Richard Parlitz, Manager Research and Applications Development at TF Instruments GmbH, is invited to the 2^nd International Graz Workshop for Pharmaceutical Engineering Science and will give a seminar entitled: Ultrasonic Resonator Technology for the Analysis of  (Nano-) Particles & (Nano-) Emulsions  on 16^th of June 2008.

Abstract:

Ultrasonic Resonator Technology (URT) is a novel method based on ultrasound, which has in recent years become a powerful tool for the analysis of all kinds of industrial, especially pharmaceutical fluids. The technology was developed in the laboratories of Manfred Eigen at the Max-Planck-Institute in Göttingen, Germany. The distinct advantage over light based methods being the fact that sound waves travel through almost any medium, irrespective of its turbidity. Therefore highly concentrated solutions are accessible to URT, dilution or other forms of sample preparation are not necessary.URT determines the speed of sound and attenuation in fluids with a very high accuracy and precision. The speed of sound is dependent on the bulk properties density and compressibility. The attenuation of sound is dependent among other parameters on the viscosity of the samples.

We present first results on the analysis of nanoparticles by URT. We analysed and quantified the binding of polynucleotides and proteins to potential nanoparticulate drug delivery systems.  Hereby we demonstrate the advantage of the wide dynamic range of URT and the possibility to analyze interactions without labels (i.e. chromophores) via changes of mechanical properties (compressibilitiy) and thermodynamic properties (density) within such systems upon interaction of two components. Together with the Division of Product Quality Research at the Food and Drug Adminsistration (FDA) we analysed self-nanoemulsified drug delivery systems (SNEDDs) as part of the overall Quality by Design (QbD) goal. URT enabled direct and convenient analysis of the physical properties of these oil in water nanoemulsions, which are intended for the formulation of water insoluble drugs. We also show that URT can be used to analyse liposomal systems.