Methods of using polymers

Abstract

Provided herein are materials and methods of reducing contamination in a biological substance or treating contamination in a subject by one or more toxins comprising contacting the biological substance with an effective amount of a sorbent capable of sorbing the toxin, wherein the sorbent comprises a plurality of pores ranging from 50 Å to 40,000 Å with a pore volume of 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g and a size of 0.05 mm to 2 cm and sorbing the toxin. Also provided are kits to reduce contamination by one or more toxins in a biological substance comprising a sorbent capable of sorbing a toxin, wherein the sorbent comprises a plurality of pores ranging from 50 Å to 40,000 Å with a pore volume of 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g and a size of 0.05 mm to 2 cm and a vessel to store said sorbent when not in use together with packaging for same.

1 . A method of reducing contamination by one or more toxins in a biological substance comprising:
 a. contacting the biological substance with an effective amount of a sorbent capable of sorbing the toxin, wherein the sorbent comprises a plurality of pores ranging from 50 {acute over (Å)} to 40,000 {acute over (Å)} with a pore volume of 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g and a size of 0.05 mm to 2 cm; and   b. sorbing the toxin.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sorbent is biocompatible. 
     
     
         4 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The method of claim  5 , wherein the polymer is a macroporous polymeric sorbent. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the sorbing occurs in vivo.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sorbing occurs ex vivo. 
     
     
         9 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method of claim  11 , wherein the toxin is from a biological source comprising one or more species of bacterium, virus, fungus, plant or animal. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the species of bacterium comprises  Staphylococcus aureus, S. haemolyticus, Clostridium perfringens, C. tetani, C. botulium, Escherichia coli  (Enterhemmorahagic),  E. coli  (Enterotoxicgenic),  E. coli  (Enterotoxigenic LT),  E. coli  (Enteropathogenic),  E. coli  (Enterinvasive),  E. coli  Enteraggregative),  E. coli  (Diffusely adherent),  Shigella dystenteria, S. flexneri, S. boydii, S. sonnei, Vibrio cholera, V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus, Bacillus cereus, B. anthracis, Salmonella typhi, S. paratyphi, S. dublin, S. enteritdis, Listeria monocytogenes, Yersenia entercolitia, Y. psedotubersculosis, Streptococcus difficulis, S. faecalis, S. pyogenes, Brucella militensis, B. abortus, B. suis, Camplyobacter jejuni, Plesiomas shigelloides, Aeromonas hydrophila, A. caviae, A. sobria, Tropheryma whippelii  or  mycoplasma.    
     
     
         14 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the species of virus comprises Rotavirus. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the species of fungus comprises  Candida albicans, C. esophagitis, Gyromitra esculenta, Amanita tenuifolia, A. bisporigera, A. virosa, Galerina autumnalis, Leucoagaricus brunnea, Lepiota. josserandii, L. helveola, L. subincarnata, Chlorophyllum molybdites, Entoloma lividum, Tricholoma pardinum, Omphalotus olearius, Paxillus involutus, Amanita phalloides, A. brunnescens, Aspergillus flavus  or  A. parasiticus.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the species of plant comprises Castor beans, legumes, fescue grass, wheat, kidney beans or grains. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the species of animal comprises grouper, red snapper, amberjack, barracuda, puffer fish, bluefin, tuna, skipjack, marlin, mackerel, mussels, scallops, shrimps, oysters, humans or chickens. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the toxin is  E. coli  enterotoxigenic STa, enterotoxigenic STb, Staphylococcal toxin B, alpha toxin, or toxic shock syndrome toxin-1,  Clostridium perfringens  enterotoxin or alpha toxin,  E. coli  Shiga-like toxin STX-1, Shiga-like toxin STX-2, verotoxin,  Shigella  Shiga toxin, Cholera toxin, enterotoxigenic LT, Tetanus toxin, Botulinum toxin,  Clostridium difficile  toxin B,  C. difficile  toxin A, cyanotoxins,  Pseudomonas  Exotoxin A, and pertussis toxin. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the toxin is man-made. 
     
     
         22 - 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein contamination by the toxin is systemic or localized. 
     
     
         46 - 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . The method of claim  46 , wherein the sorbent is introduced orally, vaginally, topically, rectally or nasally. 
     
