Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Sustainable Plastics
  • Rubber News
Subscribe
  • Sign Up Free
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Processor News
    • Suppliers
    • More News
    • Digital Edition
    • End Markets
    • Special Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Resin pricing news
    • Videos
    • Injection Molding
    • Blow Molding
    • Film & Sheet
    • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
    • Rotomolding
    • Thermoforming
    • Recycling
    • Machinery
    • Materials
    • Molds/Tooling
    • Product news
    • Design
    • K Show
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Sustainability
    • Public Policy
    • Material Insights Videos
    • Numbers that Matter
    • Automotive
    • Packaging
    • Medical
    • Consumer Products
    • Construction
    • Processor of the Year
    • Best Places to Work
    • Women Breaking the Mold
    • Rising Stars
    • Diversity
    • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
  • Opinion
    • The Plastics Blog
    • Kickstart
    • One Good Resin
    • Pellets and Politics
    • All Things Data
    • Viewpoint
    • From Pillar to Post
    • Perspective
    • Mailbag
    • Fake Plastic Trees
  • Shop Floor
    • Blending
    • Compounding
    • Drying
    • Injection Molding
    • Purging
    • Robotics
    • Size Reduction
    • Structural Foam
    • Tooling
    • Training
  • Events
    • K Show Livestream
    • Plastics News Events
    • Industry Events
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Livestreams/Webinars
    • Editorial Livestreams
    • Ask the Expert
    • Plastics News Events Library
    • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Plastics News Executive Forum
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Plastics News Caps & Closures
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
    • Plastics in Automotive
    • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Polymer Points Live
    • Numbers that Matter Live
    • Plastics in Politics Live
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
    • Plastics in Healthcare Library
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
  • Rankings & Data
    • Injection Molders
    • Blow Molders
    • Film Sheet
    • Thermoformers
    • Pipe Profile Tubing
    • Rotomolders
    • Mold/Toolmakers
    • LSR Processors
    • Recyclers
    • Compounders - List
    • Association - List
    • Plastic Lumber - List
    • All
  • Directory
  • Resin Prices
    • Commodity TPs
    • High Temp TPs
    • ETPs
    • Thermosets
    • Recycled Plastics
    • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
    • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
    • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
    • Historic Thermosets
    • Historic Recycled Plastics
  • Custom
    • Sponsored Content
    • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
    • Conair Sponsored Content
    • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
    • ENGEL Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Classifieds
    • Place an Ad
    • Sign up for Early Classified
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
February 17, 2017 01:00 AM

Study backs options for blood bag plasticizers

Catherine Kavanaugh
Staff Writer
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Reprints Print
    Eastman Chemical Co.
    Eastman partnered with the BloodCenter of Wisconsin to test Eastman 168 SG.

    Anaheim, Calif. — Eastman Chemical Co. conducted a clinical trial to evaluate a non-phthalate plasticizer for medical applications and the results indicate it could become a “lead alternative” to using DEHP to soften PVC blood bags.

    DEHP, or di-2-ethyyllhexyl phthalate, has provided the medical industry with a stable ortho-plasticizer for many years and has even been found to extend the length of time blood can be stored to 42 days.

    However, DEHP migrates at low levels into the blood product. And exposure to DEHP has been shown to have adverse effects on the development of reproductive systems in male laboratory animals.

    The European Commission has classified DEHP and three other phthalates as substances of very high concern and banned their use in electrical equipment by July 2019. A similar restriction for medical devices about to hit the market is expected to be enforced in July 2021. In the meantime, some companies and scientists have been trying to come up with a viable Plan B for blood bags.

    “If the Europeans do put a law in place saying by 2020 you won't be able to use a whole host of materials, one of which is DEHP, that will drive change in the industry,” Mark Brucks, Eastman's market development manager for plasticizers, said at the Medical Device & Manufacturing trade show, held Feb. 7-9 in Anaheim.

    “The year 2020 seems far away,” he added, “but in the medical world that's tomorrow.”

    Eastman partnered with the BloodCenter of Wisconsin to test Eastman 168 SG, which is a sensitive-grade di-2-ethylhexyl terephthalate (DEHT). Although structurally and functionally similar to DEHP, DEHT is different from a metabolic and toxicological standpoint. It is not an ortho-phthalate, carcinogen, mutagen or reproductive toxicant.

    In the clinical trial, overall, the DEHT bags showed comparable performance to the DEHP bags, which “suggests it should be considered a lead alternative plasticizer for PVC blood bags,” the study concluded.

    Dr. Kathleen Puca, medical director of BloodCenter, oversaw the evaluation at the facility, which is part of Verti, a Milwaukee-based non-profit organization that specializes in blood services including diagnostic testing, donation and research.

    “Our work with Eastman has provided valuable results that will benefit the blood banking industry,” Puca said in a news release. “The DEHT trial results offer new light about a well-established plasticizer that has now been proven to have an even broader application within health care: providing safer blood products.”

    Eastman Chemical Co.

    Brucks

    Testing DEHT

    Based in Kingsport, Tenn., Eastman introduced the trademarked Eastman 168 non-phthalate plasticizer for PVC in 1975 and it has been widely used for gaskets, hosing, flooring, wire and cable in the automotive and consumer goods markets. Eastman 168 SG is an enhanced grade for more demanding applications, such as medical devices, food contact, toys and child care products.

    The chemical company has a big franchise in terms of materials for the medical industry, but it can't conduct tests with human blood because that requires a different kind of expertise.

    “For this study we went to the marketplace and said, ‘If we see an ultimate end to the use of DEHP, what will help the market be more comfortable with alternatives,'” Brucks said. “So we partnered with BloodCenter of Wisconsin to do the work.”

