2. HYGROSCOPICITY
* If a solid drug absorbs water from air, it is termed
″hygroscopic″, and conversely, if it loses water, it is termed
″efflorescent″. A substance which absorbs sufficient moisture
from the atmosphere to dissolve itself is ″deliquescent″.
** Both situations represent a type of physicochemical
instability since variation in water content inevitably leads to
variations in potency (i.e. the percentage of drug present for
any given weight), which if uncontrolled makes drug handling
difficult.
3. HYGROSCOPICITY
*** In addition, variations in water content can lead to
further physical and chemical instability.
Variations in moisture level of an hygroscopic substance effect
some properties such as chemical stability, flow property and
compressibility.
4. HYGROSCOPICITY
* Since this is a dynamic phenomenon, it will be influenced by
the relative humidity of the ambient air.
* If a drug is not affected by variations in relative humidity, it
is termed ″nonhygroscopic″, which is the optimal property for
new drugs.
* There is an interesting paradox to this since nonhygroscopicity
imparts stability, while hygroscopicity (or hydrophilic) properties
are required for dissolution and solubility.
5. HYGROSCOPICITY
* To assess hygroscopicity, the drug is placed in open containers
with a thin powder bed to assure maximum atmospheric exposure
and is exposed to a range of controlled relative humidity
environments, with or without temperature variation, permitting
both sorption and desorption of water to be measured.
* The choice of the analytical method (i.e. gravimetry, TGA, Karl
Fischer titration, gas chromatography) for monitoring the moisture
level of drug depends on the desired precision level and the amount
of moisture adsorbed onto the drug sample.
6. HYGROSCOPICITY
The amount of adsorbed moisture depends on the atmospheric
humidity, temperature, surface area and moisture adsorption
mechanism.
7. HYGROSCOPICITY
* It is difficult to change this particular property since it is
a function of the drug, salt and crystal form.
* The results of the studies should provide information on the
optimal storage and handling conditions for the drug and
indicate the type of packaging required, glass or plastic.
8. PARTICLE SIZE AND SHAPE
* A basic physical feature of a solid is that for any given
weight of material as the diameter of the particles; when the
particle size decreases, the surface area increases.
- Since a solid’s interaction with its external environment
occurs at surfaces, particle size is an important characteristic
controlling a variety of properties, for example, dissolution and
adhesion.
9. PARTICLE SIZE AND SHAPE
- The sedimentation rate of a suspension depends on the particle
size of the dispersed phase.
- Particle size also has a significant effect on the flow
properties of powders which is an important issue for
manufacturing process technologies of capsules and tablets.
10. PARTICLE SIZE AND SHAPE
If the compound is for pulmonary delivery via inhalation, since
only a particular size fraction (generally <10 µm diameter) will
reach the lungs, particle size is therefore an important
parameter.
11. PARTICLE SIZE AND SHAPE
- If powders consisted of spherical particles, a simple statement
of radius would describe the particles.
- However, pharmaceutical powders generally consist of particles
with varying nonspherical shapes and sizes. Any size measurement
technique has to account for this situation.
12. PARTICLE SIZE AND SHAPE
This is an interesting mathematical and statistical problem which
leads to the utilization of a variety of descriptors based on
geometrical relationships, for example, using surface area or
volume of the particle under measurement and a nominally
equivalent ideal sphere.
13. Measurement of Particle Size
!! A key feature of any particle size measurement is the method
adopted to present the particle in a stable non-agglomerated
(i.e. as individual particles) format for measurement.
!! If this is not attained, measurement by any method is
suspect.
15. Measurement of Particle Size
Optical Microscopy:
- This is the simplest technique and will visually provide an
indication of crystallinity, shape and other features such as
surface smoothness.
- The classical optical determination of size relies on a
comparison of the particles, under microscopic examination, with
discs (usually a graticule within the eyepiece) of a known size and
the counting or comparison of a statistically significant number
(n625).
16. Measurement of Particle Size
Optical Microscopy:
- This is a tedious process and if the particles deviate from
disc-like shapes, it also becomes difficult.
- The traditional manual method has been replaced by the
advent of computer-based image analysis systems which remove
human based size comparison errors, greatly speed up the
analysis and permit rapid statistical data processing.
