Comparison of near infrared and microwave resonance sensors for at-line moisture determination in powders and tablets

Abstract In this paper we demonstrate the feasibility of replacing KF for water content testing in bulk powders and tablets with at-line near infrared (NIR) or microwave resonance (MR) methods. Accurate NIR and MR prediction models were developed with a minimalistic approach to calibration. The NIR method can accurately predict water content in bulk powders in the range of 0.5–5% w/w. Results from this method were compared to a MR method. We demonstrated excellent agreement of both NIR and MR methods for powders vs. the reference KF method. These methods are applicable to in-process control or quality control environments. One of the aims of this study was to determine if a calibration developed for a particular product could be used to predict the water content of another product (with related composition) but containing a different active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). We demonstrated that, contrary to the NIR method, a general MR method can be used to predict water content in two different types of blends. Finally, we demonstrated that a MR method can be developed for at-line moisture determination in tablets.