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Partial Hydrolysis of Poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) and Potential Implications for Biomedical Applications?
Author(s) -
Van Kuringen Huub P. C.,
Lenoir Joke,
Adriaens Els,
Bender Johan,
De Geest Bruno G.,
Hoogenboom Richard
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
macromolecular bioscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.924
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1616-5195
pISSN - 1616-5187
DOI - 10.1002/mabi.201200080
Subject(s) - hydrolysis , chemistry , hydrochloric acid , polymer , cytotoxicity , organic chemistry , polymer chemistry , chromatography , biochemistry , in vitro
The hydrolysis of PEtOx is studied to evaluate the potential toxicity of partially hydrolyzed polymers that might interfere with its increasing popularity for biomedical applications. The hydrolysis of PEtOx is studied in the presence of digestive enzymes (gastric and intestinal) and at 5.8 M hydrochloric acid as a function of temperature (57, 73, 90, and 100 °C). It is found that PEtOx undergoes negligible hydrolysis at 37 °C and that thermal and solution properties are not altered when up to 10% of the polymer backbone is hydrolyzed. Mucosal irritation and cytotoxicity is also absent up to 10% hydrolysis levels. In conclusion, PEtOx will not decompose at physiological conditions, and partial hydrolysis will not limit its biomedical applications.