Analytical techniques to identify metallic contaminants

METAL detectors play a vital role in detecting elemental impurities in pharmaceutical processing and production units.

- Sumi

They are normally used in pharmaceutical production facilities for identifying or to trace out the presence of metallic objects, such as ferrous, nonferrous, or stainless-steel contaminants in intermediates and in final pharmaceutical products. Various intermediates and final pharmaceutical products are being contaminated by these metal or metallic substances from processing equipment used in the manufacturing activities and many other various potential sources.

Categories of sources of elemental impurities include: residual impurities resulting from elements intentionally added (e.g., catalysts) in the formation of the drug substance, excipients or other drug product components; elemental impurities that are not intentionally added but may be present in the drug substance, water or excipients used in the preparation of the drug product; elemental impurities that may be introduced into the drug substance and/ or drug product from manufacturing equipment contact; and elemental impurities that have the potential to be leached into the drug substance and drug product from container closure systems.

It is critical to ascertain the quantum of elemental impurities included in the pharmaceutical products, so that they can be kept very low. Metal detector plays vital role to trace out elemental impurities in products of pharmaceutical industry.

Contamination occurs in medicinal products due the presence of ferrous and nonferrous materials. Detection of such metal contamination is important and in this detection process, high accuracy and reliability are desirable. Thus, a metal detector plays an important role in ensuring quality and safety of medicinal product. The presence of metal pieces even in a minute quantity, it has abnormal capacity to degrade the medicinal products.