Direct-Current Treatment as a Safe Sterilization Method for Electrospun Biodegradable Polymer

Abstract

Sterilization is an essential process for biodegradable polymers to be used as biomaterials or tissue engineered-scaffolds. The characteristics of biodegradable scaffolds can change due to decomposition of constituent polymers due to high temperature, pressure, or moisture during sterilization. This study investigated direct current (DC) treatment as a safe method that can prevent structural change and deformation. Treatment of electrospun poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) with DC showed a bactericidal effect within 40 sec at 4 V. When DC was applied at 6 V to the electrospun PLGA, the bactericidal effect emerged within 30 sec. The morphology of fibers and molecular weight of PLGA polymer was maintained after DC treatment. In contrast, electrospun PLGA exposed to ethylene oxide showed fiber degradation, and gamma or e-beam irradiation resulted in decreased molecular weight. The demonstrated improvement in chemical and physical stability of biodegradable polymers after DC sterilization may help extend their application.