title: Multi-elemental analysis of non-food packaging materials by inductively coupled plasma-time of flight-mass spectrometry.
abstract: Commercial non-food packaging materials of four different matrices (paper, low density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene-polypropylene (PE-PP) and high density polyethylene (HDPE)) were examined for the content of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Cd, Sb, Ba, Hg, Tl, Pb and U. The examined samples (0.17-0.35g) were digested in HNO(3) and H(2)O(2) (papers, LDPE and PE-PP) and in HNO(3), H(2)SO(4) and H(2)O(2) (HDPE) using microwave assisted high pressure system. The inductively coupled plasma-time of flight-mass spectrometry (ICP-TOFMS) has been employed as the detection technique. All measurements were carried out using internal standardization. Yttrium and rhodium (50ngg(-1)) were used as internal standards. The detection and quantification limits obtained were in the range of 0.005ngg(-1) ((52)Cr ) to 0.51ngg(-1) ((66)Zn ) and 0.015mugg(-1) ((52)Cr ) to 2.02mugg(-1) ((66)Zn ) of dry mass, respectively. The evaluated contents (mgkg(-1)) of particular elements in the examined materials were as follows: 0.22-219; <1.05-9.03; 1.25-112; <2.02-449; <0.98-<1.30; <0.36-2.06; <0.29-113; <0.22-44.1; <0.06-57.4; <0.66-<0.88; <0.08-0.24; <0.13-1222 and <0.08-0.44 for Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Cd, Sb, Ba, Hg, Tl, Pb and U, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Noakowskiego 3, 00-664 Warsaw, Poland; Polish Packaging Research and Development Centre, Konstancinska 11, 02-942 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skrzydlewska
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balcerzak