Impurity assessment, development and validation of an RP-HPLC method for the determination of eleven potential impurities of eltrombopag precursor

Eltrombopag is an oral non-peptide thrombopoietin receptor (TPO-R) agonist indicated for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with persistent or chronic immune thrombocytopenia (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, ITP) or chronic hepatitis C infection and the treatment of severe aplastic anemia. The purpose of this research was to assess the possible impurities that may carry over to eltrombopag from its precursor Eltro-1 (3'-amino-2'-hydroxy-[1,1'-biphenyl]-3-carboxylic acid) and to develop a specific analytical method for the determination of these impurities. Eltro-1 samples synthesized by two different synthesis routes were investigated during the evaluation and method development studies. Besides the expected process-related impurities (Eltro-1A - Eltro-1J), e.g., starting materials, intermediates, and/or compounds formed from their further reactions, an unknown impurity detected above 0.10% was identified by LC-MS, synthesized and fully characterized by NMR, MS and FTIR (Eltro-1K). Accordingly, an HPLC-RP method for the determination of eleven impurities (Eltro-1A - Eltro-1K) in Eltro-1 was developed and validated according to ICH Q2. The control limits for impurities in Eltro-1 were set at ≤ 0.15% for Eltro-1A - Eltro-1J and ≤ 1.0% for Eltro-1K based on fate, spike-purge and carryover studies and in accordance with the ICH M7 classification for impurities in drug substance. Eltro-1 and eleven impurities at the specification limit were separated from each other and the diluent peaks with sufficient resolution without interference. Separation was performed on a Waters XBridge C18 column (150 × 4.6 mm, 3.5 μm) at 40 °C with a 10 µL injection volume at a detection wavelength of 220 nm and 15 °C sample temperature. The gradient elution is performed at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min for 40 min with mobile phase A (0.1% orthophosphoric acid in water) and B (acetonitrile) according to the following program: Time (min) / Acetonitrile (%): 0/0, 35/70, 36/0, 40/0. Test and standard solutions were prepared at a concentration of 1.0 mg/mL and 1.0 µg/mL, respectively, using a mixture of mobile phase A and acetonitrile (75/25) as diluent. This is the first specific, selective, sensitive, linear, precise, accurate, and robust HPLC method for the determination of Eltro-1A - Eltro-1K in Eltro-1, which showed no significant degradation under thermal stress, photostability (UV and VIS), and standard accelerated and long-term stability conditions.

Study of the impurity profile of photodegradation in lomefloxacin hydrochloride ear drops using liquid chromatography combined with ion trap/time-of-flight mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

Lomefloxacin hydrochloride ear drops are highly unstable to light and prone to produce photodegradation impurities. These impurities might be related to the phototoxicity of lomefloxacin, which could seriously threaten the health of patients. In this article, the photodegradation impurity profile in lomefloxacin hydrochloride ear drops was studied for further improvement of quality control of the drug.

METHODS

By studying the chromatographic behavior of photodegradation impurities, the photodegradation impurities in lomefloxacin hydrochloride ear drops were separated and detected effectively. Liquid chromatography combined with ion trap/time-of-flight mass spectrometry was applied to characterize the structures of the photodegradation impurities in lomefloxacin hydrochloride ear drops.

RESULTS

The structures of 17 impurities in lomefloxacin hydrochloride ear drops were elucidated based on high-resolution MSn data in positive ion mode, 12 of them being unknown impurities.

CONCLUSIONS

The structural characteristics and fragmentation patterns of the photodegradation impurities were also studied. The study of the photodegradation impurity profile in lomefloxacin hydrochloride ear drops provides a scientific basis for quality control of these ear drops and ensures the safety of drug use by the public.

Sensor macrophages derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells to assess pyrogenic contaminations in parenteral drugs

Ensuring the safety of parenteral drugs before injection into patients is of utmost importance. New regulations around the globe and the need to refrain from using animals however, have highlighted the need for new cell sources to be used in next-generation bioassays to detect the entire spectrum of possible contaminating pyrogens. Given the current drawbacks of the Monocyte-Activation-Test (MAT) with respect to the use of primary peripheral blood mono-nuclear cells or the use of monocytic cell lines, we here demonstrate the manufacturing of sensor monocytes/macrophages from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iMonoMac), which are fully defined and superior to current cell products. Using a modern and scalable manufacturing platform, iMonoMac showed typical macrophage-like morphology and stained positive for several Toll like receptor (TLRs) such as TLR-2, TLR-5, TLR-4. Furthermore, iMonoMac derived from the same donor were sensitive to endotoxins, non-endotoxins, and process related pyrogens at a high dynamic range and across different cellular densities. Of note, iMonoMac showed increased sensitivity and reactivity to a broad range of pyrogens, demonstrated by the detection of interleukin-6 at low concentrations of LPS and MALP-2 which could not be reached using the current MAT cell sources. To further advance the system, iMonoMac or genetically engineered iMonoMac with NF-κB-luciferase reporter cassette could reveal a specific activation response while correlating to the classical detection method employing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure cytokine secretion. Thus, we present a valuable cellular tool to assess parenteral drugs safety, facilitating the future acceptance and design of regulatory-approved bioassays.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of glutathione and related impurities in pharmaceuticals by qNMR

In this study, an alternative method to compendial analytical procedures with enhanced detection and separation capabilities was validated for the quality assessment of glutathione (GSH) drug substance. The related impurities A, B, C, and D present in GSH drug substance were characterized using a one-dimension proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1D 1H NMR) method on a 600 MHz spectrometer equipped with a liquid nitrogen cryoprobe. Two sample preparations at different pH were optimized to ensure the unambiguous identification of different impurities in the GSH samples. Specifically, impurities A and C in a GSH sample can be tested at pH 3.0, while pH 7.4 is more suitable for testing impurities B and D. The quantitative NMR (qNMR) method was validated following International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines. The limit of detection (LOD) was less than 0.1% wt for an individual impurity, and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) ranged from 0.14 to 0.24% wt, using about 14 min experimental time per spectrum. Following validation, the qNMR method was applied to assess different commercial GSH bulk substance samples, an in-house compounded GSH drug product, and a GSH dietary supplement product. The method was also applied to monitor GSH degradation (hydrolysis and oxidation) over time to provide quantitative information on GSH degradation and stability. The results suggest that the qNMR method can serve as a highly specific and efficient orthogonal tool for assessing the quality of GSH pharmaceuticals, providing both qualitative and quantitative information on GSH and its related impurities A-D.

Untargeted Metabolomics Based on Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Quadrupole Orbitrap High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry for Differential Metabolite Analysis of Pinelliae Rhizoma and Its Adulterants

The present study investigates the chemical composition variances among Pinelliae Rhizoma, a widely used Chinese herbal medicine, and its common adulterants including Typhonium flagelliforme, Arisaema erubescens, and Pinellia pedatisecta. Utilizing the non-targeted metabolomics technique of employing UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS, this research aims to comprehensively delineate the metabolic profiles of Pinelliae Rhizoma and its adulterants. Multivariate statistical methods including PCA and OPLS-DA are employed for the identification of differential metabolites. Volcano plot analysis is utilized to discern upregulated and downregulated compounds. KEGG pathway analysis is conducted to elucidate the differences in metabolic pathways associated with these compounds, and significant pathway enrichment analysis is performed. A total of 769 compounds are identified through metabolomics analysis, with alkaloids being predominant, followed by lipids and lipid molecules. Significant differential metabolites were screened out based on VIP > 1 and p-value < 0.05 criteria, followed by KEGG enrichment analysis of these differential metabolites. Differential metabolites between Pinelliae Rhizoma and Typhonium flagelliforme, as well as between Pinelliae Rhizoma and Pinellia pedatisecta, are significantly enriched in the biosynthesis of amino acids and protein digestion and absorption pathways. Differential metabolites between Pinelliae Rhizoma and Arisaema erubescens are mainly enriched in tyrosine metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism pathways. These findings aim to provide valuable data support and theoretical references for further research on the pharmacological substances, resource development and utilization, and quality control of Pinelliae Rhizoma.

