The majority of therapeutic pharmaceutical formulations are presented in the solid form. Moisture is able to play an important role in the functional performance of pharmaceutical solids. Moisture profiling is able to provide novel information with regards to the behaviour of moisture within materials using equilibrium relative humidity as a measurement. The hypothesis investigated explores the changes in equilibrium relative humidity of pharmaceutical material induced by physical, chemical or storage conditions, these are able to be monitored using the innovative moisture profiler system. The aims within this were to primarily validate the moisture profiler and secondly evaluate the effects of moisture on physical forms and with respect to effects of compaction, finally this was compared to conventional characterisation methods. Preliminary explorations were conducted in order to assess the validity of the moisture profiler, from this lactose was selected as a suitable pharmaceutical material for further work. Processing effects were then examined, firstly storage at elevated relative humidity of different forms of lactose were explored, and this was carried out with supplementary analysis. Secondly the effects of tabletting were explored, different compaction forces were investigated to observe if this had any notable effects on equilibrium relative humidity of the different lactose forms. Finally subsequent storage of the compacts were examined in order to explore if there were any changes in the equilibrium relative humidity. / EPSRC and Reckitt Benckiser

The majority of therapeutic pharmaceutical formulations are presented in the solid form. Moisture is able to play an important role in the functional performance of pharmaceutical solids. Moisture profiling is able to provide novel information with regards to the behaviour of moisture within materials using equilibrium relative humidity as a measurement. The hypothesis investigated explores the changes in equilibrium relative humidity of pharmaceutical material induced by physical, chemical or storage conditions, these are able to be monitored using the innovative moisture profiler system. The aims within this were to primarily validate the moisture profiler and secondly evaluate the effects of moisture on physical forms and with respect to effects of compaction, finally this was compared to conventional characterisation methods. Preliminary explorations were conducted in order to assess the validity of the moisture profiler, from this lactose was selected as a suitable pharmaceutical material for further work. Processing effects were then examined, firstly storage at elevated relative humidity of different forms of lactose were explored, and this was carried out with supplementary analysis. Secondly the effects of tabletting were explored, different compaction forces were investigated to observe if this had any notable effects on equilibrium relative humidity of the different lactose forms. Finally subsequent storage of the compacts were examined in order to explore if there were any changes in the equilibrium relative humidity.

Das Ziel der experimentellen Arbeit war die Untersuchung der Einflussfaktoren auf den Ertrag, die Saatgutqualität unter verschiedenen Lagerungsbedingungen sowie die Effizienz der Expression vonRamtillkraut (Guizotia abbysinica Cass.). In Feldversuchen wurden folgende Varianten untersucht, Sorten ‚Fogera‘ und ‚Kuyu‘, Saatgutaufwand von 5, 10, 15 kg ha-1, ein Stickstoffaufwand von 13, 23 und 33 kg ha-1, sowie eine differenzierte Wasserversorgung an zwei Standorten (Adet und Koga). In Adet wurde der höchste Saatgut Ertrag mit 1.384,60 kg ha-1 ermittelt, Erträgen in Koga (ohne Bewässerung) mit 1.064,72 kg ha-1 und 967,00 kg ha-1 (mit Bewässerung). Der höchste Ölgehalt wurde im Saatgut aus Koga (ohne Bewässerung) mit 41,54% ermittelt, gefolgt von Koga (mit Bewässerung) 39,59% und Adet mit 38,67%. Signifikante Unterschiede wurden zwischen den N-Aufwandmengen in Koga mit Bewässerung und Saatgutmengen in Adet ermittelt. Die Unterschiede bei den Fettsäuregehalten in Adet waren nicht signifikant. Der Alpha-Tocopherol Gehalt betrug 80 mg pro 100 g bei hoher Saatdichte und hoher N-Düngung. Hinsichtlich des Verfahrens des Ölpressens, wurde ein signifikanter Unterschied zwischen Effizienz und Temperatur ermittelt. Die Dauer der Konditionierung und die Vorschubgeschwindigkeit sind negative korreliert gleichfalls mit der Effizienz der Expression. Die Temperaturen von 70°C und 80°C zeigten keinen signifikanten Einfluss auf die Ölausbeute, dagegen war der der Einfluss von 90°C statistisch signifikant. / The aim of this study was to investigate factors influencing seed yield, postharvest handling, and the oil expression efficiency for nigerseed (Guizotia abbysinica Cass.). Based on field study on two varieties, two locations, three seed rates and three fertilizer rates the highest mean nigerseed yield was 1384.6 kg ha-1 at Adet location (rain fed) followed by location Koga (rain) with 1064.7 kg ha-1 and Koga (irrigation) with 967.0 kg ha-1 showing significant difference. The oil content by location was 41.54% for Koga (rain) followed by 39.59 and 38.67% for Koga (irrigation) and Adet (rain) respectively showing significant difference whereas the Ash content showed a reverse trend of oil content. Fatty acid composition did not show significant difference in any treatment. Significant mean alpha-tocopherol of 80 mg/100 g (70 to 89 mg/100 g) was attained for increasing seed and nitrogen rates. Based on two temperatures and seven relative humidities model evaluation and monolayer moisture content estimation, Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) models was found to best suit both varieties as compared to Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET), and modified Chung &Pfost. For oil expression efficiency, 90ºC seed conditioning showed significant effect compared to 80 and 70ºC however conditioning times and feed rates did not differ significantly.