Analytical Chemistry

Nutraceuticals are food extracts that have been demonstrated to produce a physiological benefit or provide some protection against chronic disease. As the name implies, nutraceuticals are the intersection of nutrition and pharmaceutical and is an umbrella term that can also include functional foods and dietary supplements. In the same way that the particle size and shape distributions of active pharmaceutical ingredients and drug delivery systems effect their solubility and bioavailability, so is particle characterization critical to nutraceuticals. Laser diffraction particle size analyzers offer the same benefits in speed, precision, and reliability to nutraceutical materials that have made the technique popular in the pharmaceutical industry.

The LA-960 is capable of detecting both nano-scaled particles smaller than 100 nm in addition to larger model or agglomerated particles. This highlights several unique capabilities including the low end dynamic range to measure down to 30 nm via laser diffraction, the ability to accurately split multiple populations, and the sensitivity to detect a small percentage of agglomerates in the presence of a main peak in the nanoparticle range.

Cosmetics can be defined as products or substances that protect or enhance the appearance or odor of a human body. Many cosmetic products include particulate material or emulsions. Some examples of cosmetic products consisting of or including particulates include facial powders, moisturizers, and lipstick. Particle size analysis of cosmetics is used to study formulation, characterize raw materials, perform quality tests on end product, and potentially determine the amount of nano-particles in a product.