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We use the word “color consistency” a lot when referring to products that depend on this trait for quality assurance. In the pharmaceutical industry, color consistency means a lot more than the final color outcome of a product. Color consistency in pharmaceutical powders and tablets is essential for developing the right drug formulations and repeating these formulas accurately every time.

Although outward appearance and color-coding do have their place in prescription drugs, what consumers and patients are most concerned about is that the active pharmaceutical ingredients will be the precise dosage and formulation they need each time they take a medication. Spectrophotometers measure color consistency to ensure that each powder or tablet formulation attains precisely the correct components for effectiveness and safety.

Image Source: Flickr user Steve Snodgrass

If you work in the biopharmaceutical industry, you’re likely familiar with the concept of light and color measurement and the equipment used in these processes — radiometers, spectrometers, spectroradiometers, and spectrophotometers. While all four solutions are used to detect light and energy, they vary widely in their capabilities, applications, and intended purposes. It’s important to know and understand the differences between these solutions to determine which one will adequately serve your needs.

Radiometer vs. Spectrometer vs. Spectroradiometer vs. Spectrophotometer

These devices have similar names and are used to measure spectral data points and wavelengths within the electromagnetic spectrum. Despite this similarity, they have varying scopes regarding the types and qualities of measurements they produce.

Radiometers can only detect and measure electromagnetic radiation within a particular wavelength range. Spectrometers measure a broader scale of electromagnetic energy and have more capabilities, including breaking down signals based on amplitude.

In comparing spectroradiometers vs. spectrometers, the main difference is that spectroradiometers combine the capabilities of radiometers and spectrometers. These devices also collect details about power, radiance, and other metrics.

Spectrophotometers measure light reflected or transmitted by objects, while radiometers measure light emitted by a light source. Unlike the other tools, spectrophotometers focus on how transmitted and reflected light generates color rather than on the qualities of the light itself.

What Is a Radiometer?

A radiometer measures the electromagnetic energy present in a specific wavelength range. This solution is typically used to detect and quantify energy outside the visible light spectrum and measure infrared and ultraviolet light. The radiometer begins by measuring the incoming current or voltage in watts, then corrects the signal to create a calibrated, quantitative light level measurement. With this information, the meter provides one reading over the specific wavelength range it is designed to measure.

Pros and Cons of Radiometers

Radiometers are inexpensive and portable, making them a cost-effective and practical choice. This solution can identify troublesome UV energy and detect and measure heat energy on surfaces. It also has one sensor that allows it to quickly measure all intended wavelengths.

However, radiometers cannot identify emitted wavelengths or their individual amplitude. Sometimes, variations exist in the filter used to match the light source, which creates difficulty when comparing results from radiometers of different manufacturers. Also, radiometers only measure a particular range of wavelengths, unlike other tools. 

Applications

Radiometers' ability to detect the presence of UV energy makes them valuable tools for any application where it is undesirable, such as museum lighting. In this atmosphere, UV energy could degrade artifacts or artwork.

The device also measures infrared light, enabling surface temperature measurements in settings such as along an assembly line or on a road's surface. Other applications include monitoring weather, like precipitation and wind speeds.

Color-coding technology may be one of the most valuable tools to consider when it comes to prescription medications. The rainbow of pills lining the shelves of our local drug stores do not simply appeal to an eccentric and liberal palate; they are a product of color-coding technology that is used to provide security to both the patient and the healthcare industry. Pharmaceutical companies know the importance of quality control and color application in the production of prescription medications and the equipment needed to maintain safety. Spectrophotometers provide the essential piece of technology needed to monitor and develop pharmaceutical products that are easy to identify, which can play a crucial role towards eliminating the extensive margin of human error.

Although advancements in pharmaceuticals and medications have led to a significant increase in quality of life, the variety and sheer number of prescription medications on the market today have greatly increased the numbers of errors. Today, more medical mistakes are linked to prescription drugs than any other cause, and have created a crisis in the healthcare industry that has led to financial and even fatal consequences.

Taking pill identification beyond “Little, Yellow”

Research by the Institute of Medicine has shown that approximately four out of five adults take some form of medication every week, and nearly one-third of those individuals are taking a least five or more various pills per day. With the number of prescription drugs at an all-time high, the ability to differentiate between liquid, powder, capsule, or pill is getting more and more difficult and the human eye alone cannot accurately differentiate between them. Added to the fact that prescriptions today are labeled with names that sound and look very similar, any miscalculations can have extremely harmful outcomes.That is why the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), and the Division of Medication Error Prevention and Analysis (DMEPA) are all working together to create and enforce stricter guidelines for specific labeling and advancement in spectrophotometers, color-technology, and the color-coding of prescription medications.

NIR spectroscopy has many various applications in the pharmaceutical industry, including impurity analysis and color-coding technology.
Image Source: Flickr user Rennett Stowe

Knowing the active pharmaceutical ingredients in your over-the-counter and prescription medications is a must in today’s health care industry. Mistakes in prescriptions, miscalculated doses, and drug interactions are all genuine concerns in a world where drug choices and options continue to increase and change on a regular basis. More than ever before, pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies must have a way to accurately measure active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) amounts and consistently monitor these levels to meet regulatory standards and ensure patient safety. Spectrophotometric analysis in pharmacology provides an efficient and cost-effective way to measure active pharmaceutical ingredient levels, plus its non-destructive method of analysis exceeds many alternative methods.

