Migration levels of PVC plasticisers: Effect of ionising radiation treatment

• Published in: Food chemistry 2011-09, Vol.128 (1), p.106-113
• Main Authors: Zygoura, Panagiota D., Paleologos, Evangelos K., Kontominas, Michael G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetic acid; Acetyl tributyl citrate; Aqueous food simulants; Biological and medical sciences; Cloud point extraction; Di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate; Distilled water; Ethanol; Ethyl alcohol; Extraction; Food engineering; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gamma radiation; Gamma rays; Gas chromatography; General aspects; Migration; Polyvinyl chlorides; PVC
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.03.002

► CPE is effective for plasticiser extraction at ppb levels from aqueous solutions. ► DEHA–ATBC migration in aqueous simulants is 10–100 and 171–422ppb, respectively. ► 10% v/v ethanol>3% w/v acetic acid>distilled water for ATBC migration. ► Aqueous acetic acid (3%) is the most aggressive simulant for DEHA plasticiser. ► Gamma radiation (15–25kGy) induces a significant increase in DEHA–ATBC migration. Migration levels of commercial plasticisers [di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) and acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC)] from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film into the EU specified aqueous food simulants (distilled water, 3% w/v acetic acid and 10% v/v ethanol) were monitored as a function of time. Migration testing was carried out at 40°C for 10days (EEC, 1993). Determination of the analytes was performed by applying the analytical methodology based on surfactant (Triton X-114) mediated extraction prior to gas chromatographic-flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) recently proposed by our group. The study focuses on the determination of the effect of gamma radiation on plasticiser migration into the selected simulants. PVC cling film used was subjected to ionising treatment with a [60Co] source at doses equal to 5, 15 and 25kGy. DEHA and ATBC migration into the EU aqueous simulating solvents was limited, yielding final concentrations in the respective ranges 10–100μg/l and 171–422μg/l; hence, ATBC demonstrated a stronger interaction with all three simulants compared to DEHA. Migration data, with respect to ATBC, showed that the most aggressive simulant seemed to be the 10% ethanol, while in the case of DEHA the 3% aqueous acetic acid exhibited the highest extraction efficiency; distilled water demonstrated the lowest migration in both cases. With regard to PVC treatment with gamma rays, high radiation doses up to 25kGy produced a statistically significant (p