A DISSOLUTION SAMPLE PREPARATION APPARATUS AND METHOD WITH BOTH MECHANICAL AND ULTRASONIC HOMOGENISATION

摘要

An apparatus is disclosed for processing multiple samples of a solid preparation to provide a set of solutions, each of which corresponds to one of the samples and contains dissolved active material extracted from it. The apparatus is particularly suited to processing of pharmaceutical samples, to ensure consistency of dosage etc. It comprises means for preparing a mixture containing one of the samples and a pre-determined quantity of solvent, and a mechanical homogeniser 67 arranged to act upon the mixture and to break down the solid preparation to form a particulate suspension of it in the solvent. In accordance with the invention, this suspension is also processed by an ultrasonic actuator, 90, 92 (preferably formed as a flow cell) which excites the suspension and promotes dissolution of the active material. The apparatus also comprises a multi-use filter which is backwashed between samples. A method of processing multiple samples is also disclosed.