Mass spectrometry in bioresorbable polymer development, degradation and drug‐release tracking

Abstract

A detailed characterization of polymeric matrices and appropriate degradation monitoring techniques are required to sustain the development of new materials as well as to enlarge the applications of the old ones. In fact, polymer analysis is essential for the clarification of the intrinsic relationship between structure and properties that ascertains the industrial applications in diverse fields. In bioresorbable and biodegradable polymers, the role of analytical methods is dual since it is pointed both at the polymeric matrices and at degradation tracking. The structural architectures, the mechanical and morphological properties, and the degradation rate, are of outstanding importance for a specific application. In some cases, the complexity of the polymer structure, the processes of decomposition or the low concentration of the degradation products need the concurrent use of different complementary analytical techniques to give detailed information of the reactions taking place. Several analytical methods are used in bioresorbable polymer development and degradation tracking. Among them, mass spectrometry (MS) plays an essential role and it is used to refine polymer syntheses, for its high sensitivity, to highlight degradation mechanism by detecting compounds present in trace amounts, or to track the degradation product profile and to study drug release. In fact, elucidation of reaction mechanisms and polymer structure, attesting to the purity and detecting defects as well as residual catalysts, in biodegradable and bioresorbable polymers, requires sensitive analytical characterization methods that are essential in providing an assurance of safety, efficacy and quality. This review aims to provide an overview of the MS strategies used to support research and development of resorbable polymers as well as to investigate their degradation mechanisms. It is focused on the most significant studies concerning synthetic bioresorbable matrices (polylactide, polyglycolide and their copolymers, polyhydroxybutyrate, etc.), published in the last ten years.

Characterization Techniques of Polymer Aging: From Beginning to End

“…MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy has attracted great attention in polymer analysis due to its facile sample preparation process in the absence of time-consuming pretreatment or separation. 226 MALDI-TOF MS could provide information on the monomers (repeating units), structure of chain end groups, and accurate mass of polymers. Instead of the indirect information from the degradation products, MALDI-TOF MS could provide direct and informative details on the polymers.…”

Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption and Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry of Microbial and Synthetic Biodegradable Polymers

“…It has been applied ever more successfully also because of the noteworthy progress in the design of the instruments and advanced configurations as well as data processing tools, as evidenced in articles, reviews, books, and book chapters [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. In fact, MS soft ionization methods, mainly matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight MS (MALDI-TOF MS) and electrospray ionization MS (ESI-MS) for their sensitivity and speediness, supply the tiniest structural and architectural details also in complex polymeric systems and biodegradable polymeric materials, composites, and blends as well [ 15 , 16 , 19 , 28 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ]. By ESI and/or MALDI-MS, exhaustive understandings of biodegradable polymers (i.e., polymerization mechanisms, copolymer architecture, residual monomers, drug release, and polymer degradation mechanisms) have been obtained.…”

Susceptibility to Degradation in Soil of Branched Polyesterurethane Blends with Polylactide and Starch

“…Polymer biodegradation is the consequence of a number of physical, chemical and biological processes related to the destruction of polymers [ 9 ]. The final process is the action of enzymes secreted by microorganisms (bacteria and microscopic fungi) initially depositing on the surface of the sample.…”