Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026
Fluorescence detection methods for microfluidic droplet platforms
Published on: December 10, 2011
Using droplet-based microfluidic technology to study the precipitation of a poorly water-soluble weakly basic drug
Francine Edwards1, Christina Tsakmaka, Stephan Mohr
1School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, The University of Manchester, PO Box 88, Sackville Street, Manchester M60 1QD, UK.
Abstract:
The purpose of this study is to develop a droplet-based microfluidic device capable of monitoring drug precipitation upon a shift from gastric pH (pH 1.5) to intestinal pH (pH 6.5-7.0). The extent of precipitation occurring in droplets over time was measured using a novel on-chip laser scattering technique specifically developed for this study. The precipitation of ketoconazole, a poorly water-soluble basic drug, was investigated under different concentrations and pH values. It has been shown that the drug precipitates rapidly under supersaturation. Two water-soluble aqueous polymers, namely, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) have been evaluated as precipitation inhibitors. HPMC was shown to be the most potent precipitation inhibitor. It is envisaged that the microfluidic pH-shift method developed in this study would form a proof-of-concept study, towards the development of a high throughput method for screening pharmaceutical excipients/precipitation inhibitors.
