PURPOSE: This work was carried out to determine the surface tension of block copolymer micelles of 14C labelled ABA poly (oxyethylene-bi-isoprene-b-oxyethylene) which have a long circulating half life in animals. METHODS: The method used was that of phagocytosis. The percentage of micelles phagocytosed by human mononuclear cells was determined in solutions of different surface tension. RESULTS: The values obtained were 72 mN/m which may be predicted for a particle with a long circulating half life in animals. The method also gave an estimate of the surface tension for the mononuclear cells. CONCLUSIONS: This technique has the advantage of determining the surface tension of highly hydrated small particles including stable micelles in an environment similar to that in which they normally exist.
PURPOSE: This work was carried out to determine the surface tension of block copolymer micelles of 14C labelled ABA poly (oxyethylene-bi-isoprene-b-oxyethylene) which have a long circulating half life in animals. METHODS: The method used was that of phagocytosis. The percentage of micelles phagocytosed by human mononuclear cells was determined in solutions of different surface tension. RESULTS: The values obtained were 72 mN/m which may be predicted for a particle with a long circulating half life in animals. The method also gave an estimate of the surface tension for the mononuclear cells. CONCLUSIONS: This technique has the advantage of determining the surface tension of highly hydrated small particles including stable micelles in an environment similar to that in which they normally exist.