Nebulization viscosity

The detectable limits are given for samples such as they are introduced into the apparatus they should be previously diluted in order to be nebulized. It thereby is useful to apply a dilution coefficient, usually at least 10. The dilution depends on the sample viscosity. 

The drop in pressure when a stream of gas or liquid flows over a surface can be estimated from the given approximate formula if viscosity effects are ignored. The example calculation reveals that, with the sorts of gas flows common in a concentric-tube nebulizer, the liquid (the sample solution) at the end of the innermost tube is subjected to a partial vacuum of about 0.3 atm. This vacuum causes the liquid to lift out of the capillary, where it meets the flowing gas stream and is broken into an aerosol. For cross-flow nebulizers, the vacuum created depends critically on the alignment of the gas and liquid flows but, as a maximum, it can be estimated from the given formula. 

Figure 4.1.2 is a photograph of a coimterflow burner assembly. The experimental particle paths in this cold, nonreacting, counterflow stagnation flow can be visualized by the illumination of a laser sheet. The flow is seeded by submicron droplets of a silicone fluid (poly-dimethylsiloxane) with a viscosity of 50 centistokes and density of 970 kg/m, produced by a nebulizer. The well-defined stagnation-point flow is quite evident. A direct photograph of the coimterflow, premixed, twin flames established in this burner system is shown in Figure 4.1.3. It can be observed that despite the edge effects.

Airway clearance therapy is usually accompanied by bron-chodilator treatment [albuterol (also known as salbutamol outside the United States) by nebulizer or metered-dose inhaler] to stimulate mucociliary clearance and prevent bronchospasm associated with other inhaled agents. A mucolytic agent may be administered to reduce sputum viscosity and enhance clearance. 

Dornase alfa (Pulmozyme ) is a recombinant human (rh) DNase that selectively cleaves extracellular deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). This DNA is released during neutrophil degradation and contributes to the high viscosity of CF sputum. Nebulization of dornase alfa 2.5 mg once or twice daily improves daily pulmonary symptoms and function, reduces pulmonary exacerbations, and improves quality of life.16 N-acetylcysteine and hypertonic saline are other mucolytic agents that are occasionally used however, they are not preferred agents due to a greater incidence of bronchospasm and unpleasant odor and taste.5... 

Droplet delivery from an airblast nebulizer is governed by the surface tension, density and viscosity of the fluid, and the applied pressure, which can be passive or forced. Droplet breakup is illustrated in Fig. 6. Droplets form during this breakup at a critical Weber number (We) ... 

The use of the aerosol route for delivery of antibiotics for pulmonary infections remains controversial. The majority of pediatric studies have been conducted in children with cystic fibrosis. In these patients distribution of the antibiotic to the desired tissue site is impeded because of the viscosity of the sputum in patients with acute exacerbations of their pulmonary infections [91,92], Long-term studies have demonstrated preventive benefits of aerosolized antibiotics in children with cystic fibrosis who are colonizing Pseudomonas aeruginosa in their lungs but are not acutely ill [93,94], Cyclic administration of tobramycin administered by nebulizer has received FDA approval [95],... 

The viscosity of the solvent. This affects the rate of nebulization. 

Chemical interferences are the result of problems with the sample matrix. For example, viscosity and surface tension affect the aspiration rate and the nebulized droplet size, which, in turn, affect the measured absorbance. The most useful solution to the problem is matrix matching, matching the matrix... 

The most commonly used LC/MS interfaces in pharmaceutical analysis are ESI and APCI. An ESI interface on the majority of commercial mass spectrometers utilizes both heat and nebulization to achieve conditions in favor of solvent evaporation over analyte decomposition. While ionization in APCI occurs in the gas phase, ionization using ESI occurs in solution. Attributes of a mobile phase such as surface tension, conductivity, viscosity, dielectric constant, flow rate and pFi, all determine the ionization efficiency. They therefore need to be taken into consideration and controlled. 

The introduction of samples via nebulizers requires that they are either pneumatically or peristaltically pumped into the nebulizer for aerosol formation. This restricts the range of viscosities that can be easily handled by the nebulizer. For example highly saline or oil samples may well have to be diluted by an order of magnitude or greater. This dilution can be carried out either in a batch mode or continuously. Batch systems are quite complex in design but the rate of analysis is high. It is often the case that where dilution is required, in addition, a fast rate of analysis is also desirable. Some batch systems have been introduced commercially, notably to monitor wear metals in the oil industry. 

Patients suffering from cystic fibrosis often use various aerosolized drugs. To reduce the viscosity of the mucus in the airways, recombinant human deoxyribonuclease is used. This enzyme is the first recombinant protein that has been developed for specific delivery to the lungs via the airways. It has a local action on the mucus in the airways and its absorption is minimal. Another drug that decreases the viscosity of the mucus is acetylcysteine. Aerosolized antibiotics are a further group of therapeutics that is widely used by cystic fibrosis patients. Solutions of antibiotics like tobramycin or colistin are used in nebulizers to prevent exacerbation of the disease. Pentamidine has been used for the prophylaxis of Pneumocystis pneumonia in patients infected with HIV virus, while chronic rejection of lung transplants provided a reason to develop an aerosol formulation of cyclosporine A. 