Refractory Hypoglycemia Due to Sulfonylurea Contamination of Illicit Opioid Medications

Illicit drug supply adulteration can heighten the risk for adverse health outcomes. Sulfonylurea medications are widely used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM). Unintentional or intentional overdose of sulfonylureas can cause refractory hypoglycemia. This case report describes a 62-year-old male patient who presented to the emergency department (ED) after being found on the ground with signs of mild trauma. He was noted to be persistently hypoglycemic despite boluses of intravenous dextrose, a dextrose infusion, and oral nutrition. The patient did report purchase and oral ingestion of pills sold as oxycodone and that the pill shape and color were different from his usual supply. The patient was empirically treated with octreotide resulting in normalization of his serum glucose. Testing demonstrated a serum glipizide concentration six times the reporting range. This case represents unintentional sulfonylurea exposure in the setting of non-prescribed oxycodone use, resulting in hypoglycemia refractory to intravenous dextrose and oral nutrition. Octreotide is an additional potential treatment for this condition. As in this case, ingestion of street drugs may present a potential source of sulfonylurea exposure. Opioid contamination with sulfonylureas has not been widely reported in the literature and knowledge about this potential exposure is important for the prompt recognition and treatment of these patients by emergency physicians.

Eco-Friendly Stability-Indicating HPLC Method for Related Compounds in Pemetrexed Ditromethamine (Antineoplastic Agent) for Injection

BACKGROUND

An eco-friendly analytical technique was developed with the intention of preserving the environment by using green chemistry principles. Pemetrexed is a folate analogue indicated for the treatment of advanced lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE

Development of a green stability-indicating HPLC method for the quantification of pemetrexed ditromethamine (PDT) impurities in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and parenteral dosage form.

METHODS

Chromatographic separation was achieved using a Zorbax SB C18 column (150 mm × 4.6 mm i.d., 3.5 µ particle size) with perchlorate buffer (pH 3.0 ± 0.1, 50 mM) as mobile phase A and acetonitrile-perchlorate (90 + 10, v/v) buffer as mobile phase B at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min with a column temperature of 40°C ± 0.5°C. All analytes were well resolved by gradient elution with a total run time of 75 min. The UV detection wavelength was 230 nm.

RESULTS

The RP-HPLC method is capable of resolving all the degradation and process impurities for PDT API and parenteral dosage form. The related compounds method was validated in accordance with International conference on harmonization (ICH) Q2(R1) and United states of Pharmacopoeia (USP) <1225> guidelines, and found to be accurate, specific, precise, linear, robust and stability-indicating. The precision and intermediate results were <5% CV for all the impurities. The accuracy for all the impurities was found to be between 90 and 110%. The linearity of regression co-efficient values for all the impurities were found to be more than 0.999.

CONCLUSION

The proposed related compounds method is found suitable for the determination of process and degradation impurities of commercial formulations, stability samples in QC analysis for PDT API, and drug product.

HIGHLIGHTS

The developed liquid chromatographic method greenness and eco-friendliness were assessed using the green analytical procedure index (GAPI) and the analytical greenness (AGREE) tool, and found to be green. A PDT detoxification procedure was also developed to reduce environmental pollution.

Not Carfentanil-A Case of Unexpected Xylazine Detection

Historically, xylazine has been utilized in veterinary medicine for decades as an anesthetic and analgesic sedative to facilitate safe handling, diagnostic testing, and surgical procedures in large animals. Currently, xylazine is an emerging threat to human health. It has been detected in the illicit drug supply chain, often as an adulterant. It has been more commonly added to illicit substances, most notably fentanyl, by drugmakers to enhance drug effect. End users are often unaware of its presence. This is alarming given the large number of xylazine-involved overdose deaths while laboratory detections are deficient and reversal agents are absent. Herein, we present the first documented case of xylazine identified via gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry at University of California Davis Health despite a peculiarly mild clinical presentation. We hope to increase awareness of this potentially fatal adulterant that is often missed in evaluation and engender further opportunities to study this ongoing issue.

Safety evaluation of 8 drug degradants present in over-the-counter cough and cold medications

Although the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has provided guidance on the control of drug degradants for prescription drugs, there is less guidance on how to set degradant specifications for FDA OTC monograph drugs. Given that extensive impurity testing was not part of the safety paradigm in original OTC monographs, a weight of evidence (WOE) approach to qualify OTC degradants is proposed. This approach relies on in silico tools and read-across approaches alongside standard toxicity testing to determine safety. Using several drugs marketed under 21 CFR 341 as case studies, this research demonstrates the utility of a WOE approach across data-rich and data-poor degradants. Based on degradant levels ranging from 1 to 4% of the maximum daily doses of each case study drug and 10th percentile body weight data for each patient group, children were recognized as having the highest potential exposure relative to adults per body mass. Depending on data availability and relationship to the parent API, margins of safety (MOS) or exposure margins were calculated for each degradant. The findings supported safe use, and indicated that this contemporary WOE approach could be utilized to assess OTC degradants. This approach is valuable to establish specifications for degradants in OTCs.

Rapid Characterization of Undeclared Pharmaceuticals in Herbal Preparations by Ambient Ionization Mass Spectrometry for Emergency Care

In Asia, some herbal preparations have been found to be adulterated with undeclared synthetic medicines to increase their therapeutic efficiency. Many of these adulterants were found to be toxic when overdosed and have been documented to bring about severe, even life-threatening acute poisoning events. The objective of this study is to develop a rapid and sensitive ambient ionization mass spectrometric platform to characterize the undeclared toxic adulterated ingredients in herbal preparations. Several common adulterants were spiked into different herbal preparations and human sera to simulate the clinical conditions of acute poisoning. They were then sampled with a metallic probe and analyzed by the thermal desorption-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The experimental parameters including sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and turnaround time were prudently optimized in this study. Since tedious and time-consuming pretreatment of the sample is unnecessary, the toxic adulterants could be characterized within 60 s. The results can help emergency physicians to make clinical judgments and prescribe appropriate antidotes or supportive treatment in a time-sensitive manner.

Development of dual-photoionization ion trap mass spectrometry and its application for direct analysis of VOCs in fruit aroma

Photoionization-ion trap mass spectrometry (PI-ITMS) is one of the major directions of mass spectrometer miniaturization because of its great potential for rapid on-site VOCs detection in many cases. Traditionally, PI has always been investigated separately and is restrained by ion transmission structure, so a new structure needs to be designed and investigated for simplifying and improving the ion transmission efficiency. Interestingly, our preliminary experiments found that the signal intensity and mass range can be effectively improved by combing atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) and low-pressure photoionization (LPPI). Therefore, in this paper, a new dual photoionization - ion trap mass spectrometry (DPI-ITMS) was developed, explored and used to directly analyze complex VOCs. Compared with traditional single PI configuration, it presents two obvious merits: (1) simplified ion transmission structure, eliminating the need to use deflection electrode to repel ions and avoiding breakdown risk. (2) some missing/weak low m/z ion mass spectral peaks in APPI and some high m/z ion mass spectral peaks in LPPI were improved in DPI detection mode. In addition, by combining multivariate statistical analysis, we preliminary achieved in differentiating fruit types and maturity level. In summary, we concluded that the developed DPI-ITMS has moderate detection sensitivity (limited by the homemade ITMS, 0.1-1 ppmv with RSD of 6.36 %), and the DPI-ITMS configuration can be referenced by future PI-MS, and this study also provides a high-throughput, simple, noninvasive and no chemical contamination solution for analyzing main VOCs in fruit aroma.

