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21
Aug 2025

What Are the Key Considerations When Selecting a Helium Leak Detection System for Ultra Cold Storage Applications

What-Are-the-Key-Considerations-When-Selecting-a-Helium-Leak-Detection-System-for-Ultra-Cold-Storage-Applications

As pharmaceutical and biologic products such as mRNA vaccines, cell therapies, and other biologics become more temperature-sensitive, the need for ultra-cold storage conditions (as low as -80°C or below) is growing rapidly. These extreme environments place significant stress not only on packaging systems but also on the methods used to verify Container Closure Integrity (CCI).

Traditional leak testing methods often fall short under cryogenic conditions. Materials may contract, seals can become brittle, and closures once deemed secure may form micro-leaks that go undetected. This is where helium leak detection offers a unique and powerful advantage.

Key Considerations for Helium Leak Detection in Cryogenic Applications

  • Helium's Behavior at Ultra-Low Temperatures

  • Cryogenic storage often leads to sub-micron leaks that are undetectable by traditional methods. Helium’s small atomic size and low viscosity allow it to penetrate even the tiniest flaws in packaging seals or material interfaces.

    Helium leak detection systems can measure leak rates as low as 10?¹¹ to 10?¹² mbar·L/s, offering the deterministic and quantitative results needed for high-risk, sterile pharmaceutical products. This level of precision is essential in cold chain logistics, where even minor integrity breaches can lead to microbial ingress or product degradation.

  • Compatibility with Cold-Stored Packaging Materials

  • Packaging materials behave differently at ultra-low temperatures they may shrink, fracture, or become brittle. Some leak detection methods can interact negatively with these materials, distorting results or causing damage. Helium, however, is an inert, non-reactive gas that does not alter the physical or chemical properties of the packaging during testing. Its non-invasive nature ensures accurate leak detection without compromising the integrity of the primary container even in the harshest cryogenic conditions.

  • Fast Detection and Clean Testing Environment

  • Time and cleanliness are critical in pharmaceutical production. Helium’s rapid diffusion rate allows for fast test cycles, helping maintain productivity even when handling frozen or temperature-sensitive products. Additionally, because helium is non-toxic, odorless, and leaves no residue, it supports a clean testing environment, avoiding contamination risks especially important when dealing with sterile drug products or sensitive biologics.

  • Ensuring CCI in Cryogenic Environments with Helium

  • Leak behavior changes significantly under cryogenic stress, where extreme cold can cause materials to contract, seals to become brittle, and closures that were previously secure to develop micro-gaps. These subtle shifts can compromise Container Closure Integrity (CCI) even in packaging that performs well at room temperature. These micro-leaks can compromise Container Closure Integrity (CCI), allowing moisture, oxygen, or microbes to enter the container, or enabling valuable vapor or active pharmaceutical ingredients to escape. Such breaches not only threaten product efficacy but also pose serious safety risks and potential regulatory non-compliance.

    These capabilities make helium leak detection ideal for testing cold chain packaging components, including:

    • Vials
    • Cartridges
    • Pre-filled syringes
    • Cryogenic storage containers

    With helium’s unmatched ability to detect the smallest breaches, manufacturers can be confident that CCI is maintained even under extreme cold chain conditions.

    In conclusion, helium leak testing is the gold standard for ensuring container integrity in ultra-cold storage applications. Helium’s unique properties stability at low temperatures, microscopic detection capability, inertness, and clean test behavior make it the most effective and reliable tracer gas for cryogenic testing. By selecting a helium-based system designed for ultra-cold applications, manufacturers can confidently protect product quality, meet strict regulatory standards, and ensure patient safety across the supply chain.

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helium leak testing, helium leak detection, pharmaceutical leak detection
90
19
Aug 2025

How Can Helium Leak Detection Be Used to Validate New Packaging Formats During Product Development

How-Can-Helium-Leak-Detection-Be-Used-to-Validate-New-Packaging-Formats-During-Product-Development

In the pharmaceutical industry, packaging integrity is a fundamental aspect of ensuring drug safety, efficacy, and regulatory compliance. New packaging formats are constantly being developed to address challenges such as improving product stability, ease of use, and sustainability. However, any compromise in the packaging barrier, no matter how small, can lead to contamination, loss of sterility, or reduced shelf-life issues. These issues carry significant consequences for patient health, manufacturer liability, and brand reputation. Validating packaging integrity during product development is therefore critical.

