Nanoparticle tracking analysis is an excellent tool for the characterization of mono- and polydisperse nanoparticle systems within the 10-2000 nm size range. The suitability of this technique relies on its ability to track all particles in solution simultaneously based on their Brownian motion giving an accurate size distribution. The tracked rate of particle movement is related to the particle's hydrodynamic radius using the Stokes-Einstein equation for determining the size distribution. Here we describe the characterization β-casein nanocarriers encapsulating a model hydrophobic compound, 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid, and the natural bioactive curcumin using the Malvern NanoSight NS300. Utilizing both normal light scattering and fluorescent modes of the NS300 enabled the differentiation of particles that had encapsulated the two fluorescent molecules and provided an accurate size distribution of the nanocarriers.
Keywords: ANS; Brownian motion; Curcumin; Encapsulation; NanoSight; Nanoparticles; β-Casein.