Preparation and Characterization of Bergamot Essential Oil Nanoemulsion

Abstract As technology advances, there are a bunch of new materials being invented including the drug carrier system. The development of a stable and sustainable drug carrier system for essential oil aroused the curiosity of scientists and researchers. The ultimate aim of this study was to synthesize and characterize bergamot essential oil nanoemulsion. The nanoemulsion was prepared with different percentage concentrations (w/v) of xanthan gum (XG), a biopolymer derived from Xanthomonas campestris bacteria that feed on corn sugar. The nanoemulsion was homogenized with a high-speed homogenizer and then with an ultrasonic homogenizer. The physicochemical characteristics of the nanoemulsion were characterized by pH, conductivity test, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS) study, and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Research findings suggested that the concentration of a biopolymer significantly affected the pH, conductivity, and size of the nanoemulsion. The repulsion of surface ions resulted in the decline trends in the pH and conductivity tests. FTIR confirmed the well blending of the biopolymer with bergamot essential oil. STEM results presented the spheres with the size range between 63.6 nm and 85.3 nm. The sizes of particles were in accordance with DLS studies. Zeta potential values were between -15 mV and +5 mV, indicating short-term stability of the nanoemulsion. Overall, this study revealed the importance of selecting an appropriate biopolymer and its optimum concentration to obtain the most stable nanoemulsions for effective ingredient-delivery applications.