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  • Development and application of a non-targeted extraction method for the analysis of migrating compounds from plastic baby bottles by GC-MS.

Development and application of a non-targeted extraction method for the analysis of migrating compounds from plastic baby bottles by GC-MS.

Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment (2014-11-20)
Matthias Onghena, Els van Hoeck, Philippe Vervliet, Marie Louise Scippo, Coraline Simon, Joris van Loco, Adrian Covaci
ABSTRACT

In 2011, the European Union prohibited the production of polycarbonate (PC) baby bottles due to the toxic effects of the PC monomer bisphenol-A. Therefore, baby bottles made of alternative materials, e.g. polypropylene (PP) or polyethersulphone (PES), are currently marketed. The principal aim of the study was the identification of major compounds migrating from baby bottles using a liquid-liquid extraction followed by GC/MS analysis. A 50% EtOH in water solution was selected as a simulant for milk. After sterilisation of the bottle, three migration experiments were performed during 2 h at 70°C. A non-targeted liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate-n-hexane (1:1) was performed on the simulant samples. Identification of migrants from 24 baby bottles was done using commercially available WILEY and NIST mass spectra libraries. Differences in the migrating compounds and their intensities were observed between the different types of plastics, but also between the same polymer from a different producer. Differences in the migration patterns were perceived as well between the sterilisation and the migrations and within the different migrations. Silicone, Tritan™ and PP exhibited a wide variety of migrating compounds, whereas PES and polyamide (PA) showed a lower amount of migrants, though sometimes in relatively large concentrations (azacyclotridecan-2-one up to 250 µg kg⁻¹). Alkanes (especially in PP bottles), phthalates (dibutylphthalate in one PP bottle (±40 µg kg⁻¹) and one silicone bottle (±25 µg kg⁻¹); diisobutylphthalate in one PP (±10 µg kg⁻¹), silicone (up to ±80 µg kg⁻¹); and Tritan™ bottle (±30 µg kg⁻¹)), antioxidants (Irgafos 168, degradation products of Irganox 1010 and Irganox 1076), etc. were detected for PP, silicone and Tritan™ bottles. Although the concentrations were relatively low, some compounds not authorised by European Union Regulation No. 10/2011, such as 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (10-100 µg kg⁻¹) or 2-butoxyethyl acetate (about 300 µg kg⁻¹) were detected. Migrating chemicals were identified as confirmed (using a standard) or as tentative (further confirmation required).

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Ethanol, tested according to Ph. Eur.
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Benzophenone, purified by sublimation, ≥99%
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Dichloromethane, anhydrous, ≥99.8%, contains 40-150 ppm amylene as stabilizer
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Dichloromethane, puriss. p.a., ACS reagent, reag. ISO, ≥99.9% (GC)
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Dichloromethane, analytical standard
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Dichloromethane, contains 40-150 ppm amylene as stabilizer, ACS reagent, ≥99.5%
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Ethyl alcohol, Pure 200 proof, for molecular biology
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Ethyl alcohol, Pure, 200 proof
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USP
Glacial acetic acid, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Reference Standard
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Ethyl alcohol, Pure, 200 proof, meets USP testing specifications
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Ethyl acetate, HPLC Plus, for HPLC, GC, and residue analysis, 99.9%
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Ethyl alcohol, Pure, 200 proof, anhydrous, ≥99.5%
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Methylene Chloride, Pharmaceutical Secondary Standard; Certified Reference Material
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Methyl alcohol, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Reference Standard
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Anethol, natural, 99%, FG
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Dichloromethane, biotech. grade, 99.9%, contains 40-150 ppm amylene as stabilizer
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Ethyl acetate, biotech. grade, ≥99.8%
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Hexane, HPLC Plus, for HPLC, GC, and residue analysis, ≥95%
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Hexane, puriss. p.a., ACS reagent, reag. Ph. Eur., ≥99% (GC)
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