Proteins and medium-flow conditions: how they influence the degradation of magnesium

Abstract

To understand the magnesium (Mg) degradation mechanism in vivo, a variety of in vitro investigations have been conducted. However, there is still a gap between in vitro results and in vivo observations. Herein, the combined effect of proteins and medium-flow conditions on magnesium degradation was studied. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and fetal bovine serum (FBS) were employed as the commonly used protein components for in vitro tests. Static, medium-changing (semi-static) and continuous-medium-flow (dynamic) conditions were used as different conditions. The results showed the highest inhibition efficiency of BSA and FBS on magnesium degradation under static conditions, while the efficiency largely decreased under semi-static or dynamic conditions, particularly for BSA. The possible explanations are related to the composition of degradation products and the integrity of the degradation layer. These results emphasize the importance of considering effects from different factors during magnesium degradation.