I am using Tween-80 as the surfactant and Glutaraldehyde as a crosslinker for my Ch microsphere formation. Although most have used span-80, few people in research gate also suggested tween-80 can be used. But I want to know what is the concentration.
Also want to know the following parameters:
1) How much con: of Glutaraldehyde will be used as the stock is of 25%? As Some paper has written they used 25% aquous solution of GA, I am confusing how come they use 25% aquous conc: as working where the stock bottle itself written 25%.
2)What is the easy washing method for microspheres after filtering it from the liquid parafilm suspension?
3) What is the optimum drying method for a microsphere? Should I use hot air oven or normal air dry 1st followed by hot air oven.
Generally the higher the concentration of surfactant used, the smaller would be the size of microspheres. You should try to optimize the concentration first by using various surfactant concentrations like 1%, 3%, 5%, 10% etc. and then observe the shape, size and mechanical strength of each type of microsphere, whichever suits your research study, you can proceed with it.
Now coming on your other questions, their answers are given as below:
1) GA is itself available as 25% aqueous solution, so you just have to use it directly from the bottle.
2) The easy and most appropriate method would be to firstly centrifuge it, collect the sediment and then washing it twice or thrice with petroleum ether and ethanol or propanol.
3) Dry them under vacuum only.
Pawandeep Kour I did with both petroleum ether and 70% ethanol washing ( athough I didn't used centrifugation). Simply normal hand tapping. But one I put 70% ethanol, it stuck to the wall of the falcon tube like some viscous gelly., which was difficult for me to go for next step.
I think I ruined my sample by using 70% ethanol instead of 100%. Bcz of that 30% only it absorbed water and became very viscous. So,
1) Will it work if I go for adding absolute ethanol or isopropanol to dehydrate my sample and again go for washing with petroleum ether ?
2) Most importantly few papers suggested last step should be wash with distilled water to get rid of the Glutaraldehyde. Then won't the sample will absorb water again and become viscous and sticky?
Dear Debarchan Panda , for washing you can definitely use petroleum ether and absolute ethanol or isopropanol. Secondly, don't use distilled water as the last step of washing for getting rid of GA. Instead, soon after washing with alcohol and petroleum ether, store them in refrigerator at 4 oC. It will prevent its degradation and remove small traces of GA from its surface if any.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Engineering
- Petroleum Engineering
- Oil