17. Measurement of Particle Size
Coulter Counter:
- Samples are prepared for analysis by the Coulter counter by
dispersing the material in a conducting medium such as isotonic
saline with the aid of ultrasound and a few drops of surfactant.
- A known volume (0.5 to 2 ml) of this suspension is then drawn
into a tube through a small aperture (0.4 to 800 microns in
diameter), across which a voltage is applied.
18. Measurement of Particle Size
Coulter Counter:
- As each particle passes through the hole, it is counted and
sized according to the resistance generated by displacing that
particle’s volume of conducting medium.
- Given that the instrument has been calibrated with standard
spheres, the counter provides a histogram output (frequency
versus size) within the limits of that particular aperture tube.
19. Measurement of Particle Size
Coulter Counter:
* Although the Coulter method is quick and statistically
meaningful, it assumes that each resistance arises from a
spherical particle, thus nonspheres are sized inaccurately.
* Other limitations with the Coulter counter are;
- the tendency of needle shaped crystals to block the aperture
hole,
- the dissolution of compound in the aqueous conducting medium,
- stratification of particles within the suspension.
20. Measurement of Particle Size
Laser Light Scattering:
- If a particle is suspended (in a liquid or gas) in a laser beam,
it scatters the light, an effect dependent on the difference
between the laser’s wavelength and the size of the particle.
- If the particle is larger (generally 0.5 – 1000 µm diameter)
than the wavelength, the light is forward scattered with only a
small change in angle to produce a Fraunhofer diffraction
pattern.
21. Measurement of Particle Size
Laser Light Scattering:
- If the particle is smaller (0.001-5 µm diameter) than the
wavelength, it will, due to its size, undergo Brownian motion. The
scattered light fluctuates at a rate dependent on the particle size
since smaller particles move faster. This is termed ″dynamic light
scattering″ and detection and quantification of the light fluctuation
pattern yields the particle’s velocity of movement or diffusion
coefficient.
- In both cases computer based mathematical processing of the
detected signal can then extract the particle size distributions.
22. Measurement of Particle Size
- Additional methods of particle size analysis are image analysis
and sieve analysis.
- Sieve methods are used primarily for large samples of
relatively large particles (~100 microns).
23. Measurement of Surface Area
* Kinetic processes involving drug in the solid state, such as
dissolution and degradation, are directly related to available
surface area.
** If drug particles have a shape that can be defined
mathematically, then light microscopy size analysis or Coulter
coulter analysis with appropriate geometric equations may provide
a reasonable estimation of surface area.
24. Measurement of Surface Area
- A more precise measurement of surface area is made by
Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) nitrogen adsorption, in which
a layer of nitrogen molecules is adsorbed to the sample surface
at -196 oC.
- Once surface adsorption has reached equlibrium, the sample is
heated to room temperature, the nitrogen gas is desorbed and
its volume is measured and converted to the number of
adsorbed molecules via the ideal gas law.
25. Measurement of Surface Area
While BET measurements are usually precise and quickly obtained
with current commercial equipment, errors may arise from the
use of impure gases and volatile surface impurities (e.g.
hydrates).
26. Observation of Surface Morphology
- Surface morphology may be observed by scanning electron
microscopy (SEM), which serves to confirm qualitatively a
physical observation related to surface area.
- For example, bulk lots of drug recovered by different
crystallization processes that have been used in an attempt to
improve yield may result in surface morphologies that provide
greater area for surface reactions such as degradation,
dissolution or hygroscopicity.
27. Observation of Surface Morphology
During preparation for SEM analysis, the sample is exposed to
high vacuum during the gold coating process, which is needed
to make the samples conductive, and concomitant removal of
water or other solvents may result in a false picture of the
surface morphology.
29. BULK DENSITY
- The density of a powder sample generally expressed as bulk
density.
- Bulk density is calculated by pouring the drug into a
graduated cylinder via a large funnel and measuring the volume
(v) and weight (m) (g/ml).
30. BULK DENSITY
- Bulk density of a compound varies substantially with the method
of crytallization, milling or formulation.
