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Updated: Jul 2, 2026
Generation of Alginate Microspheres for Biomedical Applications
Published on: August 12, 2012
Influence of Alginate Properties and Calcium Chloride Concentration on Alginate Bead Reticulation and Size: A
Chanez Bennacef1,2, Stéphane Desobry1, Jordane Jasniewski1
1Université de Lorraine, Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Biomolécules (LIBio), ENSAIA, 54000 Nancy, France.
Abstract:
Two types of alginates, AlgLF and AlgP, were used in this study to produce alginate beads by electro-vibratory extrusion. AlgLF and AlgP exhibited different Mannuronate/Guluronate (M/G) ratios and molecular weights as measured by NMR and SEC-MALS. The calcium chloride concentration was found to have the greatest effect on bead size. Higher concentrations resulted in smaller beads. AlgLF with a higher molecular weight and a lower proportion of G blocks showed smaller beads. For both alginates, the bead size was also influenced by the flow rate and vibration frequency. Alginate solution aging showed a minimal effect. Alginate reticulation was modeled using a mathematical equation. The study provides insights for the optimization of alginate-based materials in different applications by shedding light on the main factors influencing bead size. The importance of the molecular weight, M/G ratio and calcium ion concentration in the gelling process is highlighted, providing opportunities for the tailoring of alginate materials through a phenomenological model.
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