Helium leak detection is among the most sensitive and accurate methods available to detect extremely small leaks in packaging systems. Its application early in the product lifecycle provides valuable insights that help pharmaceutical developers optimize packaging designs, ensuring robust container closure integrity (CCI) before the product is commercialized.

The Role of Helium Leak Detection in Early-Stage Testing

Packaging for sterile pharmaceuticals, such as parenteral drugs, biologics, and injectables, must maintain a perfect barrier against environmental contaminants throughout the product’s shelf life. Traditional leak detection methods often lack the sensitivity required to identify micro-leaks that can compromise this barrier.

Helium leak detection overcomes this limitation through its use of helium gas, which has unique physical properties: it is inert, non-toxic, and has the smallest atomic size among gases. This allows helium atoms to pass through microscopic openings that other gases cannot. During testing, the new packaging format is filled with helium gas or exposed to it externally and then placed into a vacuum chamber connected to a mass spectrometer.

The vacuum environment inside the chamber causes any helium escaping through leaks to be detected at exceptionally low concentrations. The mass spectrometer precisely measures the amount of helium that escapes, quantifying the leak rate in units as small as 10^-10 mbar·L/s. This quantitative data allows manufacturers to identify even the smallest defects in seals, closures, or materials that could pose a risk.

Testing can also be conducted under various simulated conditions such as temperature fluctuations, mechanical stress, or after transportation simulation to evaluate how the packaging will perform in real-world scenarios. This early detection of potential failure modes allows product developers to modify design parameters, materials, or manufacturing processes to enhance overall package integrity.

Ensuring Compliance Before Commercialization

Regulatory agencies worldwide, including the FDA, EMA, and ICH, have increasingly emphasized the importance of scientifically sound, quantitative testing methods for packaging integrity. Container Closure Integrity Testing (CCIT) guidelines like USP <1207> highlight leak testing as a critical requirement for sterile pharmaceutical products.

Helium leak detection is often considered the benchmark method due to its sensitivity and ability to provide clear, numerical leak rates that can be benchmarked against acceptance criteria. This helps manufacturers demonstrate to regulators that their new packaging formats consistently meet or exceed safety thresholds.

By incorporating helium leak testing into the product development and validation process, pharmaceutical companies can:

  • Mitigate risk: Identify and correct packaging flaws before commercial production, reducing the chance of product recalls or contamination events.
  • Strengthen regulatory submissions: Provide robust, quantitative data supporting packaging claims that align with evolving regulatory expectations.
  • Enhance quality control: Develop acceptance criteria and quality checks that ensure ongoing packaging integrity throughout production and distribution.
  • Optimize design: Use early-stage test results to refine materials, closure systems, and manufacturing parameters to improve performance.

Validating new pharmaceutical packaging formats using helium leak detection is a crucial step in ensuring product safety and regulatory compliance. Its exceptional sensitivity to microscopic leaks allows manufacturers to uncover and address potential packaging failures early in the product lifecycle. By integrating helium leak testing into development workflows, pharmaceutical companies can optimize packaging design, meet stringent regulatory requirements, and ultimately deliver safer, more reliable sterile products to market.

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helium leak testing, helium leak detection, pharmaceutical leak detection
167
13
Aug 2025

How Does Helium Leak Testing Contribute to Reducing Product Recalls in the Pharmaceutical Industry

How-Does-Helium-Leak-Testing-Contribute-to-Reducing-Product-Recalls-in-the-Pharmaceutical-Industry

In the pharmaceutical industry, product recalls are more than just a financial burden; they carry serious consequences for patient safety, brand credibility, and regulatory standing. A large percentage of recalls can be traced back to packaging failures that compromise Container Closure Integrity (CCI). When the packaging of sterile drug products fails, even at a microscopic level, it can lead to contamination, loss of sterility, and reduced drug efficacy.

