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Influence of Particle Size on the Ultraviolet Spectrum of Particulate-Containing Solutions: Implications for In-Situ Concentration Monitoring Using UV/Vis Fiber-Optic Probes

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ABSTRACT

Purpose

To critically evaluate the effect of submicron and micron-sized organic particulates on the ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectra of aqueous systems and assess the applicability of UV/Vis fiber-optic probes for in-situ concentration monitoring in the presence of particles of different sizes.

Methods

UV absorbance spectra were obtained for aqueous felodipine suspensions containing a range of particle sizes (300 nm–400 μm) and suspension concentrations and for methanolic solutions of different concentrations and amorphous films of different thicknesses. Select suspensions were further characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. Mie theory was used to provide insight into the role of particle size on scattering and absorption of UV radiation.

Results

Large increases in absorbance as a function of total suspension concentration were observed for nanosuspensions but not for the other particle sizes evaluated. NMR measurements of solution concentration indicated that the observed increases in UV absorbance values for these systems were not caused by increases in the concentration of dissolved molecules, implying that nanoparticles of felodipine might absorb UV light. Mie theory-based calculations enabled reconstruction of the experimental observations and supported this hypothesis.

Conclusions

For solutions containing small (submicron) felodipine particles, UV spectra were influenced by absorption of the particles and contributions from absorption of dissolved molecules and scattering of the particles. Caution should be applied when using in situ UV/VIS-probes to monitor the amount of dissolved material during dissolution, in particular when small particles are present (e.g. dissolution of nanoparticulate formulations) or generated (e.g. precipitation of supersaturated solutions) in the dissolution medium.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Structured Organic Particulate Systems for financial support (NSF ERC-SOPS) (EEC-0540855). The authors thank the National Science Foundation, Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Division of Materials Research for financial support (NSF MPS-DMR) (DMR-0804609). BVE is a Postdoctoral Researcher of the Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Flanders, Belgium. Prof. Dr. Ganesan Narsimhan and Dr. Xiaoyu Wu (Biochemical and Food Process Engineering, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University) are thanked for enabling the laser diffraction experiments. Dr. Huaping Mo (Purdue Interdepartmental NMR Facility, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University) is acknowledged for the NMR experiments. The authors would like to thank Prof. Dr. James D. Litster for use of the dynamic light scattering instrument. Pritesh Kerai is acknowledged for his assistance with the experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, 575 Stadium Mall Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, USA

    Bernard Van Eerdenbrugh, David E. Alonzo & Lynne S. Taylor

  2. Laboratory for Pharmacotechnology and Biopharmacy, K.U. Leuven, Gasthuisberg O&N2, Herestraat 49, box 921, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Bernard Van Eerdenbrugh

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  1. Bernard Van Eerdenbrugh
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Correspondence to Lynne S. Taylor.

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Van Eerdenbrugh, B., Alonzo, D.E. & Taylor, L.S. Influence of Particle Size on the Ultraviolet Spectrum of Particulate-Containing Solutions: Implications for In-Situ Concentration Monitoring Using UV/Vis Fiber-Optic Probes. Pharm Res 28, 1643–1652 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-011-0399-4

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