News. Cosmetics, Fragrances, Food Ingredients. Advanced Scientific Testing for Cosmetics Production. Weighing and Analysis in the Laboratory

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1 Cosmetics, Fragrances, Food Ingredients Weighing and Analysis in the Laboratory Analytical solutions in the laboratory 4 News Edition 02/2011 Advanced Scientific Testing for Cosmetics Production The creation of safe and effective cosmetic products requires meticulous scientific research and comprehensive testing. This article discusses how rigorous research methods, advanced formulation and the painstaking analysis of raw materials are assisted by METTLER TOLEDO s reliable, scientifically advanced LiquiPhysics Excellence range of equipment. Tradition vs. modern technology Erborare, an ancient term meaning to gather herbs in the fields in order to study their beneficial properties, was an activity enjoyed by Franco Bergamaschi, the founder of L Erbolario, and his biologist/ cosmetologist wife, Daniela Villa. The Company was established with the aim of manufacturing natural, plantbased cosmetics using family recipes tested and improved by experiments, research and distillation. As scientific research becomes more meticulous, extensive and rigorous, the challenge is to maintain an alliance between historical knowledge and continually advancing technology; linking traditional phytotherapy and modern cosmetology. Every step matters In the cosmetics industry, research and development plays a crucial role in the creation of safe and effective natural products with herbalists, biologists, pharmacists, cosmetologists, doctors and chemical engineers working together to produce innovative phytocosmetics. Meticulous research, advanced formulation and the detailed study of raw materials requires technically advanced and scientifically reliable equipment, such as METTLER TOLEDO s LiquiPhysics Excellence range of instruments. Phytochemical extracts are produced by combining traditional methods with the latest extraction techniques to optimize the process, and advanced analytical methods are used to quantify important

2 Density and Refractive Indexes Determination L'Erbolario's shop in Via Statuto 11 in Milan reflects the L'Erbolario's philosophy: herbal tradition and modern phytocosmetics associated to an unmistakable sophisticated image. (Photo by Andrea Zani) L'Erbolario's headquarter, surrounded by the picturesque countryside of the Adda South Park, is powered exclusively by renewable energy. (Photo by Italo Pozzi) components, such as solar filters and natural organic substances, in the end product. Rigorous scientific testing is conducted at every stage of a product s life cycle and, combined with strict clinical trials, this guarantees extremely high quality, environmentally friendly cosmetics. Supporting research and development at L Erbolario is a quality control laboratory which ensures that all raw and semi-processed materials, as well as the finished products, meet the specified high standards. Trustworthy partner L Erbolario works with a variety of raw materials, such as vegetable extracts, emulsified materials and surfactants, with widely differing properties, necessitating a number of different analytical methods. The laboratory needed an automated system that could perform rapid simultaneous density, refractive index and ph measurements, leaving the operator free to carry out other tasks. Dr. Paolo Cavalli, responsible for raw material quality control, explained that, METTLER TOLEDO was a trusted brand, known to L Erbolario for its instrument quality and customer service as the laboratory already used their balances and ph meters. Prior to purchase, we visited METTLER TOLEDO for a comprehensive demonstration and were able to thoroughly test a large variety of materials on the instrument. We chose LiquiPhysics Excellence density and refractive index instruments for their ease of use, speed, precision, reproducibility of measurement, price and supporting documentation. Publisher Mettler-Toledo AG Laboratory Division Im Langacher CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland Production Segment Marketing LAB Global MarCom Switzerland Subject to technical changes. Mettler-Toledo AG 08/11 Printed in Switzerland. 2

