Hello everyone, I am encapsulating citral with chitosan using the ionic gelation method. After the FTIR analysis, it showed that citral was not successfully encapsulated in the chitosan. During the preparation process too, it looks like there is another chemical reaction happening with the citral which makes the encapsulation unsuccessful. Please anyone who has an idea how I can go through with this encapsulation successfully?
Citral has a poor solubility in water. Hydrophilic polymers like chitosan will proabably end in low encapsulation efficiency in this case. Why dont you try with another type of nanoparticles like liposomes, nanostructured lipid carriers or polymer nanoparticles?
Citral is an aldehyde, chitosan has amino groups. If you stir them together at a pH of 7-8, they will form a Schiff's base (citral and chitosan would be chemically bound). After that you can do your gelation. Since the solubility of citral in water is very low, your yield may not be so great.
Thank you @Eloy Pena Rodriguez.
However, the issue is I'm an international student on a timeline and a research budget. These reagents have already been purchased out of that budget. Hence, if there's a way around still using chitosan for the encapsulation, I'd be very glad. Thank you.
I understand. Here you have a protocol about Citral encapsualtion in Chitosan nanoparticles by dissolving the active ingredient in ethanol and adding it on top of the TPP cross-linked chitosan.
Article Accelerative effect of nanohydrogels based on chitosan/ZnO i...
Hi,
you may find the following publication in high impact journal helpful:
Article Applications of chitosan-based carrier as an encapsulating a...
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