Development and Evaluation of a Sampling Device for the Analysis of Pharmaceutical Aerosols

Various devices and techniques were studied in an attempt to obtain suitable samples of material from aerosol products. Generally accepted sampling procedures cannot be used since the aerosol product contains propellants that are extremely volatile. Several of these methods were investigated and used as the basis for assaying various aerosol products. A sampling device was developed and evaluated. The sampling device was designed in a manner that made available a sample of aerosol product that could then be assayed directly in the chamber. Openings were fitted with specially designed valves that allow for transfer of the contents without loss of volatile propellant or active ingredients. Various samples of aerosol products containing local anesthetics, steroids, and amines, were assayed by this method and found to give acceptable results. In all cases, the amount of active ingredient contained in each product could be accurately determined. The device makes possible a technique applicable to the analysis of most pharmaceutical aerosols. This method, which can be carried out with ease in a relatively short period of time, was shown to produce accurate results when used in the manner described.