Increases in the use of drug testing kits among nightclub and festival attendees in New York City who use ecstasy, 2017-2022

INTRODUCTION

Ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine [MDMA]) is a drug commonly used by people who attend electronic dance music (EDM) events at nightclubs and dance festivals. Drug checking has gained popularity in recent years to test for adulterants, but epidemiology studies are needed to estimate potential shifts in prevalence of drug checking to further inform harm reduction efforts.

METHODS

Adults entering randomly selected EDM events in New York City were surveyed in 2017 and 2022. Those reporting past-year ecstasy use were asked if they tested their ecstasy in the past year using a drug testing kit and whether they found out or suspected their ecstasy contained other drugs. We compared estimates between 2017 and 2022.

RESULTS

In 2017, an estimated 23.1% had tested their ecstasy, and this estimate increased to 43.1% in 2022 (86.6% increase, p = 0.006). Among those who tested their ecstasy, in 2017, 31.2% always tested their drug, and this increased to 60.6% in 2022 (94.2% increase, p = 0.026). In 2017, 59.6% of those who tested their ecstasy reported finding out or suspecting their drug was adulterated, which decreased to 18.4% in 2022 (69.1% decrease, p < 0.001). Suspected methamphetamine adulteration in particular decreased, from 21.9% in 2017 to 3.6% in 2022 (83.6% decrease, p = 0.007).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The use of drug testing kits has increased among EDM event attendees who use ecstasy and, at the same time, among those who had tested their ecstasy, suspected adulteration has decreased. Continued interest in understanding ecstasy contents among this population suggests the need for formal drug checking services.

Cross-contamination of CRISPR guides and other unrelated nucleotide sequences among commercial oligonucleotides

Custom oligonucleotides (oligos) are widely used reagents in biomedical research. Some common applications of oligos include polymerase chain reaction (PCR), sequencing, hybridization, microarray, and library construction. The reliability of oligos in such applications depends on their purity and specificity. Here, we report that commercially available oligos are frequently contaminated with nonspecific sequences (i.e. other unrelated oligonucleotides). Most of the oligos that we designed to amplify clustered regularly interspersed palindromic repeats (CRISPR) guide sequences contained nonspecific CRISPR guides. These contaminants were detected in research-grade oligos procured from eight commercial oligo-suppliers located in three different geographic regions of the world. Deep sequencing of some of the oligos revealed a variety of contaminants. Given the wide range of applications of oligos, the impact of oligo cross-contamination varies greatly depending on the field and the experimental method. Incorporating appropriate control experiments in research design can help ensure that the quality of oligo reagents meets the intended purpose. This can also minimize risk depending on the purposes for which the oligos are used.

[Impurity profile analysis of amphotericin B using on-line two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry]

Amphotericin B (AmB) is a polyene-macrolide antimicrobial drug with a broad antibacterial spectrum and remarkable efficacy against deep fungal infections. It binds to ergosterol on the fungal cell membrane and alters its permeability, thereby destroying the membrane. AmB is a multicomponent antimicrobial medication that contains a wide range of impurities, rendering quality analysis extremely difficult. In the current Chinese Pharmacopoeia (Edition 2020) and European Pharmacopoeia (EP10.3), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is applied to examine related substances in AmB. However, this technique presents a number of issues. For instance, the mobile phases used in the HPLC method described in both references contain nonvolatile inorganic salts, which cannot be coupled with a mass spectrometry (MS) detector. In addition, because the mobile phases used have a low pH, the component/impurities of AmB drug can easily be degraded or interconverted during the analytical process, leading to reduced analytical accuracy. Therefore, the accuracy and sensitivity of this method must be improved. In this study, a method based on on-line two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (2D HPLC-Q TOF/MS) was developed to analyze the impurity profile of AmB in accordance with the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (Edition 2020) and European Pharmacopoeia (EP10.3). The method combines on-line dilution and a multiple-capture HPLC system to achieve the efficient separation of AmB component/impurities. It also resolves the issue of poor solvent compatibility in 2D HPLC, increases the analytical flux, enhances the automation capability, reduces the mutual conversion of AmB and its impurities during the analytical process, and increases the detection sensitivity of the method. MS was also used to determine the structural inference of unstable components and impurities. An XBridge Shield C18 column (250 mm×4.6 mm, 3 μm) was used for first-dimensional-liquid chromatography with gradient elution using methanol-acetonitrile-4.2 g/L citric acid monohydrate solution (10∶30∶60, v/v/v, pH 4.7) as mobile phase A and methanol-acetonitrile-4.2 g/L citric acid monohydrate solution (12∶68∶20, v/v/v, pH 3.9) as mobile phase B. An Xtimate C8 column (10 mm×2.1 mm, 5 μm) was used as the trap column, and trapping and desalting were performed using 10 mmol/L ammonium formate aqueous solution containing 0.1% formic acid-acetonitrile (95∶5, v/v). An Xtimate C8 column (250 mm×2.1 mm, 5 μm) was used for second-dimensional-liquid chromatography with gradient elution using 10 mmol/L ammonium formate aqueous solution containing 0.1% formic acid-acetonitrile (95∶5, v/v) and 10 mmol/L ammonium formate aqueous solution containing 0.1% formic acid-acetonitrile (5∶95, v/v) as mobile phases. The data were collected in positive-ion mode. In this study, the structures of six impurities in amphotericin B were inferred, according to the fragmentation, the MS and MS2 spectra of each impurity. The developed method can be used to quickly and sensitively analyze the impurity profile of AmB. Furthermore, the research results on impurity profiles can be applied to guide improvements in AmB production.

[Determination of multiple residual solvents in ibandronate sodium using headspace-gas chromatography]

Ibandronate sodium, a third-generation diphosphate drug used worldwide to treat osteoporosis, has the advantages of convenient use, low toxicity, and significant therapeutic effects. However, the residual organic solvents in the synthesis process of sodium ibandronate not only have a negative impact on the efficacy of the drug, but also lead to a decrease in drug stability. Moreover, if the residual amounts of these solvents exceed safety standards, they may pose serious threats to human health. This study successfully established a convenient and efficient method based on headspace-gas chromatography (HS-GC) for the simultaneous determination of five residual solvents (methanol, acetone, benzene, toluene, 1-pentanol) in the raw materials of ibandronate sodium. The results indicated that satisfactory analytical performance can be achieved by using DB-624 capillary column (30 m×0.32 mm×1.8 μm) and a flame ionization detector in conjunction with headspace autosampling and a temperature program. The specific operating conditions included an initial temperature of 40 ℃, with a hold of 2 min, followed by a temperature ramp first to 200 ℃ at a rate of 5 ℃/min and then to 240 ℃ at a rate of 20 ℃/min, with a hold of 5 min. Nitrogen with a flow rate of 1 mL/min and split ratio of 14∶1 was used as the carrier gas. The headspace vial temperature was maintained at 80 ℃, and the sample equilibration time was 20 min. Under the established analytical conditions, good linear relationships were obtained between the mass concentrations of methanol (72-216 μg/mL), acetone (120-360 μg/mL), benzene (0.048-0.144 μg/mL), toluene (21.36-64.08 μg/mL), and 1-pentanol (120-360 μg/mL) and their corresponding peak areas, with correlation coefficients (r) greater than 0.990. The limits of detection for these solvents were 2.88, 0.011, 0.90, 0.24, and 0.024 ng/mL, respectively, with limits of quantification of 11.5, 0.043, 3.6, 0.96, and 0.096 ng/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the recoveries of these solvents ranged from 86.3% to 101.9%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs, n=3) of less than 2.49%. The proposed method is simple, accurate, reliable, and suitable for the rapid and simultaneous determination of five residual solvents in the raw materials of ibandronate sodium. This study has important practical significance in improving drug safety and ensuring public health.

