Waralee Watcharin and Suchawadee Wiratthikowit

DOI: 10.14456/sjst-psu.2019.177

pp. 1396 - 1403

Abstract

A nanoparticle based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent was studied using the biopolymer chitosan.
(Gd-DTPA)-conjugated chitosan nanoparticles were prepared by a one-step ionotropic gelation method at chitosan concentrations
of 0.5 and 1.0 mg/mL. The nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and the particle size, zeta potential,
and polydispersity index (PDI) were measured by dynamic light scattering. The results showed that (Gd-DTPA)-conjugated
chitosan nanoparticles were homogeneous and the size had a narrow distribution based on the PDI which was in the range of 0.1–
0.3. The mean±SD of the Gd content was found to be 6.2±1.5 mg/g particle. The in vitro release study along with UV-vis spectra
showed no free Gd ions released from the prepared nanoparticles. The results confirmed that the binding of Gd-DTPA to chitosan
did not exert any influence on the nanoparticle size or zeta-potential. 

Keywords

• nanoparticles
• chitosan
• Gd-DTPA
• MRI contrast agent