Effects of solar radiation on collagen-based biomaterials

Abstract

The effect of solar radiation on collagen and collagen/synthetic polymer blends in the form of thin films and solutions has been studied by UV-VIS and FTIR spectroscopies. Films and solutions of collagen blended with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) were irradiated by solar light. It was found that UV-VIS spectra, which characterize collagen, collagen/PVA, and collagen/PVP blended films, were significantly altered by solar radiation. FTIR spectra of collagen, collagen/PVA, and collagen/PVP films showed that after solar irradiation, the positions of Amide A bands were shifted to lower wavenumbers. There was not any significant alteration in the position of Amide I and Amide II bands of collagen and its blends after solar radiation. The effect of solar UV radiation in comparison with artificial UV radiation has been discussed.