IV bag components were analyzed for extractables using direct thermal desorption/thermal extraction combined with a unit mass resolution GC/MSD system. The results were compared to those obtained for leachables by stir bar sorptive extraction of an aqueous simulant stored in the exact same type of IV bag, again combined with GC/MS determination of the leached compounds. In addition, the high resolution GC/Time of Flight (TOF) mass spectrometer was used to verify or disprove some of the MSD findings.

Packaging used for pharmaceutical products may contain unwanted chemical compounds that may come in contact with the product resulting in changes to the product.