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10 | Last Update: 01/31/00 |
Quantification of Naphthalene In a Contaminated Pharmaceutical Product By Short Path Thermal Desorption
Thomas Hartman, CAFT, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
INTRODUCTION
A shipment of a packaged pharmaceutical product was contaminated by an accompanying shipment of naphthalene. A method was required to quickly and accurately quantify the levels of naphthalene contamination to determine the usability of the entire pharmaceutical shipment. The Short Path Thermal Desorption System was used in conjunction with the Solid Sampler Oven from Scientific Instrument Services to develop a method to rapidly identify and quantify the naphthalene directly from the solid pharmaceutical product and packaging material. This technique permitted the accurate quantification of the naphthalene in the solid pharmaceutical, without using chemical or other solvent type extraction methodology. Therefore, no impurities from the solvents would be encountered. There wasn't any concern about the efficiency of a solvent extraction technique or loss of material due to vaporization; the disposal problem of used solvents was eliminated.