Some practical aspects of the validation of photometric systems for clinical analyses

 It is well known that erroneous data reported to a physician may strongly affect medical decision making. For routine clinical chemistry purposes, different instrumentation can be used to compare measurements of unknown samples with standard reference materials. Currently, acceptable limits of accuracy and precision are poorly defined in the field of clinical chemistry laboratories. In this article, problems associated with spectrophotometric measurements, both manual and automated, are discussed. The task of the validation of photometric systems for clinical analyses is currently of considerable interest. Some practical aspects of this validation and the use of reference materials for this activity in the national area are discussed. Received: 7 November 1996 Accepted: 14 January 1997     

Development and validation of stability indicating analytical method for Ilaprazole

The objective of the present study was to develop and validate a rapid and simple stability indicating analytical method for estimating Ilaprazole. Ilaprazole was subjected to different stress conditions prescribed by International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) such as hydrolysis, oxidation, photolytic and dry heat degradation conditions. The drug was very susceptible to degradation under hydrolysis and photolytic conditions, less susceptible to oxidation and stable under dry heat degradation condition. An acceptable separation of drug and its degradants was achieved by using a C-18 column and mobile phase composed of ammonium acetate buffer (pH 3.2)—acetonitrile (55: 45, v/v). Flow rate was 1 mL/min and detection wavelength was set at 303 nm. Retention time of drug was found to be 6.6 min and analysis can be completed within 10 min. The method was validated with respect to linearity, precision, accuracy, robustness, LOD and LOQ as per ICH. The method was linear (R² = 0.996) in the range of 2.5–250 μg/mL. The recovery was in the range from 99.2–100.2%.     

Analysis of recent pharmaceutical regulatory documents on analytical method validation

All analysts face the same situations as method validation is the process of proving that an analytical method is acceptable for its intended purpose. In order to resolve this problem, the analyst refers to regulatory or guidance documents, and therefore the validity of the analytical methods is dependent on the guidance, terminology and methodology, proposed in these documents. It is therefore of prime importance to have clear definitions of the different validation criteria used to assess this validity. It is also necessary to have methodologies in accordance with these definitions and consequently to use statistical methods which are relevant with these definitions, the objective of the validation and the objective of the analytical method. The main purpose of this paper is to outline the inconsistencies between some definitions of the criteria and the experimental procedures proposed to evaluate those criteria in recent documents dedicated to the validation of analytical methods in the pharmaceutical field, together with the risks and problems when trying to cope with contradictory, and sometimes scientifically irrelevant, requirements and definitions.     

Some examples on the use of atomic emission spectral analysis in analytical control of the preparation of oxide single crystals

The application of atomic emission spectrometric methods (AES) to the different stages of preparation of white sapphire and neodymium doped yttrium-aluminium garnet (Y₃Al₅O₁₂ : Nd³⁺) single crystals is discussed. Optimum conditions for d.c. arc analysis of NH₄Al(SO₄)₂·12H₂O and Al₂O₃ were established and the detection limits for impurities were determined. The applicability of laser spectral microanalysis for monitoring the distribution of neodymium in the single crystals is shown.     

Challenges in the analytical method development and validation for an unstable active pharmaceutical ingredient

A sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) impurity profile method for the antibiotic ertapenem is developed and subsequently validated. The method utilizes an Inertsil phenyl column at ambient temperature, gradient elution with aqueous sodium phosphate buffer at pH 8, and acetonitrile as the mobile phase. The linearity, method precision, method ruggedness, limit of quantitation, and limit of detection of the impurity profile HPLC method are found to be satisfactory. The method is determined to be specific, as judged by resolving ertapenem from in-process impurities in crude samples and degradation products that arise from solid state thermal and light stress, acid, base, and oxidative stressed solutions. In addition, evidence is obtained by photodiode array detection studies that no degradate or impurity having a different UV spectrum coeluted with the major component in stressed or unstressed samples. The challenges during the development and validation of the method are discussed. The difficulties of analyzing an unstable active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) are addressed. Several major impurities/degradates of the API have very different UV response factors from the API. These impurities/degradates are synthesized or prepared by controlled degradation and the relative response factors are determined.     

Development and validation of an analytical method for detection of estrogens in water

An analytical procedure enabling routine analysis of four environmental estrogens at concentrations below 1 ng L^–1 in estuarine water samples has been developed and validated. The method includes extraction of water samples using solid-phase extraction discs and detection by gas chromatography (GC) with tandem mass spectrometry (MS–MS) in electron-impact (EI) mode. The targeted estrogens included 17- and 17-estradiol (aE2, bE2), estrone (E1), and 17-ethinylestradiol (EE2), all known environmental endocrine disruptors. Method performance characteristics, for example trueness, recovery, calibration, precision, accuracy, limit of quantification (LOQ), and the stability of the compounds are presented for each of the selected estrogens. Application of the procedure to water samples from the Scheldt estuary (Belgium – The Netherlands), a polluted estuary with reported incidences of environmental endocrine disruption, revealed that E1 was detected most frequently at concentrations up to 7 ng L^–1. aE2 was detected once only and concentrations of bE2 and EE2 were below the LOQ.Presented at the 9th FECS Conference on Chemistry and the Environment, Bordeaux, France, 29 August–1 September 2004     

