Method development level selection

Polyfunctional mercaptans. Polyfunctional mercaptans are some of the most powerful odorants in nature, and they must be quantified at extremely low levels. The methods developed for their determination make use either of a selective separation using -hydroxy-mercurybenzoate (Tominaga et al. 1998 Tominaga and Dubourdieu 2006 Ferreira et al. 2007), of covalent chromatography (Schneider et al. 2003) or of the derivatization with pentaflurobenzyl bromide (Mateo-Vivaracho et al. 2006, 2007). A recent report using non-selective headspace isolation with SPME has also been published, but the limits of quantification are more than one order of magnitude above the odor thresholds (Fedrizzi et al. 2007). 

The epoxidation method developed by Noyori was subsequently applied to the direct formation of dicarboxylic acids from olefins [55], Cyclohexene was oxidized to adipic acid in 93% yield with the tungstate/ammonium bisulfate system and 4 equivalents of hydrogen peroxide. The selectivity problem associated with the Noyori method was circumvented to a certain degree by the improvements introduced by Jacobs and coworkers [56]. Additional amounts of (aminomethyl)phos-phonic acid and Na2W04 were introduced into the standard catalytic mixture, and the pH of the reaction media was adjusted to 4.2-5 with aqueous NaOH. These changes allowed for the formation of epoxides from ot-pinene, 1 -phenyl- 1-cyclohex-ene, and indene, with high levels of conversion and good selectivity (Scheme 6.3). 

Negative-ion Cl tends to be a very selective method of ionization which generates reduced levels of background, thus allowing sensitive analyses to be developed for appropriate analytes. 

Optimal values for the factors are selected from the tested levels for the factors (extremes or nominal) in function of a number of responses of the method (see also references [16,19]). When one changes the method conditions due to these results one has to be aware that a new method is defined. What is done here is in fact a simplistic way of optimizing a method. The optimization of a method however is a step that is expected to come much sooner in the method development than in the ruggedness testing. One also has to realize that when one defines a new method this requires a new full validation, including a ruggedness test. 

Analytical techniques have gone through considerable changes in the past 20 years. With the development of more sensitive and selective analytical instrumentation the analyst has been able to detect and identify minute quantities of materials never before seen. This has brought about a keen awareness of the widespread distribution of toxic hazards and also the need to study the long term effects of low level exposures. The development of new methodology is a dynamic process. However, new methods should always be thoroughly tested to demonstrate the precision and accuracy of the results obtained. 

USP Dissolution Apparatus 1 (basket) and 2 (paddle) are commonly used for immediate-release formulations. USP Apparatus 3 (reciprocating cylinders) is the system of choice for testing extended-release products or a dosage form that requires release profiling at multiple pH levels and time points. Low-dose products may require the use of flow-through analysis or other low-volume test techniques (noncompendial 100- or 200-mL dissolution vessels). Once the apparatus is selected and has been shown to be suitable during method development, no further evaluation of another apparatus is required during validation. 

Therefore, additional research and development of sensitive and selective methods for detecting and quantifying the levels of 1,1-dichloroethane and its metabolites in the tissues and urine of humans would be useful. If methods were available, it would assist investigators in determining whether specific levels of 1,1-dichloroethane found in the tissues/fluids of exposed persons correlate with any adverse health effects. 

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