not match with that of previously reported bacteriocins. The antimicrobial activity of the bacteriocin was determined against some pathogens and normal microbiota (P. gingivalis, P. intermedia, T. forsythensis, S. salivarius and S. sanguinis) found in saliva and crevicular fluid. The bacteriocin was found to inhibit P. gingivalis at the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 0.14 mmol l(-1), but was found not to inhibit the other oral micro-organisms. The bacteriocin was found from transmission electron microscopy studies to cause pore formation in the cytoplasmic membranes of P. gingivalis at the pole and induce potassium efflux. Bacteriocin concentrations of two to four times of MBC were shown to induce haemolysis. The bacteriocin was heat-stable, surviving at 110 degrees C under pressure and possessed activity over a pH range of 6.8-8.5. Only a small reduction of activity was found to occur after incubation in biological fluids (saliva and crevicular fluid).

CONCLUSIONS

A novel bacteriocin has been identified that has selective activity against Porphyromonas sp. associated with periodontal disease.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The findings of this work gained the knowledge of specific antibacterial activity of bacteriocin against Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Influence of alcohol on the release of tramadol from 24-h controlled-release formulations during in vitro dissolution experiments

Recent warnings by regulatory bodies and a product recall by the FDA have generated much interest in the area of dose dumping from controlled-release opioid analgesic formulations when coingested with alcohol. It was the aim of this study to address this issue and in doing so, gain understanding on how alcohol-induced effects may be avoided. In this study, tramadol release from Ultram ER tablets and T-long capsules was significantly increased in the presence of ethanol. Conversely, a decrease in the rate of tramadol release was seen from Tridural extended-release tablets in the presence of alcohol.

Vegetative buffers for fan emissions from poultry farms: 1. temperature and foliar nitrogen

This study sought to evaluate the potential of trees planted around commercial poultry farms to trap ammonia (NH(3)), the gas of greatest environmental concern to the poultry industry. Four plant species (Norway spruce, Spike hybrid poplar, Streamco willow, and hybrid willow) were planted on eight commercial farms from 2003 to 2004. Because temperature (T) can be a stressor for trees, T was monitored in 2005 with data loggers among the trees in front of the exhaust fans (11.4 to 17.7 m) and at a control distance away from the fans (48 m) during all four seasons in Pennsylvania. Norway spruce (Picea abies) foliage samples were taken in August 2005 from one turkey and two layer farms for dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) analysis. The two layer farms had both Norway spruce and Spike hybrid poplar (Populus deltoides x Populus nigra) plantings sampled as well allowing comparisons of species and the effect of plant location near the fans versus a control distance away. Proximity to the fans had a clear effect on spruce foliar N with greater concentrations downwind of the fans than at control distances (3.03 vs. 1.88%; P < or = 0.0005). Plant location was again a significant factor for foliar N of both poplar and spruce on the two farms with both species showing greater N adjacent to the fans compared to the controls (3.75 vs. 2.32%; P < or = 0.0001). Pooled foliar DM of both plants was also greater among those near the fans (56.17, fan vs. 44.67%, control; P < or = 0.005). Species differences were also significant showing the potential of poplar to retain greater foliar N than spruce (3.52 vs. 2.55%; P < or = 0.001) with less DM (46.00 vs. 54.83%; P < or = 0.05) in a vegetative buffer setting. The results indicated plants were not stressed by the T near exhaust fans with mean seasonal T (13.04 vs. 13.03 degrees C, respectively) not significantly different from controls. This suggested poultry house exhaust air among the trees near the fans would not result in dormancy stressors on the plants compared to controls away from the fans.

Vegetative buffers for fan emissions from poultry farms: 2. ammonia, dust and foliar nitrogen

