Comparative studies on the preparation of nanoparticles from skin-based and scale-based gelatin of blackspotted croaker fish by desolvation method

Abstract

Nanoparticles were prepared using gelatin extracted from the skin and scales of blackspotted croaker using one-step desolvation and two-step desolvation methods. Their particle size, stability and morphology were compared. The particle size of nanoparticles prepared by single-step desolvation from scale-based gelatin showed a broader size distribution and larger average size compared to skin-based gelatin. For skinbased gelatin, the size distribution was 384 nm to 1.326 µm with an average size of 633 nm. The nanoparticles prepared from skin and scales by single- step desolvation had a very low zeta potential of plus 7.1 mV and plus 4.6 mV respectively indicating its low dispersion stability. Fish gelatin nanoparticles prepared by two-step desolvation method were having smaller average size and narrow size distribution compared to those prepared by single-step desolvation method. The particle size distribution of nanoparticles prepared by twostep desolvation from scale-based gelatin were marginally broader than skin-based gelatin. There was no significant difference between average particle size of fish skin-based gelatin nanoparticles and fish scale-based gelatin nanoparticles. The nanoparticles prepared from skin and scales by two-step desolvation had a higher zeta potential of plus 39.6 mV and plus 34.8 mV respectively indicating its high dispersion stability. The particle size and spherical shape of nanoparticles were confirmed using Atomic Force Microscopy. The present study demonstrates twostep desolvation method as an efficient method for the preparation of fish gelatin based nanoparticles than one-step desolvation method. Nanoparticles from skinbased gelatin were found to have narrow size distribution than those prepared from scales.