Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-polylactide (PEG-PLA) nanoparticles were prepared through the oil-in-water (O/W, ethyl acetate/water) emulsion technique using oil-soluble PEG-PLA in the presence of water-soluble PEG-PLA as a surfactant. The particle diameter decreased with increasing water-soluble PEG-PLA concentration, the smallest averaged diameter was 75 nm. From these results, it was found that water-soluble PEG-PLA acted as a surfactant which prevents further coalescence of droplets. In addition, the particles diameter decreased with increasing hydrophile-lipophile balance of oil-soluble PEG-PLA in the absence of water-soluble PEG-PLA. In contrast, the particle diameter was constant in the presence of water-soluble PEG-PLA. Therefore, the capability of water-soluble PEG-PLA as a surfactant was more excellent than that of oil-soluble PEG-PLA. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved