Potential for Scaled-up Manufacture of Chitosan Nanoparticles Using the Spinning Disc Processor

Spinning disc processing (SDP) is an innovative and robust continuous flow technology that has great potential for the scaled up production of nanoparticles. This study examined the feasibility of producing chitosan nanoparticles by SDP technology. Analysis by dynamic light scattering suggested that chitosan nanoparticles produced by SDP (19.6 +/- 2.8 nm diameter, n = 4) were similar in size compared to those produced by the conventional ionotropic gelation method (30.6 +/- 12.5 nm, n = 3), while laser Doppler anemometry detected significant differences (p < 0.05) in the zeta-potential of the nanoparticles (SDP: 53.3 +/- 4.3 mV, n = 3; conventional: 38.7 +/- 6.1 mV, n = 3). The SDP-manufactured chitosan nanoparticles were spherical and discrete when viewed under the transmission electron microscope. In summary, SDP technology can be a reliable method for the commercial production of chitosan nanoparticles of a consistent quality