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IMPACT OF POLYMER ON SOCIETY

INTRODUCTION:

Present day advancement in technology has enhanced good quality of life in the society.

Polymer has played a greater role in this emerging advancement. These are evident in the

modern sophisticated medical, transport, sensor and agricultural equipments now in the market

which are made up of metals and modified polymers. Substitution of damage human parts with

polymer, i.e. prostatic limbs, knee, implant and the new era of drug delivery. Polymers are now

modified by chemist and these modifications alter their physical and chemical properties for

various societal needs such as sensors. These sensors are use in environmental monitoring for

toxic gases, pollutant in river and portable water. The sensors are also used in process plants for

quality control.

Recent revolution in production of batteries is made possible by polymer -electrolyte. Low and

high powered dry batteries are now available for outer space use. International space stations

now use dry polymer electrolyte batteries for its operation. In this essay positive and negative

impact of polymer on society will be discussed. The topic will be divided into several sections

taking into account different function of polymer: the use of polymer in medicine, the use of

polymer in sensor, the use of polymer in agriculture and the use of polymer in transportation.

1- POSITIVE IMPACT

1-1 -MEDICAL AND BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS:

Polymer, natural or manmade have long been used to supplement or replace human body parts

such as breast, knee, hip, joint, and dental structures.[1] These replacements have improved

quality of life of patient and humanity. Man made polymers such as polyethylene (PE)

polyurethane (PU) polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyacetal (PA) polylactic acid (PLA),

polypropylene (PP), Polysulfone (PS) and host of others in table 1 have been used to replace

hard and soft tissues as in (figure 1).

Many polymer composite materials are now used in various medical applications as a result of

their availablability in a wide variety of compositions and forms (, fibers, solids ,fabrics and gel).

They also may be fabricated into complex structures and shapes. Polymer materials offer

desired high strength and bone like elastic properties hence they have been used for bone plate

applications, and intralmedullary nails

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Intramedullary nails or rods made of CP/PEEK are sometimes used to fix the bone fractures

,such as , fracture of femoral neck or inter-trochanteric bone fracture. They are inserted into the

intramedullary cavity of the bone and screws are used ti fix it into position (fig. 1) [1]

Replacement of the total disc (nucleus and annulus) using an artificial disc are used to treat

Problems related to intervertebal discs. “The method require duplication of the natural structure,

significant durability to last longer than 40 years, and ease and safety during implant placement

or removal”. [1]

Table.1polymer material are use in medical applications.

Joint Replacement

Joint makes the movement of the body and its parts possible. Many joints in the body permit free

movement .and this gives us ablity to perform various physical activities in our daily life.

Total Hip Replacement (THR):

THR is a common man-made joint in people beings. A bio-mechanics based design. involve of

a cup type ace tabular part, and a femoral part whose head is fit into the ace tabular cup, there

by enabling joint articulations.

Total knee replacement (TKR)

degeneration and injuries of Knee occur more often than the majority of other joints. A typical

TKR involve of tibial and femoral (Fig. 1). The femoral part rubs on the tibial part. The

materials have used for femoral parts are predominantly Ti and Co-Cr alloys . The tibial parts

are made of polymer “UHMWPE” included a metallic tibial tray.

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Bone replacement :

Synthetic bone grafts fill are used for replacing fractured bones. The material are strong and

stiff, and capable of bonding to bones. PE is biocompatible usage in hip and knee joint

replacements. PE has been reinforced using HA particles for synthetic bone grafting. Prostatic

leg and harm are now made PE which has also been reinforced by HA (Figure 2).

Dental applications:

Dental treatment such as filling cavities, replacing teeth. A large variety of materials are used

in dental treatments such as cavity lining, cavity filling , luting, endodontic crown and bridge,

prosthetic, preventive, orthodontic and periodontal treatment of teeth. BIS-GMA a dental

composite resin has been used during dental surgery.

Many different types of implants which are polymer made are used to correct tissue deformities

or congenital and acquired defects. Functions; of tissue implant include fill the space; enclose,

store, mechanical support and scaffold for tissue growth. Bulk space filler are mainly SR, PE

and PTFE.

Urethra, prosthesis, Catheters and Sutures:

Some Urethra have made of PTPE ,PVC , SR and PE . Polyester fibre rein enforced with glycol

methacrylates urethra is currently being used in most hospital in developed countries. Catheters

is also made of PU and SR.

