Autoclavable Luers Are Free of Bisphenol-A

Concern over Bisphenol-A, a material found in polycarbonate plastics, led Eldon James Corp. CEO Marcia Coulson on a quest to find an alternative material, prior to launching a new line of luer connectors. According to Coulson, “it seems incongruous to use a material containing this substance for a product that is destined for medical applications, particularly if there is an alternative solution available.” Bisphenol-A, which is used as a hardening agent in polycarbonate is considered to be hormone-disrupting chemical that is potentially harmful to human health and the environment. Already, thousands of products containing Bisphenol-A have been removed from US markets and both Canada and the EU are discussing severe restrictions on its use.

Introduced earlier this year, the CrystalVu material from Eldon James competes with polycarbonate in desirable physical characteristics, such as transparency and the ability to withstand gamma sterilisation. In addition, it outperforms polycarbonate in its ability to withstand multiple autoclave cycles because it does not cloud or stress crack. Crystal Vu also exhibits an unequalled chemical resistance among all transparent plastics, according to the manufacturer.

A line of current luers from Eldon James subsidiary EJ Biomed contains more than 50 Crystal Vu products in addition to its standard offerings of animal-derivative-free polypropylene and Kynar luers. Crystal Vu Rotating Lock Luers, pictured above, come in a variety of colors, facilitating use in colour-coded applications. The coloured nut section rotates freely, eliminating tube-twisting when a connection is made.

Tags: Bisphenol-A, CrystalVu, EJ Biomed, Eldon James Corp., gamma sterilisation, polycarbonate

Posted in Materials, cables and connectors