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Enhancing Pharmaceutical Analysis with the Microfluidics M110-P

June 11, 2025

Pharmaceutical research today demands reproducibility and scalability. From early-stage formulation to production-scale manufacturing, the consistency of results is not just ideal, it’s essential. Tools that support these goals directly influence the quality and speed of pharmaceutical development. One essential tool is the Microfluidics M110-P, a compact yet powerful high-shear fluid processor.

ATS Scientific Inc., provides Canadian researchers with access to this leading-edge homogenization technology, along with expert support and application knowledge. Our role extends beyond distribution; we are a strategic partner in bringing pharmaceutical innovation to life through tailored solutions and responsive service.

High-Shear Processing for Advanced Drug Formulation

Pharmaceutical formulations are evolving rapidly. Increasingly, developers are turning to Nano emulsions, liposomes, lipid-based nanoparticles, and other nanostructured delivery systems to enhance therapeutic performance. These systems offer better solubility, stability, and targeted delivery, but only if the formulation can be produced with uniform, reproducible particle sizes.

The M110-P is engineered specifically to achieve consistent sub-micron and nano-sized emulsions and dispersions. Its high-shear processing capability enables researchers to control particle size distribution with high precision, which is critical for drug absorption and release profiles. Through ATS Scientific Inc., Canadian pharmaceutical companies and academic labs have local access to this advanced technology and the guidance needed to apply it effectively.

Why this matters:

Improves bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy
Enables uniform dosing and controlled release
Reduces variability across development and production batches

ATS Scientific’s technical experts help ensure the M110-P is optimized for each user’s formulation challenges, offering training and validation support that meets the stringent standards of regulated pharmaceutical environments.

Efficient Cell Disruption for Biotherapeutics

Beyond particle size reduction, the M110-P excels in biological applications. Cell lysis is a fundamental step in extracting intracellular compounds such as proteins, enzymes, and nucleic acids. These components are essential in the development of biopharmaceuticals, including vaccines, antibody therapies, and recombinant proteins.

With guidance from ATS Scientific Inc., users can implement the M110-P for highly efficient, gentle cell disruption, often in just one or two passes, reducing processing time while maintaining the structural integrity of sensitive biomolecules. ATS also assists with method development and application-specific optimization, especially valuable in biotech and bioprocessing sectors.

Scalable and Compliant Technology

One of the most significant advantages of the M110-P is that it provides scalable results. Unlike many benchtop homogenizers, it uses the same fixed-geometry interaction chamber technology as Microfluidics' larger systems. As a result, formulations developed at the lab scale can be transferred seamlessly to pilot or production systems with minimal revalidation.

Through ATS Scientific’s application support and training services, Canadian customers benefit from a deeper understanding of how to scale from research to production efficiently. This ensures faster timelines to clinical development and manufacturing without sacrificing quality.

In addition to scalability, the M110-P is also built for regulatory compliance. It supports cGMP standards with design features that ensure hygienic operation, easy cleaning, and material traceability—critical for any pharmaceutical environment subject to quality audits and inspections.

Key benefits for regulated labs:

cGMP-compliant construction
Repeatable, validated processing
Easy scale-up to production environments

ATS Scientific helps clients meet these regulatory needs by offering documentation support, IQ/OQ validation, and maintenance programs aligned with health authority requirements.

Seamless Integration in Canadian Labs: ATS Scientific Inc.

Canadian life science and pharmaceutical companies turn to ATS Scientific Inc. for more than just access to instruments like the M110-P, they rely on a full-service partner. ATS offers installation and ongoing service to ensure that each system performs at its best. Our long-standing reputation in the Canadian market is built on trusted expertise and responsive customer support.

Whether you’re in a university research facility, a contract development organization (CDMO), or a commercial pharma lab, ATS Scientific ensures the M110-P integrates seamlessly into your workflow. Our team is uniquely positioned to understand local compliance expectations and lab infrastructure needs, making implementation smooth and stress-free.

Driving Innovation in Pharma with ATS Scientific

In an industry where small differences in formulation can have massive implications for safety and efficacy, the Microfluidics M110-P empowers researchers to work with the precision and control required for success. It’s not only a tool for innovation, it’s a bridge between R&D and commercial production.

