Preparation and characterization of monodisperse microcapsules with alginate and bentonite via external gelation...

This paper evaluated the external gelation technique for preparing microcapsules. The microcapsules were consisted of Pseudomonas putida Rs-198 (Rs-198) core and sodium alginate (NaAlg)-bentonite (Bent) shell. Different emulsification rotation speeds and core/shell ratios were used to prepare the microcapsules of each formulation. The near-spherical microcapsules were monodisperse with a mean diameter of 25-100 μm and wrinkled surfaces. Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed the physical mixture of the wall material and the superior thermal stability of the microcapsules. Percentage yield, water content, and encapsulation efficiency were evaluated and correlated with the changes in emulsification rotation speed and core/shell ratio. In vitro release experiments demonstrated that 60% of the bacteria were released from the NaAlg-Bent microcapsules within three days. Considerably better survival was observed for encapsulated cells compared to free cells, especially in pH 4.0 and 10.0. In summary, the desired properties of microcapsules can be obtained by external gelation technique and the microcapsules on the bacteria had a good protective effect.