    The center's clinical study of Eastman 168 SG looked at the stability of red blood cells in containers plasticized with the DEHT and DEHP materials. Made in the bone marrow, red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin that carries oxygen to body tissue. The cells also remove carbon dioxide by transporting it to the lungs to be exhaled. The cells typically live about 120 days.

    For the trial, blood from three donors was mixed and separated into red blood cells and plasma. The red blood cells then were divided into a control group put in a DEHP PVC blood bag with a standard blood preservative called AS1; another group in a DEHT PVC blood bag with AS1; and the last group in a DEHT PVC blood bag with an alternative blood preservative solution called PAGGSM.

    Different parameters of the red blood cells were measured three times over 42 days, including the percent of hemolysis, or rupturing of the cells.

    How did the study groups do? Brucks said the Eastman material with PAGGSM performed comparably to the control group. The other group, which was the Eastman material with the standard blood preservative, showed less protection against hemolysis, he said, but still was within the regulatory limits set by the European Union and U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

    In both cases, Eastman's performance wasn't quite as good as DEHP, but in terms of plasticizer migration their results were better.

    “We actually showed 72 percent less plasticizer going into the red blood cell solution than DEHP, which I think is viewed positively. That's a fairly big deal,” Brucks said.

    Looking ahead

    The findings look promising for the Eastman brand. Now what?

    “All we can do as a third-party company is give people guidance that based on normal testing and protocols, our formulation didn't show any particular issues,” Brucks said. “Our data is a tool that gives our customer confidence that in their formulation they will see similar performance.”

    Eastman also is following up on this work. More testing also will be done on plasma and the results will be out later this year.

    Although a blood bag seems a simple item, it isn't, Brucks said, noting that it holds living cells that go into a living person.

    “As you have more and more intimate contact with a patient, typically a higher level of validation and testing needs to be done,” he said. “It takes a lot of time and effort to validate that any material changes are acceptable.”

    Eastman and the BloodCenter of Wisconsin have put in some of that time and effort.

    “What we're trying to do is present information so if someone does have a concern around DEHP, they have enough data to say we have an alternative that we can more easily vet,” Brucks said.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Wilbert Plastic Services adjusts to changes with new owner, leadership
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Plastics News would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor at [email protected]

    Most Popular
    1
    Plan to extend chemical recycling in Illinois hits roadblock
    2
    Biden sets US goal to replace 90% of plastics with biomaterials
    3
    Redline's ‘outrageous cultural behaviors' retain top employees
    4
    Industry sees Biden bioplastics goal as serious signal
    5
    Trinseo: Equipment failure blamed for latex emulsion leak
    SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe today

    Subscribe to Plastics News

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Plastics News covers the business of the global plastics industry. We report news, gather data and deliver timely information that provides our readers with a competitive advantage.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI 48207-2997

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1723

    Resources
    • About
    • Staff
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Media Kit
    • Data Store
    • Digital Edition
    • Custom Content
    • People
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Sitemap
    Related Crain Publications
    • Sustainable Plastics
    • Rubber News
    • Tire Business
    • Urethanes Technology
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Processor News
        • Injection Molding
        • Blow Molding
        • Film & Sheet
        • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
        • Rotomolding
        • Thermoforming
        • Recycling
      • Suppliers
        • Machinery
        • Materials
        • Molds/Tooling
        • Product news
        • Design
      • More News
        • K Show
        • Mergers & Acquisitions
        • Sustainability
        • Public Policy
        • Material Insights Videos
        • Numbers that Matter
      • Digital Edition
      • End Markets
        • Automotive
        • Packaging
        • Medical
        • Consumer Products
        • Construction
      • Special Reports
        • Processor of the Year
        • Best Places to Work
        • Women Breaking the Mold
        • Rising Stars
        • Diversity
        • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
      • Newsletters
      • Resin pricing news
      • Videos
    • Opinion
      • The Plastics Blog
      • Kickstart
      • One Good Resin
      • Pellets and Politics
      • All Things Data
      • Viewpoint
      • From Pillar to Post
      • Perspective
      • Mailbag
      • Fake Plastic Trees
    • Shop Floor
      • Blending
      • Compounding
      • Drying
      • Injection Molding
      • Purging
      • Robotics
      • Size Reduction
      • Structural Foam
      • Tooling
      • Training
    • Events
      • K Show Livestream
      • Plastics News Events
        • Plastics News Executive Forum
        • Injection Molding & Design Expo
        • Plastics News Caps & Closures
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
        • Plastics in Automotive
      • Industry Events
      • Injection Molding & Design Expo
      • Livestreams/Webinars
        • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
      • Editorial Livestreams
        • Polymer Points Live
        • Numbers that Matter Live
        • Plastics in Politics Live
        • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Ask the Expert
      • Plastics News Events Library
        • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
        • Plastics in Healthcare Library
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
      • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Rankings & Data
      • Injection Molders
      • Blow Molders
      • Film Sheet
      • Thermoformers
      • Pipe Profile Tubing
      • Rotomolders
      • Mold/Toolmakers
      • LSR Processors
      • Recyclers
      • Compounders - List
      • Association - List
      • Plastic Lumber - List
      • All
    • Directory
    • Resin Prices
      • Commodity TPs
        • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
      • High Temp TPs
        • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
      • ETPs
        • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
      • Thermosets
        • Historic Thermosets
      • Recycled Plastics
        • Historic Recycled Plastics
    • Custom
      • Sponsored Content
      • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
      • Conair Sponsored Content
      • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
      • ENGEL Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • Sign up for Early Classified