ISSN:
0193-7197
Keywords:
Chemistry
;
Chemical Engineering
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
,
Process Engineering, Biotechnology, Nutrition Technology
Notes:
Many varied articles for the health care industry are produced by extrusion and injection molding processes using poly(vinyl-chloride). Until recently, a mixture of 12% ethylene oxide/88% dichlorodifluormethane (Freon 12) was used to sterilize PVC based components and sets by chemical fumigation. In 1978 EPA reported ethylene oxide to be carcinogenic and mutagenic and established a 50 ppm exposure which was later lowered to 1 ppm. Likewise, Freon 12 came under regulation and is currently being taxed. These developments resulted in an industry need to be furnished with a viable replacement for ethylene oxide sterilization. Gamma irradiation was selected for this purpose as an economical and effective method. This study shows that a rigid PVC compound can be commercially produced that satisfies the critical balance of properties required for the medical device market and also can be sterilized by gamma irradiation without adversely affecting critical properties.
Additional Material:
8 Tab.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/vnl.730130205
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