The effect of surfactants on the microencapsulation and release of phenobarbitone from gelatin-acacia complex coacervate microcapsules

Abstract

The effects of sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), cetrimide and polysorbate 20 surfactants at concentrations below, at and above their critical micelle concentration (CMC) on the microencapsulation and release of phenobarbitone have been described. Bimodal particle size distributions were produced both in the absence and presence of each of the three surfactants. The presence of surfactant had little or no effect on the particle size distribution at any given stirring speed. A large variation was noted in the amount of phenobarbitone microencapsulated dependent upon the type of surfactant and its concentration. The amount of phenobarbitone encapsulated decreased with increasing concentration of polysorbate 20 and with SLS. Cetrimide (0025 per cent w/v) enhanced encapsulation with 2 per cent w/w colloids but higher concentrations at the CMC and above decreased encapsulation. The results are explained in terms of decreased interfacial tension by the surfactant and by steric and electrostatic effects caused by surfactant adsorption onto the coacervate droplets and phenobarbitone particles.