Preparation and physical characterization of alginate microparticles using air atomization method

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Alginate microparticles are promising for drug delivery applications.
• Developing efficient and solvent-free microencapsulation methods is crucial for pharmaceuticals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize alginate microparticles using air atomization.
• To evaluate the encapsulation efficiency of various model core materials.
• To investigate the impact of formulation and processing parameters on microparticle characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Alginate microparticles were prepared via air atomization.
• Particle size, surface morphology, and trapping efficiencies were characterized.
• Formulation (alginate, poly-l-lysine concentrations) and processing (air pressure, delivery rate, spraying distance) were varied.

Main Results:

• Air atomization produced small, free-flowing microparticles post-freeze-drying.
• Particle size and morphology were influenced by alginate/poly-l-lysine concentrations and air pressure.
• Optimal conditions yielded microparticles with geometric mean sizes of 80-130 microm.
• High trapping efficiencies were observed for ketoconazole (71.5%) and acetaminophen (60.1%).

Conclusions:

• Air atomization is a viable, solvent-free method for producing alginate microparticles.
• The process allows for tunable particle characteristics by adjusting formulation and processing parameters.
• These microparticles serve as effective intermediates for encapsulating small molecules and macromolecules in pharmaceutical applications.