title: Gelation conditions and transport properties of hollow calcium alginate capsules.
abstract: The diameter, membrane thickness, and compression intensity of hollow Ca-alginate capsules were measured at different gelation conditions, such as the reactant concentration, dropping velocity, and gelation time. The optimum operation conditions for preparing capsules were determined at 100 g/L CaCl(2), 10 g/L sodium alginate (Na-alginate), a dropping velocity of 150 droplets/min, and a gelation time of 10 min. Diffusion of some saccharide and amino acid from bulk solution into capsules was investigated, and the diffusion coefficients were calculated by the developed mathematical model. All the tested substances can diffuse easily into the capsules. The combined diffusion coefficients of the capsule D(m) are 92-99% as large as their diffusion coefficients in pure water, while the diffusion coefficients in the capsule membrane D(1) are 60-95% as large as those. By employing polyethylene glycol (PEG) and bovine serum albumin (fraction V) (BSA(V)), the molecular weight cut-off of the capsule was determined. For linear macromolecules, hollow Ca-alginate capsules have a molecular weight cut-off of 4000. No diffusion of BSA(V) into the capsules was observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Le-He
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: Guo-Liang
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Dong-Qiang
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shan-Jing
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002122:Calcium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D002214:Capsules / Q000737:chemistry; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium / Q000737:chemistry; D019245:Compressive Strength; D004058:Diffusion; D015194:Diffusion Chambers, Culture; D005947:Glucose / Q000737:chemistry; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D007785:Lactose / Q000737:chemistry; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010539:Permeability; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D000596:Amino Acids; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002214:Capsules; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D005947:Glucose; D007785:Lactose; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium; D002122:Calcium Chloride