VALIDATION OF ANALYTICAL PROCEDURES

Introduction 

This document presents a discussion of the characteristics for consideration during the validation of the analytical procedures included as part of registration applications submitted within the EC, Japan and USA. This document does not necessarily seek to cover the testing that may be required for registration in, or export to, other areas of the world. Furthermore, this text presentation serves as a collection of terms, and their definitions, and is not intended to provide direction on how to accomplish validation. These terms and definitions are meant to bridge the differences that often exist between various compendia and regulators of the EC, Japan and USA. 

The objective of validation of an analytical procedure is to demonstrate that it is suitable for its intended purpose. A tabular summation of the characteristics applicable to identification, control of impurities and assay procedures is included. Other analytical procedures may be considered in future additions to this document. 

Types of Analytical Procedures to be Validated The discussion of the validation of analytical procedures is directed to the four most common types of analytical procedures:

- Identification tests; - Quantitative tests for impurities' content.
 - Limit tests for the control of impurities,
 - Quantitative tests of the active moiety in samples of drug substance or drug product or other selected component(s) in the drug product.  

Although there are many other analytical procedures, such as dissolution testing for drug products or particle size determination for drug substance, these have not been addressed in the initial text on validation of analytical procedures. Validation of these additional analytical procedures is equally important to those listed herein and may be addressed in subsequent documents.

A brief description of the types of tests considered in this document is provided below. 

- Identification tests are intended to ensure the identity of an analyte in a sample. This is normally achieved by comparison of a property of the sample (e.g., spectrum, chromatographic behavior, chemical reactivity, etc) to that of a reference standard.

- Testing for impurities can be either a quantitative test or a limit test for the impurity in a sample. Either test is intended to accurately reflect the purity characteristics of the sample. Different validation characteristics are required for a quantitative test than for a limit test.

- Assay procedures are intended to measure the analyte present in a given sample. In the context of this document, the assay represents a quantitative measurement of the major component(s) in the drug substance. For the drug product, similar validation characteristics also apply when assaying for the active or other selected component(s). The same validation characteristics may also apply to assays associated with other analytical procedures (e.g., dissolution).

The objective of the analytical procedure should be clearly understood since this will govern the validation characteristics which need to be evaluated. Typical validation characteristics which should be considered are listed below: 

  • Accuracy 
  • Precision
  •  Repeatability
  •  Intermediate 
  • Precision
  •  Specificity 
  • Detection Limit
  •  Quantitation Limit 
  • Linearity Range  


Each of these validation characteristics is defined in the attached Glossary. The table lists those validation characteristics regarded as the most important for the validation of different types of analytical procedures. This list should be considered typical for the analytical procedures cited but occasional exceptions should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. It should be noted that robustness is not listed in the table but should be considered at an appropriate stage in the development of the analytical procedure.

Furthermore revalidation may be necessary in the following circumstances:

- changes in the synthesis of the drug substance.
- changes in the composition of the finished product.
 - changes in the analytical procedure.

- signifies that this characteristic is not normally evaluated
 + signifies that this characteristic is normally evaluated
  1.   In cases where reproducibility  has been performed, intermediate precision is not needed 
  2.  Lack of specificity of one analytical procedure could be compensated by other supporting analytical procedure(s)
  3.   May be needed in some cases 
ANALYTICAL PROCEDURE 

The analytical procedure refers to the way of performing the analysis. It should describe in detail the steps necessary to perform each analytical test. This may include but is not limited to: the sample, the reference standard and the reagents preparations, use of the apparatus, generation of the calibration curve, use of the formulae for the calculation, etc. 

SPECIFICITY

 Specificity is the ability to assess unequivocally the analyte in the presence of components which may be expected to be present. Typically these might include impurities, degradants, matrix, etc. 

Lack of specificity of an individual analytical procedure may be compensated by other supporting analytical procedure(s).

This definition has the following implications: 

Identification:         To ensure the identity of an analyte. 

Purity Tests:          To ensure that all the analytical procedures performed allow an accurate statement of the                               content of impurities of an analyte, i.e. related substances test, heavy metals, residual                                     solvents content, etc.  

Assay (content or potency): 
                                          To provide an exact result which allows an accurate statement on the content or                                            potency of the analyte in a sample. 

ACCURACY

 The accuracy of an analytical procedure expresses the closeness of agreement between the value which is accepted either as a conventional true value or an accepted reference value and the value found. 

