INFLUENCE OF ELECTROLYTES ON PHOSPHOLIPID-STABILIZED EMULSIONS

Submicron sized phospholipid-stabilised emulsions were prepared in the presence of either KCI or CaCl2 in order to investigate the effect of electrolyte. The emulsion stability was monitored by measuring the pa rticle size of the emulsion droplets as function of time by photon cor relation spectroscopy. Even at low concentrations, CaCl2 was shown to have a detrimental effect on stability. Out of zeta-potential meaureme nts a charge reversal of the emulsion droplets appeared; it was conclu ded that the negative influence of Ca++ ions was not only due to the v alency but also to specific adsorption. Subsequently, these data were processed using quantitative models based on the DLVO-theory. Based on experimental particle size and surface potential, as derived from the zeta-potential, total interactive energy patterns of the phospholipid -stabilised emulsions were calculated. Predictions on emulsion stabili ty are derived.