Toxicity, membrane devices

Rantalainen, A.-L. Ikonomou, M.G. Rogers, I.H. 1998, Lipid-containing semipermeable-membrane devices (SPMDs) as concentrators of toxic chemicals in the Lower Fraser River, British Co mAA2LCheniosphere 37 1119—1138. 

Cleveland, L. Little, E.E. Petty, J.D. Johnson, B.T. Lebo, J.A. Orazio, C.E. Dionne. J. Crockett, A. 1997, Toxicological and chemical screening of Antarctica sediments Use of whole sediment toxicity tests, Microtox, Mutatox, and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs). Mar. Pollut. Bull 34 194-202. 

Sabaliunas, D. Ellington, J. Sabaliuniene, I. 1999, Screening bioavailable hydrophobic toxicants in surface waters with semipermeable membrane devices Role of inherent oleic acid in toxicity evaluations. Ecotox. Environ. Safe. 44 160-167. 

Sabaliunas, D. Lazutka, J.R. Sabaliuniene, I. 2000, Acute toxicity and genotoxicity of aquatic hydrophobic pollutants sampled with semipermeable membrane devices. Environ. Pollut. 109 251—... 

Bridges, C.M. and Little, E.E. 2003, Using Semipermeable Membrane Devices (SPMDs) to Assess the Toxicity and Teratogenicity of Aquatic Amphibian Habitats. ASTM Special Technical Pubhcation No. 1443 pp. 159-168. 

Koci, V. Lukavsky, J. Mlejnek, M. Kochankova, L. Grabic, R. Ocelka, T. 2004a, Application of a semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) for assessment of organic toxicants dangerous to the green microalga Scenedesmus subspicatus. Arch. Hydrobiol. 150 173—186. 

While it would be difficult to enumerate all of the efforts in the area of implants where plastics are involved, some of the significant ones are (1) the implanted pacemaker, (2) the surgical prosthesis devices to replace lost limbs, (3) the use of plastic tubing to support damaged blood vessels, and (4) the work with the portable artificial kidney. The kidney application illustrates an area where more than the mechanical characteristics of the plastics are used. The kidney machine consists of large areas of a semi-permeable membrane, a cellulosic material in some machines, where the kidney toxins are removed from the body fluids by dialysis based on the semi-permeable characteristics of the plastic membrane. A number of other plastics are continually under study for use in this area, but the basic unit is a device to circulate the body fluid through the dialysis device to separate toxic substances from the blood. The mechanical aspects of the problem are minor but do involve supports for the large amount of membrane required. 

Despite successful proof of principle that NO-releasing materials can be employed to fabricate a functional glucose sensor, the toxicity of the particles that leached from the polymer membrane remained a concern. Additionally, the amount and the duration of NO release were limited by the mass of the particles in the polymer film. Upon device miniaturization, the NO release may not prove sufficient to sustain biocompatibility. Two alternative strategies were explored to address these... 

Before implantation several in vitro tests were performed. For evaluation of a possible toxic reaction, we investigated the material and the whole devices in vitro with cell culture methods. Direct contact and extraction tests with a mouse fibroblasts cell line (L 929) and a neuroblastoma cell line (neuro-2-a) were performed according to the international standard ISO 10993 ( Biological Evaluation of Medical Devices ). The materials and devices showed no toxicity, i.e. no significant differences in membrane integrity of the cell membranes, mitochondrial activity and DNA synthesis rate. The neuro-2-a cell line is so sensitive that even small changes in process technology are detectable. The flexible polyimide structures proved to be non toxic. 

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