Measurement of the interfacial properties of lung surfactant

The classical methods used to investigate the surface activity of lung surfactant are the Langmuir-Wilhelmy surface balance and the pulsating bubble surfactometer. Over the past few years, it has become increasingly apparent that these methods are inadequate in many respects. These shortcomings, however, have been overcome by recent developments in lung surfactant methodologies: the captive bubble surfactometer and axisymmetric drop shape analysis.