Pharmaceutical tablet compression: measuring temporal and radial concentration profiles to better assess segregation.

Concentration monitoring inside a tablet press feed frame is important not only to assess the composition of the powder blend compressed into tablets but also to detect quality affecting phenomena such as powder segregation. Near infrared spectroscopy has been successfully used to monitor powder concentration inside the feed frame; however, so far, this methodology does not provide information on local spatial variability, since it probes a very small area of powder sample. Near infrared chemical imaging (NIR CI) has the potential to improve process monitoring because it can simultaneously acquire a plurality of spectra covering nearly the entire width of the feed frame, thereby making it possible to detect local variations in powder concentration.

In-line monitoring of Ibuprofen during and after tablet compression using near-infrared spectroscopy.

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) used as process analytical technology tool to monitor Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient concentrations during tablet manufacturing has been reported to enhance overall product quality assurance. NIRS applications in different manufacturing stages are facilitated by their ability to handle different sample presentations - be it solids, liquids, gels or powders. The present study evaluates NIRS suitability for monitoring Ibuprofen concentrations (coated pellets form) inside the feed frame of a tableting press as well as in output tablets.