Epäpuhtauksina

Epäpuhtauksina is the translative plural form of epäpuhtaus and is used in Finnish to describe substances that are present as impurities in a material, product, or system. The term appears in scientific and technical writing to specify unwanted components that accompany the main substance.

In chemistry, materials science and related fields, epäpuhtauksina refers to constituents other than the target compound. They may arise from synthesis, processing, degradation, or contamination. Impurities can affect purity, performance, stability, safety, and regulatory compliance.

Purification and control aim to minimize epäpuhtauksina. Techniques include distillation, crystallization, filtration, adsorption and chromatography, while analytical methods such as HPLC, GC, mass spectrometry and ICP‑MS identify and quantify impurities. Impurity profiling establishes acceptable thresholds, including process-related impurities and, in pharmaceuticals, genotoxic or known impurities.

Regulatory frameworks guide impurity management. For pharmaceuticals, ICH guidelines and GMP standards define reporting and limit requirements. In environmental, food and water contexts, authorities set maximum contaminant levels and perform routine monitoring. In electronics and metallurgy, controlled impurities (dopants) can be essential, but must be precisely specified.

Examples of epäpuhtauksina include residual solvents, heavy metals, oxidation or hydrolysis products, or inorganic contaminants. The concept also appears in Finnish language discussions of purity, quality control, and chemical safety.

See also: epäpuhtaus, puhdistus.