Quantitative evaluation of pharmaceutical effervescent systems I: Design of testing apparatus

Two new devices were developed to monitor the reactivity of pharmaceutical effervescent systems. The first method monitored carbon dioxide pressure generation during the effervescent reaction in a plastic pressure vessel fitted with a pressure gauge. The second method monitored weight loss, attributed to carbon dioxide loss to the atmosphere, by means of a double cantilever beam and an electromagnetic proximity transducer. In the pressure device, the quantification of an effervescent reaction was accomplished by measuring the dissolution time of the effervescent system and the pressure generated. Quantification of an effervescent reaction using the beam device utilized the total carbon dioxide weight loss, the rate of weight loss, and the effervescent reaction lag time.