Monitoring powder blending by NIR spectroscopy

A strategy is proposed for the monitoring of powder blending. Samples are taken throughout the blender vessel and scanned by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in the NIR range. The NIR spectra are first subjected to the Standard Normal Variate transformation (SNV). The first approach consists of overlaying the transformed spectra taken from different locations at each time. To quantify the differences between the spectra, the standard deviation spectrum at each time is calculated and the mean standard deviation value is plotted as a function of time. This plot indicates the time at which the blend is most homogeneous. Each individual spectrum can be compared with the mixture spectrum, which is an approximation of the spectrum of a true homogeneous sample. For that purpose several approaches, i.e. determination of the dissimilarity, Principal Component Analysis, are proposed. As an alternative approach to monitoring the blending the use of SIMPLISMA is recommended.Dedicated to Professor Dr. h.c. mult. J.F.K. Huber on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

Analysis of diethylstilbestrol and its impurities in tablets using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method is described which is capable of resolving cis- and trans-diethylstilbestrol (DES), DES mono- and dimethyl ethers and 4,4'-dihydroxystilbene. The mobile phase and internal standard used stabilise the cis-trans DES isomer ratio, and the method is capable of quantitating both isomers in dosage forms without derivatisation. Recovery of DES from tablets is quantitative. Results of tablet analyses using this method are compared with those obtained with the official spectrophotometric procedure.     

Infrared emission of organic compounds stimulated by a laser beam

A modified long-pathlength cell is described for laser-excitation of infrared emission spectra. The sensitivity of detection is about 1 ng l . for acetone and methyl iodide.     

Numerical modelling of cavities on axisymmetric bodies at zero and non-zero angle of attack

The flow about submerged, fully cavitating axisymmetric bodies at both zero and non-zero angle of attack is considered in this paper. A cavity closure model that relates the point of detachment, the angle that the separating streamline makes with the body and the cavity length is described. The direct boundary element method is used to solve the potential flow problem and to determine the cavity shape. A momentum integral boundary layer solver is included in the formulation so that shear stresses can be incorporated into the drag calculations. The numerical predictions based on the proposed closure model are compared with water tunnel measurements and photographs.