Sulfated ash analysis set to transform industry standards

In today's era of advancing technology and stringent regulatory requirements, the demand for cutting-edge solutions that streamline processes and ensure compliance is ever-present. Enter Precisa's prepASH – a revolutionary thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) designed to redefine sulfated ash analysis. Find out more about the prepASH and the tangible benefits it offers to laboratories. Guiding us are Lauren Dalziel, Application Scientist, and Allan Mackenzie, Chief Commercial Officer, both from Techcomp Lab Products.

The role of sulfated ash analysis

Sulfated ash analysis holds significant importance across many industries, including pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and materials science – serving as a valuable technique for assessing the inorganic residue content of samples. The measurement of residual ash post-combustion provides insights into the composition, purity, and quality of materials, making it an indispensable tool for quality control, regulatory compliance, and product development. By measuring the residual ash left behind after a controlled heating process, sulfated ash analysis provides valuable insights into the composition and purity of materials, helping manufacturers ensure product consistency, integrity, and safety.

The accurate analysis of sulfated ash is vital due to its direct implications on product integrity, safety, and regulatory adherence. In industries governed by strict standards and regulations, such as pharmaceutical manufacturing, even minor deviations in ash content can have repercussions, potentially compromising the efficacy, safety, and compliance of finished products. Therefore, precise sulfated ash analysis is not merely desirable but imperative.

The prepASH is a groundbreaking thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) designed to transform how sulfated ash is analyzed. The cornerstone of prepASH lies in its advanced software, developed to empower laboratory professionals with unparalleled control, efficiency, and compliance.

At the heart of the new software are user-defined profiles, offering customizable settings tailored to specific laboratory requirements. These profiles are password-protected and equipped with different access controls, ensuring data integrity and security. The software's intuitive interface, adorned with easy-to-understand icons and information, simplifies operation, making complex analytical tasks accessible to users of all expertise levels.

Furthermore, prepASH introduces remote monitoring capabilities through the new software, allowing users to monitor analysis progress and access results remotely. This seamless integration of technology not only enhances user convenience but also facilitates real-time decision-making and collaboration among laboratory teams.

Ensuring material purity and quality

Traditional methods of sulfated ash analysis have long been plagued by challenges ranging from manual handling risks to time-consuming procedures. However, with the advent of Precisa's prepASH, laboratories can gain access to a revolutionary solution that not only addresses these challenges but also enhances efficiency and accuracy in sulfated ash analysis. Dalziel sheds light on the transformative benefits of prepASH for sulfated ash analysis, "The prepASH combines high performance, ease of operation, precision, and integrity of measurements to maintain accuracy during thermogravimetric analysis."

One of the standout features of the new software is its automation capability, which streamlines the sulfated ash analysis process. By automating this traditionally labor-intensive task, prepASH minimizes manual handling risks associated with concentrated acids and high temperatures. Mackenzie underscores the significance of this advancement, "In many cases, customers are unaware that there's an automated solution that could be suitable for their requirements. The prepASH eliminates manual handling of concentrated acids at high temperatures, significantly reducing health and safety risks."

Moreover, prepASH's automation feature ensures consistent and reliable results, even when analyzing many samples simultaneously. This capability not only increases sample throughput but also enhances productivity and workflow efficiency in the laboratory. Dalziel elaborates, "The prepASH completes runs fully automatically, significantly reducing the time taken to complete analysis. With the ability to analyze up to 29 samples simultaneously, laboratories can enhance productivity without compromising accuracy."

Furthermore, the elimination of manual handling in sulfated ash analysis minimizes the potential for errors and variability, ensuring the reliability of results. Manual processes introduce errors and variability, which can compromise accuracy, especially in industries with strict regulatory standards like pharmaceuticals and chemicals. Automation, as seen in the new upgraded prepASH software, minimizes these risks, leading to more consistent and reproducible data. Moreover, by freeing up time spent on labor-intensive tasks, automation enhances overall efficiency and productivity in the laboratory, allowing scientists to focus on analysis and decision-making.

Compliance with URS and CFR regulations

PrepASH not only enhances laboratory efficiency and safety but also seamlessly integrates with existing laboratory systems and workflows. Its connectivity features enable remote monitoring and data access, while its compliance with User Requirements Specification (URS) ensures adherence to regulatory and quality standards. Dalziel provides insights into the connectivity and compliance aspects of prepASH, "The prepASH connects to the network for remote monitoring and data access. It complies with User Requirements Specification (URS) through customizable user profiles and access controls."

By connecting to the network, prepASH enables laboratory personnel to monitor analysis progress and access results from anywhere, at any time. This remote accessibility enhances collaboration and decision-making among laboratory teams, fostering a more agile and efficient work environment.

Moreover, prepASH's compliance with User Requirements Specification (URS) ensures that it meets the specific needs and standards of individual laboratories. Customizable user profiles and access controls allow laboratories to configure the system according to their unique requirements, ensuring regulatory compliance and data integrity.

In addition, prepASH new software is also compliant with both ALCOA+ and CFR21 part 11. The software's compliance with CFR regulations is facilitated by various features, including user-defined profiles, electronic records, time stamping, and a detailed audit trail. User-defined profiles, password-protected and defined with different access controls, ensure that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive data and functionalities, enhancing data security.

Furthermore, prepASH's electronic records and time stamping functionalities provide a transparent and verifiable record of data manipulation and analysis processes. This ensures reliability, authenticity, and integrity of all electronic records, essential for regulatory compliance and data traceability.

Enhancing lab safety

Dalziel emphasizes the importance of safety, stating that, "Specifically for sulfated ash applications, this automation feature makes life a lot easier and safer for all users." She highlights the automation feature of the prepASH, explaining that, "All the user has to do is add the sulfuric acid to their samples, select the scrubber option, fill all the relevant steps, and the prepASH does all the rest." Furthermore, Mackenzie underscores the critical role of safety in laboratory procedures, mentioning that, "having the security and traceability to know that the analysis has been performed against the standard methods" is essential.

By automating hazardous tasks and integrating safety measures such as scrubbers, the prepASH ensures that laboratory personnel are protected from potential risks associated with manual handling of hazardous substances and high temperatures, thereby enhancing overall safety during sulfated ash analysis.

Driving advancements in pharma research

The prepASH analyzer is poised to revolutionize pharmaceutical research by combining compliance, safety, and efficiency in sulfated ash analysis. Dalziel emphasizes the transformative potential of prepASH, "I think the application for the prepASH is limitless, and for the pharmaceutical industry specifically, the prepASH provides the highest level of compliance and safety, which will be transformative for sulfated ash applications."

This versatility makes prepASH an asset across various industries, but its impact on pharmaceutical research is particularly significant. By ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and enhancing safety in sulfated ash analysis, prepASH streamlines workflows and accelerates research processes.

The prepASH analyzer holds immense promise for advancing pharmaceutical research by optimizing workflows, ensuring compliance, and enhancing safety in sulfated ash analysis. Its ability to automate processes and increase sample throughput will drive innovation and efficiency in pharmaceutical laboratories, ultimately accelerating the pace of discovery and development in the field.