The Law of Conservation of Mass dates from Antoine Lavoisier's 1789 discovery that mass is neither created nor destroyed in chemical reactions. In other words, the mass of any one element at the beginning of a reaction will equal the mass of that element at the end of the reaction.
Antibiotic Gentamicin, when mixed with DePuy Orthopaedics bone cement products, may weaken the bond between cement and bone in joint replacement patients, and cause the prosthetic to slide off of the bone after the patient has suffered a great deal of pain and immobility.
Water is a key reactant in cement hydration. The incorporation of water into a substance is known as hydration. Water and cement initially form a cement paste that begins to react and harden (set). This paste binds the aggregate particles through the chemical process of hydration. In the hydration of cement, chemical changes occur slowly, eventually creating new crystalline products, heat evolution, and other measurable signs.