SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) can serve as a valuable tool for confirming the presence of drugs and identifying brands, especially when dealing with different formulations. For instance, a branded product may contain additional substances, while a counterfeit product could exhibit contamination.
The presence of binding, dehydrating, or filling agents can also provide a unique fingerprint. Here, Al and Na come from the pill-forming material.
The high sensitivity of the analyzer permits the use of very low beam currents, ensuring that they remain below the static SIMS limit. This approach preserves the high-mass fragments required for definitive identification.
Powder analysis
When it comes to powder analysis, SIMS can be utilized to examine both the bulk composition and the core-shell structure. Powders can be mounted using various techniques such as conductive adhesive tape, dispersion, pill formation, or pressing into an indium sheet.
Image Credit: Hiden Analytical
Image Credit: Hiden Analytical
About Hiden Analytical
Hiden Analytical was founded in 1981 and is presently situated in a 2,130 m2 manufacturing plant in Warrington, England with a staff of over 50. As a privately owned company their reputation is built on creating close and positive relationships with their clients. Many of these customers are working at the forefront of new technology - in the fields of plasma research, surface science, vacuum processing and gas analysis. To maintain this reputation we have, over the years, established exceptional levels of technical expertise in these areas within the company.
Hiden Analytical is committed to providing systems which meet specifications of both new and existing clients, but further, enable the advancement of their work, whether it be pure research or the improvements or monitoring of products and process performance. Hiden Analytical have a common vision, not only to supply the systems and instruments with first class performance specifications, long term reliability and professional service support, but also, and in many cases more importantly, to maintain close contact to ensure that our systems provide all that our customers expect, and more, from their investment in their organisation.
Hiden has had an ISO 9001 Quality System since 27 June 1995, registered through National Quality Assurance Ltd., which itself is accredited by the UK’s national standardisation agency UKAS (UK Accreditation Service). The system has been reviewed since then by assessor visits every nine months, including on-site installation. The Quality System was upgraded to the new ISO 9000:2000 standard in late 2002.
Other notable products cover residual gas analysis to ultra high vacuum (UHV) levels with the HAL series of quadrupole mass spectrometers. For plasma diagnostics, the EQP combined mass / energy analyser and ESPION advanced Langmuir probe are market leaders. Gas and liquid analysis from atmospheric pressure or process pressures is achieved by the QIC series of instruments incorporating the acclaimed quartz inlet capillary (QIC). The latest development is the CATLAB microreactor module for the combined roles of catalyst characterisation and rapid, reproducible screening of catalyst activity.
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