Paraffin waxes in the North-Western Mediterranean Sea: A comprehensive assessment in the Pelagos Sanctuary, a Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance

Paraffin waxes are widely recognized as emerging marine pollutants, even their classification by the recent monitoring programs and the knowledge of their occurrence, and sources of contamination in marine ecosystems are poorly defined and reported. Wax presence and distribution have been evaluated in different environmental compartments in the Pelagos Sanctuary (Mediterranean Sea) floating on the sea surface and stranded on beaches, focussing on their characterization, accumulation areas and pollution inputs. More than 2500 yellow paraffin residues were detected and analysed in the study area showing a prevailing dimension smaller than 5 mm. The Genoa Canyon and the waters facing Gorgona Island resulted in the more polluted areas representing two distinct hotspots of wax accumulation potentially related to the high density of tanker vessels sailing to and from the harbour of Genova and Livorno. Higher concentrations of beached particles were found along the Tuscan coast (11 items/100 m) and on Pianosa Island (110 items/m2). This study gives valuable insights into paraffin wax pollution in the Pelagos Sanctuary, emphasizing the need for harmonized monitoring and detection methods to elucidate the potential impacts on marine organisms. Moreover, mitigating actions are crucial to prevent and curb the waxes pollution of marine ecosystems.

Peril in the Pipeline: Unraveling the threads of PFAS contamination in U.S. drinking water systems

We examined the spatial distribution of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the US drinking water and explored the relationship between PFAS contamination, public water systems (PWS) characteristics, and socioeconomic attributes of the affected communities. Using data from the EPA's third Unregulated Contaminant Rule, the Census Bureau, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we identified spatial contamination hot spots and found that PFAS contamination was correlated with PWSs size, non-surface raw water intake sources, population, and housing density. We also found that non-white communities had less PFAS in drinking water. Lastly, we observed that PFAS contamination varied depending on regional industrial composition. The results showed that drinking water PFAS contamination was an externality of not only some industrial activities but also household consumption.

Synthesis of bioengineered heparin chemically and biologically similar to porcine-derived products and convertible to low MW heparin

Heparins have been invaluable therapeutic anticoagulant polysaccharides for over a century, whether used as unfractionated heparin or as low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) derivatives. However, heparin production by extraction from animal tissues presents multiple challenges, including the risk of adulteration, contamination, prion and viral impurities, limited supply, insecure supply chain, and significant batch-to-batch variability. The use of animal-derived heparin also raises ethical and religious concerns, as well as carries the risk of transmitting zoonotic diseases. Chemoenzymatic synthesis of animal-free heparin products would offer several advantages, including reliable and scalable production processes, improved purity and consistency, and the ability to produce heparin polysaccharides with molecular weight, structural, and functional properties equivalent to those of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) heparin, currently only sourced from porcine intestinal mucosa. We report a scalable process for the production of bioengineered heparin that is biologically and compositionally similar to USP heparin. This process relies on enzymes from the heparin biosynthetic pathway, immobilized on an inert support and requires a tailored N-sulfoheparosan with N-sulfo levels similar to those of porcine heparins. We also report the conversion of our bioengineered heparin into a LMWH that is biologically and compositionally similar to USP enoxaparin. Ultimately, we demonstrate major advances to a process to provide a potential clinical and sustainable alternative to porcine-derived heparin products.

How Should Regulators and Manufacturers Prevent Avoidable Deaths of Children From Contaminated Cough Syrup?

This commentary responds to a case about diethylene glycol-contaminated glycerin in cough syrup. Glycerin is a commonly used excipient in medicines to improve texture and taste. Excipients are typically pharmacologically inactive ingredients contained in prescription and over-the-counter drugs that play a critical role in the delivery, effectiveness, and stability of active drug substances. The commentary first canvasses how contaminants enter the excipient supply chains. One way is by misleading labeling or intentional adulteration by manufacturers or suppliers. Another way is by human or systemic error. This commentary then discusses quality control testing and suggests the ethical and clinical importance of increased transparency in excipient supply chains.

The "forever" per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): A critical accounting of global research on a major threat under changing regulations

The European Commission's current efforts to launch the largest proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in history reflect the dire global plight of PFAS accumulation in the environment and their health impacts. While there are existing studies on PFAS research, there is a lack of comprehensive analysis that both covers the entire research period and provides deep insights into global research patterns, incentives, and barriers based on various parameters. We have been able to demonstrate the increasing interest in PFAS research, although citation numbers are declining prematurely. Policy regulations based on proving and establishing the toxicity of PFASs have stimulated research in developed countries and vice versa, with increasing emphasis on ecological aspects. China, in particular, is investing increasingly in PFAS research, but without defining or implementing regulations - with devastating effects. The separation of industrial and environmental research interests is clear, with little involvement of developing countries, even though their exposure to PFAS is devastating. It, therefore, requires increased globally networked and multidisciplinary approaches to address PFAS contamination challenges.

Adulterants present in the San Diego county fentanyl supply: a laboratory analysis of seized law enforcement samples

BACKGROUND

The opioid overdose crisis is one of the worst public health crises ever to face the US and emerging evidence suggests its effects are compounded by the presence of drug adulterants. Here we report our efforts to characterize the adulterants present within the local fentanyl supply of San Diego County, obtained from undifferentiated drug samples seized by local law enforcement over the calendar year 2021.

METHODS

Thirty-two participating local law enforcement agencies across San Diego submitted 4838 unknown individual illicit drug samples (total of 312 kg) to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department Regional Crime Laboratory for identification.

RESULTS

Qualitative analysis of these samples via FTIR and GC-MS identified methamphetamine (38.7%), fentanyl (20.8%), diacetylmorphine (heroin) (10.2%), codeine (5.8%) and alprazolam (4.3%) as the most common illicit substances and the presence of 52 unique adulterants. The most common adulterants included 4-methylaminoantipyrine (4-MAAP) (10.9%), mannitol (9%), acetaminophen (8.5%), methamphetamine (4.2%), diacetylmorphine (heroin) (3.6%), tramadol (1.9%), and xylazine (1.7%). Several additional pharmacologically active adulterants and contaminants of interest were also identified.

CONCLUSION

This analysis is vital for public health use and harm reduction efforts at the level of the individual consumer. Continued direct surveillance of the drug supply is necessary for the detection of potentially harmful adulterants that may pose serious threats to the public.

BA.2.86 variant emergence and spread dynamics through wastewater monitoring in Paris, France

Numerous SARS-CoV-2 variants are emerging as the epidemic continues, inducing new waves of contamination. In July 2023, a new variant named BA.2.86 was identified, raising concerns about its potential for viral escape, even in an immune population. The reduction in patient-centered testing and the identification of variants by sequencing means that we are now blind to the spread of this new variant. The aim of this study was to track the signature of this variant in wastewater in Paris, France. This variant showed a very rapid spread, highly correlated with national flash studies involving sequencing of clinical samples, but with a moderate impact on virus circulation. This easy-to-implement approach enabled us to monitor the emergence and spread of this new variant in real time at low cost.

Accuracy of Labeling of Galantamine Generic Drugs and Dietary Supplements

This study examines the accuracy of labeling for galantamine products formulated as both generic drugs and dietary supplements, as well as tests for contamination with microorganisms.