- Usually bulk density is of great importance when one considers
the size of a high dose capsule product or the homogeneity of a
low dose formulation in which there are large differences in drug
and excipient densities.
- Once a density problem is identifed, it is often easily corrected
by milling, slugging or formulation.
31. APPARENT BULK DENSITY
It is determined by pouring presieved (40 mesh) bulk drug into a
graduated cylinder via a large funnel and measuring the volume
and weight (g/ml).
32. TAPPED DENSITY
- It is determined by placing a graduated cylinder containing a
known mass of drug or formulation on a mechanical tapper
apparatus, which is operated for a fixed number of taps (~1000)
until the powder bed volume has reached a minimum.
- Using the weight of drug in the cylinder and this minimum
volume, the tapped density can be calculated.
33. TRUE DENSITY
- True density is calculated after exiting the pores and channels
between the particles of powders.
- It is frequently desirable to know the true density of a powder for
computation of void volume or porosity of packed powder beds.
- Experimentally, the true density is determined by suspending drug
particles in solvents of various densities and in which the compound is
insoluble.
- Wetting and pore penetration may be enhanced by the addition of a
small quantity of surfactant to the solvent mixtures.
34. TRUE DENSITY
- After vigorous agitation, the samples are centrifuged briefly
and then left to stand undisturbed until floatation or settling has
reach equilibrium.
- The sample that remains suspended corresponds to the true
density of the material.
35. POWDER FLOW PROPERTIES
-Pharmaceutical powders may be broadly classified as free-
flowing or cohesive (non-free-flowing).
- Most flow properties are significantly affected by changes in
particle size, density, shape, electrostatic charge and adsorbed
moisture which may arise from processing or formulation.
- As a result, a free-flowing drug candidate may become cohesive
during development, thus necessitating an entirely new
formulation strategy.
36. POWDER FLOW PROPERTIES
- Preformulation powder flow investigations should quantitatively
assess the pharmaceutical consequences of each process
improvement and provide direction for the formulation
development project team.
- This direction may consist of a formulation recommendation
such as granulation or densification via slugging.
37. POWDER FLOW PROPERTIES
- Flow properties can be characterized by a simple flow rate
apparatus consisting of a grounded metal tube from which drug
flows through an orifice onto an electronic balance, which is
connected to a strip chart recorder.
- Another measurement for the flowability of the powder is
Carr’s Compressibility Index.
38. Carr’s Index (%) = (Tapped density – Bulk density / Tapped density) x 100
Carr’s Index (%) Type of Flow
5-15 Excellent
12-16 Good
18-21 Fair to passable*
23-35 Poor*
33-38 Very poor
40 Extremely poor
*Flowability may be improved by glidants e.g. 0.2% Aerosil
39. - A similar index has been defined by Hausner;
Hausner index (ratio) = Tapped density / Bulk density
* If the Hausner ratio is less than 1.25, it indicates good flow.
* If the Hausner ratio is greater than 1.5, it indicates poor flow.
* If the Hausner ratio is between 1.25 and 1.5, addition of a glidant
normally improves the flow property.
40. - The another technique is to determine the angle of repose.
- When only gravity acts upon it, a static heap of powder will
tend to form a conical mound.
- In this method, the powder is allowed to flow / fall under
gravity from a nozzle onto a flat surface and the angle of
inclination of the resultant powder cone is measured.
41. - The lower the angle, the better the flow properties, with angles
less than 30o constituting good flow.
42. Angle of Repose (Degree) Type of Flow
<20 Excellent
20-30 Good
30-34 Passable*
40 Very poor
*Flowability may be improved by glidants e.g. 0.2% Aerosil
43. COMPRESSION PROPERTIES OF POWDERS
- The compression properties of powders is especially important
for tablet production.
- Information on the compression properties (elasticity,
plasticity or fragmentation) of the pure drug is extremely
useful.
- The compression properties of most drug powders are
generally poor and necessitate the addition of compression aids.
44. While it is true that the tabletted material should be capable
of plastic (permanent) deformation, it should also exhibit a
degree of brittleness (fragmentation).
45. - When the dose is less than 50 mg, tablets can usually be
prepared by direct compression with the addition of modern
direct compression bases.
- At higher doses the preferred method would be wet
massing.