PRECISION 

The precision of an analytical procedure expresses the closeness of agreement (degree of scatter) between a series of measurements obtained from multiple sampling of the same homogeneous sample under the prescribed conditions. Precision may be considered at three levels: repeatability, intermediate precision and reproducibility.

 Precision should be investigated using homogeneous, authentic samples. However, if it is not possible to obtain a homogeneous sample it may be investigated using artificially prepared samples or a sample solution. 

The precision of an analytical procedure is usually expressed as the variance, standard deviation or coefficient of variation of a series of measurements. 

  •  Repeatability
 Repeatability expresses the precision under the same operating conditions over a short interval of time. Repeatability is also termed intra-assay precision . 

  • Intermediate precision 
Intermediate precision expresses within-laboratories variations: different days, different analysts, different equipment, etc. 

  •  Reproducibility 
Reproducibility expresses the precision between laboratories (collaborative studies, usually applied to standardization of methodology). 

  • DETECTION LIMIT
 The detection limit of an individual analytical procedure is the lowest amount of analyte in a sample which can be detected but not necessarily quantitated as an exact value. 

  •  QUANTITATION LIMIT 

The quantitation limit of an individual analytical procedure is the lowest amount of analyte in a sample which can be quantitatively determined with suitable precision and accuracy. The quantitation limit is a parameter of quantitative assays for low levels of compounds in sample matrices, and is used particularly for the determination of impurities and/or degradation products. 

  •  LINEARITY 

The linearity of an analytical procedure is its ability (within a given range) to obtain test results which are directly proportional to the concentration (amount) of analyte in the sample. 

  •  RANGE 

The range of an analytical procedure is the interval between the upper and lower concentration (amounts) of analyte in the sample (including these concentrations) for which it has been demonstrated that the analytical procedure has a suitable level of precision, accuracy and linearity. 


  • ROBUSTNESS 


The robustness of an analytical procedure is a measure of its capacity to remain unaffected by small, but deliberate variations in method parameters and provides an indication of its reliability during normal usage. 

Spectroscopy - Absorption of Different Electromagnetic radiations and Solvent Effects

Introduction
The molecular spectroscopy is the study of the interaction of electromagnetic waves and matter. The scattering of sun’s rays by raindrops to produce a rainbow and appearance of a colorful spectrum when a narrow beam of sunlight is passed through a triangular glass prism are the simple examples where white light is separated into the visible spectrum of primary colors. This visible light is merely a part of the whole spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, extending from the radio waves to cosmic rays. All these apparently different forms of electromagnetic radiations travel at the same velocity but characteristically differ from each other in terms of frequencies and wavelength.

Absorption of Different Electromagnetic radiations

 In absorption spectroscopy, though the mechanism of absorption of energy is different in the ultraviolet, infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance regions, the fundamental process is the absorption of a discrete amount of energy. The energy required for the transition from a state of lower energy (E1) to state of higher energy (E2) is exactly equivalent to the energy of electromagnetic radiation that causes transition.


Fig. Energy transition for the absorption of any electromagnetic radiation

E . .. 1 – E2 = E = hν = h c / λ

Where E is energy of electromagnetic radiation being absorbed, h is the universal Planck’s constant, 6.624 x 10-27 erg sec and ν is the frequency of incident light in cycles per second (cps or hertz, Hz), c is velocity of light 2.998 x 1010 cm s -1 and λ = wavelength (cm)

Therefore, higher is the frequency, higher would be the energy and longer is the wavelength, lower would be the energy. As we move from cosmic radiations to ultraviolet region to infrared region and then radio frequencies, we are gradually moving to regions of lower energies.

A molecule can only absorb a particular frequency, if there exists within the molecule an energy transition of magnitude E = h ν

Although almost all parts of electromagnetic spectrum are used for understanding the matter, in organic chemistry we are mainly concerned with energy absorption from only ultraviolet and visible, infrared, microwave and radiofrequency regions.

Ultraviolet – visible spectroscopy (λ 200 - 800 nm) studies the changes in electronic energy levels within the molecule arising due to transfer of electrons from π- or non-bonding orbitals. It commonly provides the knowledge about π-electron systems, conjugated unsaturations, aromatic compounds and conjugated non-bonding electron systems etc.