Drug Delivery:

Recent Innovation in drug delivery system has been made possible as a result of current

development in polymer research. Drugs are carried within polymer or encircle in a polymer

matrix while the drug diffuses into tissues. I, 2 propylene glycol have been used for drug delivery

Vascular Graft:

Many synthetic vascular grafts are made of PET, PTFE and PU. They are used in diameter

blood vessels replacements.

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Medical Instrumentation:

Medical instruments, such as ,MR and CT are made of carbon fiber reinforced polymer

composite. This material is used for making, , surgical clamp , X- ray films and head rest

frames .

From the above applications, it is evident that the quality of life of the society will be immproved

and future generation of the society to come will still benefit from the advancement in medcine

brought by current advancement in polymer. research. Medical advancement, such as

immediate health care delivery, easy access to medical attention by those who are

incapacitated, various aliment are now cured as a result of better drug delivery brought by

polymer. better dental treatment, good medical instrument for pathological examination and easy

movment for disable when polymer composite replaces the damaged part of the body.

Figer1:Variose applications of different polyner composite biomaterials.[1]

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Figure .2 : Prostatic leg are made PE which .[1]

2-1-TRANSPORT:

Batteries:

Passenger cars and light-duty and heavy duty vehicle requires power for operation. Fuel cell

mainly made of polymers has been developed for energy efficiency as well as to address the

problem of environmental burning of fossils fuel.[2,3].

Tyers:

Passenger cars and all other moving vehicles require tyres for movement. Natural and synthetic

rubbers are in equal proportion in production of tiers. Butadiene alkenes hydrocarbon, styrene

and isoprene are the monomers used in production of tyres. They are bases for synthetic rubber

compound in tires. Polymerisation of butadiene and styrene gives polybutadiene rubber.[4]

From transport application above, polymer composite now makes transpotation easier and

cheaper for the society. Car batteries and tyres are now mass produced, quality improved and

this reduced enviromental polution in the society.

3-1- PACKAGING:

Polysacharide based biopolymer are now being used as packaging materials, These include

starch , pullulan and chitosan. LDPE blends were made into the bags for rubbish or groceries.

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polysaccharide have been used for food packaging application while poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA)

has been used as fast food conttaniers [5].

From the above, Polymer packaging now makes storage of food and goods more efficent for the

society.Polymer packaging now replace metal packageing which can be corroded and poisnous

4-1-REINFORCED PLASTIC AND PRESERVATION OF HISTORICAL BUILDING:

Our culture heritage can be preserved by reinforced plastic cause conventional rehabilitation

methods does not contribute to a long term tough solution to preservation our historic building.

Carbon fibre with polymer has used to maintain historic buildings, monuments and bridges of

historic importance,

Reinforced plastics can be contributed to keep our cultural inheritance. worldwide historic

buildings, civil engineering constructions and monuments are steady decaying and in

earthquakes, some suffer extremely damage. For instance , of the many damages suffered in

26 /9/ 1997 by the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi in the disastrous earthquake , definitely,

the great devastation was the falling down of the parts of the vaulting in the Upper Church.

These were replaced with frescoes by Giotto (1267 - 1337) and Cimabue (1240 – 1302) . [6].

From the above, Polymer composite now play a role in preservation of our historic buildings for

the future generation of the society

5-1-AGRICULTURE:

Polymers of different grades have used in restrained release of nutrient and pesticides, seed

coating ,soil conditioning, and plants protection. Degradable plastic has also used as container

of planting and mulches. Polymer used for mulches and planting container are polyvinyl alcohol

, PVC and poly ethylene –co- acrylic acid.

In control released of agriculture chemical, the polymer controls the rate of mobility , delivery

and period effectiveness period of the chemical elements. Starch, Cellulose, chitin, lignin and

alginic acid are among of the natural polymer used as control release. Planting container are

mainly made of polycaprolactone [5].

From the above,polymer has enabled better production of quality agricultural food to the

society. It has also increased quantity of food production.

5-1-SENSORS APPLICATION:

Polymer has found a place in electronic measuring devices, such as gas sensor, pH and alcohol

sensor. This is possible because the physical and chemical properties of polymers that can be

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modified by the chemists over a wider range of characteristics for various sensor needs (Table

1) . Conducting polymers have used as immobilising material or a coating surface of

electrodes. Polyacetylene is known as the first polymer for conducting and when exposed to

iodine vapour, its conductivity is enhanced. Charge transfer happens from chain of

polyacetylene and other heterocyclic conducting polymer to iodine. The charge carriers are

smooth to transport along the chine of the polymer to create metallic behaviour and this

made them to be used in gas sensor. A polypyrrole –PVA composite has been found to posses’

ammonia sensing capacity because polypyrrole undergo reversible redox reaction.[7, 8].

