Convective diffusional analysis for drug transport through a tubular polymeric membrane

The transport of three p-aminobenzoate esters (ethyl, butyl, and hexyl) through a tubular dimethyl polysiloxane membrane into a flowing liquid was investigated. The tubular configuration permits the exact determination of the convective diffusional contribution to membrane transport with models that account for fluid hydrodynamics. The observed transport behavior ranged from complete convective diffusion control for the hexyl ester to complete membrane control for the ethyl ester; the butyl ester exhibited a change in control with flow rate. The implications of convective diffusional considerations to intestinal absorption and dissolution studies are discussed.