3 Important parameters Product clarity is an important consideration in phytocosmetics, and refractive index matching plays a key role in the production of high quality emulsions. As the refractive index of a homogeneous substance is a constant and definite physical property, it can be used to identify a substance, measure its purity and to determine the concentration of one substance dissolved in another. Consistent color is also an essential characteristic for most products, and both density and refractive index play an important role in this, serving as useful quality control parameters for any particular formulation. Density determination also allows a manufacturer to comply with fill volume specifications. METTLER TOLEDO s LiquiPhysics Excellence range, with its capacity to handle a broad variety of differently textured samples, provides the laboratory with a user friendly, automated means of measuring the density, refractive index and ph of a sample simultaneously, increasing efficiency through time and cost savings. Satisfactory solution Dr. Cavalli continued, Following the initial demonstration, we were able to evaluate the instrument in our own laboratory for a month while METTLER TOLEDO carried out staff training. We analyze 20 to 60 samples a day and LiquiPhysics Excellence has been of great benefit to our laboratory. Previously, analysts would have to perform several consecutive measurements, but automation enables a series of determinations to be made rapidly, over a range of temperatures. It has enabled us to analyze materials with vastly different properties some quite viscous and others that foam without the need to change the washing method, providing walk-away operation that frees up the operator to perform other functions. The results are very accurate and the inclusion of a facility to discard samples to waste rather than retrieving them has virtually eliminated sample contamination. Additionally, as it is a closed system, it also offers health and safety benefits to the laboratory. The modular LiquiPhysics Excellence system can be easily upgraded as necessary, and if required, LabX software can provide laboratories with the connectivity to interface with a LIMS. METTLER TOLEDO s automated Liqui- Physics Excellence instruments offer excellent speed, precision and reproducibility, backed up by clear, self-explanatory documentation and are proving a great asset to the laboratory. Text: Christian Iserland, Manager Business Area Density and Refractometry Tips & Tricks A new era of density and refractive index meters LiquiPhysics provides all the tools necessary in order to automate the determination of the most relevant parameters within the routine quality control of flavors and fragrances. Once the vials are placed on the tray, LiquiPhysics Excellence takes care of the rest automatically. Density, refractive index, color and ph in ONE sample for better efficiency. Smart codes barcodes for simpler method selection and result evaluation. LabX for easy LIMS integration and remote control. Watch the movie and learn more about the new LiquiPhysics. 3

4 Melting Point Determination Melting Point Data Traceability Guaranteed by LabX Software Besides providing accurate measuring results, modern melting point systems have to incorporate functions for work process optimization. High sample throughput leads to an increased amount of data, which has to be managed efficiently and remain traceable. New software for Excellence Melting Point Systems is now available which helps to keep track of melting point data. Custom-made melting points A system consisting of an Excellence Melting Point instrument and LabX 2010 software is the ideal tool for quality control and release testing. It offers full melting point determination user guidance directly at the instrument. Work according to workflow from the creation of measurement tasks to automatic result report printouts for conformity checks. Automated production environments generally provide sample lists containing all the relevant data for quality control in an electronic format. LabX can use such data directly to automate the entire QC processes. Simple search and sort functions make the administration of users, methods, system suitability tests, adjustments and results easy. If necessary, the data of several connected instruments can be stored in the same database. Automatic transfer of result data to LIMS and ERP systems ensures efficient data organization and control. Regulation compliant As an option, LabX laboratory software offers full compliance to FDA regulation 21 CFR Part 11: audit trails and electronic signatures. Version control (for measurement methods) and a free programmable user management are already included in the starter package. Furthermore, measurement, test and adjustment reports can be customized. With LabX 2010 Thermal Values, complex methods, such as mixed melting point, screening and analyses that apply statistics over multiple measurements can be generated. A built in reference substance database facilitates the programming of calibration methods. Text: Matthias Wagner, Product Manager Materials Characterization 4

