Biodegradation of gold and platinum implants in rats studied by electron microscopy
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Biodegradation of implanted gold in human tissue. TEM images reveal markedly biodegradation of implanted gold and re-crystallization of dissolved gold as nanoparticle of different size, shape and crystallinity. Highly crystalline icosahedral Au nanoparticle and the corresponding power spectrum are shown on top.
Background: Despite the importance of biodegradation for the durability of metal prosthesis and the widely use of gold implants, there exist a lack of knowledge regarding the stability of pure gold in tissue.
Methods: We studied biodegradation of grids of pure gold, nickel, and copper as well as middle ear prosthesis of gold, platinum or titanium. Metals were implanted into rat skin and humans. Dissolution and re-crystallization process of the metals was analysed using SEM, TEM, power spectra as well as elemental analysis by EDX and EELS/ESI.
Results: Biodegradation of gold was detected, presumably by solving and re-precipitation of gold around implants. Gold cluster, nanoparticles, and mesostructures were detected, formed by dissolution and re-crystallization process. This process results into a migration of gold into the farer off tissue. Cellular filaments as biomolecular templates facilitate the formation of mesostructures. Loss of function of middle ear prosthesis by biodegradation is caused by chronic inflammation and fibrosis. Indeed, similar processes were detected with platinum, but in a very lower level.
Conclusion: Noble metal implants undergo biodegradation in oxidative environment in tissue. The dissolution – recrystallization process can be explained by enzyme catalysed redox processes comprising reactive oxygen species and reduction agents as ascorbic acid present in cells and body tissue. Enymes like myeloperoxidase inside lysosomes of inflammatory cells produce hypochloride ions and H2O2 which can dissolve the gold.
General significance: The crucial role of the specific chemical environments of gold implants in tissue for their chemical stability and durability of function has been demonstrated. Due to widely use and importance of gold implants, this finding is of general interes.
Article Details
Copyright (c) 2019 Kosslick H, et al.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The International Journal of Physics Research and Applications is committed in making it easier for people to share and build upon the work of others while maintaining consistency with the rules of copyright. In order to use the Open Access paradigm to the maximum extent in true terms as free of charge online access along with usage right, we grant usage rights through the use of specific Creative Commons license.
License: Copyright © 2017 - 2025 | 
Open Access by International Journal of Physics Research and Applications is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at Heighten Science Publications Inc.
With this license, the authors are allowed that after publishing with the journal, they can share their research by posting a free draft copy of their article to any repository or website.
Compliance 'CC BY' license helps in:
| Permission to read and download | ✓ |
| Permission to display in a repository | ✓ |
| Permission to translate | ✓ |
| Commercial uses of manuscript | ✓ |
'CC' stands for Creative Commons license. 'BY' symbolizes that users have provided attribution to the creator that the published manuscripts can be used or shared. This license allows for redistribution, commercial and non-commercial, as long as it is passed along unchanged and in whole, with credit to the author.
Please take in notification that Creative Commons user licenses are non-revocable. We recommend authors to check if their funding body requires a specific license.
Jonas L, Fulda G, Nizze H, Zimmermann R, Gross G, et al. Detection of gold particles in the neck skin after lightning stroke with evaporation of an ornamental chain. Ultrastr Pathol. 2002; 26: 153-159. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12184373
Laing PG, Ferguson AB, Hodge ES. Tissue reaction in rabbit muscule exposed to metallic implants. J Biomed Mater Res. 1967; 1: 135-149. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5605609
Lalor PA, Revell PA, Gray AB, Wright S, Railton GT, et al. Sensitivity to titanium. A cause of implant failure? J Bone Joint Surg. 1991; 73: 25-28. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1991768
Meachim G, Williams DF. Changes in nonosseous tissue adjacent to titanium implants. J Biomed Mater Res. 1973; 7: 555-572. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4589049
Moberg LE, Nordenram A, Kjellman O. Metal release from plates used in jaw fracture treatment. A pilot study. Int J Oral Maxiofac Surg. 1989; 18: 311-314. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2509588
Rosenberg K, Gratz W, Sailer HF. Should titanium miniplates be removed after bone healing is complete? Int J Oral Maxiofac Surg. 1993; 22: 185-188. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8340633
Schliephake H, Reiss G, Urban R, Neukam FW, Guckel S. Metal release from titanium fixtures during placement in the mandible. An experimental study. Int J Oral Maxiofac Implants. 1993; 8: 502-511. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8112789
Schliephake H, Lehmann H, Kunz U, Schmelzeisen R. Ultrastructural findings in soft tissue adjacent to titanium plates used in jaw fracture treatment. Int J Oral Maxiofac Surg. 1993; 22: 20-25. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8459118
J Black. Does corrosion matter? J Bone Joint Surg. 1988; 708: 517-520. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3403590
Besssho K, Fujimura K, Iizuka T. Experimental long-term study of titanium ions eluted from pure titanium miniplates. J Biomed Mater Res. 1995; 31: 901-904. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7593030
Lesniewicz, Gackiewcz L, Zyrnicki W. Biodegradation of metallic surgical implants investigated using an ultrasound-assisted process combined with ICP-OES and XRD. Int Biodeter Biodegr. 2010; 64: 81-85.
