Effect of pH on the Behavior of Hyaluronic Acid in Dilute and Semidilute Aqueous Solutions

Abstract

Abstract Summary : Viscosity, asymmetric flow field‐flow fractionation (AFFFF) methods, and dynamic light scattering (DLS) experiments were used to characterize the effect of pH on the behavior of dilute and semidilute aqueous buffered solutions of hyaluronic acid (HA). It is shown that degradation of HA occurs at pH < 4 and pH > 11, and in the domain 4 < pH < 11 virtually no disruption of the HA chains occurs. The pH‐induced scission of HA is attributed to the cleavage of glycosidic bonds. In dilute solutions, intramolecular rupture of HA chains occurs and in the semidilute concentration regime network‐fragmentation is observed at low and high pH values. The degree of degradation of HA is most marked at high pH. From the molecular weight and radius of gyration obtained from AFFFF at different pH values, it is clear that the degradation of HA starts at early times after preparation of the solution, and continues for a couple of days. The kinetics of degradation of HA is fastest at high pH.