Kemtrak inline photometers are ideally suited to the needs of the Pharmaceutical & Biochemical industries.

Use of in-line process photometry can reduce costs, increase quality and ensure environmental and regulatory compliance.

Pharmaceutical & Biochem
applications include:

• Centrifugal separation
• Chromatographic separation
• Filtration
• Phase separation
• Water detection

Centrifugation is a process used for liquid/liquid or liquid/solid separation. Kemtrak in-line photometers can be placed at a number of locations on a centrifuge in order to

• increase product yield / reduce product loss
• provide a more consistent product quality
• increased separation efficiency

The feed stream of a centrifuge will often vary in solids content, adversely effecting the performance. By monitoring changes in the feed concentration using a Kemtrak TC007 photometer, overloads can be prevented, bowl speed can be optimized and flow can be controlled based on solids content.

The centrate is a common location used to control and optimise a centrifugal separator and to protect downstream filtration equipment.

The concentrate may also be monitored in order to evaluate the centrate carryover or solids content.

The Kemtrak DCP007 photometer is an advanced dual wavelength photometer designed to accurately measure the concentration or color of light absorbing substances from 250 to 1050 nm (UV-VIS-NIR). The Kemtrak TC007 turbidimeter uses a long life 880nm LED lightsource to precisely measure the optical density of turbid liquids for applications such as monitoring the solids concentration in the concentrate.

Optic fibers are utilized to pipe the light from within the analyzer enclosure to the sampling point and back. Kemtrak flow-cell manifolds are available in a range of materials and design, including DIN Flanges and sanitary TriClamps.

Please contact a Kemtrak representative for further information.

Chromatography involves passing a mixture of substances dissolved in a mobile phase through a stationary phase, in order to separate the substances of interest. Chromatography requires accurate monitoring and control and repeatability is essential.

Benefits of in-line control include:

• optimized regeneration
• bubble detection
• protein concentration measurement

Virtually all proteins absorb at around 280nm. Installing a Kemtrak DCP007 UV photometer to the outlet of the chromatography column allows instant decisions to be made regarding the collection of product.

A Kemtrak photometer can be used to control and optimize size exclusion (gel filtration) chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography.

The Kemtrak DCP007 photometer uses an absorbing wavelength to measure minute concentration changes in the process medium, while a second reference wavelength that is not absorbed by the process medium compensates for turbidity and/or fouling of the optical windows.

Manifolds are available in all line sizes from industry standard DIN Flanges and sanitary TriClamps to custom manifolds with less than 1 µL internal volume for fast and accurate concentration measurement of proteins. All Kemtrak manifolds can be certified for explosive environments (ATEX).

Alcohol measurement information sheet

Please contact a Kemtrak sales representative for more information

The performance and productivity of UF/MF/RO and cross-flow filtration systems can be significantly improved by the installation of Kemtrak process photometers. Kemtrak in-line photometers for monitoring the feed, retentate and permeate lines can maximize yields, extend filter life, and minimize product loss.

Benefits include:

• optimum precision and repeatability
• filter can be run to certain target (retentate)
• minimized product loss (permeate)
• immediate detection of filter breakthrough
• control & optimization of filter aids
• quality assurance and control
• cost reduction

The Kemtrak TC007 ISO Turbidimeter uses a long life 880nm LED lightsource to accurately measure the turbidity of the sample in accordance with International Standard ISO7027.

As with all Kemtrak photometers, the Kemtrak TC007 is easy to install and requires no maintenance. Optic fibers are utilized to pipe the light from within the analyzer enclosure to the sampling point and back. Kemtrak flow-cell manifolds are available in a range of materials and deign, including DIN Flanges and sanitary TriClamps. Process probes for use in tanks are also available.

If two phases have any difference in either turbidity or absorbance between 250nm and 2500nm, then they can be separated by a Kemtrak process photometer. By monitoring either the absorbance or turbidity at strategic points in the process, immediate detection of product-product or product-water interfaces can be achieved. The benefits include:

• reduced product loss
• increased product quality
• faster product changeover
• reduced waste water contamination

The net benefit is a substantial cost reduction.

Kemtrak photometers are easy to install and require no maintenance. Use a Kemtrak DCP007 photometer for monitoring changes in color or a Kemtrak DCP007NIR for detecting any variation in the water or organic content between the phases.

The measurement of water in hydrocarbon solvents is an important measurement in many pharmaceutical processes. The use of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for water analysis is common as NIR offers high sensitivity and measurements can be undertaken in-line providing immediate results.

Water measurements can be undertaken on hydrocarbon solvents with ppm accuracy. Proven applications include acetone, isopropyl benzene, propanol, tetrahydrofuran, and methyl-isobutyl ketone, to name just a few. Additionally, water can be measured in alcohols, such as methanol and ethanol, from trace amount to virtually 100% water.

Water has two regions of activity in the NIR region between 1000 - 2500nm. At 1400nm the O-H stretch in the water molecule is measured, while at 1900nm water has a unique peak due to a combination of O-H stretch and
H-O-H bending. The water peak at 1900 is about five times as large as the water peak at 1400.

The Kemtrak DCP007NIR photometer is well suited for the detection of water in hydrocarbons. The Kemtrak DCP007NIR photometer measures at two wavelengths. A primary wavelength is used to measure the water while a reference wavelength not influenced by water is used to compensate for the hydrocarbon background, turbidity, air bubbles and/or fouling.

Alcohol-Water measurement infosheet

Kemtrak offers a comprehensive range of flow-cell manifolds that can be certified for explosive environments (ATEX).