Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE PHR2601

 
TITLE Pharmaceutical Drug Analysis

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 6

 
DEPARTMENT Pharmacy

 
DESCRIPTION Introduction to Basic Concepts in Analysis:

Instrumental Methods of Analysis:

- Introduction: Electromagnetic radiation and its interaction with organic molecules; Types of transitions: rotational, vibrational and electronic; Ground and excited states; Quanta of energy; Absorbance and Beer Lambert’s Law; Atomic versus molecular spectra.

- Atomic Spectroscopy: Atomic absorption and atomic emission spectroscopy - Uses, principles and instrumentation - Infra-red: Uses, principles, instrumentation; Fundamental vibrations; Types and number of fundamental vibrations; Condition for vibration to be infra-red active; Functional group and fingerprint regions; Factors affecting position and intensity of bands; Sample preparation; Applications of infra-red spectra.

- Ultraviolet/visible: Uses, principles and instrumentation. Different types of electronic transitions; Simple and complex chromophores; Conjugated systems; Factors affecting position and intensity of bands; Determination of pKa; Applications in structure elucidation and analysis; Maintenance of instrument.

- Fluorescence: Uses, principles, instrumentation; Uses, principles, instrumentation; Quantum yield; Relation between absorbance and concentration and intensity of source; Differences between uv/visible and flourescence; Sensitivity and specificity; Applications in analysis.

- Mass spectrometry (MS): Uses, principles, instrumentation; ionisation techniques; Mass spectrum; Intensity versus m/e: molecular ions; Daughter ions: Fragmentation processes; Low resolution; High resolution; Determination of molecular formula: integral and non- integral mass; McLaferty rearrangement; Metastable ions; Isotopes; Structure elucidation via fragment identification.

- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR): Uses, principles, instrumentation; Spectrum; intensity versus chemical shift; Spectrum parameters: chemical shift: inductive effects, mesomeric effects and magnetic field frequency; Internal and external reference compounds and solvent. Hydrogen NMR, Carbon-13 NMR.

- Electrochemical Methods of Analysis: Electrochemical cells: galvanic (Voltaic) and electrolytic; Reversible and irreversible: Standard electrode potentials; Schematic representation of cells; Free energy change and EMF of cell; The Nernst equation; Reference electrodes: primary and secondary reference electrodes: the hydrogen, the calomel and glass electrodes; Liquid junction potentials; Standard and formal potentials; Concentration cells; Calculations.

Study-unit Aims:

This study-unit aims to:
- Introduce key aspects of pharmaceutical drug analysis;
- Provide the general introductory principles and a theoretical understanding of analytical techniques and how these can be utilized in relation to the different properties of different compounds being analyzed;
- Apply concepts of analysis to determination and quantification of drugs.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Describe quantitative and qualitative processes in chemical analysis;
- Select appropriate spectroscopic techniques for drug analysis;
- Compare modern analytical techniques.

2. Skills
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Follow an analytical method;
- Chose appropriate and relevant analytical methods for drug analysis;
- Plan procedures and processes required in drug analysis;
- Recognise components of analytical equipment.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

- Atkins P. de Paula J. Physical Chemistry, 7th edn., Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.
- Barrow GM. Physical Chemistry, 6th edn., New York. McGraw-Hill, 1996.
- Christian GD. Analytical Chemistry. 7th Edition UK: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2013.
- Florence A.T. Physicochemical Principles of Pharmacy, London: Pharmaceutical Press, 2006.
- Hansen S, Pedersen-Biergaard S, Rasmussed K. Introduction to pharmaceutical chemical analysis. New Jersey: Wiley, 2012.
- Pavia DL, Lampman GM, Kriz GS, Vyvyan JA. Introduction to Spectroscopy 5th Edition USA: Cengage Learning; 2014.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture and Tutorial

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Examination (3 Hours) SEM2 Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Janis Vella

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit