CAGE PROCESSING in Animal Facilities - GV-SOLAS

3.2 Materials for processingWhen defining what is required of an item in order to be processed, individual facts and circumstances mustbe considered regarding mechanical, thermal, and chemical resistance, as well as how often the material ishandled.Below you will find a description of commonly used materials and their most important characteristics:3.2.1 PlasticsThe following plastics are generally used:• Polycarbonate (e.g. Makrolon ® )• Polysulfone• Polyetherimide• Polyphenylsulfone• Polypropylene• Polystyrene• Polyphenylene oxide (e.g. Noryl ® )• Composites (e.g. fibreglass reinforced material, Trespa ® )• Miscellaneous materials for wheels and casters (please refer to chapter 4.1)In rodent cages, it is usually polycarbonate, polysulfone, polyetherimide, and polyphenylsulfone. The tablebelow indicates the individual characteristics of these plastics:Table 3-4Steam sterilisableup to 1 Comment 1Polycarbonate 121 °C • transparent, clear, or slightly tinted• regular autoclaving may cause degradation of material(please refer to chapter 9)• alkaline residues may cause problems (please refer tochapter 9)Polysulfone 134 °C • transparent, slightly tinted• suitable for frequent autoclaving• physically and chemically high-resistant• unsuitable rinse aids may cause problems (please referto chapter 9)Polyetherimide 143 °C • transparent, amber-coloured• suitable for frequent autoclaving• physically and chemically very high-resistantPolyphenylsulfone 143 °C • transparent, slightly tinted• suitable for frequent autoclaving• physically, chemically, and mechanically very high-resistant1Please note: The above-mentioned data is meant to be a rough guideline. For product-specificquestions, please refer to the manufacturers’ instructions.The following advice might be useful:• When steam sterilising filled water bottles made of polycarbonate, a temperature lower than 121 °C is preferred(e.g. 118 °C) in order to avoid deformation. It is also possible to prolong the autoclaving time (pleaserefer to chapter 4.5.1.2, table 6-3, and chapter 9.4).Cage Processing in Animal Facilities · 4th issue · 2013 9