Application of Silica gel in Pharmaceutical Industry
Silica Gel was patented in the Year 1919, but its usage became more prominent during World war II, for dehydrating the Pharmaceutical Supplies and is considered as a desiccant. The inclusion of Hygroscopic salts such as calcium chloride, perchlorates in Silica gel showed specific performance in Pharmaceutical applications. The Global competitive standards of Silica Gel to meet the Pharmaceutical applications are growing day by day because of their excellent absorption capacity at varying RH. As the relative humidity increases the adsorption capacity of the desiccant also increases. Therefore, it is most preferred in Analytical Techniques for Pharmaceutical preparations and purifications. The answer for- where to buy the Silica gel in terms of specifications and cost is fulfilled by Sorbead. The growth rate of Silica Gel Adsorbents in Healthcare Pharmaceutical applications globally is expected to grow, thereby increasing the production Volume.
Sorbead being one among the Silica Gel manufacturers in India, which supplies it in Industrial Units pertaining to Healthcare and much more on a large scale as well as on a small scale, based on quality assurance and performance criteria. Small-scale requirements of it are attained through Sachets which vary in size ranging from 0.25 grams to 250Kilograms. These Silica gel sachets in bead form are also available in colored forms such as blue and orange due to the impregnation of indicators such as methyl orange and cobalt chloride. Orange and blue silica gel comes under the category of indicating silica gel. The change in color of the beads in the sachet indicates the saturation levels of the Silica gel. Once it reaches its maximum saturation level it can be regenerated at a lower heat of 120 degrees Centigrade. As a matter of concern such as-Silica gel where to buy is undoubtedly resolved by Sorbead, which attributes to handle a wide range of varieties including bead forms and crystal forms in colorless as well as in Color forms along with their specifications like a range of size for both bead and crystal forms, Adsorption capacities of each on variations in relative humidity, composition, bulk density and many more.
Uses of Desiccant
In Pharmaceutical Industries the contaminants during Preparations can be detected and purified using a variety of analysis which includes chromatography techniques such as anion-exchange Chromatography and Size-exclusion Chromatography. Anion-exchange Chromatography has been a robust analytical tool for Pharmaceutical Preparations which ensures the purity of the Preparations. Whereas on the other hand Chromatography applications in the Pharmaceutical field mainly rely on the Desiccant that is used, this, in turn, affects the purity of the product. It is considered as the most efficient Desiccant which is composed of interconnecting microscopic pores with a typical surface area of 700 to 800 per gram. Desiccants are not only used for formulation in Pharmaceutical Preparations but also used in maintaining the quality and appearance of the medicine prepared. Desiccant uses are not only confined to the Pharmaceutical field but also used in Cosmetics as a Thixotropic agent and Flatting agent in Coatings.
Silica Gel Applications
Silica Gel in Water tends to adsorb metal ions from water and help in isolation and purification of water in Pharmaceutical Preparations. For large scale preparations and purifications, Open Column Chromatography serves to be the best as it contains a Spherical form of Silica Gel as the packing material in the column. Whereas reverse-phase open column chromatography serves to be an efficient technique for the preparations and purifications at low cost. Preparation of Natural compounds, Vitamin E, Metal co-ordinated compounds and Purification of acetol are done using Reverse phase column chromatography with Silica gel as the packing material. Metal co-ordinated compounds are separated without adsorption. Its Inert nature towards Monoamines makes it an advanced cation exchanger in column Chromatography, as it acts as a stationary phase where monoamines act as eluents.
Silica Gel Uses
• As Silica Gel absorbs moisture up to 40% of its weight and does not swell in size, it is used as a catalyst in water consuming reactions.
• It also has a peculiar character of separating pH sensitive compounds as the pH of it is adjustable, therefore used in Ion-exchange Chromatography for the determination of low molecular weight ionic compounds.
• If Silica Gel is the packing material in the column, then it can be repeatedly used after removing the impurities absorbed by it using solvents such as chloroform.
• Through Ion-exchange Chromatography, the determination of mono and divalent cations in the water sample is made easy by the use of carboxylated Silica Gel as the packing material in the Column.
• It not only acts as a stationary phase but also acts as a selective cation-exchanger and is said to enhance the calcination In Ion-exchange Chromatography.
• Pharmaceutical Preparations related to the treatment of Osteoarthritis formulations were evaluated by Size-exclusion Chromatography using a set of Silica Gel Adsorbents.
• Ethanol dehydration in both the liquid phase and the gas phase is also possible due to the unique adsorption properties of the desiccant.
• Upgrade of hydrogen which is required during the hydrogenation process in refineries is also performed by Silica Gel Adsorbent.
• Synthesis and isolation of Vitamin B1 are also accomplished through ion exchange Chromatography in which it is used as packing material in the column.
• Silica Gel is also used in the extraction of Decolonization antibiotics.
