For over 40 years, Butterworth Laboratories has provided independent, contract analytical services to the global pharmaceutical and related industries.
John Welch has written a short article published by Manufacturing Chemist on Butterworth’s move to using a dedicated Amino Acid Analyser to enable them to provide testing for all listed amino acids in the European Pharmacopoeia monographs.
To read the full article, Click here
John Welch, Associate Director – Business Operations at Butterworth Laboratories, provides his perspective on the pharmaceutical industry’s development, innovation and adoption of ion chromatography, in an article entitled: The long road to acceptance: The slow adoption of ion chromatography in the pharmaceutical industry.
To read this latest article published on Pharmaceutical Technology. Click here
Titled: Analysis of Zinc Compounds using USP Monographs, Kat Jones, Team Leader IC and Elemental Microanalysis, highlights the move from Titrimetric Analysis to Ion Chromatography.
Click here to download and read this whitepaper.
Since 2023, Butterworth Laboratories has been supporting the Doris Butterworth Award at Kingston University. This award is given to the student, who in the opinion of the Chemistry Department, has demonstrated outstanding performance throughout their course in Analytical Chemistry.
This year, the award went to Chaelan Rsheed, who graduated in January with an MSc in Analytical Chemistry. In receiving the award she wrote this short piece on her journey through Kingston University and her ambitions for the future. To read more Click Here
Since 2023, Butterworth Laboratories has supported the Doris Butterworth Award at Kingston University. This award is given to the student who, in the opinion of the Chemistry Department, has demonstrated outstanding performance throughout their course in Analytical Chemistry.
This year’s award went to Chaelan Rsheed, who graduated in January with an MSc in Analytical Chemistry.
To read her story Click Here
John Welch, Associate Director at Butterworth Laboratories, provides his perspective on the pharmaceutical industry’s development, innovation, and adoption of ion chromatography.
To read this latest article published on Pharmaceutical Technology. Click here
If you’re unfamiliar with how ion chromatography works, check out our Ion Chromatography overview page.
Butterworth’s Frank Judge explains the continuing importance of Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) in the analysis of herbal medicines and traditional remedies, particularly in quality control and substance identification.
To read the article published in Pharmaceutical Technology, Click Here
In an article produced in collaboration with Pharmaceutical Technology, Butterworth explores the history of drug regulation harmonisation and what more needs to be done.
Establishing the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) marked a significant milestone in the global regulation of pharmaceuticals. Originating from a 1990 meeting in Brussels, the ICH emerged as a collaborative effort between regulatory agencies and industry associations from Europe, Japan, and the United States.
The article provides a short history of the ICH and the fundamental changes to it in 2015.
To read more Click Here
High-performance liquid chromatography can highlight the presence of 16 free amino acids in a sample better than its thin-layer chromatography counterpart.
For decades, the determination of ninhydrin-positive substances (NPS) in amino acids relied on thin-layer chromatography (TLC). However, since 2013, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has progressively replaced TLC in the European Pharmacopoeia due to its superior accuracy and efficiency.
At Butterworth Laboratories, we have adopted HPLC techniques to verify the presence of 16 free amino acids in biological samples, delivering precise and reliable results for our clients.
Our latest white paper delves into this methodology and outlines how our verification process ensures compliance with pharmacopeial standards.
To read the full white paper, click HERE
Cellulose assays that utilise capillary and packed column gas chromatography reduce the risk of out-of-specification results, while also improving the accuracy and quality of the data generated.
At Butterworth Laboratories, gas chromatography (GC) is used for accurate cellulose assays of substances like hypromellose and methylcellulose. The method, aligned with pharmacopoeial standards (USP, PhEur, JP, ChP), provides reliable testing and improved precision for clients.
While capillary columns offer sharper chromatographic results, the packed column method has historically shown better repeatability for certain analytes like methyl iodide. To mitigate risks, BLL has set stricter %RSD limits of NMT 1.0%, ensuring more reliable data and minimising the likelihood of out-of-specification (OOS) results.
To read this white paper, click HERE.
Excipients play a fundamental role in API delivery, and John Welch, Butterworth’s Associate Director of Business Operations, believes that their testing is key to ensuring the safety of pharmaceutical products
In the pharmaceutical industry, excipients can make up as much as 90% of a drug product, meaning their quality and safety are just as crucial as that of APIs. The misconception that excipients are “inactive” can lead to overlooking potential risks, such as contamination from impurities or recycled solvents.
To read the full article published in Manufacturing Chemist, click here.
As helium supplies face pressure, alternative solutions and regulatory changes drive industry adaptation.
Helium, the second most abundant element in the universe after hydrogen, is produced in stars through nuclear fusion. However, on Earth, helium is relatively scarce. It is primarily generated by the underground radioactive decay of uranium (238 U). Over time, this helium migrates through porous rock formations and eventually escapes into the atmosphere, where it dissipates into space. Due to its physical properties, helium is the only substance that escapes the atmosphere and is lost in space. Because of its inertness, if this were not the case, the concentration of helium in the atmosphere, which is stable at about 5.2 ppm, would constantly rise as the formation of geological helium continued.
To read the full article published in Manufacturing Chemist, click here.