Application of advanced high resolution mass spectrometric techniques for the analysis of losartan potassium regarding known and unknown impurities

Recalls of medicinal products can cause supply bottlenecks. This is often due to the findings of unexpected impurities that pose a health risk to patients. A recent example is losartan potassium which was contaminated with azido-impurities. The choice of the analytical method determines which substances can be detected and thus controlled. In this study a combination of an untargeted screening approach for impurities and a targeted evaluation of high-resolution mass spectrometry data was applied to search for impurities not described so far, leaving out a precise quantification. Six losartan potassium samples were studied regarding known and unknown impurities and hence highlight the applicability and capability of the approach. For separation a Zorbax RR StableBond C18 column (3.0 ×100 mm, particle size of 3.5 µm, pore size of 80 Å), a gradient elution and an electrospray ionization in positive and negative mode for mass spectrometric detection was used. An information-dependent acquisition method was applied for the measurement of losartan potassium samples. The untargeted data evaluation using general unknown comparative screening revealed the presence of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and another impurity from synthesis. The identity of NMP was corroborated by a spiking experiment and the amount was estimated by means of standard addition. A targeted data evaluation by generating extracted ion chromatograms resulted in finding of four additional impurities. Combined approaches like this are needed to detect and respond to changes in the quality of drugs precociously.

Comprehensive Impurity Profiling of mRNA: Evaluating Current Technologies and Advanced Analytical Techniques

In vitro transcription (IVT) of mRNA is a versatile platform for a broad range of biotechnological applications. Its rapid, scalable, and cost-effective production makes it a compelling choice for the development of mRNA-based cancer therapies and vaccines against infectious diseases. The impurities generated during mRNA production can potentially impact the safety and efficacy of mRNA therapeutics, but their structural complexity has not been investigated in detail yet. This study pioneers a comprehensive profiling of IVT mRNA impurities, integrating current technologies with innovative analytical tools. We have developed highly reproducible, efficient, and stability-indicating ion-pair reversed-phase liquid chromatography and capillary gel electrophoresis methods to determine the purity of mRNA from different suppliers. Furthermore, we introduced the applicability of microcapillary electrophoresis for high-throughput (<1.5 min analysis time per sample) mRNA impurity profiling. Our findings revealed that impurities are mainly attributed to mRNA variants with different poly(A) tail lengths due to aborted additions or partial hydrolysis and the presence of double-stranded mRNA (dsRNA) byproducts, particularly the dsRNA 3'-loop back form. We also implemented mass photometry and native mass spectrometry for the characterization of mRNA and its related product impurities. Mass photometry enabled the determination of the number of nucleotides of different mRNAs with high accuracy as well as the detection of their size variants [i.e., aggregates and partial and/or total absence of the poly(A) tail], thus providing valuable information on mRNA identity and integrity. In addition, native mass spectrometry provided insights into mRNA intact mass, heterogeneity, and important sequence features such as poly(A) tail length and distribution. This study highlights the existing bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement in the analytical characterization of IVT mRNA, thus contributing to the refinement and streamlining of mRNA production, paving the way for continued advancements in biotechnological applications.

Phthalates contamination in sediments: A review of sources, influencing factors, benthic toxicity, and removal strategies

Sediments provide habitat and food for benthos, and phthalates (PAEs) have been detected in numerous river and marine sediments as a widely used plastic additive. PAEs in sediments is not only toxic to benthos, but also poses a threat to pelagic fish and human health through the food chain, so it is essential to comprehensively assess the contamination of sediments with PAEs. This paper presents a critical evaluation of PAEs in sediments, which is embodied in the analysis of the sources of PAEs in sediments from multiple perspectives. Biological production is indispensable, while artificial synthesis is the most dominant, thus the focus was on analyzing the industrial and commercial sources of synthetic PAEs. In addition, since the content of PAEs in sediments varies, some factors affecting the content of PAEs in sediments are summarized, such as the properties of PAEs, the properties of plastics, and environmental factors (sediments properties and hydrodynamic conditions). As endocrine disruptors, PAEs can produce toxicity to its direct contacts. Therefore, the effects of PAEs on benthos immunity, endocrinology, reproduction, development, and metabolism were comprehensively analyzed. In addition, we found that reciprocal inhibition and activation of the systems lead to genotoxicity and apoptosis. Finally, the paper discusses the feasible measures to control PAEs in wastewater and leachate from the perspective of source control, and summarizes the in-situ treatment measures for PAEs contamination in sediments. This paper provides a comprehensive review of PAEs contamination in sediments, toxic effects and removal strategies, and provides an important reference for reducing the contamination and toxicity of PAEs to benthos.

Monitoring of Visible Particles in Parenteral Products by Manual Visual Inspection-Reassessing Size Threshold and Other Particle Characteristics that Define Particle Visibility

Visible particles are a critical quality attribute for parenteral products and must be monitored. A carefully designed, executed, and controlled drug product manufacturing process including a final 100 % visual inspection and appropriate end-product controls ensures that visible particles are consistently minimized and demonstrates that the injectable DP is practically free from visible particles. Visual inspection, albeit appearing as a simple analytical procedure, requires several technical and operational controls to ensure adequate performance. To gather new data on particle visibility and shed light on this decade-old challenge, a multi-company blinded visual inspection threshold study was conducted. A major goal of the study was visual assessment of several particle types of different sizes in small volume vials, as a challenging configuration for visual inspection, across 9 biopharmaceutical companies in order to determine the visibility limit. The study results provide key insights into limitations and challenges of visual inspection, namely, no universal visibility limit can be applied to all particle types as the detectability varies with particle type, number, and size. The study findings underscore the necessity of setting realistic expectations on size-based visibility limits in visual inspection, robust procedures for analyst training and qualification, and harmonization of guidelines globally.

Smart-detection approach for protein residues to evaluate the cleaning efficacy of reusable medical devices

BACKGROUND

Healthcare-associated infections are challenging problems to eradicate. In practice, infection prevention and control regarding the effective cleaning of reusable medical devices is performed. However, real-time monitoring of potentially contaminated devices is hindered by the complex, costly investigations and the time required.

AIM

To develop an inexpensive approach providing high-sensitivity, rapid, and low-cost protein residue determination on medical devices.

METHODS

Colourimetric reactions for protein were modified and downscaled to produce a colour product on the moving drop platform and to operate combined with our custom-built smartphone application in order to evaluate and save protein contamination data. The intensity of a product colour was detected by photographing with a smartphone camera and was proportional to the protein concentration in the linear range of 5-20 μg/mL. The protein content was processed on a custom-built smartphone application, namely PromoveCheck.

FINDINGS

The proposed procedure was highly sensitive, yielding limits of detection and limits of quantification, at 0.03 and 0.10 μg based on the Bradford reaction. It was applied to reusable medical devices, showing no significant differences from the spectrophotometric method and a correlation with the o-phthaldialdehyde method (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

This approach demonstrates low cost, sensitivity, efficiency and traceability for investigating reusable medical device cleanliness. The PromoveCheck app can report and acquire protein content that can be used for traceability and alerts concerning questionable or discovered contaminant devices, improving the quality management of the Central Sterile Supply Department.

Characterization of polymerized impurities in cefoxitin sodium for injection by two-dimensional chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Polymerized impurities in β-lactam antibiotics can induce allergic reactions, which seriously threaten the health of patients. In order to study the polymerized impurities in cefoxitin sodium for injection, a novel approach based on the use of two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (2D-LC-TOF MS) was applied. In the 1st dimension, high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) with a TSK-G2000SWxl column was employed. Column switching was applied for the desalination of the mobile phase used to separate polymerized impurities in the 1st dimension before they were transferred to the 2nd dimension which utilized reversed phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) and TOF MS for further structural characterization. The structures of four polymerized impurities (which were all previously unknown) in cefoxitin sodium for injection were deduced based on the MS2 data. One novel polymerized impurity (PI-I), with 2H less than the molecular weight of two molecules of cefoxitin (Mr. 852.09), was found to be the most abundant (>50 %) in almost all the samples examined and could be regarded as the marker polymer of cefoxitin sodium for injection. This work also showed the great potential of the 2D-LC-TOF MS approach in structural characterization of unknown impurities separated with a mobile phase containing non-volatile phosphate in the 1st dimension.

