Pharmaceutical Contaminant Testing & Complaint Investigations | Element (2023)

FAQs

What is pharmaceutical contaminant? ›

Contamination is defined as the undesired introduction of impurities of a chemical or microbiological nature, or of foreign matter, into or onto a raw material, intermediate, or API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient) during production, sampling, packaging or repackaging, storage or transport.

Microscopical analysis is particularly well suited to the analysis of particulate contamination because the particles are usually too small to be analyzed using conventional methods. Proper methods of sample isolation and preparation are also critical to the successful pharmacuetical contamination identification.

Common types of pharmaceutical contamination

Chemical Contaminants: Moisture, gases, vapor or molecules may also contaminate sterile pharmaceutical products. Biological Components: These include viruses, bacteria, or fungi that can cause diseases and should not be found in pharmaceutical products.

There are three main types of contamination to consider in pharmaceutical manufacturing and transportation. When you think about types of contaminants, consider which category they may fall into and how dangerous they may actually be.

Food manufacturers must do everything possible to avoid contamination and produce safe products, knowing the dramatic consequences if they don't. There are four types of food contamination: physical, biological, chemical and allergenic. This blog explains these categories and provides tips on how to avoid them.

While there are many food safety hazards that can cause food contamination, most fall into one of three categories: biological, physical or chemical contamination. In many cases, a single hazard can introduce more than one type of contamination to food.

Examples of chemical contaminants include nitrogen, bleach, salts, pesticides, metals, toxins produced by bacteria, and human or animal drugs.

What are the five contaminants? ›

Contamination is the presence of any foreign substance in our products. It may be: Physical: hair, foreign objects, dirt, dust, pollens. Chemical: cleaning agents, lubricants, other products. Microbiological: bacteria, moulds, spores, yeasts.

Summary. Food products are rich in nutrients required by microorganisms and may become contaminated. Major contamination sources are water, air, dust, equipment, sewage, insects, rodents, and employees.

To prevent this: Wash hands with soap and hot water before and after handling food, and after using the bathroom, changing diapers; or handling pets. Use hot, soapy water and paper towels or clean cloths to wipe up kitchen surfaces or spills. Wash cloths often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.

The U.S. EPA has set standards for more than 80 contaminants that may occur in drinking water and pose a risk to human health. The contaminants fall into two groups according to the health effects that they cause.

From a reporting perspective, contaminated sites management can be broadly classified into the following stages: 1 – Preliminary site investigation 2 – Detailed site investigation 3 – Site remedial action plan 4 – Site validation and ongoing monitoring.

The direct comparison of PCR product sequences from a sample and a control is the best way to determine whether two PCR products are similar or different. After comparison of the DNA sequence variation between the PCR products and the control, the cross contamination of samples can be detected.

What are the 4 types of drug targets? ›

ABSTRACT. The four main targets for drug action: receptors, ion channels, enzymes, carrier molecules. In each of these four cases, most drugs are effective because they bind to particular target proteins.

The three different types of impurities in pharmaceuticals include organic, inorganic, and residual solvents. Most of these impurities occur due to manufacturing processes, degradation, storage conditions, excipients, or contamination.

Some examples are: Touching raw meats then handling vegetables or other ready-to-eat foods without washing hands between tasks. Using a food soiled apron or towel to wipe your hands between handling different foods. Failing to change gloves between handling different foods.

Industrial, agricultural, mining, logging, urban and residential activities and related development: These land uses are all potential non-point sources of toxic chemicals. Chemicals in smoke stack emissions can spread widely across the landscape or region (Figure 5).

Common examples of physical contaminants include hair, bandages, fingernails, jewelry, broken glass, metal, paint flakes, bone, the body parts of pests, or pest droppings.

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) defines "contaminant" as any physical, chemical, biological or radiological substance or matter in water. Drinking water may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. Some contaminants may be harmful if consumed at certain levels in drinking water.

Some common synonyms of contaminate are defile, pollute, and taint. While all these words mean "to make impure or unclean," contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source.

What are the causes of contaminants? ›

Contamination analysis can require a wide range of techniques to detect, identify and investigate contamination and extraneous matter investigations. Contamination can cause major disruption to your production or distribution and the correct analytical methods must be applied to achieve a rapid resolution.

Process contaminants are undesired chemical by-products that can form during food processing, especially when heating, drying, or fermenting foods. They can form during home cooking and in manufacturing facilities, and in some cases, low levels may be unavoidable.

Aseptic technique, a method used to prevent contamination with microorganisms, is recommended by the evidence-based guidelines for all instances of insertion and care of central venous catheters.

The most common biological encountered contaminates are bacteria, molds, yeasts, viruses, mycoplasma, as well as cross contamination by other cell lines. This review provides an overview of major critical source and control options of contaminants.

Decontamination methods either (1) physically remove contaminants, (2) inactivate contaminants by chemical detoxification or disinfection/sterilization, or (3) remove contaminants by a combination of both physical and chemical means.

Britannica Dictionary definition of CONTAMINANT. [count] : something that makes a place or a substance (such as water, air, or food) no longer suitable for use : something that contaminates a place or substance.

A contaminant is something that contaminates a substance such as water or food. [formal] Contaminants found in poultry will also be found in their eggs. We are exposed to an overwhelming number of chemical contaminants every day in our air, water and food.

These can include: pharmaceuticals and personal care products, organic wastewater compounds, antimicrobials, antibiotics, animal and human hormones, endocrine disrupting compounds, as well as a variety of domestic and industrial detergents.

Contaminants are defined as “substances (i.e. chemical elements and compounds) or groups of substances that are toxic, persistent and liable to bioaccumulate, and other substances or groups of substances which give rise to an equivalent level of concern”.

What are some examples of contaminants? ›

Examples of chemical contaminants include nitrogen, bleach, salts, pesticides, metals, toxins produced by bacteria, and human or animal drugs. Biological contaminants are organisms in water. They are also referred to as microbes or microbiological contaminants.

Examples of Physical Contamination

Common examples of physical contaminants include hair, bandages, fingernails, jewelry, broken glass, metal, paint flakes, bone, the body parts of pests, or pest droppings.

Most Common Types of Chemical Contamination

Some of the most common examples of chemical contamination include: Cleaning products and disinfectants. Unwashed fruit and vegetables. Chemicals from the use of non-safe plastics.

There are four main types of contamination: chemical, microbial, physical, and allergenic. All food is at risk of contamination from these four types. This is why food handlers have a legal responsibility to ensure that the food they prepare is free from these contaminants and safe for the consumer.

contaminant means any biological or chemical agent, foreign matter, or other substances that may compromise food safety or suitability. contamination means the introduction or occurrence of a contaminant in food.

Among the top contaminants in your drinking water are nitrates, bacteria and viruses, arsenic, fluoride, and lead.

Some common synonyms of contaminate are defile, pollute, and taint. While all these words mean "to make impure or unclean," contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source.

Keep it clean:

Wash hands with soap and hot water before and after handling food, and after using the bathroom, changing diapers; or handling pets. Use hot, soapy water and paper towels or clean cloths to wipe up kitchen surfaces or spills. Wash cloths often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.