Title: Identification of a suitable sterilisation method for collagen derived from a marine Demosponge

Authors: Iwan Palmer; Susan A. Clarke; John Nelson; Wolfgang Schatton; Nicholas J. Dunne; Fraser Buchanan

Addresses: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Queen's University of Belfast, Ashby Building, 125 Stranmillis Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 5AH, UK. ' Medical Biology Centre, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University of Belfast, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 1NN, UK. ' Medical Biology Centre, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University of Belfast, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 1NN, UK. ' KliniPharm GmbH, Eschenheimer Tor 3, D-60318, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. ' School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Queen's University of Belfast, Ashby Building, 125 Stranmillis Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 5AH, UK. ' School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Queen's University of Belfast, Ashby Building, 125 Stranmillis Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 5AH, UK

Abstract: Collagen is widely used as a biomedical material, and its importance is likely to grow as research and understanding progresses in this field. As a biomedical material, ensuring the sterility of collagen before use as, or incorporation into, a medical device is paramount. However, common sterilisation techniques can induce changes in the physical structure and protein chemistry of collagen, potentially affecting the performance. In this preliminary study, the influence of autoclaving, gamma irradiation and ethylene oxide gas sterilisation on the denaturation temperature and helical content of the collagen was evaluated using differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Early results indicate that all sterilisation techniques affect collagen properties but suggest that the least damaging of the techniques investigated was γ irradiation.

Keywords: sterilisation; collagen; Chondrosia reniformis; autoclave; gamma irradiation; ethylene oxide; denaturation; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; FTIR; differential scanning calorimetry; DSC; chain scission; cross linking; helical content; biomaterials; marine Demosponge.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNBM.2012.050306

International Journal of Nano and Biomaterials, 2012 Vol.4 No.2, pp.148 - 163

Received: 05 Nov 2011
Accepted: 13 Jul 2012
Published online: 30 Sep 2014 *

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