Multifunctional, Degradable Wearable Sensors Prepared with an Initiator and Crosslinker-Free Method

The present zwitterionic hydrogel-based wearable sensor exhibits various limitations, such as limited degradation capacity, unavoidable toxicity resulting from initiators, and poor mechanical properties that cannot satisfy practical demands. Herein, we present an initiator and crosslinker-free approach to prepare polyethylene glycol (PEG)@poly[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) (PSBMA) interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels that are self-polymerized via sunlight-induced and non-covalent crosslinking through electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding among polymer chains. The PEG@PSBMA IPN hydrogel possesses tissue-like softness, superior stretchability (∼2344.6% elongation), enhanced fracture strength (∼39.5 kPa), excellent biocompatibility, antibacterial property, reliable adhesion, and ionic conductivity. Furthermore, the sensor based on the IPN hydrogel demonstrates good sensitivity and cyclic stability, enabling effective real-time monitoring of human body activities. Moreover, it is worth noting that the excellent degradability in the saline solution within 8 h makes the prepared hydrogel-based wearable sensor free from the electronic device contamination. We believe that the proposed strategy for preparing physical zwitterionic hydrogels will pave the way for fabricating eco-friendly wearable devices.

Environmental surface monitoring as a noninvasive method for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in community settings: Lessons from a university campus study

Environmental testing of high-touch objects is a potential noninvasive approach for monitoring population-level trends of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses within a defined setting. We aimed to determine the association between SARS-CoV-2 contamination on high-touch environmental surfaces, community level case incidence, and university student health data. Environmental swabs were collected from January 2022 to November 2022 from high-touch objects and surfaces from five locations on a large university campus in Florida, USA. RT-qPCR was used to detect and quantify viral RNA, and a subset of positive samples was analyzed by viral genome sequencing to identify circulating lineages. During the study period, we detected SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA on 90.7 % of 162 tested samples. Levels of environmental viral RNA correlated with trends in community-level activity and case reports from the student health center. A significant positive correlation was observed between the estimated viral gene copy number in environmental samples and the weekly confirmed cases at the university. Viral sequencing data from environmental samples identified lineages concurrently circulating in the local community and state based on genomic surveillance data. Further, we detected emerging variants in environmental samples prior to their identification by clinical genomic surveillance. Our results demonstrate the utility of viral monitoring on high-touch environmental surfaces for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance at a community level. In communities with delayed or limited testing facilities, immediate environmental surface testing may considerably inform epidemic dynamics.

Challenges Associated with Biological Safety Assessments for Drug-Device Combination Products

Biological safety assessments for drug-device combination products involve evaluation of the drug container closure and the device constituent part. When the device constituent part is the drug delivery system as well as the drug container closure system, both device and drug-based packaging standards have been deemed applicable. Approaches used for the biological safety assessment of medical devices differ from those used for pharmaceutical packaging/delivery systems. One area of difference is the extent to which chemical characterization with toxicological assessment is used either in addition to, or in place of, biological in vivo or in vitro tests. Differences also exist in the way nonclinical studies are used to evaluate the safety of medical devices or drug delivery systems. The lack of alignment in standards and guidance has resulted in confusion over what combination of tests and methods of evaluation constitute a biological safety assessment that will meet regulatory expectations for a drug-device combination product. The intent of this article is to discuss the challenges created when the packaging or delivery system is also a device constituent part of a drug-device combination product. Suggestions are offered regarding approaches that may be useful for conducting suitable biological safety assessments for drug-device combination products.

Monitoring stability indicating impurities and aldehyde content in lipid nanoparticle raw material and formulated drugs

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are designed to protect and transport sensitive payloads or active pharmaceutical ingredients as part of new therapeutic modalities. As a multi-component particle, a high degree of quality control is necessary to ensure raw materials are free of critical impurities that could adversely impact the drug product. In this study, we demonstrate a reversed phase liquid chromatography method hyphenated with a single quadrupole mass spectrometer (RPLC-MS) as an alternative platform to methods that incorporate evaporative light scattering or charged aerosol detectors in the detection and quantitation of critical impurities associated with LNPs. The proposed RPLC-MS method offers an increase of up to 2 orders of magnitude in dynamic range and 3 orders of magnitude in sensitivity in the analysis of impurities associated with LNPs compared to conventional detectors. Access to complementary mass data enabled the detection and identification of stability indicating impurities as part of stress studies carried out on an ionizable lipid. In addition to confirmation of peak identity, complementary mass data was also used to assess residual aldehydes in raw material and formulated LNPs in accordance with regulatory guidance. Following derivatization using 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, aldehyde content in the ionizable lipid raw material was determined to exceed the reporting threshold of 0.05% in 30% of the test cases. The experimental findings observed in this study demonstrate the utility of the proposed RPLC-MS method in the identification and monitoring of stability-indicating attributes associated with LNPs as part of current Good Manufacturing Practices for improved consumer safety in drug products.

An authentic assessment method for cordyceps sinensis

Cordyceps Sinensis, renowned for its diverse pharmacological properties and the rarity of its natural species, faces significant challenges due to rampant adulteration by counterfeit products. Consequently, there is a crucial need to reliably identify Cordyceps species to ensure their quality and efficacy. While current analytical techniques predominantly rely on LC-MS, there remains a notable deficiency and substantial demand for the development of a unified, reproducible, and fast method suitable for commercial applications. In this study, we employed a cost-effective and straightforward approach utilizing headspace GC-MS to authenticate Cordyceps sinensis. This method enables the comprehensive analysis of the chemical profile, facilitating the identification of quality and authenticity in Cordyceps samples. Through a comparative analysis of the chemical profiles of seven authentic Cordyceps samples with seven other Cordyceps samples, we propose a Quality Assessment System for Authentic Cordyceps, encompassing the following criteria: 1) the presence of 29 compounds commonly found in authentic Cordyceps within the chemical profile, and 2) the area ratio of 3-methylbutanal to 2-methylbutanal falling within the range of 2.09-3.01. This method exhibits considerable promise as a standardized, reproducible, and expeditious technique for the quality assessment and authentication of Cordyceps.

When I use a word . . . Medicines regulation-diethylene glycol

In 1937, when diethylene glycol was used as a solvent in the preparation of a medicinal product, an elixir of sulfanilamide, resulting in deaths, public outcry hastened the promulgation of an act that had been in preparation in the USA for several years, but which had met with opposition from pharmaceutical companies. The 1938 Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act, as it was known, gave greater powers to the then recently formed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in regulating the contents of medicinal formulations. Nevertheless, although similar regulatory systems have since been established around the world, episodes of poisoning with diethylene glycol in pharmaceutical formulations, whether deliberately included adulteration or as a contaminant, continue to be reported, generally in developing countries, usually affecting children, and often causing deaths.

UHPLC-MS/MS Method Development and Validation for the Genotoxic Impurities Trimethyl Phosphate and Triisopropyl Phosphate of Elagolix Sodium

Elagolix sodium is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist that inhibits endogenous GnRH signaling by competitively binding to GnRH receptors in the pituitary gland to treat moderate to severe pain associated with endometriosis. To keep the safety and quality of the drug, a fast quantitative method by reversed-phase ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry has been developed and validated for the identification, assay and estimation of potential genotoxic impurities trimethyl phosphate and triisopropyl phosphate in commercial batches of this active pharmaceutical ingredient in accordance with International Conference on Harmonization guidelines Q2 and M7. The method was validated by assessing specificity, sensitivity, linearity, the limit of quantification and detection, accuracy, precision and robustness for above analytes at a very low concentration, whose quantification and detection limits reached to 24 and 4.8 pg/ml, respectively, and the total run time for a single injection was 6 min.