 Infrared spectroscopy ( ν 400-4000 cm-1) studies the changes in the vibrational and rotation movements of the molecules. It is commonly used to show the presence or absence of functional groups which have specific vibration frequencies viz. C=O, NH2, OH, CH, C-O etc. 

Nuclear magnetic resonance (radiofrequency ν 60-600 MHz) provides the information about changes in magnetic properties of certain atomic nuclei. 1 H and 13C are the most commonly studied nuclei for their different environments and provide different signals for magnetically non-equivalent nuclei of the same atom present in the same molecule.

In the present chapter, UV-Vis and Infrared spectroscopy have been discussed.

Ultraviolet and Visible Spectroscopy This absorption spectroscopy uses electromagnetic radiations between 190 nm to 800 nm and is divided into the ultraviolet (UV, 190-400 nm) and visible (VIS, 400-800 nm) regions. Since the absorption of ultraviolet or visible radiation by a molecule leads transition among electronic energy levels of the molecule, it is also often called as electronic spectroscopy. The information provided by this spectroscopy when combined with the information provided by NMR and IR spectral data leads to valuable structural proposals.

Principles of Absorption Spectroscopy : Beer’s and Lambert’s Law The greater the number of molecules that absorb light of a given wavelength, the greater the extent of light absorption and higher the peak intensity in absorption spectrum. If there are only a few molecules that absorb radiation, the total absorption of energy is less and consequently lower intensity peak is observed. This makes the basis of Beer-Lambert Law which states that the fraction of incident radiation absorbed is proportional to the number of absorbing molecules in its path.

When the radiation passes through a solution, the amount of light absorbed or transmitted is an exponential function of the molecular concentration of the solute and also a function of length of the path of radiation through the sample.

Therefore, Log Io / I = ε c l

Where Io = Intensity of the incident light (or the light intensity passing through a reference cell)

 I = Intensity of light transmitted through the sample solution
 c = concentration of the solute in mol l-1
l = path length of the sample in cm

ε = molar absorptivity or the molar extinction coefficient of the substance whose light absorption is under investigation. It is a constant and is a characteristic of a given absorbing species (molecule or ion) in a particular solvent at a particular wavelength. ε is numerically equal to the absorbance of a solution of unit molar concentration (c = 1) in a cell of unit length ( l = 1) and its units are liters.moles-1 . cm -1. However, it is customary practice among organic chemists to omit the units.

The ratio I / Io is known as transmittance T and the logarithm of the inverse ratio Io / I is known as the absorbance A.

- Log I / Io = - log T = ε c l
and Log Io / I = A = ε c l
or A = ε c l

For presenting the absorption characteristics of a spectrum, the positions of peaks are reported as λmax (in nm) values and the absorptivity is expressed in parenthesis.

Solvent Effects

 Highly pure, non-polar solvents such as saturated hydrocarbons do not interact with solute molecules either in the ground or excited state and the absorption spectrum of a compound in these solvents is similar to the one in a pure gaseous state. However, polar solvents such as water, alcohols etc. may stabilize or destabilize the molecular orbitals of a molecule either in the ground state or in excited state and the spectrum of a compound in these solvents may significantly vary from the one recorded in a hydrocarbon solvent.

(i)                π -π* Transitions
In case of π Æ π* transitions, the excited states are more polar than the ground state and the dipole-dipole interactions with solvent molecules lower the energy of the excited state more than that of the ground state. Therefore a polar solvent decreases the energy of π Æ π* transition and absorption maximum appears ~10-20 nm red shifted in going from hexane to ethanol solvent.

(ii)             n -π* Transitions
 In case of n Æ π* transitions, the polar solvents form hydrogen bonds with the ground state of polar molecules more readily than with their excited states. Therefore, in polar solvents the energies of electronic transitions are increased. For example, the figure 5 shows that the absorption maximum of acetone in hexane appears at 279 nm which in water is shifted to 264 nm, with a blue shift of 15 nm.

