Biodegradation and in vitro biocompatibility of polyperoxides: alternating co-polymers of vinyl monomers and molecular oxygen.

Vinyl polyperoxides, alternating co-polymers of vinyl monomers and molecular oxygen, are a small but important class of polymers with unique properties, such as highly exothermic degradation in contrast to common polymers, which generally show endothermic degradation. Enzymatic degradation and in vitro biocompatibility have been studied for the vinyl polyperoxides polystyrene peroxide (PSP), poly(α- methylstyrene) peroxide (PAMSP) and poly(methyl methacrylate) peroxide (PMMAP). Enzymatic degradation of polyperoxides has been carried out using horseradish peroxidase enzyme at room temperature. The rate of the enzyme-catalyzed degradation depends on enzyme concentrations. The cytotoxicity study shows that the polyperoxide has good biocompatibility with no obvious inhibition effect on HeLa cell growth up to 120 μg/ml PSP and PAMSP and up to 60 μg/ml PMMAP. Fluorescence microscopic studies established the cellular viability of HeLa cells in the presence of polyperoxides.