A non polymer can also be used for specific receptor agent on the sensor device.

Phthaocyamine has been used as coating for QCM sensor used as ehanol sensor. Methacrylic

polymers have been used for receptor agent for nucleotides, amino acid and herbicide sensor

Conducting and non conducting polymers have been used in biosensor. Biosensor transfers

biological reactions into the electrical signals. It has been extensively used in, environmental

,medical diagnostics and pollution control. Polymers used in application of various sensors are

summarised in (table 2).

From the above, polymer has improved the quality of sensing apparatus such as gas, alcohol,

and chemical sensor used by the society. The sensors enabled society to monitor environmental

pollution and some chemical which are deleterious to the society

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Table(2), polymers used in gas sensors.

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6.1 COMMUNICATION:

In spite of the fact that a majority of plastic and polymers are incapable to conduct electricity,

their insulation properties are utilised in communication industries.

From the above , polymer has improved the standard and efficiency of communication in the

society as a result of better insulation it provides to both underground and aerial cables used in

telecommunication, broadband and radio equipments.

7-1-Space Application :

Most present day batteries are mainly made with composite polymer material, solid polymer

electrolyte and polymer alloyed materials. They are miniaturised in various shapes and most a

times reduced weight. Photovoltic solar array are also made up of polymer derivatives.

European launchers, for instance (ARIANE 1-4) has used batteries for suppling of electricity.

Requirements of Low energy admitted the use of batteries and photovoltaic solar arrangement

in orbital space craft. Fuel cell systems (FCS) have obviously performance and weight

advantages compared to batteries during the European Space Station Columbus and the

manned re-entry vehicle Hermes, ..[9].

From the above, polymer has improve space research which help the society to predict weather.

2- NEGATIVE IMPACT :

1-POLLUTION :

Discarded plastics or polymer are an important pollutant of sea marine of New Zealand,

Southern high lands, Australia and oceanic waters. Some of the environmental impacts include:

death and debilitation of wildlife through entanglement and ingestion, reductions in quality of life

and reproductive performance, hazards to shipping and possibly health, and a vector for the

introduction of alien toxin that may endanger island ecosystems or traditional seafood resources.

Indiscriminate disposal of plastic by vessels at sea are blamed. for the pollution. However,it has

been realised that much shoreline litter came from urban area showing inadequate disposal

practices by recreational visitors. High quantities of plastic litter on shorelines of the area

indigate this could be to the detrimental to tourism.

Plastics is indispensable to modern life. Unfortunately, ever expanding demand for plastic

products have created a global environmental nuisance The world is now aware the plasticis

needs a long term monitoring of the general of coastal oceanic water.[10].

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From the above, some plastic are not degradable for a long time and thereby causing some

environmental hazards. This has negative impact on the society because it affects land use,

dangerous to marine life and food resources.

CONCLUSION

Polymers wide mutifuctionality leads to many differences in applications of polymer in medicine,

transportation and specialised area as chemical and biological sensors. This essay

demonstrate the multifunctionality of polymer for the benefit of the society.

In medicine, medical practices utilises a number of polymer devices and implants to restore the

function of degenerated tissue or organs. Implants such as sutures,bone plate,joint replacement,

ligaments and vascular graft have been discussed, While devises such as pace maker, artificial

heart, blood tubes are currently been used on patient in hospitals..

Using polymer as a receptor material or one of the component of the response layer in chemical

or biological sensor leads to a variety of possible applications in sensor devices, This is possible

because the polymers are tailored or modified for a particular properties. Thin film deposition of

polymer and development of more specific and active sensor polymer will lead to miniature

sensors arry which can be used as electronic nose and tongue.

Solid polymer fuel cell has been made for international space station and fuel cells for

automotive application is now commercialised..Naturer rubber and other polymers have been

extensively used for the production of different Tyers used in auto mobiles

Reinforced plastics have helped preservation of historic building in Europe and other developed

countries. Polymeric material are used to reinforced structures with less damage to existing

structure than reinforcement using steel bars..

Polymeric materials such as plastics have been a source of pollution in Oceania shores of New

Zealand, Australia and pacific highlands. This is likely to worsen unless there is public

awareness of clean pacific waterways.

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