5 Know-how Improve Formulation of Quality Cosmetic Products The cosmetic industry is being increasingly driven by customers awareness of, and desire for, health and beauty products. Excellence Balances help companies meet the challenges they face, not only to develop new products, but also to ensure the high quality of their existing goods at reduced production costs. Make the most of your balance with professional accessories Everyday laboratory routines become easier and quicker with help from simple accessories. Sophisticated applications require special accessories to match specific process needs. METELR TOLEDO s accessories are developed with the clear focus of meeting application requirements and/or specific weighing tasks. These helpful options are presented all together in one easy reference booklet. Download the new Excellence Accessories booklet to see the comprehensive range designed especially for your balance. Complex formulations Each health and beauty product has its own unique specifications, limits and consistency, all of which are critical for ensuring a high quality product which meets expectations. Developing the formulation of new products is an important application requiring a reliable, accurate balance. Many individual formulations may be created for testing, each one consisting of many different components that need to be weighed-in individually. The potential for procedural error is high, which can result in poor quality products and high costs to rectify mistakes. The Excellence Balance Line offers a range of solutions to help meet the requirements of ISO 9001 and Cosmetic GMP. acid, ammonia and bleach). Fulfilling the International Industry Standard IP54 In-Use, the balances are protected against dust and splashes. Smooth surfaces and round edges also ensure that cleaning is quick and easy. With an intuitive touchscreen display, the balances are easy to operate, and the built-in formulation application helps to maintain the high levels of quality demanded. The unique MonoBloc Highspeed weighing cell guarantees the best weighing results with high repeatability. Text: Daniel Fuchs, Head of Market Management Team Meeting the challenge The Excellence Balance Line is ideal for the creation and manufacture of cosmetic ingredients and products. All Excellence Balances are extremely robust and chemically resistant (e.g. against sulphuric The robust XP6002S Precision Balance 5

6 Surfactant Titration Good Titration Practice in Surfactant Titration The concentration of surfactants in detergents, cosmetics and lubricants etc. is an important quality criterion. The composition of those products is constantly improved to cope with increasing performance demands. Therefore, titration analysis becomes more demanding. Read on to discover how selected recommendations achieve correct surfactant titration results. Knowledge of exact sample composition Detailed sample information is crucial in order to achieve correct results. In particular, the exact chemical composition has to be known in order to select the most suitable titration technique. Furthermore, information on the content of additional components, such as salts, fragrances, alcohol and water is also needed to avoid interferences during analysis. More specifically, it is necessary to verify if different surfactants are present in the sample and whether its ph value is optimum to perform a surfactant titration as they can severely affect the analysis. Sample composition knowledge is necessary for deciding whether a suitable sample preparation step is needed, or a ph value adjustment is requested in order to differentiate between components, such as anionic surfactants and fatty acids. Properties of surfactants The specific properties of surfactants have to be taken into account when performing a surfactant titration. In fact, surfactants are characterized by a distribution of electrical charges within their chemical structure leading to the following properties: 6

7 Cationic surfactant molecules cover a glass surface forming a layer due to the positive electrical charges in their structure. When preparing a fresh titrant solution of cationic surfactant Hyamine 1622, it is recommended to allow for saturation of the glass surface before performing the titer determination. Aqueous solutions of surfactants form foams when stirred. Foam contains more surfactant molecules than the solution. Thus, the surfactant concentration is not homogeneous within the sample solution. This leads to poor accuracy and reproducibility in titration analysis. Due to this reason, strong sample solution stirring must be avoided. Surfactants are able to form self-aggregates called micelles. As a consequence, the molecules of the micelles are not available for titration. They become available only after the titration of all free surfactant molecules in the sample solution. Therefore, it is recommended to titrate the sample solution at a slow rate. Broad titration techniques There is no general titration method which can be used for all formulations and products. When the sample consists of a single surfactant component (e.g. raw materials), the determination is rather straightforward. In the case of formulated products containing various surfactants and additional components, a specific method with appropriate sample preparation must be chosen. METTLER TOLEDO offers four solutions for surfactant titration: Colorimetric two-phase titration (DP5 Phototrode ). Turbidimetric titration (DP5 Phototrode ). Potentiometric titration in the aqueous phase with the DS500 surfactant sensitive electrode. Potentiometric titration in a mixed organic solvent/water phase with the surfactant sensitive electrode DS800 TwoPhase. Text: Claudia Keller, Product Management Titration Tips & Tricks Unique and comprehensive application brochure More in-depth information can be found in our comprehensive brochure GTP Good Titration Practice in Surfactant Titration, such as: Surfactant titration at a glance Overview of the titration techniques Turbidimetric titration Comparison of different techniques Find out more analytical techniques used for surfactant analysis here: gtp-surfactant-brochure 7