Single laboratory validation of a microsatellite marker-based method in tomato variety identification

The objective of this study was to develop a systematic and flexible method for assembling multiplex simple sequence repeat marker panels for high-throughput genome analysis in the tomato, Solanum lycopersicum, for varietal identification and to demonstrate the technical viability of these genetic markers for use in the enforcement of U.S. Department of Agriculture marketing order-based identity preservation programs. GeneMapper, a semiautomated software tool, was used for designing multiplex panels, allele identification, and polymorphism pattern evaluation of diverse tomato cultivars. Semiautomated genotyping was performed on a set of 12 microsatellite markers providing genome-wide coverage of the tomato chromosomes. Microsatellites were detected with fluorescently labeled primers grouped into five multiplex panels, and each primer pair was assessed in replicated trials for reliability of allele size estimates. Allele sizes for each locus were compared, and a database for 34 tomato varieties was developed. The microsatellite marker set identified distinct allelic peaks and unique genetic fingerprints for each of the studied tomato varieties. A "blind testing" exercise with UglyRipe and Vintage Ripe tomato varieties, using the above set of markers and database, further established the usefulness of these microsatellite markers for tomato commodity marketing order enforcement.     

The teaching of analytical chemistry in the laboratory

Summary The operation of a combined inorganic analytical course designed to be as flexible as possible, and to use the student's time most economically is described. It has been found that students can be interested by carrying out experiments on their own preparations, but that considerable caution is needed in the interpretation of the results because their preparations may vary considerably and in a manner which is not predictable. The advantages and disadvantages of such a course are discussed.

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Analytisch-chemischer Unterricht im Laboratorium

Zusammenfassung Ein kombinierter anorganisch-analytischer Lehrgang wird beschrieben, der möglichst flexibel ist und die aufgewendete Zeit nutzbringend einzusetzen erlaubt. Durch Versuche mit eigenen Präparaten wird das Interesse des Studenten geweckt; jedoch ist bei der Auswertung der Ergebnisse Vorsicht geboten, da die Präparate unterschiedliche Zusammensetzung aufweisen können. Vor- und Nachteile eines solchen Lehrganges werden diskutiert.

Lecture presented at Euroanalysis I Conference, 28. 8.–1. 9. 1972 in Heidelberg, Germany.     

Uncertainty in chemical analysis and validation of the analytical method: acid value determination in oils

Quantifying uncertainty in chemical analysis, according to EURACHEM document (1995), is based on known relationships between parameters of the analytical procedure and corresponding results of the analysis. This deterministic concept is different from the cybernetic approach to analytical method validation, where the whole analytical procedure is a "black box". In the latter case, analytical results only are the basis for statistical characterization of the method without any direct relationship with intermediate measurement results like weighings, volumes, instrument readings, or other parameters like molecular masses. This difference requires the harmonization of parameters to be validated and to be included in the uncertainty calculation. As an example, results of the uncertainty calculation and validation are discussed for a new method of acid value determination in oils by pH measurement without titration.     

The role of reference materials in the analytical laboratory

Summary Importance, definition, preparation, characterization, selection and use of reference materials in the analytical laboratory are discussed in general.

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Die Rolle der Referenzmaterialien im analytischen Laboratorium

Zusammenfassung Bedeutung, Definition, Herstellung, Charakterisierung, Auswahl und Verwendung von Referenzmaterialien im analytischen Laboratorium werden allgemein diskutiert.

     

Optimization of analytical conditions and validation of a fluorescence method for the determination of sulfadiazine in milk

This paper describes optimization and validation of a method for sulfadiazine determination in milk samples based on sulfadiazine derivatization with fluorescamine followed by excitation–emission (fluorescence) measurement. For both the optimization and the validation, a comparison between zero-order and first-order signals has been made, showing the advantages of using first-order signals. In the optimization the effects of the temperature of the derivatization reaction, the amount of fluorescamine and the derivatization time on the instrumental signal (maximum intensity or the net analyte signal) are studied by a factorial experimental design, with the optimal values of these factors which give the highest signal being 22 °C for the reaction temperature, 50 μl fluorescamine and 20 min of derivatization time. The validation of the method under the optimal experimental conditions shows that the analytical method is fit-for-purpose, with values of the capability of detection (CCβ) of 4.3 μg l⁻¹ at a sulfadiazine concentration of zero and with probabilities of a false positive and a false negative of 5%. Around the permitted limit (established for the sulfonamides at 100 μg l⁻¹), CCβ is 112 μg l⁻¹. The precision, as the intermediate reproducibility, was established as 1.2 and 3.3 μg l⁻¹ around 0 and 100 μg l⁻¹, respectively. In the application to milk samples spiked with sulfadiazine a mean recovery of around 90% was obtained with a standard deviation of about 8% (14 samples of different concentrations).