This risk is especially critical for parenteral drugs, biologics, and sterile injectables, where maintaining a sterile barrier is essential. To minimize such risks and meet evolving regulatory expectations, pharmaceutical manufacturers must adopt more precise and reliable quality assurance technologies. Among the most advanced and effective of these is PTI’s Helium Leak Testing equipment and services. Helium is a highly sensitive method for ensuring package integrity.

Why Traditional CCI Testing Methods Fall Short in Preventing Recalls

Traditional testing methods such as dye ingress, bubble tests, and microbial immersion have been widely used for CCI testing. However, their limitations leave gaps in detection that can allow compromised units to pass inspection.

  • Low Sensitivity Leads to Missed Defects: Traditional methods often cannot detect leaks below 10–20 microns, small enough to allow microbial ingress but too small to be seen by dye tests.
  • Inconsistent, Subjective Results Increase Risk: Manual methods depend on human judgment, leading to variability and missed leaks, especially in high-throughput environments.
  • Lack of Quantitative Data Weakens Quality Assurance: Without measurable leak rates, it’s difficult to establish compliance or justify batch release decisions during audits.

Helium Leak Testing Enables Early Detection and Prevents Market Failures

PTI’s Helium Leak Detection systems offer unmatched precision by detecting submicron leaks that traditional methods miss. This is vital in sterile product manufacturing, where even the smallest breach can lead to a recall.

How the Technology Works:

  • The container is filled with or exposed to helium gas.
  • It is placed in a vacuum chamber.
  • If there’s a leak, helium escapes and is measured by a mass spectrometer.
  • The leak rate is calculated and compared to acceptance criteria.

Product recalls in the pharmaceutical industry are often the result of packaging failures that compromise container closure integrity. As regulatory expectations rise and drug products become more sensitive, the need for highly accurate, reliable, and reproducible testing methods becomes critical. Helium Leak Testing stands out as a proven, data-driven solution that enables manufacturers to detect microleaks early, ensure product sterility, and prevent defective units from reaching the market.

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helium leak testing, helium leak detection, pharmaceutical leak detection
267
31
Jul 2025

Helium Leak Detection for Biologic Drugs Ensuring Integrity and Safety

Helium-Leak-Detection-for-Biologic-Drugs-Ensuring-Integrity-and-Safety

As the demand for biologic drugs continues to grow, so does the need for robust container closure integrity solutions. These high-value, sensitive products require the highest assurance of package integrity to ensure patient safety and therapeutic efficacy. Even microscopic leaks in a container closure system can compromise sterility, leading to product degradation or contamination.

PTI’s helium leak detection method offers a highly sensitive and reliable solution for detecting leaks in pharmaceutical packaging, especially for biologic drug products. This advanced approach plays a crucial role in enhancing pharmaceutical leak detection standards and ensuring that every dose delivered to the patient is safe and effective.

Limitations of Traditional Leak Testing Methods

Conventional leak testing technologies, such as dye ingress or visual inspection have long been used for integrity testing. While these methods are accessible and straightforward, they come with critical limitations, particularly when testing complex or high-risk drug products.

  • Limited Sensitivity: Traditional methods often lack the sensitivity needed to detect tiny leaks that could still allow microbial ingress.
  • Subjectivity: Visual-based tests, such as dye ingress, can lead to inconsistent results due to human interpretation.
  • Incompatibility with Certain Formats: Some test methods may not be suitable for testing modern container systems such as pre-filled syringes or flexible packaging.
  • Slower Throughput: Testing time and lack of repeatability can hinder efficiency, especially in high-volume manufacturing settings.

Helium Leak Detection for Biologic Drugs

PTI's helium leak testing technology addresses the shortcomings of traditional methods by offering a more precise and science-driven approach to pharmaceutical leak detection.

Helium, an inert gas with extremely small molecules, is used as a tracer to detect the smallest of leaks with unmatched accuracy. In PTI’s systems, the test sample is filled with helium and placed in a vacuum chamber. Any helium escaping through leaks is quantitatively measured using a mass spectrometer.

