Assessment of the twin impinger for size measurement of metered-dose inhaler sprays.

The calibration of the first stage of the twin-stage impinger, an instrument proposed for use in measuring the spray size from metered-dose inhalers, was performed with monodisperse aerosols by a standard technique for cascade impactors. The mean cut point was found to be not particularly sensitive to operating variables which may be expected to occur in practice. The cut point was close to that reported previously, although the collection efficiency curve was found to be slightly sharper. Calculations are reported on the expected results of measurements on aerosols in a two-stage instrument with an idealized perfect collection efficiency curve as well as the curve measured for the twin impinger. These results indicate that important characteristics of spray size distribution cannot be distinguished with an ideal two-stage instrument; the twin impinger is less capable than an ideal instrument.