Achieving Precise, Particle Size Analysis in Pharmaceuticals

June 4, 2025

Why Particle Size Analysis is Fundamental to Pharmaceutical Innovation

In pharmaceutical research and manufacturing, precision isn't just a best practice, it’s a regulatory requirement and a scientific necessity. From enhancing bioavailability to ensuring quality control, particle size analysis (PSA) plays a central role in the development of safe, effective, and reliable medications.

Behind many of the industry’s leading advances in particle size characterization stands Microtrac MRB, whose innovations in measurement technologies have made them a key contributor to pharmaceutical progress. In Canada, ATS Scientific Inc. works closely with the pharma sector to deliver this expertise, helping researchers and manufacturers apply PSA tools where they matter most.

The Pharmaceutical Impact of Particle Size

Nearly every drug that contains a solid active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), from oral tablets to topical creams, depends on particles whose size must be carefully controlled. Here’s why:

Solubility and Bioavailability: Poorly soluble drugs can benefit significantly from particle size reduction. Reducing size increases surface area, leading to faster dissolution and improved absorption.
Dose Uniformity: Ensuring consistent particle size helps avoid segregation in blends and contributes to accurate dosing, a requirement for both patient safety and regulatory compliance.
Stability and Shelf-life: Formulations with narrow and well-controlled size distributions are less prone to sedimentation and phase separation.
Manufacturing Efficiency: Particle size affects flowability, compressibility, and drying rates which are key variables in processes like tableting, spray drying, and granulation.

These factors combine to make PSA a critical part of pharmaceutical product lifecycle management, from discovery through to commercial-scale production.

As the industry moves toward more complex drug delivery systems, nanoparticles and inhalables the need for accurate, and robust particle size analysis grows.

This is where Microtrac MRB’s portfolio becomes particularly relevant. Their technologies support a wide spectrum of particle characterization, from sub-nanometer droplets in emulsions to coarse excipients in dry powders with innovations like:

Laser diffraction systems for rapid and wide-range sizing,
Dynamic light scattering (DLS) for nanoparticle analysis,
Static image analysis for particle shape and size distribution,
Modular, hybrid systems that combine multiple techniques,

These instruments are not simply lab tools, they are decision-making platforms, helping scientists refine formulations, adjust manufacturing parameters, and satisfy the expectations of regulators like the FDA and Health Canada.

The ATS Scientific Inc. Advantage

Instrument capabilities are only as useful as the expertise behind their application. That’s why many pharmaceutical companies across Canada turn to ATS Scientific Inc., the authorized distributor for Microtrac.

With decades of experience supporting the life sciences and pharmaceutical industries, ATS doesn’t just supply instruments, we support training, and integration. Whether you're exploring early formulation options or setting up in-process controls for GMP manufacturing, our team understands the unique requirements of pharma environments.

In a field where consistency, and therapeutic effectiveness are paramount, particle size analysis is more than just a measurement, it’s a core part of pharmaceutical science. With advanced solutions from Microtrac and support from experienced partners like our team at ATS Scientific, pharmaceutical developers in Canada are well-equipped to meet today’s challenges and anticipate tomorrow’s innovations.

Elemental Analysis in Energy: Reducing Emissions and Improving Safety

May 28, 2025

Elemental analysis plays a vital role in the energy industry, enabling producers to ensure fuel quality, reduce emissions, and maintain equipment safety. As global standards tighten around air pollution and environmental impact, accurate detection of elements like carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen, and trace metals is essential. This blog explores how elemental analysis supports sustainability and safety goals in the energy sector, and how ATS-Scientific's analytical instruments help companies stay compliant and efficient.

Why Elemental Analysis Matters in Energy

Whether you're refining crude oil, processing biomass, or operating thermal power plants, knowing the elemental composition of materials is critical. Elemental data informs decisions across:

Emissions Control: Sulfur and nitrogen content directly relate to SOx and NOx emissions. Monitoring these levels helps facilities meet EPA and ISO emission standards.
Fuel Quality Assurance: The carbon and hydrogen content of fuels determines their calorific value and combustion efficiency.
Equipment Longevity and Safety: Elements like chlorine and sulfur can cause corrosion in turbines, boilers, and pipelines. Early detection prevents equipment damage.

