IN-VITRO DETECTION OF 2,4-TDA AND 2,6-TDA AS DEGRADATION PRODUCTS OF A POLYESTERURETHANE FOAM

The polyesterurethane (PU) foam, also known as Scotfoam or Microthane foam, was found to produce 2,4- and 2,6-toluene diamine (TDA) in the a queous extracts following approximately 3.5 months of incubation in ph osphate buffer pH 7.4 at 37-degrees-C. PU foams were first exhaustivel y extracted in methylene chloride at 37-degrees-C and subsequently sub jected to mild hydrolysis in phosphate buffer pH 7.4 at 37-degrees-C. The amount of 2,4- and 2,6-TD at 37-degrees-C at different time interv als were determined using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) w ith UV photodiode array detector and gas chromatography/mass spectrosc opy (GC/MS). Following exhaustive washing of the foam, measurement of 2,4- and 2,6-TDA showed total cumulative levels of 2.81 +/-0.85mug/g o f 2,4-TDA and 2.0 +/- 0.47mug/g of 2,6-TDA in the foam buffer extracts over 3.5 months of incubation at 37-degrees-C. The linear kinetics ob tained for TDA formation with time (R(2, 4) = 0.964 and R(2, 6) = 0.98 2) indicates hydrolysis of the PU foam, not contamination from manufac turing process or analytical procedure used.