Influence of Chemical and Physical Change of Pollen Microgels on Swelling/De-Swelling Behavior

Pollen, the male microgametophyte of seed plants, is commonly used as a food and health supplement. Here, a facile method to transform sunflower pollen into pH-responsive microgels with tailored properties is presented. The structure and morphology of the pollen microgel are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and dynamic image particle analysis based on potassium hydroxide treatment with various incubation time and concentration. These pollen microgels exhibit significant volume change under different pH conditions and Ca⁺/ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid treatment. The results describe the fundamental properties of pollen microgels and pave the way for its future applications, such as “smart” drug carriers.