Key Benefits of PTI’s Helium Leak Testing Approach:

  • High Sensitivity: Capable of detecting leak rates as low as 1 x 10?¹° mbar·L/s, far exceeding the detection limits of traditional methods.
  • Quantitative Results: Provides measurable and reproducible data rather than subjective pass/fail outcomes.
  • Versatility: Suitable for a wide range of container types, including vials, syringes, and flexible formats used for biologic products.
  • Regulatory Alignment: Aligns with current FDA and USP expectations for deterministic leak testing approaches.

The rise of biologic drugs demands a new standard in container closure integrity testing. Relying on traditional leak detection methods may no longer be sufficient to ensure product safety and regulatory compliance. PTI’s helium leak testing offers a highly sensitive and accurate solution tailored to the unique requirements of biologics, reinforcing confidence in product quality and patient safety.

With a proven track record in pharmaceutical leak detection, PTI continues to lead the way in container integrity assurance, bringing science, precision, and reliability to the forefront of pharmaceutical manufacturing.

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helium leak testing, helium leak detection, pharmaceutical leak detection
323
06
Jan 2025

Ensuring Package Integrity of Foil Pouches Using SIMS 1915+

Ensuring Package Integrity of Foil Pouches Using SIMS 1915+

Foil pouches packaging solution for various industries, including pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ensuring the integrity of these pouches is crucial to maintain product quality and safety. Helium leak detection systems such as SIMS 1915+ helium-based technology play a vital role in this process. By identifying potential leaks early on these systems help prevent product contamination, extend shelf life, and safeguard customer health.

Foil pouches offer a straightforward and effective solution for sterile barrier packaging, particularly well-suited for medical equipment and pharmaceuticals. Ensuring the integrity of these pouches is crucial to maintain product quality and safety. SIMS 1915+ helps in safeguarding product integrity. The integrity of foil pouches is crucial to maintain product quality and safety. Pouch defects can compromise product quality and introduce contamination risks, potentially leading to product degradation and health hazards for patients. Consequently, rigorous testing of foil pouches is essential to ensure package quality and reliability.

Why are foil pouches used in pharmaceutical industry

Foil pouches are lightweight, flexible, and cost-effective, making them easy to store and transport. Foil pouches can be resealed, extending product shelf life and preventing contamination. Package property of foil pouches help protect sensitive medications from moisture, oxygen, and light, ensuring product integrity. Foil pouches are also compatible with various sterilization methods, making them suitable for sterile product. It can be customized to accommodate different product sizes and shapes, offering versatility in packaging design. By using leak detection systems like SIMS 1915+, manufacturers can further enhance the quality and safety of foil pouch packaging, ensuring medications reach consumers in pristine condition.

Foil pouches package integrity testing using SIMS 1915+

The SIMS 1915+ is a helium leak detection system specifically designed for the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. It utilizes helium as a tracer gas to accurately detect leaks in a variety of packaging formats, including foil pouches, bottles, vials, blister cards, syringes, and cartridges. Unlike traditional methods like vacuum bubble and dye penetration tests, SIMS 1915+ provides quantitative measurements, ensuring a higher level of precision. This advanced system offers numerous applications, including package design validation, tooling certification, manufacturing line setup, and ongoing quality control. Its oil-free pump, detector, and integrated power system are tailored to the specific needs of the industry, enabling the detection of leaks as small as 1 x 10-10 mbar L/s at room temperature. Each SIMS 1915+ device can be customized to meet the unique requirements of individual clients, providing a flexible and reliable solution for maintaining product integrity.

