Nanoemulsions containing Vitamin E acetate prepared by PIC(phase inversion composition) methods: Factors affecting droplet sizes

Abstract

We have investigated the influence of system composition and preparation conditions on the particle size of vitamin E acetate (VE)-loaded nanoemulsions prepared by PIC, phase inversion composition emulsification. This method relies on the formation of very fine oil droplets when water is added to oil/surfactant mixture. The oil-to-emulsion ratio content was kept constant (5 wt.%) while the surfactant-to-oil ratio (%SOR) was varied from 50 to 200 %. Oil phase composition (vitamin E to medium chain ester ratio, %VOR) had an effect on particle size, with the smallest droplets being formed below 60 % of VOR. Food-grade non-ionic surfactants (Tween 80 and Span 80) were used as an emulsifier. The effect of f on the droplet size distribution has been studied. In our system, the droplet volume fraction, given by the oil volume fraction plus the surfactant volume fraction, was varied from 0.1 to 0.3. The droplet diameter remains less than 350 nm when O/S is fixed at 1:1. The droplet size increases gradually as the increasing the volume fraction. Particle size could also be reduced by increasing the temperature when water was added to oil/ surfactant mixture. By optimizing system composition and homogenization conditions we were able to form VE-loaded nanoemulsions with small mean droplet diameters (d < 50 nm). The PIC emulsification method therefore has great potential for forming nanoemulsion-based delivery systems for food, personal care, and pharmaceutical applications.