Ethylcellulose microparticles containing chitosan and gelatin: pH-dependent release caused by complex coacervation

Ethylcellulose microparticles containing chitosan and gelatin were prepared by spray drying water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion. Water phase was chitosan:gelatin solution in distilled water, and oil phase was ethylcellulose solution in dichloromethane. FITC-dextran was included in water phase as a fluorescence dye. The maximum coacervation was observed at pH 6.0 when the ratio of chitosan to gelatin was 1:15. Microparticles containing chitosan and gelatin in the ratio showed a higher release under acidic condition (e.g. pH 4.0) and neutral condition (e.g. pH 7.0), but a lower release at pH 5.0 and pH 6.0. The complex coacervate composed of chitosan and gelatin was efficiently formed at those pHs, and the formation of coacervate would be responsible for the lower release.