Intertek Establishes Medical Device Polymer Testing Toolbox

WILTON, UK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Intertek announces the launch of Medical Device Polymer Testing Toolbox Service for clients involved in the processing of raw materials and manufacturing of polymer components for medical devices and their packaging.

To meet a growing demand of a rapidly expanding market in plastics production for, and application in, the medical industry, Intertek have evolved a core package or "toolbox" of testing capabilities dedicated to the application of chemical and physical analysis of medical device polymers.

Intertek’s Global Medical Business Scientist, John Dale said “Scientists today have a wide range of analytical instrumentation to select from to investigate chemical and physical problems with medical device polymers raw materials and finished products. However, it is selection of the most appropriate technique or combination of techniques and how they are applied which is most crucial to understanding the problem and achieving resolution.”

The Testing Toolbox comprises a range of physical testing methods and investigative tools such as Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) / microscopy and Raman spectroscopy / Microscopy and Imaging, X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometry (NMR), Rheological, Lubricity and Mechanical Property measurements and more. Intertek's expertise in polymer extractables, leachables and migration testing completes the toolbox. The application of recognized extractables methodology coupled with highly sensitive means of identification and quantification of potential extractables, for example, Gas-Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Liquid chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the polymer materials under examination.

These investigative techniques can yield a wealth of chemical and physical information. Intertek's expertise in the interpretation of the scientific, and often highly complex, data plays a significant part in client's product development activities and in business-critical manufacturing problem resolution.

For more information, please visit: http://www.intertek.com/polymers/testing/medical-device-materials/

About Intertek

Intertek is a leading provider of quality and safety solutions serving a wide range of industries around the world. From auditing and inspection, to testing, quality assurance and certification, Intertek people are dedicated to adding value to customers’ products and processes, supporting their success in the global marketplace. With a network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 33,000 people in more than 100 countries, Intertek helps its clients to meet end users’ expectations across increasingly diverse quality, health, environmental, safety and social accountability aspects in virtually any market around the world. Visit www.intertek.com