ENCAPSULACIÓN DE ACEITE DE NEEM EN UNA MATRIZ DE ALGINATO DE SODIO: EVALUACIÓN DEL IMPACTO DE LA LUZ ULTRAVIOLETA TIPO C EN LA ESTABILIDAD, BIODISPONIBILIDAD Y FOTO PROTECCIÓN

Abstract

Encapsulation is a widely used technique for the development of compounds with active ingredients that are sensitive to external factors such as light and oxygen, which significantly influence their bioavailability and stability. This study was to identify the effect of ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light on the encapsulation of neem oil and natamycin in an alginate matrix. Encapsulation was carried out using 0.5 ml of neem oil, 10 g/L of natamycin, and 10 g/L of phosphatidylcholine, resulting in a homogeneous emulsion. The mixture was prepared with glycerol and phosphate buffer at pH 7.0, followed by sonication using an ultrasonic cell disruptor at 750 watts, 100% amplitude for 60 seconds. Ionic gelation was then performed in an alginate matrix. To determine the optimal microencapsulation conditions, the compound concentrations, the feed rate into the UV-C light device, and the particle size were evaluated. The formed microcapsules were analyzed for their morphology using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).