8 One Click Operation Simplify Your Daily Routines With One Click Many lab instruments require multiple steps to get an analysis or other processes started. This can be a true hassle especially for routine operations, but also makes it hard to use instruments for infrequent users. Therefore METTLER TOLEDO has worked with its broad user base to develop One Click operation: All your routine tasks are executed at the press of One Click! See how it works Karl Fischer Titrator The home screen of the instrument shows all the key tasks of a certain user If a key is pressed, the complete routine is started. No further confirmations and configurations are needed: Just One Click. All the common routines of a user can be a One Click operation e.g. measurement, calibration routines, data evaluation, cleaning procedures etc. The home button on the instrument brings the user always to the home screen, nobody can get lost in the user interface Refractometer 8

9 Analytical Balance Excellence Titrator Density Meter Melting Point One common operation interface across all key Lab instruments Most of the METTLER TOLEDO instruments share the same One Click user interface. This means e.g. that once you know using a titrator it s very easy to use a density meter or melting point instrument as well. Key benefits of One Click operation: Easier and faster execution of tasks Each user sees only the functions/actions he needs Routine users e.g. in production only see what they need and are not confused by unneeded functionality Operation mistakes are avoided SOP are automatically followed Less training is needed See One Click in action in this short video: 9

10 Product Highlight Easy Cleaning for Clear Results Focus on more important tasks, minimizing the number of secondary operations, such as cleaning the balance or the glasses of the draft shield. With NewClassic balances, you can dismantle the complete draft shield or just the glasses in a few quick steps, without tools and without moving the balance. The streamlined, ridge-free design of the NewClassic balances facilitates cleaning, offering a solution that is both practical and attractive. The robust construction of the NewClassic balances makes them water- and dust-tight (IP54- in-use and IP65, depending on the model). As the housing is resistant to most chemicals, incl. acetone, you don t have to worry about using the most common cleaning agents. Your benefits Quick to dismantle Remove, clean and put back all of the QuickLock draft shield glass panels in just a few simple steps, without tools and without moving the balance. Dishwasher-safe Wash the glass panels of the draft shield easily and conveniently in the dishwasher. Chemical-Resistant The housing of the NewClassic balance is resistant to most chemicals, incl. acetone. The protective cover, supplied as standard, offers protection against stains and scratches. 10

11 Beautiful objects are often extremely difficult to clean. Not so with the NewClassic balance. All it takes is 20 seconds to remove the glass panels, and a further 10 seconds to completely dismantle the draft shield. Why not try it for yourself? Dismantled in just a few steps, entirely without tools 11

12 Hints & Tips Comprehensive Guide for Day-to-Day Titration Practice What is the most effective way to get the best titration results? METTLER TOLEDO's Hints & Tips brochure, which forms part of the 'Good Titration Practice ', provides information on the parameters that influence the accuracy and repeatability of titration results. It also recommends correct titration practices for secure operation and to maintain quality results. Content highlights: Important aspects of general, coulometric and volumetric titration systems. Hints and Tips for daily use. Theoretical description of GTP influencing factors, e.g. types of errors, reagent handling, how to get the best titration results. Simply sign up to receive a free hard copy of the brochure! To check your titration result reliability go to: Mettler-Toledo AG Laboratory Division Im Langacher CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland For more information