     
         49 - 52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sorbent is used for extracorporeal treatment of a biological substance comprising saliva, blood, plasma, serum, gastrointestinal fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, vaginal fluid, peritoneal fluid, pleural fluid, urine, synovial fluid, lymph, alveolar mucus or vitreous humor. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sorbent has a pore structure such that the total pore volume of pore size in the range of 50 Å to 40,000 Å is greater than 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g dry sorbent; wherein the ratio of pore volume between 50 {acute over (Å)} to 40,000 {acute over (Å)} (pore diameter) to pore volume between 100 {acute over (Å)} to 1,000 {acute over (Å)} (pore diameter) of the sorbent is smaller than 3:1. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the toxin is equal to less than about 50,000 Daltons (50 kDa) in weight. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sorbent has a pore structure such that the total pore volume of pore size in the range of 50 Å to 40,000 Å is greater than 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g dry sorbent; wherein the ratio of pore volume between 50 {acute over (Å)} to 40,000 {acute over (Å)} (pore diameter) to pore volume between 1,000 {acute over (Å)} to 10,000 {acute over (Å)} (pore diameter) of the sorbent is smaller than 2:1. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the toxin has a molecular weight in the range of from about 50,000 Daltons to about 450,000 Daltons. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sorbent has a pore structure such that the total pore volume of pore size in the range of 50 Å to 40,000 Å is greater than 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g dry sorbent; wherein the ratio of pore volume between 50 {acute over (Å)} to 40,000 {acute over (Å)} (pore diameter) to pore volume between 10,000 {acute over (Å)} to 40,000 {acute over (Å)} (pore diameter) of the sorbent is smaller than 3:1. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the molecular weight of the toxin is equal to or less than about 1,000,000 Daltons. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sorbent comprises a plurality of pores comprising at least one crosslinking agent, at least one monomer, at least one dispersing agent and at least one porogen. 
     
     
         61 - 66 . (canceled) 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sorbent is a mixture of sorbents with two or more different pore sizes. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sorbent is formulated as a powder, tablet, capsule, solution, gel tab, dispersion, slurry, suppository, or suspension. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sorbent is admixed with food, fluid, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         70 . A kit to reduce contamination by one or more toxins in a biological substance comprising:
 a. a sorbent capable of sorbing a toxin, wherein the sorbent comprises a plurality of pores ranging from 50 {acute over (Å)} to 40,000 {acute over (Å)} with a pore volume of 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g and a size of 0.05 mm to 2 cm; and   b. a vessel to store said sorbent when not in use together with packaging for same.   
     
     
         71 . The kit of  claim 70  wherein the sorbent is biocompatible. 
     
     
         72 - 73 . (canceled) 
     
     
         74 . The kit of  claim 70 , wherein the sorbent has a pore structure such that the total pore volume of pore size in the range of 50 Å to 40,000 Å is greater than 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g dry sorbent; wherein the ratio of pore volume between 50 {acute over (Å)} to 40,000 {acute over (Å)} (pore diameter) to pore volume between 100 {acute over (Å)} to 1,000 {acute over (Å)} (pore diameter) of the sorbent is smaller than 3:1. 
     
     
         75 - 76 . (canceled) 
     
     
         77 . A device to reduce contamination by one or more toxins in a biological substance comprising:
 a. a sorbent capable of sorbing a toxin, wherein the sorbent comprises a plurality of pores ranging from 50 {acute over (Å)} to 40,000 {acute over (Å)} with a pore volume of 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g and a size of 0.05 mm to 2 cm; and   b. a vessel wherein the sorbent is located inside the vessel such that the biological substance can be directly introduced into the vessel.   
     
     
         78 . The device of  claim 77 , wherein the biological substance is blood. 
     
     
         79 . The device  claim 77 , wherein the sorbent is biocompatible. 
     
     
         80 . (canceled) 
     
     
         81 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising:
 a. a sorbent capable of sorbing a toxin, wherein the sorbent comprises a plurality of pores ranging from 50 {acute over (Å)} to 40,000 {acute over (Å)} with a pore volume of 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g and a size of 0.05 mm to 2 cm; and   b. a food product.   
     
     
         82 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising:
 a. sorbent capable of sorbing a toxin, wherein the sorbent comprises a plurality of pores ranging from 50 {acute over (Å)} to 40,000 {acute over (Å)} with a pore volume of 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g and a size of 0.05 mm to 2 cm; and   b. a potable liquid.   
     
     
         83 - 84 . (canceled) 
     
     
         85 . A method of reducing contamination by one or more toxins in a biological substance comprising:
 a. contacting the biological substance with an effective amount of a sorbent capable of sorbing one or more non-toxic subunits,   wherein when two or more of those subunits are combined forms a toxin,   wherein the sorbent comprises a plurality of pores ranging from 50 {acute over (Å)} to 40,000 {acute over (Å)} with a pore volume of 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g and a size of 0.05 mm to 2 cm; and   b. sorbing the one or more non-toxic subunits.   
     
     
         86 . A method of treating contamination by one or more toxins in a subject in need thereof comprising:
 a. contacting a biological substance of the subject with an effective amount of a sorbent capable of sorbing one or more non-toxic subunits,   wherein when two or more of those subunits are combined forms a toxin,   wherein the sorbent comprises a plurality of pores ranging from 50 {acute over (Å)} to 40,000 {acute over (Å)} with a pore volume of 0.5 cc/g to 5.0 cc/g and a size of 0.05 mm to 2 cm; and   b. sorbing the one or more non-toxic subunits.   
     
     
         87 - 93 . (canceled)