Precipitation kinetics and biological properties of chitosan microparticles produced using supercritical assisted atomization

• Published in: Chemical engineering research & design Vol. 104; pp. 615 - 625
• Main Authors: Wu, Hsien-Tsung, Lee, Hsiao-Kang, Chen, Hou-Cyuan, Chien, Liang-Jung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.12.2015
• Subjects: Atomization; Atomizing; Caco-2 cells; Chitosan; Low concentrations; Mathematical models; Microparticles; Precipitation; Precipitation kinetics; Sub-micrometric particles; Supercritical assisted atomization; Viability; Precipitation kinetics; Caco-2 cells; Chitosan; Supercritical assisted atomization; Sub-micrometric particles
• ISSN: 0263-8762; 1744-3563
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2015.09.021

Low concentrations of the CS solution, high saturator temperatures, and an optimized CO2-to-CS solution flow ratio were favorable for micronization of chitosan. Low concentrations of CS suspensions resulted in the high viability of the Caco-2 cell. •Aqueous ethanol solution (50%, v/v) enhanced decompressive atomization efficiency.•Effects of precipitation parameters on chitosan particles sizes were investigated.•Mean particles size d¯4,3 could be correlated with the population balance model.•Chitosan particles reversibly opened epithelial tight junctions.•Reversibility of the TEER changed depending on the viability of Caco-2 cells. In this study, the formation of sub-micrometric chitosan (CS) particles via supercritical assisted atomization (SAA) was investigated using supercritical CO2 spraying medium and aqueous ethanol solution (50%, v/v) as solvent. Results indicated that smaller CS particle were obtained by using low concentrations of the CS solution, high saturator temperatures, and an optimized CO2-to-CS solution flow ratio. Using the mixed-suspension, mixed-product-removal (MSMPR) population balance model, the precipitation kinetics parameters were determined from CS particle size distributions and the mass-weighted mean sizes of CS particles, which are a function of the precipitation parameters. An efficient tight junction opening effect was induced by the interaction of CS microparticles and Caco-2 cell monolayers as indicated by the marked decrease in the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) of Caco-2 cell monolayers incubated with CS particle suspensions. In addition, the reversibility of the TEER changed depending on the viability of the Caco-2 cells, and cell viability was high at low concentrations of CS suspensions.