Size characterization of drug-loaded polymeric core/shell nanoparticles using asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation.
Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AsFlFFF) was used to determine the size distribution of drug-loaded core/shell nanoparticles which have a lipid core of lecithin and a polymeric shell of a Pluronic. AsFlFFF provided separation of the drug-loaded core/shell nanoparticles from smaller coreless polymeric micelles, thus allowing accurate size analysis of the drug-loaded nanoparticles without interference by the coreless micelles. It was found from AsFlFFF that the drug-loaded nanoparticles have broad size distributions ranging from 100 to 600 nm in diameter. It was also found that, after the nanoparticles had been stored for 70 days, they disappeared as a result of self-degradation. Being a separation technique, AsFlFFF seems to be more useful than transmission electron microscopy or dynamic light scattering for size analysis of core/shell nanoparticles, which have broad and bimodal size distributions. [figure: see text]
Kang
Dong Young
DY
Department of Chemistry, Hannam University, Daejeon, 305-811, Korea. kdy0509@paran.com
Kim
Mi Jung
MJ
Kim
Sun Tae
ST
Oh
Keun Sang
KS
Yuk
Soon Hong
SH
Lee
Seungho
S
D031521:Fractionation, Field Flow / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D054709:Lecithins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008823:Micelles; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000032:analysis*; D010316:Particle Size; D011108:Polymers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors
D054709:Lecithins; D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers; D013501:Surface-Active Agents