Acrylic bone cements: Residuals and extractability of methacrylate monomers and aromatic amines

A new formulation of acrylic bone cement [methylmethacrylate/n-decylmethacrylate/isobornylmethacrylate (MMA/DMA/IBMA)] developed with the purpose of reducing the biologic adverse effects of bone cements was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography for residual content of monomers and aromatic amines from the accelerator system [dimethyl-p-toluidine (DMPT), dihydroxypropyl-p-toluidine (DHPPT)] in the cured cement and for concentrations of these constituents in hydrophilic and lipophilic eluates. In comparison with conventional polymethyl-methacrylate acrylics a considerable reduction of both released and residual MMA was experienced, being about 10- to 15-fold. The residual content of the new DMA and IBMA monomers were 0.35% and 0.66%, respectively, in cured cement after 72 h and these could only be detected in the paraffin eluates. The residual content of aromatic amines was considerably reduced with the new cement formulation. No DMPT could be detected and the DHPPT represented a 3- to 4-fold reduction in cured cement and a 8- to 10-fold reduction in eluates. The residual DHPPT content of about 0.07% was found to be practically constant with time. It is concluded that MMA/DMA/IBMA cement cures faster and more completely.