Isolation and identification of biologically active contaminants from soft contact lenses. I. Nicotine deposits on worn lenses.

A method for elution of contaminants deposited onto soft contact lenses during wear utilizing a nondestructive cleaning procedure is presented. Twenty-five soft contact lenses supplied by American Optical Corp. were pooled and subjected to 20% H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide). The resulting wash was extracted with organic solvents, hydrolyzed, and re-extracted. The organic-soluble fraction was further divided into strong acids, intermediate acids, neutrals, and bases. Sequential separation, isolation, characterization, and confirmation of constituents were achieved with thin-layer chromatography, ultraviolet spectrophotometry, and microcrystallography. Photomicrographs before and after cleaning were obtained to assess the optical quality of the lenses. Initial emphasis has been to characterize naturally occurring, biologically active constituents and common environmental toxins of molecular weight 150 to 500. We find that nicotine, a common environmental pollutant and a significant component of the blood of people who smoke regularly, is one of the contaminants present on a worn soft contact lens.