Phthalate and adipate esters in Australian packaging materials

A total of 136 food packaging materials were analysed for the presence of s ix phthalate esters and one adipate ester. All of the sample materials were manufactured from either synthetic polymers or from wood pulp and most wer e in immediate contact with their food contents. The esters in the packagin g materials were extracted into a 2:1 mixture of chloroform and methanol, a nd analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. All of the materials e xamined were found to contain two or more of these compounds above a detect ion limit of 0.01 mu g/kg. Total phthalate concentrations ranged from 5 to 8160 mu g/g and adipate concentrations ranged from not detected to 1728 mu g/g. In general, materials with the most surface coverage of printing inks had the greatest concentrations of phthalates. Variations were noticed in t he occurrence and concentrations of phthalate and adipate esters in the pac kaging materials over a 12 month period during 1996 and 1997. (C) 1999 Else vier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.