Key Analytical Techniques and Instruments

Combustion Elemental Analyzers (CHNS/O)

Combustion analyzers use high-temperature furnaces to oxidize samples, converting C to CO₂, H to H₂O, S to SO₂, and N to NOx for quantification. ATS-Scientific supplies robust systems for determining:

Carbon/Sulfur (C/S): Induction furnace-based analyzers (e.g. ELEMENTRAC CS-i) provide fast, high-accuracy measurements for coal, coke, oils, and other solid fuels.
Hydrogen/Nitrogen/Oxygen (H/N/O): Resistance furnace analyzers measure volatile content and oxidation levels critical for alternative fuels and combustibles.
CHNS/O Combos: Systems like the CHS-580A offer simultaneous analysis of multiple elements in organics, ideal for fuel and feedstock characterization.

X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Spectroscopy

XRF is a non-destructive technique that detects elements based on their characteristic X-ray emissions. ATS offers XRF systems via a subsidiary, which analyze sulfur, chlorine, and heavy metals in solid and liquid fuels. These systems are widely used for:

Screening petroleum products for sulfur (ASTM D4294)
Monitoring chlorine levels in biomass and waste-derived fuels
Determining ash composition in coal and coke

Direct Mercury Analyzers (DMA)

Mercury is a major environmental and occupational hazard. ATS’s direct mercury analyzers (e.g. DMA-80) offer thermal decomposition and atomic absorption techniques to detect trace mercury in coal, fly ash, oil, and sludge without sample digestion. These instruments comply with EPA Method 7473.

Regulatory and Industry Applications

ATS’s elemental analysis solutions are aligned with industry-standard methods:

ASTM D3176: Proximate and ultimate analysis of coal and coke
ASTM D4294: Sulfur in petroleum and diesel by XRF
EPA Method 7473: Mercury in solids and liquids
ISO 16994 / ISO 29541: Biomass carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen analysis

Industries served include:

Thermal power generation
Oil and gas refining
Bioenergy production
Environmental monitoring
Petrochemicals and additives

Data Integrity, Automation, and Safety

Modern elemental analyzers from ATS include features that support:

Automation: Autosamplers for high-throughput labs (up to 130 positions)
Integrated Software: User-friendly interfaces with compliance-ready reporting
Safety Features: Enclosed furnace systems, automated leak checks, and exhaust controls
Calibration and Quality Control: Use of certified reference materials (CRMs) and instrument verification routines

These features help labs manage larger sample volumes while maintaining analytical accuracy and traceability.

Interested in Elemental Analysis?

As the energy sector adapts to environmental demands and emerging fuel sources, elemental analysis becomes increasingly central to operations. Accurate data on carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, mercury, and trace metals ensures fuel quality, reduces emissions, and protects both equipment and personnel.

ATS-Scientific delivers high-performance elemental analyzers—from CHNS/O combustion units to mercury-specific AAS and sulfur-detecting systems—designed for rugged industrial use and regulatory compliance. Backed by expert support, automation capabilities, and industry-standard alignment, ATS tools empower energy labs to make informed, sustainable decisions with confidence.

Understanding Porosity in Tablets with the Microtrac BELSORP

May 28, 2025

In the pharmaceutical industry, the smallest details matter, especially when it comes to the design and performance of tablets. One of these critical details is porosity, the measure of how much empty space (pores) exists within a solid structure. Understanding and controlling porosity is essential because it directly affects how a tablet dissolves and how it delivers medication.

That's where the BELSORP series from Microtrac, distributed in Canada by ATS Scientific Inc. comes into play. This advanced line of gas adsorption analyzers provides pharmaceutical scientists with the tools they need to accurately measure porosity in a reliable and reproducible way.

Why Is Porosity Important in Pharmaceutical Tablets?