This study evaluated the potential of trees planted around commercial poultry farms to trap ammonia (NH(3)) and dust or particulate matter (PM). Norway spruce, Spike hybrid poplar, hybrid willow, and Streamco purpleosier willow were planted on five commercial farms from 2003 to 2004. Plant foliage was sampled in front of the exhaust fans and at a control distance away from the fans on one turkey, two laying hen, and two broiler chicken farms between June and July 2006. Samples were analyzed for dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N), and PM content. In addition, NH(3) concentrations were measured downwind of the exhaust fans among the trees and at a control distance using NH(3) passive dosi-tubes. Foliage samples were taken and analyzed separately based on plant species. The two layer farms had both spruce and poplar plantings whereas the two broiler farms had hybrid willow and Streamco willow plantings which allowed sampling and species comparisons with the effect of plant location (control vs. fan). The results showed that NH(3) concentration h(- 1) was reduced by distance from housing fans (P < or = 0.0001), especially between 0 m (12.01 ppm), 11.4 m (2.59 ppm), 15 m (2.03 ppm), and 30 m (0.31 ppm). Foliar N of plants near the fans was greater than those sampled away from the fans for poplar (3.87 vs. 2.56%; P < or = 0.0005) and hybrid willow (3.41 vs. 3.02%; P < or = 0.05). The trends for foliar N in spruce (1.91 vs. 1.77%; P = 0.26) and Streamco willow (3.85 vs. 3.33; P = 0.07) were not significant. Pooling results of the four plant species indicated greater N concentration from foliage sampled near the fans than of that away from the fans (3.27 vs. 2.67%; P < or = 0.0001). Foliar DM concentration was not affected by plant location, and when pooled the foliar DM of the four plant species near the fans was 51.3% in comparison with 48.5% at a control distance. There was a significant effect of plant location on foliar N and DM on the two layer farms with greater N and DM adjacent to fans than at a control distance (2.95 vs. 2.15% N and 45.4 vs. 38.2% DM, respectively). There were also significant plant species effects on foliar N and DM with poplar retaining greater N (3.22 vs. 1.88%) and DM (43.7 vs. 39.9%) than spruce. The interaction of location by species (P < or = 0.005) indicated that poplar was more responsive in terms of foliar N, but less responsive for DM than spruce. The effect of location and species on foliar N and DM were not clear among the two willow species on the broiler farms. Plant location had no effect on plant foliar PM weight, but plant species significantly influenced the ability of the plant foliage to trap PM with spruce and hybrid willow showing greater potential than poplar and Streamco willow for PM(2.5)(0.0054, 0.0054, 0.0005, and 0.0016 mg cm(- 2); P < or = 0.05) and total PM (0.0309, 0.0102, 0.0038, and 0.0046 mg cm(- 2), respectively; P < or = 0.001). Spruce trapped more dust compared to the other three species (hybrid willow, poplar, and Streamco willow) for PM(10) (0.0248 vs. 0.0036 mg cm(- 2); P < or = 0.0001) and PM(> 10) (0.0033 vs. 0.0003 mg cm(- 2); P = 0.052). This study indicates that poplar, hybrid willow, and Streamco willow are appropriate species to absorb poultry house aerial NH(3)-N, whereas spruce and hybrid willow are effective traps for dust and its associated odors.

Detection and quantification of low-molecular-weight aldehydes in pharmaceutical excipients by headspace gas chromatography

The adverse effect of reactive chemical residues on the quality of drug products has necessitated the determination of low-molecular-weight aldehydes in pharmaceutical excipients. An analytical methodology for the detection of trace amounts of C1-C8 aliphatic aldehydes and benzaldehyde in excipients is described. The proposed procedure is based on the derivatization of aldehydes in aqueous solution with O-2,3,4,5,6-(pentafluorobenzyl) hydroxylamine hydrochloride (PFBHA), followed by static headspace gas chromatographic (SHS-GC) analysis of PFBHA aldehyde oximes with negative chemical ionization (NCI) MS detection. The method developed was demonstrated to be simple, selective, sensitive, and was successfully applied to the screening of aldehydes at sub-microg/g levels in over 30 typical excipients. The most abundant aldehydes found in the samples were formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, for which a rapid and reliable routine quantification method by readily available SHS-GC instrumentation coupled with flame-ionization detection was also developed and validated.

