Degradable Polymer Packaging for Low-Cost Diagnostics

Low-cost diagnostics are essential for rapid identification of disease and to enable timely interventions and therapy. This is especially important in low and middle-income countries where many life-threatening conditions require very-fast decision making to ensure correct therapies are administered. Devices require protective packaging to maintain their operation and provide a safe environment during transport, but the use of non-degradable packaging presents a potential local waste and environment problem. Since the COVID-19 pandemic it has become apparent that single-use plastics used in health care settings are having a detrimental impact on the environment, placing additional pressure on industries to switch to more sustainable packaging. This project aims to develop a biodegradable polymeric material that could act as a suitable packaging alternative for single-use medical devices, in particular for diagnostic testing applications. The project is sponsored by Global Access Diagnostics, a leading innovator in lateral flow tests and rapid diagnostic tests. Due to the moisture sensitivity of diagnostic tests, the packaging must be impermeable to water vapour over an extended period in a range of environmental conditions. Another key requirement is the mechanical integrity of the material as it must be able to protect the device during storage and transport. Poly(vinyl alcohol) is a non-toxic, biodegradable polymer that shows good film forming ability making it a key competitor as a replacement for current packaging. However, its water-solubility limits its applications within the packaging industry. This project aims to chemically modify poly(vinyl alcohol) with a range of aldehydes, via a cyclic acetalization reaction, to increase the hydrophobicity of the PVOH whilst aiming to maintain its water solubility. By studying a range of aldehydes, at different levels of incorporation, the water solubility should be able to be manipulated to produce a polymer more resistant to water vapour but that will experience dissolution after a period in water. The development of a water-soluble, biodegradable packaging material, that is able to protect a diagnostic device from moisture, would help reduce the volume of packaging waste sent to landfill.