Jorgenson DS, Centeno JA, Mayer MH, Topperm MJ, Nossov PC, et al. Biologic response to passive dissolution of titanium craniofacial microplates. Biomaterials. 1999; 20: 675-682. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10208410
Jonas L, Fulda G, Radeck C, Henkel KO, Holzhüter G, et al. Biodegradation of titanium implants after long-time insertion used fort he treatment of fractured upper and lower jaws through osteosynthesis, Elemental analysis by electron microscopy and EDX or EELS. Ultrastr Pathol. 2001; 25: 375-383.
Wang JC, Yu WD, Sandhu HS, Betts F, Bhuta S, et al. Metal debris from titanium spinal implants. Spine. 1999; 24: 899-903. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10327512
Kaufmann T, Bloch C, Schmidt W, Jonas L. Chronic inflammation and pain inside the mandibular jaw and a 10-year forgotten amalgam filling in an alveolar cavity of an extracted molar tooth. Ultrastr Pathol. 2005; 29: 405-413. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16257867
Jonas L, Bloch C, Zimmermann R, Stadie V, Gross GE, et al. Detection of silver sulfide deposits in the skin of patients with argyria after long-term use of silver-containing drugs. Ultrastr Pathol. 2007; 31: 379-384. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18098055
Danscher G. In vivo liberation of gold ions from gold implants. Autometallographic tracing of gold in cells adjacent to metallic gold. Histochem. Cell Biol. 2002; 117: 447-452. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12029492
Bond GC, Louis C, Thompson DT. Catalysis by Gold.
Hutchings GJ. Imperial College Press, Catalytic Science Series, London. 2006.
St. Nolan P. Organic Chemistry: Catalytic gold rush. Nature. 2007; 445: 496-497. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17268459
Addison CC, Brownlee GS, Logan N. Tetranitratoaurates(III): preparation, spectra, and properties. J Chem Soc. 1972; 14: 1440-1445.
Büchner O, Wickleder MS. (NO2) {Au(NO3)4]: Synthese, Struktur und thermischer. Anorg Allg Chem. 2004; 630: 1714.
Kozin LF, Prokopenko VA, Bogdanova AK. Kinetics and Mechanism of the gold corrosion dissolution in hypochlorite solution. Protection of Metals. 2005; 41: 22-29.
Gusmano G, Montanari R, Kaciulis S, Montesperelli G, Denk R. Gold corrosion: red strains on a gold austrian ducat. Appl Phys A. 2004; 79: 205–211.
Mineev GG, Panchenko AF. Rastvoriteli zolota i serebra v gidrometallurgii(Solvents for Gold and Silver in Hydrometallurgy), Moscow. Metallurgy. 1994.
Cao Zh, Zhong-Liang X, Gu N, Fu-Chun G, Dao-Wu Y, et al. Corrosion behaviors on polycrystalline gold substrates in self-assembled processes of alkanethiol monolayers. Anal Lett. 2005; 38: 1289-1304.
Turkevich J, Stevenson PC, Hillier J. A study of the nucleation and growth processes in the synthesis of colloidal gold. Discuss Faraday Soc. 1951; 11: 55-75.
Lu W, Wang W, Su Y, Li J, Jiang L. Formation of polydiacetylene–NH2–gold hollow spheres and their ability in DNA immobilization. Nanotechnology. 2005; 16: 2582-2586.
Zhang X, Li D. Metal-compound induced vesicles as efficient directors for rapid synthesis of hollow alloy spheres. Angew Chem Int Ed. 2006; 45: 5971-5974. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16897809
Meldrum FC, Colfen H. Controlling mineral morphologies and structures in biological and synthetic systems. Chem Rev. 2008; 108: 4332-4432. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19006397
Brutchey RL, Morse DE. Silicatein and the translation of its molecular mechanism of biosilification into low temperature nanomaterial synthesis. Chem Rev. 2008; 108: 4915-4934. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18771329
Stannard C, Martin P, Pauliac-Vaujour E, Moriarty P, Vancea I, et al. Controlling Pattern Formation in Nanoparticle Assemblies via Directed Solvent Dewetting. J Phys Chem C. 2008; 112: 15195-15203. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17930453
Wang T, Xu AW, Colfen H. Formation of Self-Organized Dynamic Structure Patterns of Barium Carbonate Crystals in Polymer-Controlled Crystallization. Angew Chem Int Ed. 2006; 45: 4451-4455. PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16789037
Cölfen H, Antonietti M. Mesokristalle: anorganische Überstrukturen durch hochparallele Kristallisation und kontrollierte Ausrichtung. Angew Chem. 2005; 117: 5714-5730.
Vick U, Just T, Pau HW. Fulda G, Laabs W, Jonas L. Experimentelle Biodegradation von Titanimplantaten in der Mittelohrchrirurgie.
Vick U, Just T, Ostwald J, Pau HW, Jonas L. Experimentelle und klinische Untersuchungen zur Biodegradation von Mittelohrimplantaten und ihr Einfluß auf das Langzeithörvermögen.