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Anhydrous Glucose BP EP USP Pharma Grade: A Direct Look at Physical Characteristics and Chemical Identity

What Is Anhydrous Glucose BP EP USP Pharma Grade?

Anhydrous Glucose BP EP USP Pharma Grade sits among the most recognized forms of D-glucose, free from water of crystallization. In its purest state, this glucose supports pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical infusions, and various nutritional applications. Anhydrous means fully dry, which gives this material unique chemical and handling properties compared to its monohydrate cousin. The product falls under the HS Code 170230, marking its place in global trade as a chemical ingredient.

Physical and Chemical Properties

A closer look under the microscope and through handling brings out traits that matter across labs and factories. Anhydrous glucose presents as a white, odorless, solid material, available in several forms such as powder, granules, crystals, and sometimes pressed into flakes or pearls for specialized handling. Each form displays slightly different behavior — powders dissolve rapidly, crystals handle better in automated systems, and flakes support easy measuring. The density averages close to 1.54 g/cm³. Being chemically stable, it carries a molecular weight of approximately 180.16 g/mol, with a straightforward chemical formula of C6H12O6, revealing its makeup of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. A molecular structure built from a six-membered ring shows no hidden complexity, which is one reason it has earned trust where precision counts.

Solubility, Appearance, and Performance in Solution

Dried to eliminate all moisture, anhydrous glucose shows off solubility in water that exceeds 100 grams per 100 milliliters at 25°C. You can mix this material into solutions that wind up colorless, clear, and ready for sterile filtration or direct compounding in intravenous feeds and oral medicines. Consistency in solubility reduces worries over clumping or slow dispersion, which has direct impact on process reliability and safety. The precise nature of crystalline structure—clear, angular crystals versus the smooth texture of powdered glucose—matters for dosing control and blending in high-volume production tanks or precise compounding in hospital pharmacies. Each form shares its core chemical function—an energy source absorbed quickly by the body. Solutions often read at neutral pH, and they work smoothly across a range of pharmaceutical and food applications.

Material Safety and Handling Characteristics

No complicated safety requirements surround anhydrous glucose, but best practices emerge from long experience. Personal experience in chemical storage tells me workers appreciate its practically nil odor and dust control when shipped in tightly-sealed bags or drums. The product carries very low hazard, classified as practically non-toxic and non-hazardous under GHS and REACH regulations. Under normal use, it poses no flammability, carcinogenic, or reproductive dangers—marking a clear difference from many chemical feedstocks. Eye or respiratory irritation may arise from airborne dust, so simple dust masks and goggles suffice for protection in large-scale handling. Careful storage in dry, cool spaces ensures the material stays free of moisture, which is vital, as even small amounts of water can trigger caking or spoilage, leading to waste. Extended storage calls for the use of food-grade or pharma-grade containers, guarding against cross-contamination or accidental exposure to incompatible materials.

Raw Material Role and Industry Grade Standards

Anhydrous glucose, as a raw material, serves multiple roles in both pharma and food sectors. What sets BP EP USP pharma grade material apart is the certainty behind its purity and traceability—qualities demanded by the world’s toughest regulatory agencies. The specifications call for a minimum glucose content, negligible levels of impurities like heavy metals, and microbiological counts fitting injectable-grade material. As someone who has worked on pharma material sourcing, I can vouch for the importance of clear batch records, reliable Certificates of Analysis, and validated analytical methods, which ensure each ton of anhydrous glucose supports the safety standards needed for intravenous injections, tablets, or oral solutions. Its role does not stop at drugs—nutrient solutions, infant formulas, and dialysis fluids all depend on consistent, predictable quality.

Chemical Behavior and Reactions

What separates anhydrous glucose in practice is its lack of water molecules bound in the crystal lattice—a property that influences everything from shelf life to reactivity. The absence of water brings stability under long-term storage and efficient rehydration when mixed into solution formulations. Chemically, glucose undergoes typical carbohydrate reactions: it serves as a reducing sugar, participates in Maillard reactions under heat, and remains stable under mild acid or base. This direct behavior supports streamlined polysaccharide synthesis, diagnostic reagent formulation, and standardized blending with other powdered or crystalline inputs. Material purity guarantees mean fewer headaches for process chemists and quality assurance, as contaminants from lower grades can cause batch failures, product recalls, or regulatory action.

Density, Packing, and Logistics Considerations

Physical characteristics have a major impact once shipping and logistics enter the equation. Anhydrous glucose, with a density around 1.54 g/cm³, packs more raw carbohydrate per liter than monohydrate forms, translating to smaller packaging footprints and more efficient transport. Factories scaling up appreciate this not just for shipping cost savings, but for simpler warehousing and inventory control, especially in high-turnover operations. Bags, drums, and intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) sealed against humidity carry the product to drug makers worldwide, each package marked clearly with HS Code 170230, batch codes, and safety certifications. Potent as a stand-alone input, the material remains easy to track and quantify for custom blending, solution preparation, or further chemical modification.

Risks, Environmental Impact, and Sustainable Practice

Though anhydrous glucose carries little health or safety risk, attention to sustainability has risen. Modern plants source glucose from renewable plant starches—corn, wheat, or cassava—using enzyme processes with water recycling and green chemistry steps that reduce energy and chemical use. Waste streams, mainly washing waters or off-spec material, see reprocessing or safe disposal rather than environmental release. Care in manufacturing results in minimal environmental impact; still, end-users shoulder responsibility to avoid wastage and manage expired or contaminated stock through responsible disposal, rather than landfill dumping. Sustainability certifications, batch traceability, and transparent supply chains support well-grounded trust from users in the medical, food, and chemical sectors.

Industry Problems and Working Solutions

From my perspective in supply chain management and process validation, two common industry challenges are inconsistent quality among suppliers and moisture control during storage and transport. Poor moisture barriers drive caking and spoilage, leading to rejected lots and costly downtime. Switching to multi-layered packaging materials with real-time humidity indicators and batch-segregated inventory helps. Simple but robust incoming quality checks—near-infrared moisture probes, automated titration for glucose assay, microbial swab tests—verify that each drum delivers what the Certificate of Analysis claims. Trusted suppliers with established track records and fallback redundancy arrangements further reduce the risk of disruption, something clients in pharmaceutical or hospital supply simply cannot accept. The lesson is direct: strong supplier relationships, combined with tighter controls from dock to storage, pay off in better quality and lower total cost for high-purity anhydrous glucose.

Summary of Key Data

Chemical Name: Glucose, Anhydrous
Synonyms: Dextrose, Anhydrous, D-Glucose
Molecular Formula: C6H12O6
Molecular Weight: 180.16 g/mol
CAS Number: 50-99-7
EINECS Number: 200-075-1
HS Code: 170230
Physical Form: Powder, crystal, flakes, pearls
Appearance: White, odorless solid
Density: ~1.54 g/cm³
Solubility: Highly soluble in water, insoluble in most organic solvents
Hazards: Non-toxic, negligible hazard under standard handling; dust can cause irritation

Looking Ahead

Progress in anhydrous glucose production and logistics relies on steady innovation in packaging, safety, and process control. Cross-disciplinary input—from chemical engineers to pharmacists—continues to drive improvements in product stability, purity, and traceability, cementing its role in safe medical care and secure global food systems. Each batch ties reliability back to the smallest details: pure input, sound packaging, solid documentation, and engaged oversight from raw materials to final application.