A KNOWLEDGE-BASED SYSTEM FOR THE SELECTION OF DISSOLUTION METHODS PRIOR TO THE ATOMIC-ABSORPTION ANALYSIS OF DRUGS

The knowledge about the selection of dissolution methods prior to the atomic absorption analysis of drugs available in an analytical industrial laboratory was structured in a number of rules, which were subsequently transformed into a decision tree. The nature of the sample was found to be the principal parameter determining the selection of the dissolution method, while in some situations a distinction had to be made according to the type of analyte, the concentration of the analyte or the purpose of the analysis. The suitability of three tools which permit the presentation of this knowledge in a computer system was investigated. The application built with ToolBook software, a hypertext language for the personal computer, was found to be the most suitable, due to its attractive user interface, ease of implementation and the possibility given to the user to add his personal comments. The rule-based expert system and self-generating decision tree proved to be less suitable alternatives.