The Product Quality Research Institute elemental impurity interlaboratory study: Results and implications for industry

Introduction: Pharmaceutical laboratories experienced a paradigm shift in drug product elemental impurity (EI) expectations in International Council on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) Guideline Q3D and United States Pharmacopeia (USP) General Chapters...

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Main Authors: James M. Harrington, Donna S. Seibert, Glenn Williams, Thanh Nguyen, Denise McClenathan, Stephen W. Erickson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Trace Elements and Minerals
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773050625000187
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author James M. Harrington
Donna S. Seibert
Glenn Williams
Thanh Nguyen
Denise McClenathan
Stephen W. Erickson
author_facet James M. Harrington
Donna S. Seibert
Glenn Williams
Thanh Nguyen
Denise McClenathan
Stephen W. Erickson
author_sort James M. Harrington
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Pharmaceutical laboratories experienced a paradigm shift in drug product elemental impurity (EI) expectations in International Council on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) Guideline Q3D and United States Pharmacopeia (USP) General Chapters <232>/<233>. These guidelines describe a risk-based approach to EI analysis. Few systematic evaluations of interlaboratory performance on EI analysis in pharmaceutics have been conducted following these guidelines. Our goal is to address key technical challenges faced by laboratories during the implementation of these regulations. Materials and Methods: We organized an interlaboratory study using standardized samples and methodology to assess sample preparation and analysis variability. Participants performed microwave-assisted acid preparation of simulated pharmaceutical products and analyzed Class 1 and 2A EI's by inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Several laboratories performed X-ray Fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) for comparison. Results: ICP-MS reproducibility was high both within and between laboratories, except for Hg and V. Exhaustive extraction and total digestion were generally comparable, between 87 and 111 % for As, Cd, Co, and Pb. Total digestion exhibited lower variability than exhaustive extraction. Two types of microwave systems produced comparable results for most elements except Hg and Pb. The summation approach was comparable to direct analysis of tablets except for Hg and Cd, but summation demonstrated greater variability. XRF showed good agreement with ICP-MS and low replicate variability within labs. Discussion and Conclusions: While the results were generally favorable, they demonstrate that some technical challenges remain to be addressed related to standardizing laboratory practices including interference correction strategies and selection of preparation methods. We discuss implications for method transfer between laboratories.
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spelling doaj-art-8cdcaa636fb54bd6baa02148cc44387c2025-08-20T03:53:07ZengElsevierJournal of Trace Elements and Minerals2773-05062025-06-011210022710.1016/j.jtemin.2025.100227The Product Quality Research Institute elemental impurity interlaboratory study: Results and implications for industryJames M. Harrington0Donna S. Seibert1Glenn Williams2Thanh Nguyen3Denise McClenathan4Stephen W. Erickson5RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America; Corresponding author at: 3040 E. Cornwallis Rd. P.O. Box 12194 Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709.Perrigo Company, Allegan, MI, United States of AmericaRigaku Corporation, The Woodlands, TX, United States of America; VPrep Corp., Houston, TX, United States of AmericaRigaku Corporation, The Woodlands, TX, United States of America; VPrep Corp., Houston, TX, United States of AmericaProcter and Gamble, Cincinnati, OH, United States of AmericaRTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of AmericaIntroduction: Pharmaceutical laboratories experienced a paradigm shift in drug product elemental impurity (EI) expectations in International Council on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) Guideline Q3D and United States Pharmacopeia (USP) General Chapters <232>/<233>. These guidelines describe a risk-based approach to EI analysis. Few systematic evaluations of interlaboratory performance on EI analysis in pharmaceutics have been conducted following these guidelines. Our goal is to address key technical challenges faced by laboratories during the implementation of these regulations. Materials and Methods: We organized an interlaboratory study using standardized samples and methodology to assess sample preparation and analysis variability. Participants performed microwave-assisted acid preparation of simulated pharmaceutical products and analyzed Class 1 and 2A EI's by inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Several laboratories performed X-ray Fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) for comparison. Results: ICP-MS reproducibility was high both within and between laboratories, except for Hg and V. Exhaustive extraction and total digestion were generally comparable, between 87 and 111 % for As, Cd, Co, and Pb. Total digestion exhibited lower variability than exhaustive extraction. Two types of microwave systems produced comparable results for most elements except Hg and Pb. The summation approach was comparable to direct analysis of tablets except for Hg and Cd, but summation demonstrated greater variability. XRF showed good agreement with ICP-MS and low replicate variability within labs. Discussion and Conclusions: While the results were generally favorable, they demonstrate that some technical challenges remain to be addressed related to standardizing laboratory practices including interference correction strategies and selection of preparation methods. We discuss implications for method transfer between laboratories.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773050625000187Elemental impuritiesMethod developmentInterlaboratory studyUSP 232/233ICH Q3D
spellingShingle James M. Harrington
Donna S. Seibert
Glenn Williams
Thanh Nguyen
Denise McClenathan
Stephen W. Erickson
The Product Quality Research Institute elemental impurity interlaboratory study: Results and implications for industry
Journal of Trace Elements and Minerals
Elemental impurities
Method development
Interlaboratory study
USP 232/233
ICH Q3D
title The Product Quality Research Institute elemental impurity interlaboratory study: Results and implications for industry
title_full The Product Quality Research Institute elemental impurity interlaboratory study: Results and implications for industry
title_fullStr The Product Quality Research Institute elemental impurity interlaboratory study: Results and implications for industry
title_full_unstemmed The Product Quality Research Institute elemental impurity interlaboratory study: Results and implications for industry
title_short The Product Quality Research Institute elemental impurity interlaboratory study: Results and implications for industry
title_sort product quality research institute elemental impurity interlaboratory study results and implications for industry
topic Elemental impurities
Method development
Interlaboratory study
USP 232/233
ICH Q3D
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773050625000187
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