Advantages and Disadvantages of Suspension | Definition, What is Suspension?, Pros and Cons

Advantage and Disadvantage of Suspension 2022: We see a lot of particles around us. All these particles in our environment are found in various forms and have different properties. They can be quickly dissolved in the environment or can remain suspended. Also due to their properties, they can be harmful or can be beneficial. Pharmaceutical companies also use suspension in their drugs which is used for several benefits but has negative effects too. Therefore in this content, we are going to see what are the pros and cons of the suspension.

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What is Suspension? Advantages and Disadvantages of Suspension 2022

Now let us see what exactly a suspension is? A suspension is a heterogeneous mixture in which particles don’t dissolve but remain suspended or float around freely in that medium. The particle of the suspension can be even seen through naked eyes. Generally, there are two ingredients of a solution: first is your solvent and another is solute. The solvent is the liquid in which any substance can be dissolved and solute is the substance that is dissolved in the solvent. Pharmaceutical suspension is a dosage that makes or improves the chemical stability of the medication. In most medications, these suspensions are used for a variety of reasons. But there are a few disadvantages too of these suspensions. Now let us see the advantages and disadvantages of the suspension.

• Advantages of Suspension 
• Disadvantages of Suspension 
• Comparison Table of Advantages and Disadvantages of Suspension 
• FAQs on Pros and Cons of Suspension

Advantages of Suspension

Let us go through briefly each point of advantages

1. Used in many drugs or medication: Suspensions are one of the major elements of syrups or medicine. This helps in stabilizing the chemical effect of the drugs. Some drugs have a high dosage to reduce the effects of the chemicals used, suspensions are used. The role of Suspension thus is very important in pharmaceuticals.
2. Used in paints: Suspensions are used in paints also other than in medicinal remedies. The particle of paint remains suspended in the whole solution and therefore helps in easily spreading the paint in the whole wall. The paint must be shaken well before use as particles sometimes sediment down the paintbox. Paint in which dyes are suspended in turpentine oil.
3. Higher concentration of drug: As compared to the solution of dosage, suspension can incorporate a higher concentration of the drug. Also, the dosage can be controlled accordingly in case of suspension as compared to the solution. A solution has a fixed proportion of each ingredient.
4. Suspension improves the taste or odour of the drugs: Some drugs’ taste is bitter due to the ingredient present in the solution. Children groups especially don’t like to drink such bitter and smelly syrups or solutions thus they avoid drinking it which makes trouble for parents as they may not get well soon. But suspension use consists of a fruity taste and odour which attracts the children to intake the medication.
5. Span and onset of action of dose can be controlled: A suspension when mixed with the solution allows the dose either to be strong or medium according to the disease or illness of the patient. Also, duration and onset of action could be easily controlled through suspension.

Disadvantages of Suspension

Listed are a few disadvantages of suspension. Let us briefly look at the disadvantages of suspension.

1. Sedimentation of particles: In the case of suspension the size of the particle is big and sometimes settles down at the bottom of the container. This is the reason why in most syrup bottles instructions are given to shake well before use. Sedimentation reduces the effect of dosage and doesn’t allow people to take the proper dosage.
2. Making dosage is tough: The composition of the dose of medicine or syrups is not easy to make or find out. It takes lots of experiments and research to make a dose of illness or disease. Also, people don’t need to follow instructions properly and accordingly reduce or increase the volume of the suspension. Thus making a dose is tough.
3. The accurateness of the dose is not possible: The dose is not compulsory to have a correct or accurate amount of suspension sometimes the requirement of dose may vary with the illness and treatment. Therefore exactness of dosage and intake depends on expert advice and proper precautions must be taken while formulating medicine.
4. It is bulky: The amount of suspension required is generally in huge quantity. The transportation required for such a huge quantity of suspension is more therefore it is not portable enough. Due to this nature of the suspension, it’s mostly avoided by many companies as it also cost them a lot and need more space to store.

Comparison Table of Advantages and Disadvantages of Suspension

Given below is the comparison chart for the advantages and disadvantages of suspension.

FAQs on Pros and Cons of Suspension

Question 1.
What are the properties of suspension?

Answer:
It is a heterogeneous mixture.

2. Size of the particle is big.
3. Particle suspended can be seen through naked eyes
4. A beam of light can scatter through the mixture
5. Particles don’t pass through the filter paper.

Question 2.
Give a few examples of suspension.

Answer:
Few examples of suspension are:

1. Paint or dyes
2. Chalk powder in water
3. Sand in water
4. Milk of magnesia
5. Like water used for whitewashing.

Question 3.
What do you mean by the solution?

Answer:
A solution is a homogenous mixture of any substance for example Sugar mixed in water gives you a sugar solution. In this, the size of the particle is so small that it could not be distinguished from others, therefore, remaining homogeneous.