TY - JOUR
T1 - Ethylene oxide's role as a reactive agent during sterilization
T2 - Effects of polymer composition and device architecture
AU - Phillip, Edward
AU - Murthy, N. Sanjeeva
AU - Bolikal, Durgadas
AU - Narayanan, Pallassana
AU - Kohn, Joachim
AU - Lavelle, Linda
AU - Bodnar, Stanko
AU - Pricer, Kurt
PY - 2013/5
Y1 - 2013/5
N2 - Sterilization conditions need to be optimized to effectively neutralize the bioburden while using short exposure times for minimizing the changes in chemical composition, material properties and device architecture. Towards this goal, effects of ethylene oxide (EtO) exposure parameters such as time, temperature, humidity, and EtO concentration on the polymer properties were investigated by monitoring the changes in composition, and the morphology of different types of structures in a family of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)- containing tyrosine-derived polycarbonates. EtO was found to esterify the carboxyl groups present in the desaminotyrosyl- tyrosine groups. Sterilization under conditions more severe than those normally used reduced the glass transition temperature (Tg) and the molecular weight of the polymers, and the presence of PEG in the polymer enhanced this effect. Furthermore, electron micrographs showed that EtO sterilization cycle conditions, even those considered 'mild,'' were found to damage the fragile structures such as those found in electrospun mats and porous scaffolds. Our study shows that the presence of EtO-susceptible groups, fusible architecture, and surface morphology should be taken into account in choosing the appropriate EtO sterilization conditions.
AB - Sterilization conditions need to be optimized to effectively neutralize the bioburden while using short exposure times for minimizing the changes in chemical composition, material properties and device architecture. Towards this goal, effects of ethylene oxide (EtO) exposure parameters such as time, temperature, humidity, and EtO concentration on the polymer properties were investigated by monitoring the changes in composition, and the morphology of different types of structures in a family of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)- containing tyrosine-derived polycarbonates. EtO was found to esterify the carboxyl groups present in the desaminotyrosyl- tyrosine groups. Sterilization under conditions more severe than those normally used reduced the glass transition temperature (Tg) and the molecular weight of the polymers, and the presence of PEG in the polymer enhanced this effect. Furthermore, electron micrographs showed that EtO sterilization cycle conditions, even those considered 'mild,'' were found to damage the fragile structures such as those found in electrospun mats and porous scaffolds. Our study shows that the presence of EtO-susceptible groups, fusible architecture, and surface morphology should be taken into account in choosing the appropriate EtO sterilization conditions.
KW - EtO susceptible groups
KW - Ethylene oxide sterilization
KW - Fragile morphology
KW - Poly(ethylene glycol)
KW - Tyrosine-derived polycarbonates
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84879604680&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84879604680&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/jbm.b.32853
DO - 10.1002/jbm.b.32853
M3 - Article
C2 - 23296710
SN - 1552-4973
VL - 101
SP - 532
EP - 540
JO - Journal of Biomedical Materials Research - Part B Applied Biomaterials
JF - Journal of Biomedical Materials Research - Part B Applied Biomaterials
IS - 4
ER -