Nutritional and Microbial Quality of teff Grain as Influenced by Economically Motivated Adulteration Along the Supply Chain

Teff is a gluten-free cereal crop widely cultivated in Ethiopia and is a critical ingredient in making injera, a unique flatbread. However, there is a significant issue with adulteration of teff, impacting its safety and quality. This study evaluated economically-driven adulteration effects on teff grains' nutritional and microbial quality. A preliminary survey revealed that it is a common practice to adulterate teff grains with inexpensive and inedible materials throughout the supply chain in the study area. One hundred and thirty teff grain samples were collected from producers, collectors, whole-sellers, and retailers in the cities of Tulu bolo and Jimma to determine the types and extents of adulterants present and their effect on the nutritional and microbial quality of the grains. They were mixed separately to create composite samples representing different supply chain actors. Standard protocols were used to evaluate nutritional and microbial quality. The results showed significant differences among the supply chain actors regarding identified adulterants, nutritional content, and microbial quality. The study identified chaff, soil + sand, and dukkaa (a combination of nonedible substances separated from teff grains in milling houses and warehouses) as the significant adulterants, with mean ranges of 1.17-8.07%, 1.29-7.23%, and 8.93-37.13% respectively. The study also evaluated the proximate composition and microbial load of the teff samples collected from different supply chain actors. The ranges of values for moisture, protein, fat, ash, fiber, carbohydrate, and energy were 8.33-10.53%, 6.49-9.42%, 2.29-3.86%, 2.33-6.39%, 2.42-3.95%, 70.9-73.76%, and 333.52-361.9 kcal, respectively. The microbial load showed ranges of 6.92-7.98, 3.17-3.22, 1.78-2.04, 6.73-7.89, and 6.88-7.93 log CFU/g for Total Plate Count, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, mold, and yeast, respectively. The results showed an increase in teff adulteration from producers to Jimma retailers, indicating multiple-stage adulteration throughout the supply chain, posing a threat to product safety and quality. The study recommends good coordination among the bodies responsible for food safety, producers, and consumers to mitigate this issue effectively.

Identification of adulteration in the market samples of saffron using morphology, HPLC, HPTLC, and DNA barcoding methods

Saffron, the stigma of Crocus sativus L., is the most expensive spice used for culinary, medicinal, dye, and cosmetics purposes. It is highly adulterated because of its limited production and high commercial value. In this study, 104 saffron market samples collected from 16 countries were tested using morphology, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) barcoding. Overall, 45 samples (43%) were adulterated. DNA barcoding identified the highest number of adulterated saffron (44 samples), followed by HPTLC (39 samples), HPLC (38 samples), and morphology (32 samples). Only DNA barcoding identified the adulterated samples containing saffron and other plants' parts as bulking agents. In addition, DNA barcoding identified 20 adulterant plant species, which will help develop quality control methods and market surveillance. Some of the adulterant plants are unsafe for human consumption. The HPLC method helped identify the saffron samples adulterated with synthetic safranal. HPLC and HPTLC methods will help identify the samples adulterated with other parts of the saffron plant (auto-adulteration).

Method for determination of elemental impurities in metronidazole benzoate using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The elemental impurities in pharmaceutical products have aroused widespread concern among respective supervising authorities and official pharmacopoeias since they are harmful and have no therapeutic effects. Metronidazole benzoate is used extensively to treat a variety of infections. However, impurities will inevitably be introduced in the manufacturing process of metronidazole benzoate. Hence, in this study, a sensitive method was developed for trace determination of elemental impurities in metronidazole benzoate active pharmaceutical ingredients by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in kinetic energy discrimination mode. The method was validated for system suitability, specificity, linearity, sensitivity, accuracy, and precision according to USP chapter <233> Elemental Impurities-Procedure. The method had good linearity with correlation coefficients > 0.99. The limits of detection were in the range of 0.0003-0.1411 μg/g, which was lower than the acceptable limit and indicated the high sensitivity of the method. The method was accurate with the recoveries in the range of 92%-107%. Moreover, the content of seven elemental impurities in the three batches of metronidazole benzoate active pharmaceutical ingredients by this method was originally below their limits and less than 30% of permitted daily exposure, meeting the requirement of International Council for Harmonization Q3D guidelines. Thus, this newly developed and validated method for estimating elemental impurities in metronidazole benzoate active pharmaceutical ingredients was within the permitted limit and suitable for routine use.

Public health risk due to contamination of Solanum nigrum in frozen green beans - collaboration effort between a poison centre, a hospital and health authorities

INTRODUCTION

We describe a rare food contamination of organically grown frozen green beans with Solanum nigrum, also called black night shade, which were widely available in supermarkets in the Netherlands.

CASE SERIES

To our knowledge, only three adults and one child were referred to the emergency department for observation after eating the contaminated green beans. Only minor symptoms were seen during observation. The remainder of the frozen green beans were obtained from the patients and sent for analysis within one day. Within two and a half days after the first case, a public safety warning and recall were launched.

DISCUSSION

Due to an increase in popularity of organic food, more incidents involving toxic weed contaminants like the one we describe in this report could happen when quality control in organic agriculture is insufficient. In this event, the critical control point obtained from the hazard analysis was insufficiently managed by the producer.

CONCLUSION

This report demonstrates the efficient collaboration between the Dutch Poisons Information Centre, treating physicians at the hospital and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority in case of a possible public safety issue. Because of quick acting and collaboration between the involved parties, the product was quickly withdrawn from the market.

PFAS: exploration of neurotoxicity and environmental impact

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread contaminants stemming from various industrial and consumer products, posing a grave threat to both human health and ecosystems. PFAS contamination arises from multiple sources, including industrial effluents, packaging, and product manufacturing, accumulating in plants and impacting the food chain. Elevated PFAS levels in water bodies pose significant risks to human consumption. This review focuses on PFAS-induced neurological effects, highlighting disrupted dopamine signalling and structural neuron changes in humans. Animal studies reveal apoptosis and hippocampus dysfunction, resulting in memory loss and spatial learning issues. The review introduces the BKMR model, a machine learning technique, to decipher intricate PFAS-neurotoxicity relationships. Epidemiological data underscores the vulnerability of young brains to PFAS exposure, necessitating further research. Stricter regulations, industry monitoring, and responsible waste management are crucial steps to reduce PFAS exposure.

An analytical approach to determine the health benefits and health risks of consuming berry juices

Food products composition analysis is a prerequisite for verification of product quality, fulfillment of regulatory enforcements, checking compliance with national and international food standards, contracting specifications, and nutrient labeling requirements and providing quality assurance for use of the product for the supplementation of other foods. These aspects also apply to the berry fruit and berry juice. It also must be noted that even though fruit juices are generally considered healthy, there are many risks associated with mishandling both fruits and juices themselves. The review gathers information related with the health benefits and risk associated with the consumption of berry fruit juices. Moreover, the focus was paid to the quality assurance of berry fruit juice. Thus, the analytical methods used for determination of compounds influencing the sensory and nutritional characteristics of fruit juice as well as potential contaminants or adulterations.

A strategic approach towards mass balance investigations in pharmaceutical drug substance release testing: A peculiar out of specification case study encountered during API manufacture

Mass balance in drug substances release testing is a critical quality attribute in pharmaceutical manufacturing that continues to challenge modern analytical characterization. This specific perspective of mass balance is lacking in literature, and the following work addresses the knowledge gap related to this topic by examining an in-depth case study and detailing the systematic investigation into mass imbalance observed during release testing of a small molecule API. The process followed a logical stepwise progression beginning with most probable causes and expanded to more obscure causes that require a deeper examination of the API in question until the undetected impurity in question was finally identified. The discovered impurity was eventually found to be formed from a unique side reaction that led to the formation of API-related oligomer impurities, which had eluded conventional small molecule release testing strategies. Ultimately, the characterization gap was traced back to deficiency in the LC results of the developed API purity methods. More importantly, this gap provides an ideal opportunity to highlight common oversights and pitfalls encountered in early phase pharmaceutical development especially as it relates to the method development of truly representative chromatography methods in the API characterization. The work reflects on the key lessons learned from the highlighted pitfalls that were encountered in this case study and offers strategic insights to guide and to improve the development workflow for drug substance characterization strategies.

Decoding Complexity in Synthetic Oligonucleotides: Unraveling Coeluting Isobaric Impurity Ions by High Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Analyzing coeluting impurities with similar masses in synthetic oligonucleotides by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) poses challenges due to inadequate separation in either dimension. Herein, we present a direct method employing fully resolved isotopic envelopes, enabled by high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), to identify and quantify isobaric impurity ions resulting from the deletion or addition of a uracil (U) or cytosine (C) nucleotide from or to the full-length sequence. These impurities may each encompass multiple sequence variants arising from various deletion or addition sites. The method utilizes a full or targeted MS analysis to measure accurate isotopic distributions that are chemical formula dependent but nucleotide sequence independent. This characteristic enables the quantification of isobaric impurity ions involving sequence variants, a capability typically unavailable in sequence-dependent MS/MS methods. Notably, this approach does not rely on standard curves to determine isobaric impurity compositions in test samples; instead, it utilizes the individual isotopic distributions measured for each impurity standard. Moreover, in cases where specific impurity standards are unavailable, the measured isotopic distributions can be adequately replaced with the theoretical distributions (calculated based on chemical formulas of standards) adjusted using experiment-specific correction factors. In summary, this streamlined approach overcomes the limitations of LC-MS analysis for coeluting isobaric impurity ions, offering a promising solution for the in-depth profiling of complex impurity mixtures in synthetic oligonucleotide therapeutics.

New Patterns for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Adjustment of Prevention, Control and Surveillance Strategies: The Example of France

From 2020 up to summer 2023, there was a substantial change in the situation concerning the high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus in Europe. This change concerned mainly virus circulation within wildlife, both in wild birds and wild mammals. It involved the seasonality of HPAI detections, the species affected, excess mortality events, and the apparent increased level of contamination in wild birds. The knock-on effect concerned new impacts and challenges for the poultry sector, which is affected by repeated annual waves of HPAI arriving with wild migratory birds and by risks due to viral circulation within resident wild birds across the year. Indeed, exceeding expectations, new poultry sectors and production areas have been affected during the recent HPAI seasons in France. The HPAI virus strains involved also generate considerable concern about human health because of enhanced risks of species barrier crossing. In this article, we present these changes in detail, along with the required adjustment of prevention, control, and surveillance strategies, focusing specifically on the situation in France.

Understanding the Stress Testing Characteristics of Apixaban, Structural Elucidation of a Novel Degradation Impurity, and Stability-Indicating Method Development for Quantification of Related Substances

BACKGROUND

People who have non-valvular atrial fibrillation may benefit from taking a new oral anticoagulant called apixaban, which has recently been given the green light by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. During stress testing, apixaban was found to have a high degree of degradability when subjected to both acidic and basic conditions, and one significant unknown impurity was observed in addition to the major known impurities.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim is the isolation and characterization of degradation product observed in stress/forced degradation studies, and also the development of a single HPLC method that is both reliable and accurate for quantifying all 10 related impurities of apixaban.

METHODS

Preparative HPLC was used to isolate the degradation product, and 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and MS were used to elucidate the structure of the product. Additionally, a single reverse-phase (RP) HPLC method was developed for quantification of all related impurities of apixaban.

RESULTS

Based on the spectral characterization data, the identified unknown degradation impurity was found to be a pH-independent hydrolysis degradation impurity of apixaban. The developed method is specific, linear, accurate, robust, and rugged.

CONCLUSION

The isolated and characterized impurities were the same as those found during stress testing. The developed method has been validated for its intended purpose in accordance with the regulatory requirements that were outlined.

HIGHLIGHTS

The unknown impurity is a new apixaban degradation impurity that helps us understand its toxicity. The scientific community will benefit from the developed analytical method information as it relates to understanding drug product impurity profiling.

Efficiency of the bank filtration for removing organic priority substances and contaminants of emerging concern: A critical review

With growing concerns regarding the ecological and human risks of organic micropollutants (OMPs) in water, much effort has been devoted worldwide to establishing quality standards and compiling candidate and watch lists. Although bank filtration is recognized as an efficient natural water treatment in the removal of contaminants such as OMPs, the increase in exploitation requires continuous assessment of removal efficiency. This review aims to provide a critical overview of bank filtration (BF) reports on more than a hundred priority substances (PSs) and compounds of emerging concern (CECs) listed in the relevant European Union regulations. Field- and lab-scale studies analyzing the removal efficiency and its variance of individual OMPs and biological indicators using BF and the main influencing factors and their interactions, shortcomings, and future challenges are discussed in this review. The removal efficiency of EU-relevant contaminants by BF has been comprehensively investigated for only a few pollutants listed in the environmental EU regulations: pharmaceutically active compounds, (e.g., the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, some antibiotics (e.g., sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim)), a few pesticides (e.g., atrazine), and faecal indicators such as Escherichia coli. In many cases, the measured concentrations of PSs and CECs have not been published numerically, which hinders comprehensive statistical analysis. Although BF is one of the most cost-effective and efficient water treatments, present field and lab studies have demonstrated the diversity of site-specific factors affecting its efficiency. Even in the case of substances known to be removed by BF, the efficiency rates can vary with environmental and anthropogenic factors (e.g., hydrogeological parameters and the contamination level of infiltrating water) and abstraction well parameters (e.g., the depth, distance, and pumping volume). The published removal rate variations and influencing factors often reflect the research design (field or lab-scale), which can lead to ambiguities.

Isolation and Maintenance in Culture of Primary Human Trophoblast from Term Placentae

Trophoblasts are placenta-specific epithelial cells that play an essential role in conducting nutrient, gas, and waste exchange between the fetus and the mother. Primary culture of human trophoblasts from donated term placentae is an important tool to study placental functions. Currently, there is a lack of general consensus of the optimal culture conditions for maintaining term trophoblast cells in vitro. A key problem with culturing trophoblasts from term placentae is overgrowth of the trophoblasts by rapidly proliferating cellular contaminants. Recently we reported a system to culture trophoblasts from term placentae which differentiate into syncytiotrophoblast-like multinucleated cells that can be maintained in culture for at least 30 days with minimal contamination. This chapter details our optimized approach for long-term, contaminant-free in vitro culture of primary trophoblasts from term placentae.

Drug transfer during intimate moments: A key issue in doping control that can be documented by hair tests of the athlete and the partner

The presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or its markers in an athlete's sample constitutes the more frequent anti-doping rules violation. In the world anti-doping code, it is indicated (point 10.5) that if someone establishes in an individual case that the athlete bears no fault or negligence, then the otherwise applicable period of ineligibility shall be eliminated. The conditions that have to be met to fix the no fault or negligence evidence are described in several other points of the code. The following two points are of paramount importance: 1. the athlete or his/her legal representative must present verified circumstances of contamination and the source of contamination must be identified; and 
2. there must be verified claims by the athlete about the fact that he/she did not knowingly take the prohibited substance, i.e., that the violation was not intentional.In recent years, several cases of contamination involving drug transfer during intimate moments have been reported. This later situation was first reported in 2009 with the Richard Gasquet case. Since that time, several athletes have been allowed to return to competition with no charge based on strong evidence that the source of contamination was drug transfer during intimate moments. As some of these cases are public and because the author performed hair tests for the majority of the international athletes involved in such procedures, the strategy of the defence and the scientific bases of discussion are reviewed in this article.