In vitro and in vivo metal ion release.

A series of experiments was conducted to study in vitro and in vivo metal ion release and the urine excretion of metal ions. Metal salts were injected and urine analyzed. Anodic potentials were applied to stainless steel and cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CCM) specimens to cause an acceleration of corrosion rates. Corrosion experiments were done in saline, 10% serum and in a subcutaneous space in hamsters. Corrosion rates were determined by measurements of weight loss and calculations of net charge transfer. Metal ion concentrations were determined with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy, and were calculated from total charge using Faraday's law. The results with stainless steel showed that the weight loss and metal ion release from stainless steel in vitro and in vivo can be calculated using Faraday's Law, assuming release in proportion to alloy composition. The results with CCM indicated that release rates in vitro can be used to determine the proportionality of release in vivo. All the nickel and most of the cobalt was rapidly excreted, while less than 50% of the chromium was excreted. The excretion of metals following salt injection or in vivo corrosion were very similar.