Porosity plays a major role in how a tablet behaves once it reaches the human body. Here are just a few reasons why it's critical:

Drug Dissolution Rate: Higher porosity often means a faster dissolution rate, which can be essential for drugs that need to act quickly.
Mechanical Strength: Porosity impacts tablet hardness. Too much porosity can lead to fragile tablets.
Stability and Shelf Life: Moisture can get trapped in pores, potentially affecting the chemical stability of the drug.
Controlled Release: In extended-release formulations, porosity must be precisely engineered to release the active ingredient over time.

What is the BELSORP Series?

The BELSORP series is a group of high-precision gas adsorption analyzers designed for measuring pore size distribution and pore volume of materials. In pharmaceutical applications, these metrics are essential for characterizing porous structures such as tablets, powders, and excipients.

Models like the BELSORP Mini X, BELSORP Max X, and BELSORP Max II offer various levels of automation and throughput, but all use gas adsorption techniques, most often nitrogen at 77K, to analyze samples with extremely high precision.

How Does the BELSORP Determine Porosity?

The BELSORP series uses a technique known as gas adsorption porosimetry. Here’s how it works:

Sample Preparation: The pharmaceutical tablet is first degassed to remove moisture and contaminants
Gas Introduction: A known amount of inert gas is introduced in the sample at controlled pressures
Adsorpotion Measurement: The gas molecules adsorb to the surface of the sample, including with its pores
Data Analysis: By measuring how much gas is adsorbed at various pressures the system calculates:

Surface Area
Pore volume
Pore size distribution (via BJH or DFT methods)

This non-destructive analysis provides detailed insight into the internal structure of the tablet, far beyond what traditional techniques can offer.

Pharmaceutical Applications

Pharmaceutical researchers and manufacturers use the BELsorp instruments in various stages of product development and quality control. Some examples include:

Formulation Development: Ensuring that excipients and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) blend correctly and result in the desired porosity.
Quality Control: Verifying that tablets produced at scale maintain consistent porosity levels for uniform performance.
Process Optimization: Fine-tuning manufacturing processes like compression and drying to control pore characteristics.

The BELSORP Advantage

What sets the BELSORP series apart from other gas adsorption analyzers is its blend of precision, flexibility, and ease of use. Each model is built with advanced sensors and intuitive software interfaces, allowing for:

High reproducibility and sensitivity: Ideal for pharmaceutical applications that demand strict quality standards.
Flexible measurement modes: From single-point BET surface area analysis to full pore size distribution, BELsorp instruments adapt to your analysis goals.
User-friendly software: The built-in software simplifies operation and data interpretation, making advanced surface science accessible even to less-experienced users.
Wide range of sample types: Whether you're analyzing bulk powders, fine granules, or compressed tablets, BELsorp systems handle diverse sample forms with ease.

Understanding the porosity of pharmaceutical tablets is crucial for developing safe and effective medications. The BELsorp series from Microtrac enables pharmaceutical scientists to explore porosity in greater detail than ever before.

With advanced gas adsorption technology, intuitive software, and high-precision sensors, BELSORP analyzers help turn complex porosity measurements into actionable insights. Their versatility, accuracy, and ease of use make them a cornerstone for pharmaceutical labs focused on formulation development, process optimization, and quality assurance.

Whether you're in early-stage research or managing large-scale production, the BELSORP series provides the confidence and consistency needed to meet modern pharmaceutical standards.

Working together… providing solutions!

As the exclusive Canadian distributor, ATS Scientific Inc. offers localized support for BELSORP instruments. Our factory-trained technical sales team has extensive expertise in scientific instrumentation and analytical methodologies, particularly within the pharmaceutical sector.

ATS provides comprehensive support that includes:

In-depth consultations to match your lab's needs with the right BELsorp model
On-site installation and personalized training
Ongoing technical support and troubleshooting from knowledgeable local staff

Thanks to ATS Scientific's product expertise and commitment to customer care, Canadian users of the BELSORP series benefit from more than just advanced instrumentation, they gain access to a comprehensive support network that ensures long-term success and confidence in their analysis.

