Biomaterials with permanent hydrophilic surfaces and low protein adsorption properties

Low protein adsorbing polymer films have been prepared with which to fabricate intravenous containers, designed for compatibility with low concentrations of protein drugs. The material is economically manufactured utilizing physical melt blending of water-soluble surface-modifying polymers (PEO, PEOX, PVA, and PNVP) with a base polymer (EVA, PP, PETG, PMMA, SB, and nylon). Permanency of the hydrophilic surfaces so generated was confirmed by surface contact angle experiments and total organic carbon leachables analysis of the aqueous contacting solutions. Binding of IgG, albumin and insulin was studied. A sixfold reduction of protein adsorption was obtained by adding 5% PVA13K to EVA, for IgG at a bulk concentration of 2.5 ppm. Surface bound protein measured by micro-BCA colorimetry, agreed with the solution protein lost, as determined by the Fluoraldehyde procedure. Imaging of the protein exposed plastic surfaces by silver enhanced protein conjugated gold staining agreed with the quantitative assay determinations.