Chitosan nanoparticles via high-pressure homogenization-assisted miniemulsion crosslinking for mixed-matrix membrane adsorbers

Benjamin R Riegger; Regina Kowalski; Luise Hilfert; Günter E M Tovar; Monika Bach

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.07.059

Chitosan nanoparticles via high-pressure homogenization-assisted miniemulsion crosslinking for mixed-matrix membrane adsorbers

Carbohydr Polym. 2018 Dec 1:201:172-181. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.07.059. Epub 2018 Jul 21.

Authors

Benjamin R Riegger¹, Regina Kowalski¹, Luise Hilfert¹, Günter E M Tovar², Monika Bach³

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Interfacial Process Engineering and Plasma Technology IGVP, University of Stuttgart, Nobelstr. 12, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.
² Institute for Interfacial Process Engineering and Plasma Technology IGVP, University of Stuttgart, Nobelstr. 12, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Nobelstr. 12, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany. Electronic address: guenter.tovar@igvp.uni-stuttgart.de.
³ Institute for Interfacial Process Engineering and Plasma Technology IGVP, University of Stuttgart, Nobelstr. 12, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany. Electronic address: monika.bach@uni-hohenheim.de.

PMID: 30241808
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.07.059

Abstract

Glutaraldehyde-crosslinked chitosan nanoparticles (Chi-NPs) were prepared reproducibly via miniemulsion crosslinking for effective adsorption of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) Diclofenac (DCL). Three different molecular weights (MWs) of highly deacetylated (>90%) chitosans (low, medium and high MW) were used to vary the disperse phase viscosity. Particle formation was evaluated ranging from one to seven homogenization cycles at 40 MPa. Particles were prepared successfully with the low and medium MW chitosan in the range of 125 nm-250 nm (z-average). In HPLC assisted, static adsorption experiments, all particles showed a rapid sorption rate (<2 min) with an adsorption capacity of up to 256.2 mg g^-1 DCL. Modelling of adsorption isotherms resulted in a q_max 358.3 mg g^-1 for Langmuir and 502.5 mg g^-1 for Sips, respectively. Membrane adsorbers were prepared by processing Chi-NPs into porous polyether sulfone microfiltration membranes via a casting and phase inversion process, resulting in an adsorption capacity of up to 3.6 mg m^-2 DCL in dynamic adsorption experiments.

Keywords: Active pharmaceutical ingredients (API); Adsorption; Chitosan nanoparticles; Membrane adsorbers; Water purification.