Understanding Key Powder Characterization Techniques

May 26, 2025

Powder behavior is governed by a complex interplay of physical properties including particle size, surface area, density, shape, flowability, and porosity. Whether you're working in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, materials science, or food production, understanding these parameters is essential to ensuring process consistency, product performance, and regulatory compliance. This blog breaks down the most important powder characterization techniques and highlights how ATS-Scientific supports technical teams with precision instrumentation and expert support.

Why Powder Characterization Matters

Powders are used extensively in both product formulations and manufacturing processes. The way a powder flows, packs, dissolves, or compacts can have significant effects on processing efficiency and final product performance. For example, in tablet manufacturing, poor flowability may result in inconsistent dosing, while in catalysts or adsorbents, insufficient surface area can reduce reactivity.

By characterizing key attributes such as particle size distribution, surface area, porosity, and density, engineers and scientists can better design materials, fine-tune production methods, and troubleshoot process issues.

Particle Size and Shape Analysis

Laser Diffraction (LD) and Dynamic Image Analysis (DIA) are two of the most widely used methods for determining particle size and morphology.

LD measures the angle and intensity of scattered light to determine a particle size distribution. It is fast, reproducible, and suitable for a wide range of sizes.
DIA uses high-speed imaging to capture shape and size information, including parameters like circularity and elongation, which affect flow and compaction.

ATS-Scientific offers systems like the Microtrac SYNC, which combines both techniques in a single platform, providing a comprehensive profile of powder samples.

Surface Area and Porosity: Gas Adsorption Methods

Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis is the gold standard for measuring specific surface area via nitrogen adsorption. The larger the surface area, the more reactive or absorbent the powder typically is.

Pore Size and Volume can be assessed through BJH or DFT methods, giving insights into a material’s porosity—a key property in applications like catalysis, filtration, and controlled-release formulations.

ATS-Scientific supplies BET and gas sorption analyzers suitable for high-throughput and high-accuracy measurements, offering automated dosing, degassing, and software analysis.

Density and Packing Behavior

Powder density influences storage, transport, and process efficiency. Key measurements include:

True Density (measured via gas pycnometry): Represents the density of the solid material excluding pore spaces.
Bulk and Tapped Density: Represent how powders behave under gravity and compaction. These are critical for dosing, blending, and packaging operations.

ATS offers automated pycnometers and bulk/tapped density analyzers that conform to USP and ASTM standards, enabling consistent and compliant results.

Flowability and Compressibility

Powder flow properties directly affect process performance, especially in feeding, blending, and tablet pressing. Techniques include:

Hausner Ratio and Carr Index: Derived from bulk and tapped densities, these provide quick indicators of flow properties.
Shear Cell Testing: Provides deeper insights into interparticle friction and flow under stress.

Poor flowability can lead to inconsistent fills, segregation, or equipment blockages. ATS supports this area with instruments for both basic and advanced powder flow analysis.

Additional Characterization Parameters

Other relevant techniques in powder analysis include:

Moisture Content: Using thermogravimetric or halogen moisture analyzers.
Electrostatic Charge: For powders prone to static buildup.
Thermal Analysis: Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) for understanding heat stability and solvent content.

These complementary methods help build a complete understanding of powder behavior, especially in sensitive applications.

ATS-Scientific's Powder Characterization Solutions

ATS-Scientific provides a comprehensive range of equipment tailored to powder characterization needs:

Microtrac SYNC for particle size and shape analysis
BELCAT and BELSurface series for BET and porosity
BELPYCNO L for true density via gas pycnometry
SVM and GLT instruments for bulk/tapped density and flowability
Moisture analyzers and thermal analysis systems for compositional analysis

With these tools, ATS helps labs design efficient processes, reduce variability, and meet strict product specifications.

Looking for Powder Analysis Solutions?

Powder characterization techniques are essential for understanding how materials behave during processing and in final applications. Techniques like laser diffraction, BET surface area, and bulk density testing offer actionable insights for engineers, formulators, and quality control professionals.

ATS-Scientific offers the instrumentation, technical expertise, and compliance-ready platforms to support reliable powder analysis across industries. Whether you’re optimizing a pharmaceutical formulation or improving materials for filtration, ATS has the tools and support to help you achieve consistent, high-quality outcomes.