Perfluorooctyl bromide dispersions in aqueous media for biomedical applications.
In studying perfluorooctyl bromide (PFOB) dispersions in aqueous media, we have used two types of surfactant: egg yolk phospholipids (EYP) and polyglycerol esters (PGE). Our interest in these dispersions arises from their potential biomedical applications as imaging solutions and oxygen-carrying solutions (i.e., blood substitutes). For EYP systems, we have identified the dispersion structure as consisting of (a) PFOB droplets (250-nm diameter) stabilized by a phospholipid monolayer adsorbed irreversibly at the o/w interface and (b) small empty phospholipid vesicles. With both surfactants commercial preparations yielded stable systems, while purified samples, being non-dispersible, could not be made to act as emulsifiers. In both cases, minor components in the commercial surfactant were found to be necessary for the formation of a stable dispersion, enabling the transport of the pure surfactant to the PFOB/water interface.
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Department of Chemistry, City College, City University of New York, New York 10031.
Normand
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Oleksiak
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Rosano
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D004355:Drug Stability; D004655:Emulsions; D004952:Esters / Q000737:chemistry; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000737:chemistry*; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
D004655:Emulsions; D004952:Esters; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; D010743:Phospholipids; D014867:Water; D005990:Glycerol; C003072:perflubron