Using vegetal tannin to preserve natural rubber latex and to decrease or suppress its allergenic action

摘要

Allergies caused by natural rubber latex(NRL)products are well-known and a complete solution for the problem has not yet been found.In the same field,there is the issue of the latex biological preservation,whose universal solution,for more than seven decades,consists in the use of ammonia to act as colloid ionic protector and bactericide.However,problems caused by the volatile and irritant ammonia boost the search for new preservation routes.Natural proteins present in the latex are at the center of both problems,allergens and bio deterioration.In another technological field,the tanning of animal skins,vegetable tannins are used to inactivate collagen proteins of the skin,transforming it into a new and very stable material,the animal leather,which is produced in such way for centuries.In this work,vegetable tannins are used to provide NR latex biological and mechanical stability as well as to decrease or eliminate allergies caused by latex proteins.During the experiments,tannin efficacy to preserve ammonia free latex was monitored over time by smelling tests,pH and zeta potential inter alia.The reduction of NRL allergenicity was verified by ELIS A assays for two specific allergenic proteins.The results in addressing both problems are very consistent and auspicious.The NRL treated with tannin lasts for months without significant deterioration,while control samples with ammonia lasted less than a month.The reduction in allergenicity was also unequivocal.This research suggests that vegetable tannin can become important player in NRL technology,solving critical problems.