The ability to accurately quantify and detect the active pharmaceutical ingredients in medications is becoming increasingly important in order to ensure proper dosage and avoid potentially dangerous drug interactions. Image Source: Flickr user epSos .de

To get colorful, vibrant tattoos that last for years, ink manufacturers must thoroughly test their products for color consistency and fastness. Image Source: PxHere

When clients walk into a tattoo shop, they usually have a specific design idea in mind. To create this perfect tattoo, the tattoo artist must carefully select the right ink color for their clients. After all, a tattoo is permanent, so the ink must be high in quality and have excellent colorfastness; the ink should not only look great today, but remain vibrant decades after it’s applied under the skin.

However, colorfastness and consistency aren’t always easy for tattoo ink manufacturers to achieve, as inconsistencies in the manufacturing process as well as the types of raw materials used to create the ink can negatively impact the ink’s appearance and quality. For example, tattoo ink can become too thin when too much alcohol is added to the formula, or the ink’s color will fade after just a few years if there’s not enough pigment in the mix.

This is why tattoo ink manufacturers should use a spectrophotometer to test their products for consistency and colorfastness throughout the manufacturing process. A spectrophotometer will help you identify even minor differences in color between one bottle of ink and the next, ensuring that your inks perform predictably and appear beautiful on every client.

Color Consistency and Fastness is a Sign of Tattoo Ink Quality

Despite the popularity of tattoos, the tattoo ink industry is still largely unregulated. While the FDA does occasionally investigate the quality and safety of inks, for the most part, the responsibility lies with manufacturers to ensure their products are safe, free of contaminants, and high in quality.1 A reliable color quality control protocol not only helps you identify possible contaminants in your inks, it also improves the overall quality and colorfastness of your products.

Tattoo ink is made by mixing together a carrier and a colorant.2 The colorant is a pigment made from mineral or organic sources, while the carrier is a clear liquid that helps the skin absorb the pigment molecules. This includes liquids like witch hazel, alcohol or glycerin. The challenge that many ink manufacturers face is that the colorant and carrier ratios must be as precise as possible in order to maintain color consistency. For example, if the ink is too diluted with witch hazel or other carriers, then the ink will appear too light when it’s applied under the skin. Likewise, when an artist has to complete a large tattoo over a period of multiple sessions, they need the ink colors to remain the same from one session to the next; any minor change in the formula could ruin the look of the final tattoo.

In the tattoo industry, artists choose inks based on the manufacturer’s reputation and perceived perception of quality. Many artists choose inks that come in a variety of colors, but most importantly, they expect these inks to perform predictably in their clients’ skin. In general, low-quality tattoo inks are inconsistent in color and thinner or less permeable than high-quality inks. Meanwhile, the highest-quality tattoo inks are usually alcohol-based, relatively thick, and completely consistent in color from batch to batch.3 By testing the quality of your own ink formulas using a spectrophotometer, you can improve your brand’s perception of quality and create reliable ink products that will stay vibrant for decades.Tattoo ink

If black tattoo ink is too diluted by a carrier like witch hazel, it may appear grey in color when applied to the skin. Image Source: Shutterstock user Lumen Photos

Integrating UV absorbers in plastic pharmaceutical packaging is critical to protecting photoreactive medications from photodecomposition. Image Source: Flickr user Brandon Giesbrecht

The creation of medications is a delicate art requiring precise chemical combinations to optimize drug efficacy. In many cases, however, the initial drug formulation is only half of the equation; protecting medications from environmental interferences that compromise the integrity of the drug is critical to ensuring the delivery of safe, effective pharmacological therapies. One of the key points of vulnerability for many medications is photoreactivity, whereby optical radiation caused by certain types of light changes the chemical structure of the drug, resulting in photodecomposition. As pointed out by the Royal Society of Chemistry, “The most obvious result … is a loss of potency of the product [and] in the final consequence this can result in a drug product that is therapeutically ineffective.”1

Although some drugs are reactive to light on the visible spectrum, UV light is the primary culprit in most pharmaceutical photodecomposition and can significantly impair drug stability. This type of photoreactivity is uniquely difficult to guard against, as UV radiation is a product of not only sunlight, but common artificial light sources in factories, pharmacies, hospitals, and patients’ homes. The need to protect light-sensitive pharmaceuticals during storage has spurred the development of specialized light-resistant polymers that use advanced UV absorbers to shield vulnerable medications from UV damage. Spectral analysis using spectrophotometric instrumentation allows pharmaceutical packaging manufacturers to accurately evaluate the efficacy of UV absorbent packaging, preserving pharmaceutical quality and protecting patient health.

While sunlight presents an obvious threat to photoreactive medications, even some types of artificial light can damage vulnerable drugs.
Image Source: Unsplash user Josh Byers

The color of pharmaceutical packaging can have a significant impact on consumer perception of potency, speed of action, and price. Image Source: Flickr user Pete

The appearance of pharmaceutical packaging is more important than ever before. With the rise of direct-to-consumer marketing and growing popularity of online sales, consumers are increasingly being introduced to both prescription and over-the-counter medications through visual media. As with any product, attractive presentation can greatly enhance consumer perception. Color is an integral component of packaging, is one of the primary factors influencing purchasing decisions, and, as research presented at the Oxford Business & Economics Program states, “can be an effective mean of creating and sustaining brand image in customer’s mind.”1 Distinctive package color can also enhance health and safety by allowing for quick differentiation between drugs, minimize the risk of illegal knockoffs at a time when the counterfeit drug market is expanding rapidly, and even increase patient adherence.2 Thoughtful package color schemes require precise color measurement to ensure consistency and accuracy.

The increasing popularity of online pharmaceutical sales makes attractive presentation more important than ever, as consumers make purchasing decisions based on visual information. Image Source: Flickr user Pete