Applications of SIMS 1915+ include:

  • Pre-filled syringes
  • Bottles
  • Blister packs
  • Foil pouches
  • Vials
  • Combination products (cartridges)

Benefits of SIMS 1915+ in foil pouches

  • Detects microscopic defects invisible to the eye, ensuring product integrity.
  • Provides precise leak rate measurements for rigorous quality control.
  • Offers rapid testing cycles for efficient production.
  • Adapts to diverse foil pouch configurations.
  • Ensures adherence to regulatory standards and industry best practices.
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helium leak detection, helium leak detection system, helium leak detector, pharmaceutical leak detection
612
12
Dec 2024

Advancing Cold Chain Packaging - Low-Temperature Leak Detection Solutions

Evaluating Integrity of Bottles with SIMS 1915+

The pharmaceutical industry needs deep cold storage for complex drug and biologic formulations. Traditional packaging may not withstand these extreme temperatures, leading to potential leaks and product degradation. The PTI LT add-on units for SIMS helium leak detectors offer advanced solutions that evaluates package integrity at temps ranging from 0°C to -160°C, helping manufacturers identify defects and optimize their packaging for deep cold storage.

Low Temperature Packaging - Overview and Applications

The pharmaceutical industry's increasing focus on complex drug and biologic formulations necessitates stringent temperature control to maintain product quality and efficacy. These sensitive products, often requiring storage at ultra-low temperatures, present unique challenges for packaging integrity.

Low-temperature packaging is critical for a diverse range of products, including:

  • Vials
  • Biologics and Gene Therapies: These complex biological products often require ultra-low temperature storage to maintain their potency and efficacy.
  • Vaccines: Many vaccines, especially those derived from live viruses or fragile proteins, necessitate storage at low temperatures to prevent degradation.
  • Pharmaceutical Ingredients: Certain pharmaceutical ingredients, particularly those derived from natural sources or with complex molecular structures, may require low-temperature storage to prevent degradation.

The Challenge of Low-Temperature Package

  • Material Issues: Elastomers and plastics can become brittle, affecting seals and container integrity.
  • Leakage Risks: Primary and secondary seals may fail at low temperatures.
  • Testing Limitations: Traditional leak testing methods may be ineffective.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Adherence to USP 1207 and international standards is crucial.
  • Logistics and Transportation: Maintaining temperature control and ensuring package durability are essential.

Low Temperature Package Leak Detection using Helium Leak Testing

SIMS Low Temp Add-On units include models LT 80, LT 85 and LT 150, are designed to address the critical challenge of ensuring package integrity at extremely low temperatures. By combining a chiller with a helium leak detector, the LT80, for example, allows for accurate testing of packages down to -80°C. This enables manufacturers to identify potential leaks in packaging materials, such as elastomeric closures, that may occur at these low temperatures. By understanding the performance of packaging systems under extreme conditions, manufacturers can improve product quality, reduce waste, and comply with stringent regulatory standards.

The LT systems offer several key advantages for the pharmaceutical industry:

  • Accurate Low-Temperature Leak Detection: Precisely identifies leaks in packaging materials at ultra-low temperatures
  • Enhanced Product Quality: Ensures the integrity of sensitive products, preventing degradation and maintaining potency.
  • Reduced Product Loss: Minimizes waste due to leakage and spoilage, optimizing inventory and reducing costs.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Adheres to strict regulatory standards like USP 1207, ensuring product safety and quality.

The pharmaceutical industry's growing reliance on deep cold storage for sensitive products demand robust and reliable packaging solutions. Helium leak detection provides a powerful tool for assessing container closure integrity, ensuring that packages can withstand the rigors of ultra-low temperature environments. By proactively identifying and addressing potential leaks, manufacturers can safeguard product quality, reduce waste, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

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pharmaceutical leak detection, helium leak testing, helium leak detector
672
09
Sep 2022

Bottle Leak Testing Using Helium - Tracer Gas Method

Bottle Leak Testing Using Helium - Tracer Gas Method

Pharmaceutical bottle integrity testing is an important step in assuring that the product is safe and unadulterated. It analyzes the strength and integrity of the closure mechanism as well as its capacity to maintain a sterile barrier. Container closure integrity testing analyzes the materials and chemicals for the possibility of migration or leaching into the drug product, resulting in contamination. Microorganisms, gases, and other chemicals are examples of contaminants. Container system integrity testing involves evaluating primary packaging, or everything that comes into direct touch with the product, as well as secondary packaging components required for package assembly. Helium leak detection, airborne ultrasound, vacuum decay, and high voltage leak detection are all methods for verifying the safety of container closures.

