Abstract
The objective of the present investigation was to develop water/ethanol/isopropyl alcohol (IPA)/Capryol-90 green nanoemulsions for the adsorptive removal of potent anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin (IND) from its bulk aqueous solution through liquid-liquid adsorption. Different nanoemulsions were developed by oil phase titration method via construction of pseudo-ternary phase diagrams. Selected compositions of nanoemulsions were characterized in terms of thermodynamic stability, droplet size, viscosity and refractive index. Liquid-liquid adsorption studies were carried out at 10,20 and 30 min of contact time. Results obtained from present study showed that the concentrations of water and Capryol-90 had greater impact on droplet size and viscosity of nanoemulsions. However, the percentage of IND removal (% IND removal) was influenced by Capryol-90 & water concentrations, droplet size and viscosity of nanoemulsions. Based on lowest droplet size (72.4 nm), lowest polydispersity (0.129), lowest viscosity (67.8 cp) and highest % IND removal efficiency (84.9%), the nanoemulsion F-5 containing 16% w/w of water, 60% w/w of surfactant mixture (30% w/w of ethanol and 30% w/w of IPA) and 24% w/w of Capryol-90 was selected as an effective formulation for removal of IND from its bulk aqueous solution. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.