The photon-ion merged-beams experiment PIPE at PETRA III—The first five years

The Photon-Ion Spectrometer at PETRA III—in short, PIPE—is a permanently installed user facility at the "Variable Polarization XUV Beamline" P04 of the synchrotron light source PETRA III operated by DESY in Hamburg, Germany. The careful design of the PIPE ion-optics in combination with the record-high photon flux at P04 has lead to a breakthrough in experimental studies of photon interactions with ionized small quantum systems. This short review provides an overview over the published scientific results from photon-ion merged-beams experiments at PIPE that were obtained since the start of P04 operations in 2013. The topics covered comprise photoionization of ions of astrophysical relevance, quantitative studies of multi-electron processes upon inner-shell photoexcitation and photoionization of negative and positive atomic ions, precision spectroscopy of photoionization resonances, photoionization and photofragmentation of molecular ions, and of endohedral fullerene ions.     

A Stability-Indicating LC Method for Analysis of Balsalazide Disodium in the Bulk Drug and in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

A novel, sensitive, stability-indicating gradient RP-LC method has been developed for quantitative analysis of balsalazide disodium and its related impurities both in the bulk drug and in pharmaceutical dosage forms. Efficient chromatographic separation was achieved on a C₁₈ stationary phase with a simple mobile-phase gradient prepared from methanol and phosphate buffer (10 mm potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate monohydrate, adjusted to pH 2.5 by addition of orthophosphoric acid). The mobile-phase flow rate was 1.0 mL min^?1. Quantification was achieved by use of ultraviolet detection at 240 nm. Under these conditions resolution of balsalazide disodium from its three potential impurities was greater than 2.0. Regression analysis resulted in a correlation coefficient greater than 0.99 for balsalazide disodium and all three impurities. This method was capable of detecting the three impurities at 0.003% of the test concentration of 0.3 mg mL^?1, using an injection volume of 10 μL. Inter-day and intra-day precision for all three impurities and for balsalazide disodium was within 2.0% RSD. Recovery of balsalazide disodium from the bulk drug (99.2–101.5%) and from pharmaceutical dosage forms (99.8–101.3%), and recovery of the three impurities (99.1–102.1%) was consistently good. The test solution was found to be stable in 70:30 (v/v) methanol–water for 48 h. When the drug was subjected to hydrolytic, oxidative, photolytic, and thermal stress, acidic and alkaline hydrolysis and oxidizing conditions led to substantial degradation. The RP-LC method was validated for linearity, accuracy, precision, and robustness.     

A Stability Indicating LC Method for Deferasirox in Bulk Drugs and Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

A novel, sensitive, stability indicating RP-LC method has been developed for the quantitative determination of deferasirox, its related impurities in both bulk drugs and pharmaceutical dosage forms. Efficient chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 stationary phase with simple mobile phase combination delivered in an isocratic mode and quantitation was by ultraviolet detection at 245 nm. The mobile phase consisted of buffer, acetonitrile and methanol (50:45:5, v/v) delivered at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min^?1. Buffer consisted of 10 mM potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate monohydrate, pH adjusted to 3.0 by using orthophosphoric acid. In the developed LC method the resolution (R _s ) between deferasirox and its four potential impurities was found to be greater than 2.0. Regression analysis showed an r value (correlation coefficient) greater than 0.999 for deferasirox and its four impurities. This method was capable to detect all four impurities of deferasirox at a level of 0.002% with respect to test concentration of 0.5 mg mL^?1 for a 10 μL injection volume. The inter- and intra-day precision values for all four impurities and for deferasirox was found to be within 2.0% RSD. The method showed good and consistent recoveries for deferasirox in bulk drugs (98.3–101.1%), pharmaceutical dosage forms (100.2–103.1%) and for its all the four impurities (99.7–102.1%). The test solution was found to be stable in methanol for 48 h. The drug was subjected to stress conditions of hydrolysis, oxidation, photolysis and thermal degradation. Considerable degradation was found to occur in acid stress hydrolysis. The stress samples were assayed against a qualified reference standard and the mass balance was found close to 99.95%. The developed RP-LC method was validated with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision and robustness.     

A Validated Stability Indicating LC Method for Mitotane in Bulk Drugs and Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

A novel, sensitive, stability indicating RP-LC method has been developed for the quantitative determination of mitotane, its impurity in both bulk drugs and pharmaceutical dosage forms. Efficient chromatographic separation was achieved using a C18 stationary phase with simple mobile phase combination delivered in an isocratic mode and quantitation was by ultraviolet detection at a wavelength of 230 nm. The mobile phase consisted of buffer and acetonitrile (25:75, v/v) delivered at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min⁻¹. Buffer consisted of 10 mM potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate monohydrate, pH adjusted to 2.5 by orthophosphoric acid. In the developed LC method the resolution (R _s ) between mitotane and its impurity namely Imp-1 was found to be greater than 2.5. Regression analysis shows an r value (correlation coefficient) greater than 0.999 for mitotane and its impurity. This method was capable to detect the impurity of mitotane at a level of 0.003% with respect to test a concentration of 0.2 mg mL⁻¹ for a 10 μL injection volume. The inter- and intra-day precision values for mitotane and its impurity was found to be within 2.0% RSD. The method has shown good and consistent recoveries for mitotane in bulk drugs (99.2–101.5%), pharmaceutical dosage forms (98.2–103.1%) and for its impurity (99.7–102.1%). The test solution was found to be stable in diluent for 48 h. The drug was subjected to stress conditions of hydrolysis, oxidation, photolysis and thermal degradation. Considerable degradation was found to occur in basic stress hydrolysis. The stress samples were assayed against a qualified reference standard and the mass balance was found close to 99.97%. The developed RP-LC method was validated with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision and robustness.