title: The emissions of monoaromatic hydrocarbons from small polymeric toys placed in chocolate food products.
abstract: The article presents findings on the emissions of selected monoaromatic hydrocarbons from children's toys placed in chocolate food products. The emission test system involved the application of a new type of microscale stationary emission chamber, μ-CTE™ 250. In order to determine the type of the applied polymer in the manufacture of the tested toys, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis coupled with differential scanning calorimetry were used. It was found that the tested toy components or the whole toys (figurines) are made of two main types of polymers: polyamide and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer. Total number of studied small polymeric toys was 52. The average emissions of selected monoaromatic hydrocarbons from studied toys made of polyamide were as follows: benzene: 0.45 ± 0.33 ng/g; toluene: 3.3 ± 2.6 ng/g; ethylbenzene: 1.4 ± 1.4 ng/g; p,m-xylene: 2.5 ± 4.5 ng/g; and styrene: 8.2 ± 9.9 ng/g. In the case of studied toys made of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer the average emissions of benzene, toluene, ethylbeznene, p,m-xylene and styrene were: 0.31 ± 0.29 ng/g; 2.5 ± 1.4 ng/g; 4.6 ± 8.9 ng/g; 1.4 ± 1.1 ng/g; and 36 ± 44 ng/g, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marć
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymers Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Formela
authors.affiliation: Renewable Energy Department, The Szewalski Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery, Polish Academy of Sciences, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Namieśnik
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdańsk, Poland. Electronic address: bozena.zabiegala@pg.gda.pl.
authors.forename: Bożena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zabiegała
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D002099:Cacao; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000032:analysis*; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D010988:Play and Playthings
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D006838:Hydrocarbons
keywords: BTEX; Emissions; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Polymeric toys; Styrene