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Micronization of lysozyme by supercritical assisted atomization
Renata Adami1, Libero Sesti Osséo, Ernesto Reverchon
1Department of Chemical & Food Engineering, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy. radami@unisa.it
Supercritical Assisted Atomization (SAA) effectively produced lysozyme microparticles with controlled size and high biological activity. This method offers a promising approach for enzyme encapsulation with minimal degradation.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Pharmaceutical Technology
- Protein Science
Background:
- Lysozyme is a valuable enzyme with antimicrobial properties.
- Microparticle formulation is crucial for controlled delivery and stability of enzymes.
- Supercritical Assisted Atomization (SAA) is an emerging technique for particle engineering.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the production of lysozyme microparticles using Supercritical Assisted Atomization (SAA).
- To evaluate the effect of different solvents and concentrations on particle characteristics.
- To assess the impact of SAA processing on lysozyme integrity and biological activity.
Main Methods:
- Lysozyme micronization using water, buffered water (pH 6.2), and water-ethanol mixtures.
- Particle size distribution (PSD) analysis.
- High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for degradation assessment.
- Turbidimetric enzymatic assay for enzyme activity measurement.
Main Results:
- Spherical lysozyme microparticles with a narrow PSD (0.1–4 microm) were produced.
- Lysozyme concentration non-linearly affected particle distribution (X(0.9) from 1–3 microm).
- SAA processing resulted in minimal enzyme degradation, with retained activity from 95% to 100%.
Conclusions:
- SAA is a viable method for producing stable lysozyme microparticles.
- Process parameters, including solvent composition and enzyme concentration, can be optimized for desired particle characteristics.
- The technique preserves the biological function of lysozyme, making it suitable for various applications.
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