Validation of fiber-optic Doppler anemometry (FODA) for characterizing the droplet size of emulsions.

Fiber-optic Doppler anemometry (FODA) is a useful tool to characterize polydisperse systems such as emulsions. The mean droplet radius of a model emulsion determined by FODA matched the mean radius determined by sizing droplets from a freeze-fractured freeze-etched scanning electron photomicrograph. The mean droplet radius determined by the Coulter technique was four times too large because the small droplets were not detected. The utility of FODA was further illustrated by its ability to accurately size droplets and monitor the coalescence upon aging of an intravenous lipid emulsion.