Helium Leak Detection to Ensure the Integrity of Bottles

Helium leak detection is referred to as a method of finding leaks in a sealed or enclosed system using the helium tracer gas method. The amount of helium that leaks through a breach is measured and is stated as a leak rate. It is an effective container closure integrity test technique for determining the integrity of pharmaceutical and parenteral products. Helium leak testing guarantees the sterility of drug substances and drug products packaged and, therefore, enhances patient safety.

In this method, the package is filled with helium and subjected to vacuum. The quantity of helium that exits the package is measured using a helium leak detector. The result is expressed as the leak rate. Helium leak testing, in addition to being a highly sensitive container closure integrity test technique, is also useful in product design, product quality analyses, failure analysis, and validation.

What are the Applications of Helium Leak Testing?

Some of the most important applications of helium leak testing include:

  • Ensuring container closure integrity.
  • Selecting closure formulation and configuration.
  • Seal integrity monitoring during stability studies.
  • Verification and prediction of shelf-life seal integrity.
  • Useful in the early stages of developing a pharmaceutical product packaging system.

Helium leak detection offered by LDA (a PTI company) is one of the commonly used leak testing methods that can be used for pharmaceutical package leak detection. Bottles can be tested very effectively using this method. The applications of helium leak detection are also found in vials, prefilled syringes, foil pouches, and cold form blister cards. LDA has long-time expertise in designing leak testing equipment for pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

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helium leak detection, helium leak testing, pharmaceutical package leak detection, pharmaceutical leak detection, helium leak detector
1743
02
Mar 2022

Understanding Combination Products Leak Detection Using SIMS 1915+

Understanding Combination Products Leak Detection Using SIMS 1915+

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements for drug testing of combination products are strict. Companies seeking FDA clearance for such products must fully understand the requirements for FDA approval in order to prevent costly and time-consuming errors. Combination products are made up of two or more regulated components, such as pharmaceuticals, devices, or biologicals, that have been physically, chemically, or otherwise combined and formed as a single entity to achieve a therapeutic effect. A combination product can combine at least two of these product categories, and sometimes all three. Traditional drug-device combination products, such as a syringe pre-filled with a drug, auto-injectors containing a filled cartridge and needle, and co-packaged or kitted products, are some of the most common types of combination products.

The constantly increasing demand for combination pharmaceutical products continues to fuel innovation and creates numerous interesting opportunities that will provide the medical community with promising new alternatives for improving patient care and results. However, bringing bio/pharmaceuticals and medical devices together to form a combination product necessitates extensive testing of all product ingredients.

Why Use SIM 1915+ for Leak Testing Combination Products?

A Helium-based leak detection system-Seal Integrity Monitoring System (SIMS) 1915+ is an excellent solution for detecting leaks in combination products. Packages may be quantitatively evaluated using helium as the tracer gas, which assures better levels of accuracy when compared to traditional vacuum bubble and dye penetration test procedures. SIMS 1915+, which has been proven to be an effective leak detection approach, may also be utilized for package design, tooling certification, manufacturing line setup, and ongoing product quality monitoring. PTI custom builds each SIMS 1915+ Helium Leak Testing device to customer specifications. Cold form blister cards, foil pouches, parenteral vials, syringes, pre-filled syringes, and unique medical devices can also be tested using SIMS 1915+.

Technology Overview

SIMS Model 1915+ helium-based leak testing system offered by PTI is specifically designed for medical and pharmaceutical package leak detection. The SIMS 1915+ enables quantitative analysis of package systems at sensitivity levels as low as 1 x 10 -10 cc/s at room temperature. The Helium Leak Detector Module (HLDM), the most crucial component, is built within a Console Frame Assembly with a Stainless Steel working surface and an optional Dual Test Port Manifold. The consoles have a locking wheel and an articulating arm system for attaching the computer and peripherals, making the independent device simple to operate and maneuver.

The SIMS 1915+ Leak Detection System specs and add-on components are shown below.

