FOURIER-TRANSFORM RAMAN-SPECTROSCOPY OF POLYMERIC BIOMATERIALS AND DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS

The characterization of drugs within polymer supports is an important prerequisite to our understanding of the chemical and/or physical mechanisms which control the release of drugs into the body from a biomedical polymer. The spectra of biomolecules obtained using a visible source are often accompanied by a strong persistent fluorescence background which is difficult to control. This has so far prevented the routine use of Raman spectroscopy in the analysis of biological compounds. FT Raman spectroscopy in the near infrared has proved on many occasions to be highly efficient in avoiding such problems. We have here reviewed the potential of FT Raman spectroscopy as an analytical technique for polymeric delivery systems by describing spectra of several significant drugs in clinically valuable polymeric supports. © 1990.