Conclusions
1. The kinetics of desorption of EO from medical polymeric materials at 23, 35, and 55° in a very wide range of concentrations was investigated.
2. The EO concentration in the material varies exponentially as a function of the degassing time. However, the lines in coordinates log Q/Qo — τ have a sharp change, which indicates a change in the mechanism of the process determining the character of the indicated relation.
3. In the first region, corresponding to large concentrations and small degassing times, the determining process is diffusion, and in the second region (small concentrations, large times) — diffusion of EO molecules most strongly bound to the polymer.
4. Methods of predicting the time of degassing for the first and second regions are given.
5. Recommendations on the use of polymeric materials for medical articles and apparatus are given.
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Literature cited
S. A. Reitlinger, Gas Permeability of Polymeric Materials [in Russian], Moscow (1974).
T. V. Likhtman, N. I. Komarkova, and N. V. Kareev, Med. Tekh., No. 6, 46–48 (1982).
F. E. Critchfield and J. B. Johnson, Anal. Chem.,29, 797 (1957).
Additional information
All-Union Scientific-Research Institute of Disinfection and Sterilization, USSR Ministry of Health, Moscow. Translated from Miditsinskaya Tekhnika, No. 3, pp. 33–38, May–June, 1983.
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Komarkova, N.I., Likhtman, T.V. Diffusion of ethylene oxide in medical polymeric materials. Biomed Eng 17, 95–99 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00557910
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00557910