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Synthesis of silica–alginate nanoparticles and their potential application as pH-responsive drug carriers

  • Original Paper: Nano-structured materials (particles, fibers, colloids, composites, etc.)
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Abstract

Composite silica–alginate nanoparticles were prepared via silica sol–gel technique using a water-in-oil microemulsion system. In our system, cyclohexane served as the bulk oil phase into which aqueous solutions of sodium alginate were dispersed as droplets that confined nanoparticle formation after addition of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS). Our studies showed that much of the particle growth is completed within the first 24 h and reaction times up to 120 h only resulted in an additional 5% increase in particle diameter. Average particle size was found to decrease with increasing water-to-surfactant molar ratio (R) and with increasing the concentration of alginate in the aqueous phase. The potential for drug loading during particle formation was demonstrated using rhodamine B as a model drug. In vitro release studies showed that particles incubated in pH 2.5 phosphate buffer released only 7% of the loaded drug in 27 days, while 42% was released in pH 7.5 phosphate buffer over the same period. Analysis of the release profile suggested that rhodamine B was homogeneously distributed throughout the particle and that the drug diffusivity was 40-fold greater in pH 7.5 buffer compared with that at pH 2.5. These results suggest that silica–alginate nanoparticles could be used as pH-responsive drug carriers for controlled drug release.

Composite nanoparticles were formed by entrapment of alginate within silica sol–gel nanoparticles. These nanoparticles showed pH-dependent in vitro release profile of rhodamine B in phosphate buffers (pH 2.5 or pH 7.5). At pH 2.5, a 7% cumulative release of rhodamine B was observed over 27 days, while 42% cumulative release was observed at pH 7.5.

Highlights

  • Composite silica-alginate nanoparticles were prepared via a silica sol-gel technique using a water-in-oil microemulsion system.

  • Average particle size was shown to be dependent on the water-to-surfactant molar ratio (R) and concentration of alginate in the aqueous phase.

  • Silica-alginate nanoparticles showed pH-dependent release of rhodamine B in phosphate buffers (pH 2.5 and pH 7.5). At pH 2.5, a 7% cumulative release of rhodamine B was observed over 27 days, while 42% cumulative release was observed at pH 7.5.

  • Analysis of the release profile suggested that rhodamine B was homogeneously distributed throughout the particle and that drug diffusivity was 40-fold greater in pH 7.5 buffer compared to that at pH 2.5.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA

    Xin Fan & Allan E. David

  2. Industrial Science & Technology Network, Inc, Lancaster, PA, USA

    Roman C. Domszy

  3. Lynthera Corporation, Lancaster, PA, USA

    Naiping Hu, Arthur J. Yang & Jeff Yang

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  1. Xin Fan
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  2. Roman C. Domszy
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Correspondence to Allan E. David.

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This material was partially supported by National Science Foundation Award #1622068.

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Fan, X., Domszy, R.C., Hu, N. et al. Synthesis of silica–alginate nanoparticles and their potential application as pH-responsive drug carriers. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 91, 11–20 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-019-04995-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-019-04995-4

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