  • Helium Leak Detector Module (HLDM): Oil-Free, Production Version in Console Frame Assembly with Stainless Steel Working Surface and Dual Test Port Manifold.
  • Vacuum Test Fixture Model (VTFM): a custom-made fixture for testing vial container samples.
  • Head Space Analyzer Module (HSAM): Model VM-2 that includes three (3) Puncture Probes (two spares) for determining the concentration of helium in the headspace of vial containers.
  • Integral Calibration Chamber (with Calibrant Gas Flow Meter/Controller) for HSAM Calibration and a Universal Holder for various vial diameters are offered.
  • Helium Filling Device designed specifically for vial testing sample prep that allows vials to be filled with helium.
  • Low Temperature (LT) Add-on devices created particularly for evaluating products in ultra-cold storage temperatures as low as –140 °C.

SIMS 1915+ Applications

Common applications of SIMS 1915+ include:

  • Pre-filled syringes
  • Vials
  • Bottles
  • Combination products
  • Foil pouches
  • Blister packs

Combination products provide a safe, effective, and convenient method of administering the drug or biologic therapies. The purpose of testing combination products is to obtain information to support the claim that all use-related hazards connected with the product have been reduced to the greatest extent possible. PTI is well-versed in the extensive testing requirements and regulatory criteria for bio/pharmaceutical products and medical devices, and provides complete testing services for these components, both individually and in combination.

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helium-based leak detection systems, helium leak testing, pharmaceutical leak detection, helium leak detection, pharmaceutical package leak detection, sims 1915+
1897
18
Jan 2022

How Helium Mass Spectrometry Ensures Quality and Integrity of Bottles?

How-Helium-Mass-Spectrometry-Ensures-Quality-and-Integrity-of-Bottles

Maintaining the integrity of products from the time it is manufactured to the time it is distributed to the patient is a great challenge. Liquid pharmaceuticals, capsules, and formed tablets are typically packaged in bottles. To assure the quality of these items, leak testing is carried out on each bottle to ensure that it does not leak. Testing pharmaceutical bottles or pharmaceutical package leak detection before filling is a critical step in ensuring the integrity of the container.

Helium leak testing is one of the most sensitive Container Closure Integrity (CCI) testing techniques that can be applied to pharmaceutical bottles for testing quality. Helium is used as a tracer gas, and the quantity of helium leaving through the package is measured and stated as leak rate. Since it is non-toxic, non-flammable, and non-condensable, helium is an ideal tracer gas for finding leaks. Its atmospheric presence is restricted to 5ppm. Due to its tiny atomic size, helium can easily pass-through leaks. Helium is also safe to use since it does not react with the materials of the components under test.

Significance of Helium Mass Spectrometry in Leak Testing Pharmaceutical Bottles

Helium mass spectrometry is a leak detection standard for pharmaceutical containers including bottles. Helium mass spectrometer, a commonly used instrument detects and locates tiny leaks. It usually works with a vacuum chamber and a sealed container filled with helium. A mass spectrometer detects the rate at which helium is leaking out of the container. This method uses tracer gas - helium to fill the product attached to the detector. The tested product leaks helium into the detector, where its partial pressure is measured and displayed.

The leak detector's principle is based on a sector field mass spectrometer. In vacuum, entering helium gases are ionized. The helium ions are then accelerated by adding voltage and then separated in a magnetic field. The ion current is converted to an electric current by using a particular detector. This current is accelerated using leak detection units and displayed on the screen. The current measured will be directly proportional to the concentration of helium and therefore equal to the leak measured.

Applications of Helium Leak Detection

  • Ensure container closure integrity.
  • Seal integrity monitoring during stability studies.
  • Verify and predict shelf-life seal integrity.
  • Useful in the early stages of the development of a pharmaceutical product packaging system.
  • Closure formulation and configuration selection.

Bottles are useful in the healthcare industry, hence evaluating them is a challenging task nowadays. These containers are extremely difficult to test, however, helium leak detection can be used to qualify them prior to use or as a proof of concept. PTI provides professional engineering solutions for the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) sterile container testing.

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helium mass spectrometry, pharmaceutical package leak detection, pharmaceutical leak detection, mass spectrometer, mass spectrometry
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