Morphological and structural properties of two-phase coaxial jet electrosprayed BSA-PLA capsules

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Encapsulation of proteins like bovine serum albumin (BSA) is crucial for controlled release applications.
• Poly (lactide) (PLA) is a biocompatible polymer widely used in biomedical devices and drug delivery.
• Electrospray techniques offer precise control over nanoparticle formation and morphology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To encapsulate bovine serum albumin (BSA) within poly (lactide) (PLA) microparticles.
• To investigate the effects of process parameters on microparticle characteristics.
• To assess the structural integrity of BSA after encapsulation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a two-phase coaxial jet electrospray technique with immiscible BSA and PLA solutions.
• Varied PLA concentration (1-5%), flow rate, and applied voltage (15-19 kV).
• Analyzed particle morphology using scanning electron microscopy, and characterized BSA integrity via Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).

Main Results:

• Achieved spherical microparticles with smooth surfaces by increasing PLA concentration.
• Demonstrated statistically significant effects of PLA concentration, flow rate, and applied voltage on particle size.
• Observed particle size increase with PLA concentration (2-3.5%) and decrease with applied voltage (15-19 kV).
• Confirmed the absence of BSA melting peaks in DSC and preservation of BSA secondary structure via FTIR.

Conclusions:

• Coaxial electrospray is effective for producing BSA-loaded PLA microparticles with controllable morphology and size.
• BSA retains its structural integrity within the PLA matrix post-encapsulation.
• The developed microparticles show potential for protein-based therapeutic delivery systems.