PLATINUM FROM BREAST IMPLANTS

Abstract

WOMEN WITH SILICONE breast implants are likely to have higher concentrations of harmful forms of platinum in their bodies than women who have never had implants, according to a new study that is being contested by specialists in silicone chemistry { Anal. Chem. , published online April 1, dx.doi.org/10.1021/ ac05140l6).A key finding of the investigation, which probed the levels and oxidation states of the metal, is that platinum species remain in the body long after the implants have been removed. One of the steps in preparing medical-grade silicone (polydimethylsiloxane) is cross-linking the polymer chains to control the material's stiffness and viscosity. The process calls for a cross-linking catalyst such as hexachloroplatinate, which is implicated in the study as the source of the metal. The study's authors note that exposure to platinum species with oxidation states other than zero is believed to be harmful to human health. In particular, exposure to platinum salts has been ...