Determination of benzene in polypropylene food-packaging materials and food-contact paraffin waxes.
An analytical procedure was developed for determination of benzene in polypropylene food packaging and was adapted for determination of benzene in commercial paraffin waxes intended for food-contact use. The polymer was dissolved in hexadecane at 150 degrees C. The wax was melted in an 80 degrees C oven. A simple helium-sparging apparatus was used to remove the volatile chemical from the polymer or wax. The contaminant was collected in methanol, distilled water was added, and the resulting solution was analyzed by headspace gas chromatography. The instrument was equipped with a 30 m fused silica open tubular capillary column and a photoionization detector. Average recoveries of benzene from polymer and paraffin wax at low parts-per-billion concentrations were 63 and 70%, respectively. Limits of detection and quantitation for analysis of polypropylene were 8 and 17 ppb, respectively; the limit of quantitation for analysis of paraffin wax was 2 ppb. In several commercial polypropylene products examined, benzene levels ranged from none detected to 426 ppb. In 3 commercial waxes examined, concentrations of 16-73 ppb benzene were determined. The presence of benzene was confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.
Varner
S L
SL
Food and Drug Administration, Division of Food Chemistry and Technology, Washington, DC 20204.
Hollifield
H C
HC
Andrzejewski
D
D
D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D010232:Paraffin / Q000032:analysis*; D011126:Polypropylenes / Q000032:analysis*; D012015:Reference Standards; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared
D011126:Polypropylenes; D010232:Paraffin; D001554:Benzene