A new cell for single sided headspace sampling and evaluation of barrier function in laminated paperboard

A new cell for single sided headspace sampling has been developed for the a nalysis of volatile organic compounds from food packaging paperboard and la minated paperboard. The cell, which samples the volatile organic compounds over a selected surface, is useful for determining the barrier function of laminated paperboards with respect to volatile compounds. The analysis of v olatile organic compounds is carried out by purge and trap capillary gas ch romatography in combination with mass spectrometric detection and compound identification, The new sampling cell was constructed to facilitate specifi c analysis of organic compounds from only one side of a laminated paperboar d, The construction and the operating principles of the new sampling device are described. The repeatability of the single sided headspace procedure w as found to be quite good. Relative standard deviations of about 5-7% were obtained for the major compounds quantified in replicate headspace analyses of a laminated paperboard. The volatile compounds released from the inner side of a food packaging paperboard sample with different surface compositi on on the two sides were determined, The barrier function against volatile organic compounds of some laminated paperboards was investigated employing the new headspace cell.