FACT: Blood-preserving effect of DEHP
Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, the leading plasticizer employed in medical devices, offers the unusual and exceptional property: it namely helps in extending the “lifetime” and serviceability of human blood through its interaction and stabilization of erythrocyte cell membranes. The pool of blood which is available in blood banks would be reduced considerably if we could not use such medical items.
Blood bags contribute to a quick and efficient medical aid to casualties. The bags are lightweight but they can hardly be torn open, they are easy to handle and use, and they take up less storage space than traditional containers/bottles. As they are chemically neutral (the plasticized PVC is chemically inert), bags can be safely used in other instances and can be just used directly with the patients’ bodies, like urinal bags and/or stoma bags. They provide some comfort to people who have to use them, they do not emit sounds and prevent offensive odours.