For ultrasonic nebulizers the relation between viscosity and droplet size is more obvious. As could be expected on theoretical grounds, droplet size was found to be proportional to viscosity [57]. As a consequence, viscous solutions might not be aerosolized at all [58,59]. 

A theoretical study of factors which affect pneumatic nebulizers (nebulizer geometry, capillary diameter, temperature fluctuations, gas pressure, solution viscosity, etc.] has been published by Heineman (24). Ultrasonic nebulization (which produces both smaller droplets and a narrower droplet size distribution] continues to attract attention (93, 95). 

Greenfield ef. ai.l l) observed a reduction of signal intensity that correlates with sample intake effects from the modified solution viscosity and/or surface tension of mineral acids. This, coupled with peristaltic pumping of solutions into the nebulizer, considerably reduces physical interferences. Increased salt concentration also has an effect on solution physical properties. In the experience of these authors, the high levels of salt in the matrix also increases the noise from the nebulizer system. This degradation of nebulizer performance, which is not necessarily accompanied by a proportional reduction in sensitivity, is the cause of the observed deterioration of detection limits in real samples as opposed to ideal solutions. 

Ideally, the standards should be made up in a solution containing the same normally expected levels of matrix elements as occur in the sample solution. It should be borne in mind that even if they exert no chemical interference, they could possibly exert a viscosity effect on a nebulized solution (especially with high concentrations of phosphoric or sulphuric acids). If it is not possible to determine the matrix components or prepare standards in a matrix solution, and unless experiments have shown matrix interference to be insignificant, then the method of standard additions, or spiking, should be carried out. This is where known amounts of the analyte are added to the sample or sample solution before determination by, e.g. AAS or colorimetry. 

Since AAS is a ratio method, many instrumental errors (e.g. long-term source drift, small monochromator drifts) should cancel out, as 7 is ratioed to I . However, a stable uptake rate, or aspiration rate, is required. This falls as the viscosity of the solution sprayed is increased. Nebulizer uptake interferences can be minimized if the dissolved salts content of samples and standards is approximately matched. For example, when determining pg cm sodium levels in 2 M phosphoric acid, ensure that the standards are also dissolved in 2 M phosphoric acid, using a blank to check for contamination. 

High dissolved solids content in water (for example, chlorides and other salts in excess of 1500mg/l) change the viscosity and the surface tension of the digested samples and affect the nebulization and aerosol transport. 

The role of the sample introduction system is to convert a sample into a form that can be effectively vaporized into free atoms and ions in the ICP. A peristaltic pump is typically used to deliver a constant flow or sample solution (independent of variations in solution viscosity) to the nebulizer. Several different kinds of nebulizers are available to generate the sample aerosol, and several different spray chamber designs have been used to modify the aerosol before it enters the ICP Gases can be directly introduced into the plasma, for example, after hydride generation. Solids can be introduced by using electrothermal vaporization or laser ablation. 

In flame spectrometry, physical interferences are related to transport of determinant from sample solution to the flame. The pneumatic nebulizer functions not only as a spray generator, but also as a pump.1,2 Anything which influences the pumping rate will influence the size of the absorbance signal obtained. The pumping, or aspiration, rate is most sensitive to changes in viscosity of the sample solutions. 

Aspiration rate is only a small part of the overall transport process in flame spectrometry. The production of aerosol and its transport through the spray chamber are also of great importance. The size distribution of aerosol produced depends upon the surface tension, density, and viscosity of the sample solution. An empirical equation relating aerosol size distribution to these parameters and to nebulizer gas and solution flow rates was first worked out by Nukiyama and Tanasawa,5 who were interested in the size distributions in fuel sprays for rocket motors. Their equation has been extensively exploited in analytical flame spectrometry.2,6-7 Careful matrix matching is therefore essential not only for matching aspiration rates of samples and standards, but also for matching the size distributions of their respective aerosols. Samples and standards with identical size distributions will be transported to the flame with identical efficiencies, a key requirement in analytical flame spectrometry. 

The evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) [47] is based on the ability of fine particulate matter of a solute to scatter light. To obtain suitable analyte particles, the column effluent is nebulized by an inert gas in the nebulizer and aerosol droplets are allowed to evaporate in the drift tube. Droplet size is related to mobile phase properties (surface tension, density, and viscosity). Usually, high solvent-to-gas flow ratio provides the best sensitivity because it produces the largest droplet diameters. 

An extensive study was conducted by McCallion et al. investigating the effects of different physicochemical properties on the performance of the jet nebulizer. Materials with different viscosity and... 

As with jet nebulizers and pMDIs, the formulation characteristics include liquid density, surface tension, viscosity, and vapor pressure. Many of these that effect nebulizer performance of formulation properties are described in the above equation. The configuration... 

Newman, S.P. Pellow, P.G.D. Clarke, S.W. Dropsizes from medical atomisers (nebulizer) for drug solution with different viscosities and surface tensions. Atomization Spray Technol. 1987, 3, 1-11. 

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