BOLAR

The electrical charge carried by inhalation aerosols has been found to affect device performance and lung deposition of both Dry Powder Inhalers (DPI) and Metered Dose Inhalers (MDI). The Dekati® ELPI™ (Electrical Low Pressure Impactor, Dekati Ltd.) has been widely used to determine the charge size distribution of inhalation aerosols. However, where the ELPI™ method gives the net charge of the particles, the new Dekati® Bipolar Charge Analyzer (Dekati® BOLAR™) is the first commercially available instrument capable of measuring bipolar electrical charge size distribution of inhalation aerosols. 

The Dekati® BOLAR™ gives a new level of information for the development of inhalable medicine and delivery devices. The positive and negative charge levels carried by particles can vary significantly between different inhaler devices depending on the materials used in the device, the design of the device, carrier and drug particles used in the device and operating conditions. Until now, the measurement of size classified bipolar electrical charge levels has not been possible, which makes the Dekati® BOLAR™ a completely unique tool for inhaler device development. The Dekati® BOLAR™ can separate positively and negatively charged particles in different size fraction and detect each fraction individually. After the charge measurement, negatively and positively charged particles can be separately dissolved for analysis from the instrument collection tubes enabling measurement of charge to mass ratio in different particle size fractions.

BOLAR™ features include:

• Bipolar electrical charge size distribution in 5 particle size fractions
• Separate detection of positively and negatively charged particles
• Real-time measurement
• Analysis of collected particles
• Automated self check before each measurement
• Automated test sequence
• Stand alone operation
• Sample flow rate 30-90lpm
• Standard USP inlet connection
• Large 7” display with user interface
• Data stored on a USB drive or network drive via ethernet connection
  
• Easy data analysis options for reviewing and analysing charge and mass data

See video of the BOLAR™ unit here.