Fig: UV-spectra of acetone in hexane and in water


High performance Liquid chromatography(HPLC)


1.     Introduction
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography(HPLC: formerly referrd to ashigh-pressour liquid Chrometography), is a techique in analytical chemistry used to separate, identify, and quantify each component in a mixture.
The principle of chrometography, in chromatography a liquid is pumped through a bed of particles. The liquid is called the mobile phase and the particle the staionary phase . High performance liquid chrometography high performance liquid chrometography (HPLC) is basicallly a highy improved from liquid chrometography. Instead of solvent being chrometograhy allowed todrip though a column under gravity, it is forced through under high pressur of up to 400 atmospheres.That makes it much faster. All chrometograhy separation , includinHPLC operate under the sane basic principle; sepration of a samll into it’s  constituent parts because of the difference in the relative affinities of defferent molecules for the mobile phase and the stationary phase used in the sepration.
2.     Instrumentation of  HPLC





3.     HPLC Tuoubleshooting
A.   Peak Tailing
Possible Cause
Solution
1.     Blocked frit
1.      
a.     Reverse flush column ( if allowed)
b.     Replace inlet frit
c.      Replace Column

2.     Column Void
2.     Fill void
     3.  Interfering peak  
     3. 
               a.  Use longer column
               b. Change mobile phase                 and / or column/ selectivity
     4.Wrong mobile phase pH
     4.
              a. Adjust pH
              b. For basic compounds,  lower pH usually provide more symmetric peak.
4.     Sample reacting with active site
5.      
a.     Add ion pair reagent or volatile basic modifier
b.     Change column



B.   Peak Pronting


Possible Cause
Solution
1.     Low temperature
1.Increase cloumn temerature
2.     Wrong sample solvent
2.Use mobile phase for injection solvent
3.     Sample overload
3.Decrase sample concentration
4.     Bad Column
4.See A.1 and A.2

C.   Split Peaks


Possible Cause
Solution
1.     Contamination on guard or analytical column inlet
          Fig. Split Peaks



         1.
              a.Remove guard column and attempt analysis.
              b.Replace guard if necessary
              c.If analytical column is obstructed, reverse and flush
             d.If problam persists, column may be fouled with strongly reatined contaminats
             e.Use appropriate restration procedure
             f.If problam persists, inlet is probably plugged
            g.Change frit or replace column
2.     Sample solvent incompatible with mobile phase
2.Change solvent; whenever possible, inject samples in mobile phase


D.   Distortion of Larger peaks


Possible Cause
Solution
1.     Sample overload
1.Reduce sample size


E.   Distoration of Early Peaks

Possible Cause
Solution
1.     Wrong injection
1.
a. Reduce injection volume
b. Use weaker injection solvent


F.    Extra peaks

Possible Cause
Solution
1.     Other components in sample
1.Normal
2.     Late- eluting peak from previous injection
2.
a. Increase run time or gradient slope
b. Increase flow rate
3.     Vacancy or ghost peaks
3.
a. cheak purity of mobile phase
b. Use mobile phase as injection solvent
c. Reduce injection volume


G.  Retention Time Drifts

Possible Cause
Solution
1.     Poor temperature control
1.Thermotat column
2.     Mobile phase changing
2.Prevent change (evaporation, reaction.)


H.  Abrupt Retention Time Change

Possible Cause
Solution
1.     Flow rate change
 1.Reset flow rate
2.     Air bubble in pump
 2.Bleed air from pump
3.     Improper mobile phase
      3.
      a. Replace with proper mobile phase
          b.Set proper mobile phase mixture on
4.     Weak detectour lamp
       4.Replace lamp
5.     Column leaking silica or packing material
       5.Replace Column
6.     Mobile phase mixture inadequate or malfunctioning
7.     Repair or replace the mix offline if isocratic


I.      Broad Peaks

Possible Cause
Solution
1.     Mobile phase composition changed
1.Prepare new mobile phase
2.     Mobile-phase flow rate too low
           2.Adjust flow rate
3.     Leaks
           3.
         a. See Section 3
         b. Cheak for loose fittings
         c. Cheak pump for leaks, salt build- up , and unsual noises
         d. Change seals if necessary
4.     Detector setting incorrect
           4.Adjust setting
5.     Extra-column effect:
a.     Column overloaded
b.     Detectore response time oe call volume too large
c.      Tubing between column and dectector too long or ID too larg
d.     Recorder response time too high
           5.
a.     Inject smaller column (e.g. 10µl vs. 100 µl) or 1:100 and 1:100 dilution of sample
b.     Reduce response time oe use smaller call
c.      Use as short a piece of 0.007-0..10. inch ID tubing as practical
d.     Reduce respose time

6.     Buffer concentration too low
6.Increase concentration
7.     Guard column contaminated / worn out
           7.Replace guard colunm
8.     Column contaminateds / worn out: low plate number

9.     Void at column inlet







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