Pore size distributions of biodegradable polymer microparticles in aqueous environments measured by NMR cryoporometry

NMR cryoporometry is a unique method permitting the investigation of pores in the microporous and mesoporous regimes for samples in aqueous environments. Here, we apply the technique to porous biodegradable polymer microparticles designed as devices for drug delivery in depot formulations. The results indicate that structural features too small to be captured in surface and fracture images obtained by SEM are able to be accessed using the technique, and that the evolution of pore structure can be studied for several days as the particles swell and degrade in the aqueous environment. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.