Validation of a reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatographic method for concurrent assay of a weak base (salmeterol xinafoate) and a pharmacologically active steroid (fluticasone propionate)

The analysis of weakly basic drugs such as salmeterol xinafoate (SX) by reverse-phase liquid chromatography remains a problem, particularly when present in combination with other drugs such as steroids and weak acids. This study describes the validation of an assay for a weakly basic drug, salmeterol (SB), its weakly acidic counter-ion, 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (XA), and the neutral glucocorticoid, fluticasone propionate (FP) using a second-generation silica stationary phase (Inertsil ODS-2). The assay utilized an Inertsil ODS-2 base-deactivated 250 mm x 4.6mm, 5 microm HPLC column, with 75:25 methanol:0.6% aqueous ammonium acetate as the mobile phase. Under these near neutral conditions, SB demonstrated a good peak shape (tailing factor=1.21+/-0.02, n=85). The method provided a short analysis time: XA, t(R)=2.96 min; SB, t(R)=5.23 min and FP, t(R)=7.01 min. The assay displayed good sensitivity for both XA (LOD for SX=0.22 microgmL(-1)) and SB (LOD for SX=0.26 microgmL(-1)). The limit of detection for FP was 0.19 microgmL(-1). Neither of the drugs was found to interfere in the determination of the other and the assay accuracy (% recovery) was high (the recoveries were: 99.58+/-1.85% for XA, 99.49+/-1.88% for SB and 100.24+/-1.28% for FP). The assay reproducibility was determined with a mean coefficient of variance for the five calibration concentrations of XA=0.71+/-0.18%; SB=1.11+/-0.64% and FP=0.92+/-0.14%. Analysis of a pressurized metered dose inhaler formulation demonstrated recovery of the analytes that are within pharmacopoeial limits. It was shown that RP-HPLC was suitable for the high throughput analysis of the combination of SX and FP.

High-pressure aerosol suspensions—A novel laser diffraction particle sizing system for hydrofluoroalkane pressurised metered dose inhalers

In this study, a novel laser diffraction particle size analysis dispersion system, capable of sizing particles in situ within suspension hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDIs), was developed and tested. The technique was compared to four indirect particle sizing methods commonly used to determine the size of particles suspended in HFA pMDIs. The median volume diameter obtained using laser diffraction of both the salbutamol sulphate and fluticasone propionate suspended either in 2H, 3H-decafluoropentane or perfluoropentane (employed as surrogate propellants) was over one-order of magnitude larger than the particle sizes of the drugs suspended in HFA 134a. In contrast, the "in-flight" particle size using the Sympatec inhaler 2000 laser diffraction equipment undersized the particles, predicting higher delivery efficacy compared to the other sizing methods. However, the size of particles suspended in HFAs derived using the novel pressurised dispersion system, showed a linear correlation with the impaction results, r2=0.8894 (n=10). The novel pressure cell sizing technique proved to be simple to use, has the ability to be automated and was accurate, suggesting it could be an essential tool in the development of new suspension-based pMDI formulations.

Determination of polyvinylpyrrolidone using high-performance liquid chromatography

Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is a versatile polymer with innate surface activity. It is very difficult to accurately assay due to its wide molecular weight range and amphiphilic nature. This study evaluated a reversed-phase HPLC method to separate and quantify PVP K15. The assay used a Hicrome C18 150 mm x 3 microm HPLC column in combination with an 80/20 propanol-1-ol: deionised water, 0.01% TFA mobile phase, which resolved the polymer as a single peak, tR = 10.69+/-0.17 min (n=120) at 243 nm. The column's performance was constant throughout the study, N (theoretical plates) = 1729+/-22 and the peak symmetry remained good (As ranged from 0.74 to 0.92, n=10 over the calibration range). The developed assay proved to be accurate, sensitive and capable of recovering PVP K15 from pharmaceutical formulations. The limits of quantification and detection were calculated statistically as 2.40 and 0.72 mg ml(-1), respectively. Assay reproducibility assessed at five concentrations gave an average coefficient of variance <3.5% and the accuracy of the analytical method was 102.62+/-2.04%. The recovery of PVP K15 from directly compressed tablets and Refresh eye drops was 98.02+/-2.73 and 108.35+/-6.52%, respectively.

Analysis of organic volatile impurities in pharmaceutical excipients by static headspace capillary gas chromatography

A systematic approach for the identification and quantification of organic volatile impurities (OVIs) in pharmaceutical excipients is described. Analytical procedures utilizing static headspace capillary gas chromatography coupled with flame-ionization and MS detection techniques were developed for the analysis of toxic ICH class 1 solvents and US Pharmacopeia OVIs at sub-ppm levels, and commonly used organic solvents in a wide range of concentrations. Chromatographic conditions and headspace parameters for the methods were optimized for separation, sensitivity, and speed. The proposed methodologies were demonstrated to be selective, accurate, and reproducible, and were successfully applied to the rapid screening of OVIs in typical excipients.